What is low-key remarkable about these three roles is that he brought vastly different performances to each of them: from wide-eyed comic fear, to understated flirtation and self-effacing grace, and then to the smooth, debonair manner needed for his sleight-of-hand-wielding detective. The film does indeed address the impotence conflict of Hulks character from the last film, but they do so in a way thats troubling to me. Russo explained that it was important for the filmmakers to revisit how the Hulk, for all his incredible power, paled compared to Thanos. Although it was not entirely clear what happened to the Hulk in the movie, the directors have confirmed that the Hulk lost his arm in Avengers: Endgame in an interview with ComicBook.com. While Avengers: Endgame was the end for Natasha, viewers will get to see her one final time in Black Widow, set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, giving full closure to her time in the MCU. April 26, 2019 (U.S.) Budget. Firstly as established in Ragnarok, The Hulk is not just Banner but dumbed down, he clearly has his own personality, motivation, and et cetera, he even makes it clearly that he is NOT Banner and that he doesn't even like Banner very much. Its almost as if you can hear the storytellers say, Dont worry folks! The Russos said that this damage to the Hulk is irreversible, but they also admitted that whichever director gets to continue the Hulk's story in his next Marvel appearance could probably figure out some way to fix his arm if they wanted to: Basically, all of this comes together to tease the future Marvel movie that will likely be the Hulk's final appearance in the MCU. I cant tell you how many times I came home from sports practice, sat down with a box of Cheez-Its, and started my homework as I happily watched a body-painted Lou Ferrigno flex right through some denim. Its that there have been so many different versions of the character over the years that its practically impossible to define him in any specific way. The second problem with not addressing this conflict is that it prevents us, the viewers, from truly answering any of it, because we simply have to wait until we get more from the next film. #viral #shorts #youtubeshorts #marvel #marvelstudios #math #marvelcinematicuniverse #shortvideo #ytshort #ytshorts #hulkbuster #hulk #avengersendgame #loki They were willing to put their best foot forward and face the oncoming threat of the Chitauri army together, but no one could say they were truly the Avengers. In this first picture you can see his height at the end of Ragnarok. Avengers: Endgame is bringing closure to the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the first generation of them, anyway: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and, of course, the Hulk. And when I think about that promise of the first Avengers movie? Because the lessons we learn and the peace we gain all come from the crucibles of our most heart-wrenching experiences. The arm loss sets up a majorly different look for the Hulk moving forward, along with a new curve in his character arc. The point of this comment is not to throw back some pedantic nerdery. It's only correct that Hulk should be barely capable of utilizing the Stones; they were facets of existence compressed into objects. Thankfully, because of the film's home media release, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are also still taking some time to answer those questions. It wants smashes and slams and a whole lot of Hulk make bad guy go squish! How do you wrap up the story of the not-so-jolly green giant? The Ancient One briefly removes Bruce from. They both want to control Hulks body. The Russos also addressed some of the key deleted scenes that made it ontoInfinity War's home release, including one cut that removed a fan-favorite supporting character from the film entirely. I didnt have many expectations for the conceit beyond the initial lark, but soon it started evolving. But please understand Im not talking about mere changes in tone, which can shift as much as it wants. The Hulk slander barely improved in Avengers: Endgame . Hulk's refusal to play in Infinity War was part of his ongoing journey as a character separate from Bruce Banner, co-director Joe Russo revealed in an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast,. But perhaps the best quality of the film is that it wants to make the Hulking-out fun and clear and properly motivated. This really is what best defines the Hulk to me, because it plays into age-old lessons about the personal cost of heroism. This approach understands that our deepest expressions and fears can. Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity. So, he loses a lot of strength there. Where do you go with that? But sometimes you were so invested in the emotions of his relationship with a new character that week that you rooted for him not to. What Is TikTok's 'Guardians Of The Galaxy' Disneyland Ride Trend? Avengers: Endgame puts Hulk in a very different place from where he started. Come Endgame, the five-year time jump brings with it a Banner and Hulk who, for the first time in their history, have settled on a compromise. The Incredible Hulk was a beloved television show that ran from 1978 until 1982. During a recent conversation, Joe Russo elaborated on the issue: "He's lost an arm. Unfortunately, Mark Ruffalo has made it clear that the Hulk will almost definitely never be getting a standalone movie, so expect to see his story continued as a co-star in another hero's film. Because our lives are filled with so many crushing dualities and shortcomings that we need to find meaningful apotheosis. Could the Avengers go back in time to kill baby Thanos? (viaComicBook.com). And Norton has never been that, for all his other gifts. One of the main themes of Avengers:Endgame is sacrifice, and the film demonstrates over and over again that the only way to be victorious over the "inevitable" (as Thanos so fatefully described himself) is cooperative combined might, and actions that exact terrible tolls. (They actually look good on him.) They will sometimes just make a Banner who is meek and repressed, and then indulge in Hulk as the obvious (and often ugly) power fantasy. While Thor: Ragnarok raised the possibility that, because Hulk had been in control for so long, another transformation might permanently trap Banner and leave Hulk on the outside forever,. McFeely told Empire recently that the writers simply did not have. You looked into his eyes and you trusted him. If he gets too angry, hell transform back into Bruce Banner but with the mind and personality of the Savage Hulk (which doesnt seem to be a problem for Endgames Hulk). Something went wrong. So when the events of the current story serve to re-traumatize him, our Banner breaks from his unemotional exterior and the inner hulk (read: emotion/trauma) finally comes to the surface with destructive consequences. Witnessing Bruce become Smart Hulk during the events of "Avengers: Endgame" was one of the most controversial aspects of the film among fans. It's interesting. His career stretched over three decades, featuring guest appearances on an array of classics like The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, Ironside, The Love Boat, The Joey Bishop Show, and even Fantasy Island. We've course-corrected our galactic maps, read our redacted S.H.I.E.L.D. Sadly, Thanos got what he wanted with just the snap of his fingers, leaving the surviving heroes (and viewers) wondering what was going to happen next. Back to Hulks snap, Tony reminded him that he had to bring back those who vanished after Thanos snap but without changing anything from the last five years, and he did so, but he also tried to bring Natasha back. So, contrary to what might seem obvious, it turns out that the most emotionally affecting Hulk stories are the ones that give us a personable, engaged Bruce Banner with aching humility. As Russo pointed out, Hulk was the dominant personality in Banner's body from the timeAvengers: Age of Ultronended until the events ofThor: Ragnarok, when he saw Black Widow on a screen in the Quinjet and reverted back to Banner. Well . Sure, you can throw as many lines like I was born to do this when Hulk reaches for the Infinity Gauntlet as you want, but you cant tell me that this is part of a psychological journey that was dramatized in the actual story weve seen so far. But for Kirby and Lee, its far more nuanced. The first is that all the important thematic work is left to pure conjecture when you dont actually dramatize any of it. newsletter, closure to the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Universal Studios still has right of first refusal for any solo Hulk movie, planned their own three movie arc for Hulks personality, Avengers: Endgame failed the Incredible Hulk, Avengers: Endgames reinvented Hawkeye raises questions about superheroes who kill, In the end, the MCU was a saga about failure, The biggest questions after Avengers: Endgames ending, answered, The kid at the end of Avengers: Endgame is one of Marvels mightiest cameos, Avengers: Endgame writers on bringing Captain America to this moment, Captain Americas final act in Endgame seems to solve a lingering MCU mystery, The best Captain America moment was a nod to comic book controversy, Avengers: Endgames confusing timeline actually makes sense heres why, Thors reaction to his new look is the only one that matters, Avengers: Endgames Stan Lee cameo is a rebuke to keeping politics out of comics, Everything you need to remember about the OG Avengers before Endgame, The Avengers: Endgame scenes worth dipping out of for a bathroom break, ranked, Avengers: Endgame: the non-spoiler review, Avengers: Endgame does have a post-credits moment, its just subtle, The best way to avoid Avengers: Endgame spoilers and leaks, How to watch all 21 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Endgame will finish the series longest-running battle and its not Thanos, What MCUs Phase 4 looks like after Endgame, Black Widows stand-alone movie could make Avengers: Endgame richer, How Avengers: Endgame shakes up the Guardians of the Galaxy, The Spider-Man: Far From Home trailer plays way differently after Endgame. His disconnection is a coping mechanism, one deeply tied to a buried memory of his father trying to kill him and inadvertently killing his mother. In short, hes scared about getting close because hes scared of hurting people. The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 with Jon Favreaus Iron Man, which introduced Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark and set the tone for the rest of this connected universe. I don't know. In a universe where anything can happen and be undone as is convenient, what makes us care is characterization, and characters will usually have to suffer before success. But it's the Hulk who addresses every concern you might have. Even Natashas sacrificial choice felt hollow. Originally created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, this new body-bursting brute seemed an unlikely candidate for a superhero. Link your TV provider to stream movies, full episodes, and live TV. She can shout her explanations in the moment all she wants, but there was literally no buildup to make us feel like that choice was in play beforehand. So when "Hulk" first shows up, who clearly now is just Green Banner he explains that the entire time his struggle was because he though of Hulk as more of a disease than a part of him and all he had to do was learn to accept him. Aside from the obvious bright spots like Black Panther, Ive had some trouble with the endless wheel-spinning and half-hearted lip-service toward change that weve seen from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. MCU Hulk was great in Avengers 1, they gave him the one shot feat and had him overpower everyone (even Thor),. When she's not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs! All rights reserved. Nevertheless, Bruce still came through when the Avengers needed him most in less smash-y ways. May 5, 2020. Guillermo del Toro said hi to her once. It could make you cry almost every time, especially as you saw him stoically trying to carry all the pain and sadness within him. Hulk was no wimp. To be frank, theres not a lot going on in terms of characterization, arcs, or even relationships in this movie. And so Mark Ruffalo and Kevin Feige planned their own three movie arc for Hulks personality in lieu of an actual Hulk film. Maybe Bruce Banner isn't as zen as we thought. Each character barely has time to react to whats going on, much less process it and grow. Healthy anger, as its often described in therapy, is the willingness to fight for self and whats right, a lovely little duality within the duality. But even though I thought I was watching for those fun, tangible thrills, I was actually watching for the man who played Banner. It was a lot of fun, but it came at the wrong moment. Hulk speaks in full sentences. The best versions of the character not only understand this, but they also understand how to make this irony contrast with the other half of the character: Dr. Bruce Banner. by Mae Abdulbaki. So, I think this is becoming a stubborn push and pull between two very despaired personalities stuck in one body.". Avengers: Infinity Waris a film so packed with details and characters that, more than three months after its release, we're still asking questions about some of them. Who is the Hulk? This causes Banner to effectively go impotent and fail to turn into the Hulk when necessary. It is just one of many undermining thematic choices of Endgame, from the problematic 180-degree reversal on Thors thematic journey, to the troubling timey-wimey resets of Phase-One Loki and Gamora, to Bucky having absolutely nothing to do, which helps prove how little he made sense as the MCUs Helen of Troy. When I think about the creative ways the merged Hulks were explored in the comics? The story completes the arc put into motion with Thor: Ragnarok and told over Infinity War and Endgame, bringing to a close this three-movie character arc Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige once said very much tracks together by design. Or as Banner calls it, "The best of both worlds.". 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Endgamemakes a big deal of exacting cost; it's fair to say that Thor and Hulk are diametrically opposed examples of the best and worst ways to cope with the fallout of Infinity War, so in lending gravity to Hulk's decision to use the Stark gauntlet, it would have made no sense to have him make angst-ridden soliloquies like Thor. most powerful characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And yet we have to acknowledge thats exactly what the MCU does in its endless game of Calvinball. Please enter a valid email and try again. Comic readers may know him as Over the decades, there have been many Hulks both in the literal sense, and the metaphorical. But what made Bixby downright transcendent is that he could do all that while still keeping this quiet, plain-faced nature underneath it all. Before Thanos arrival, and now with all the stones and a nano gauntlet, the team was ready to reverse Thanos actions with another snap question was, who was going to do it. It's blackened. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Just like Jekyll and Hyde, the duality of these two sides should be clear. Maybe it's blood or being stuck with a needle. directors finally explain their most controversial character change. The beauty of this choice reveals a simple irony: The Hulk may be physically invulnerable, but he is as emotionally vulnerable as it gets. Most important to th Continue Reading 7 Quora User In the film, well-adjusted and emotionally stable Professor Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), a merging of the brains and mild temperament of Bruce Banner with the green, super-strong physique of the Hulk,. A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon. Due to some leftovers from Marvels 90s licensing deals, Universal Studios still has right of first refusal for any solo Hulk movie. "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,". Something went wrong. All movies led to a big team-up in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, as the Avengers, New Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more joined forces to stop Thanos. Live TV transcendent is that it wants merged Hulks were explored in the literal sense, and the... Marvels 90s licensing deals, Universal Studios still has right of first for... And Hyde, the duality of these two sides should be barely capable utilizing! Own three movie arc for Hulks personality in lieu of an actual Hulk film tone, which shift! S blood or being stuck with a new language, watching hockey ( go Avs properly.... Conversation, Joe Russo elaborated on the issue: & quot ; he & x27. 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