Marvel Studios has a major Hulk problem, but the perfect way to redeem Bruce Banner in the MCU has been seen in the pages of Marvel Comics. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner has become a central part of the MCU since the Hulk’s debut back in 2008, even though he has only had one solo movie, in which he was portrayed by Edward Norton. Over the last 17 years, the Hulk has been through more changes than most others, but not all of these have been well-received, so Marvel Studios should make a change.

Bruce Banner’s Hulk might have only had one solo adventure in The Incredible Hulk, but his major appearances in The Avengers, Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Infinity War, Endgame and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law have developed his story mᴀssively. The Hulk has been a villain, an Avenger, a gladiator and, currently, a Hulk/human hybrid, though many would prefer to see his most recent transformation into Smart Hulk reversed. Marvel Studios can draw on one iconic Marvel Comics storyline to make this happen, bringing the Hulk back to form.

Hulk’s MCU Story Could Do With Some Fresh Life Into It, & A Soft Reboot Might Be The Best Way Forward

Bruce Banner’s Hulk Needs Rejuvenation In The MCU

Over the years, the MCU’s Hulk has become the victim of “nerfing,” which refers to when once-strong characters are weakened with each of their appearances. The Hulk managed to take down the Abomination in 2008, battled Thor, Loki and alien creatures in 2012 and rampaged through the streets of Johannesburg in 2015. Since Age of Ultron, however, Bruce Banner hasn’t been depicted as the Strongest Avenger, far from it, so there are hopes that Marvel Studios will breathe some fresh life into the Hulk in his next MCU appearances.

In recent months, there has been speculation that Marvel Studios could be setting up a soft-reboot of the MCU following 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, establishing a new continuity for some of the franchise’s most central characters. However, Marvel could decide to soft-reboot Bruce Banner’s Hulk before reshuffling the entire MCU, establishing a new status quo for the iconic character that might solve some of his biggest issues. Thankfully, one huge Marvel Comics story arc that ran between 2018 and 2021 would be perfect at soft-rebooting the Hulk in the MCU.

Marvel’s Comics Have Set Up A Perfect Story For An MCU Hulk Soft Reboot To Happen

Marvel Comics’ Immortal Hulk Story Could Make Great Alterations To The Hulk

Marvel Comics’ long-running Immortal Hulk storyline established the perfect way for the MCU’s Hulk to be rejuvenated, most notably through the machinations of Dario Agger’s Minotaur and the monstrous creature known as Xenmu. When the Devil Hulk is released and aims his rampage at Roxxon, the company’s CEO, Dario Agger, releases monsters on the public which causes the Hulk to revert to his popular Savage Hulk form. Agger then summons Xenmu, who defeats the monsters and uses his hypnotism to brainwash the world to believing he is the hero and the Hulk is a villain.

Xenmu and Dario Agger’s Minotaur would be fantastic characters to debut in the MCU, especially since the alien Xenmu could become the Hulk’s most formidable and threatening villain ever seen on-screen. Xenmu’s manipulation of the public and the world’s memories of the Hulk would be the perfect way to alter Bruce Banner’s story in the MCU. This would not only bring him back to form as a more savage version of himself, but this story could also alter the public perception of the Hulk in the MCU, which would establish new conflicts and obstacles for Mark Ruffalo’s hero.

Spider-Man: No Way Home’s Ending Makes This Hulk Story Seem All The More Possible For The MCU

The World Has Forgotten Peter Parker, So The Same Could Be Done With Bruce Banner

Marvel Studios has already set a precedent for this kind of storyline to unfold in the MCU, as 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home ended in a twist on this global brainwashing narrative. In No Way Home, Doctor Strange cast a memory-wiping spell across the world, making everyone forget Peter Parker. This sent the multiversal villains and Spider-Man variants back to their home realities, but also left Tom Holland’s wall-crawler completely alone in the MCU, with some of his closest friends, including MJ, Ned Leeds and Happy Hogan, all forgetting him.

While the Immortal Hulk storyline doesn’t end with the world forgetting the Hulk, Xenmu’s manipulations and hypnotism change the public perception of the powerful Avenger. This bears a strong similarity to the ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home, but could have even more damaging and long-lasting effects on the Hulk. Adapting Xenmu’s battle against Bruce Banner from Marvel Comics’ Immortal Hulk would be a brilliant way for the Hulk to show his true strength again, and could set up some very exciting stories for his hopefully-lengthy MCU future.

Hulk

Created By

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby

First Appearance

The Incredible Hulk (1962)

Alias

Robert Bruce Banner

Alliance

Avengers, Defenders, Horsemen of Apocalypse, Fantastic Four, Pantheon, Warbound, S.M.A.S.H., Secret Avengers

Franchise

Marvel

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