The Hulk’s Ongoing Identity Crisis in the MCU: What’s Up with Bruce Banner?

Hey Marvel fans! If you’re planning a trip to the cinema, don’t miss out on the latest Spider-Man flick, Brand New Day, hitting theaters now! The fourth installment in the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man series is expected to be a major success for both Sony and Marvel. After we wrap up the Multiverse Saga with Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, expect to see even more from this version of Spider-Man. But let’s dive into a curious aspect of the movie that has some fans scratching their heads: the continued inconsistency with Hulk, portrayed once again by Mark Ruffalo.

Although Hulk has a minor role in this latest adventure, his portrayal raises questions about his character continuity within the MCU. It’s like every time he shows up, there’s a new version of Bruce Banner! So, what’s going on here?

In Brand New Day, we meet Bruce as a physics professor at Empire State University. Our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man attends one of his lectures, looking to chat about a gamma inhibitor he wears on his wrist. This device, which first popped up in a post-credits scene from Shang-Chi, is supposed to keep Bruce from transforming into the Hulk at the worst possible moments. But here’s the kicker: when the inhibitor malfunctions in this film, Bruce reverts to his Savage Hulk form, a character we haven’t seen since the early days of Infinity War when Thanos handed him a serious beatdown.

Now, you might wonder why Bruce transforms back into Savage Hulk when the device fails. Haven’t we established that he managed to reconcile with his Hulk side back in Endgame? Sure, the action scene that follows is undeniably fun, but the lack of explanation behind this sudden shift feels like a missed opportunity. It’s like the filmmakers just decided that a wild Hulk moment would be too cool to pass up, ignoring the continuity issues.

This isn’t the first time Hulk’s character has faced such inconsistency. When we trace Banner’s journey in the MCU, it’s clear that his evolution has been anything but smooth. Initially played by Edward Norton in The Incredible Hulk, the character underwent a major recasting with Ruffalo stepping in for The Avengers. Since then, Hulk has had a tumultuous ride filled with off-screen developments and plot twists that often leave fans confused.

Take Age of Ultron for example; suddenly, we had this random romantic subplot with Black Widow that came out of nowhere. And then in Thor: Ragnarok, Hulk is a carefree gladiator having the time of his life. This character inconsistency just continues to spiral. We saw Hulk refuse to emerge during Infinity War after being beaten down, but then we jump straight to Banner’s Professor Hulk phase in Endgame without much explanation.

Things got even trickier with the introduction of Skaar, Hulk’s son, in She-Hulk. This new character raises even more questions about Hulk’s narrative arc. Is Skaar still around during Brand New Day? The film doesn’t address it, leaving fans wondering how the character fits into the bigger picture.

Many of these narrative missteps could have been avoided if Universal had cooperated with Marvel to produce another solo Hulk film. Hulk’s character has been relegated to sidekick status, making his journey feel disjointed and incomplete. And let’s not forget about Betty Ross and other important characters who’ve just vanished from the MCU narrative.

It’s baffling that Universal hasn’t embraced a collaborative approach similar to Sony’s successful partnership with Marvel for Spider-Man. Imagine seeing Hulk in a well-crafted storyline that aligns with his character’s history and growth. After all, Mark Ruffalo has dedicated years to the role and deserves a shot at leading his own feature film where he can truly shine.

For now, we’re left processing the latest Hulk moments and hoping that future projects will finally straighten out his wildly inconsistent character arc. What are your thoughts on Hulk’s portrayal in Brand New Day? Share your views in the comments!

As an Amazon Associate, PakGamersHub earns from qualifying purchases.