Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Captain America: Brave New WorldIn more ways than one, Captain America: Brave New World is a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. Originally released in 2008 as the MCU’s second movie release, The Incredible Hulk starred Edward Norton prior to the role of Bruce Banner being recast with Mark Ruffalo in 2012’s The Avengers. Now, Brave New World movie picks up on several threads and characters that were first introduced in the early Hulk movie, many of which had never been referenced in the 17 years between the two films.

In The Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner was a fugitive on the run as General Thunderbolt Ross obsessively hunted him using the army, wanting his power for the US government and harboring personal resentments toward Banner who’d fallen in love with his daughter, Betty. 17 years later, Hulk is now a recognized Avenger in the MCU while Ross has become President of the United States. However, Captain America: Brave New World also uncovers a mᴀssive conspiracy that began during the events of 2008’s Incredible Hulk. Here are the biggest ways Captain America: Brave New World is essentially the MCU’s Incredible Hulk 2.

8

President Thunderbolt Ross Is The Primary Antagonist

Continuing His MCU Arc That Began in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk

One of the biggest ways Captain America: Brave New World is a sneaker Hulk sequel is the simple fact that Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross is the movie’s predominant antagonist. First introduced in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk played by the late William Hurt, Ross mirrored his comic book counterpart quite well in his relentless hunt for Banner following the gamma experiment that turned him into the Hulk. However, Ross has continued to have a background role in the MCU ever since.

After The Incredible Hulk, Ross returned in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War as the US Secretary of State. In his new position, Ross pushed for the signing of the United Nations Sokova Accords, which was intended to give governments of the world more oversight of the Avengers. To that end, Hurt’s Ross had brief roles in both Avengers: Infinity War and Black Widow saw him hunting down Avengers who refused to sign the Accords.

Now, Harrison Ford has taken over the role of Thunderbolt Ross from the late William Hurt in Brave New World. Ross is elected as President of the United States in this new MCU movie, and is eventually transformed into the monstrous Red Hulk as seen in the comics, becoming that which he’d long hunted in the MCU’s past.

7

Brave New World Reveals The Aftermath of Harlem

Hulk vs Abomination

Much of the conspiracy surrounding Ross’ presidency and the skeletons in his closet have their origins from the Battle of Harlem. In 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, Banner’s Hulk fought Emil Blonsky who’d been transformed into The Abomination. Blonsky had received gamma treatments from Ross himself to take down Banner, who then craved even more power from Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), the scientist whom Banner had gone to in an attempt to cure the Hulk for good.

Brave New World reveals the aftermath of this major Harlem battle. Not only did Betty refuse to speak with her father, but Ross secretly had a team recover Sterns and take him to a military black site. His mind having been enhanced by Banner’s blood, Ross upped the dose of gamma and turned Sterns into his own private think tank, creating new weapons while also helping develop a cure for his heart condition, the entire time promising Sterns a pardon once he gained the presidency. In truth, Ross turned Sterns into a scapegoat for the events of Harlem, never intending to release him.

6

Brave New World Finally Pays Off Samuel Sterns aka The Leader

Hidden Away For 16 Years In The MCU

Once the drops of Banner’s gamma-irradiated blood fell onto Sterns’ temple in The Incredible Hulk and his head started to mutate, it became clear that the MCU was setting up his evolution as The Leader, Sterns’ supervillain counterpart in the comics who gains a genus-level intellect thanks to his gamma enhancements. However, Samuel Sterns was never seen again in the MCU until Brave New World. Now, it’s revealed that Sterns was Ross’ prisoner for 16 years, explaining his disappearance while he also developed his secret revenge on the new MCU president.

5

Gamma Radiation Plays A Major Role In Brave New World

A Major Conspiracy Involving Ross and Sterns

Across the board, gamma radiation plays a much bigger role in Captain America: Brave New World compared to most MCU projects since The Incredible Hulk (a notable exception being She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the origins of Banner’s cousin Jen Walters). Not only is Sterns’ gamma-mutation fully shown in the 35th MCU movie, but it’s also revealed that the pills Sterns created to cure Ross’ heart condition had been laced with gamma radiation that gradually entered the president’s bloodstream, resulting in his monstrous transformation into the Red Hulk during Brave New World’s third act.

4

Liv Tyler’s Betty Ross Returns

Her First MCU Appearance Since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk

Played by Liv Tyler, Betty Ross was Bruce Banner’s first love and President Ross’ daughter, whom he’d long been estranged from following the events of The Incredible Hulk. Much like Sterns, Betty Ross had not been seen in the MCU since the 2008 film, only to finally make a new appearance in Brave New World. Thaddeus’ core mission was to show his daughter that he’d changed, and this served as a primary motivation that led to him to transform back to normal from his new red rage monster form at the end of the movie.

While her voice can be heard over the phone ahead of the third act battle, Betty does make a full on-screen appearance when she visits her father who’s now being held on The Raft, looking to try and repair their relationship. However, it was never specifically revealed why she and Bruce broke up, other than the implication that Banner likely broke things off as he was still being hunted as a fugitive. However, that still doesn’t explain why the duo never got back together, especially once Banner’s Hulk became an Avenger and was recognized as a hero.

3

The Red Hulk Is Set Up As The Perfect Rival For Bruce Banner’s Hulk

The Natural Next Step For The “Hulk Hunter”

Unfortunately, Bruce Banner’s Hulk does not make an appearance in Captain America: Brave New World. However, the full MCU debut of Ross’ Red Hulk does set up an exciting future, one where the red and green Hulks might encounter each other in the future. While they could be initial rivals, it’s more likely at this point that Hulk and Red Hulk could become unlikely allies during the upcoming Avengers crossovers.

Although Ross might be held in The Raft at the moment, it’s not hard to imagine a scenario where Ross gets recruited to help save the world, especially if things get really desperate. Furthermore, getting the chance to face Banner is likely a core reason why Ross is still alive at the end of the movie following the film’s collection of reshoots. After all, original set videos from the movie had teased a funeral for the MCU president.

2

Ross Finally Pays For His Actions From The Incredible Hulk

Sending The Army After Banner (And Blaming Sterns)

President Ross finally paying for all of his actions and secrets is certainly a satisfying narrative bridge between The Incredible Hulk and Brave New World. Likewise, the fact that he was able to prove his ability to change and be better than the man he was is a good thematic message across the board. Ultimately, Ross getting the opportunity to reconcile with his daughter is far more meaningful and satisfying when thinking about where their relationship began in the MCU with the 2008 movie.

1

The Beginning of A New Avengers Team Is Teased

Mirroring The End Of The Incredible Hulk

It’s also a fun connection to point out that both The Incredible Hulk and Captain America: Brave New World end by setting up future rosters of Avengers. The Incredible Hulk post-credits scene sees Tony Stark meeting with General Ross, who was drinking and smoking his sorrows at a bar, having lost Bruce Banner yet again. Stark then alludes to the formation of an upcoming team of enhanced individuals, the implication being that Banner’s Hulk is a desired recruit for the first roster of Avengers.

Conversely, the end of Captain America: Brave New World sees Sam Wilson agreeing with Ross’ earlier proposal for Captain America to reform the Avengers. While Ross had been envisioning a team that took orders from the White House, that will presumably no longer be the case now that he’s being held in The Raft. Regardless, Wilson similarly teases the ᴀssembly of a new roster of Avengers, and it’s even teased that Joaquin Torres’ Falcon will be one of its members beyond Wilson’s Cap himself, just like Hulk was teased as one of the Avengers’ first recruits after Iron Man.

Captain America: Brave New World is now playing in theaters from Marvel Studios.

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