It Took 62 Years, But Hulk Is Now Realizing His Villain Potential

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Incredible Hulk #19!Since his first appearance back in 1962, Hulk has been one of the strongest characters in Marvel Comics, and he seems to keep getting stronger with every passing story. However, never before has the Hulk seemed as villainous as he does right now. In fact, it’s fair to say the Hulk has become a major threat to the entire Marvel Universe – one that the Avengers might not be able to defeat.

In The Incredible Hulk #19 (Legacy #800), readers are given four original stories featuring one or more members of the ‘Hulk Family’. In the story titled “Foul-Weather Friends” by Greg Pak and Lan Medina, Bruce Banner is alone in the wilderness when he’s attacked by a gang of monstrous skeleton creatures (who seemingly work for his current arch nemesis, the Eldest). While Banner begs Hulk to take over and kill these monsters, Hulk merely laughs within their shared mind, indicating that Bruce is on his own. But then, Amadeus Cho aka Brawn jumps in and saves Banner from the skeletons.

Rather than being thankful, Bruce Banner is furious with Brawn, not because Banner has anything against his fellow ‘Hulk’, but because Amadeus put himself in grave danger by doing so – not from the skeletons, but Hulk himself. Banner warns Brawn that the Hulk will kill him if he doesn’t get out of there, as the Green Goliath isn’t the hero Amadeus thinks he knows anymore. Since Banner and Hulk had their falling out, Hulk has made it his mission to make Banner’s life as miserable as possible, and that means killing those closest to him – including Brawn.

Hulk’s Anger Towards Bruce Banner Could Impact the Entire Marvel Universe

Right now in The Incredible Hulk continuity, the Hulk and Bruce Banner are at odds due to the events of the previous Hulk story arc, in which Banner trapped Hulk’s consciousness in a metaphysical torture chamber, took over his body (piloting it like a ‘starship’), and siphoned Hulk’s agony to power the ‘Starship Hulk’. Banner committed countless atrocities against the Hulk, and planned to keep committing them for the rest of their lives. However, Hulk eventually broke free from his mental prison, at which point he vowed to make Banner suffer in every conceivable way.

At the start of this Incredible Hulk series, Hulk threatened to kill anyone Banner got close to (even doing so occasionally), ensuring that Banner would be isolated for the rest of his life, hiding in fear of the Hulk killing those closest to him. That’s why Banner was so angry with Amadeus Cho, as he’s one of Banner’s close friends and his former mentee (of sorts), so he’d definitely be on the Hulk’s hit list. But, if a hero like Brawn isn’t safe from the Hulk, what does that mean about other Marvel heroes, including and especially the Avengers?

Hulk is a bit preoccupied with fighting the Eldest and her monster army to dedicate any real time to torturing Banner. However, once the Eldest is inevitably defeated, it’s very possible Hulk will make that his full-time job. The Hulk could decide that the only way to truly make Banner suffer is by killing the Avengers, especially since that team of heroes always accepted Banner more than they ever did Hulk. Banner’s feud with Hulk may very well impact the rest of Marvel’s heroes, just as it nearly meant the death of Brawn in this issue.

Hulk’s Sidekick Would Cement His Victory Over the Avengers

Charlie Tidwell Just Became the God-Tier Superhuman, Lycana

Even if the Hulk did decide to kill the Avengers and the rest of Marvel’s heroes just to make Banner suffer (which it’s been established that that’s something he would absolutely do), there’s no guarantee that Hulk would be successful. The Avengers are Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, after all, and they’ve taken down villains more threatening than the Hulk before. So, who’s to say Hulk would even be a real threat to them at all? Sure, he’d be hard to take down, but could he actually kill all the Avengers in his crusade to make Banner suffer?

While the answer to that question would normally be up in the air, this time, it seems Hulk might have it in the bag, and it’s all thanks to his new sidekick, Charlie. Charlie was recently possessed by the Skinwalker God, Lycana, effectively becoming the wolf-like deity anytime she transforms into her Skinwalker form. As Lycana, Charlie proves powerful enough to challenge the Eldest herself, which is something even the Hulk struggles to do. In fact, the Eldest has only ever been beaten by the One Below All (aka One Above All), confirming how cosmically powerful she is.

Since Charlie can challenge a god-like primordial being like the Eldest, it’s fair to say that she would prove to be a major asset to the Hulk if he challenged the Avengers. Plus, Charlie will do whatever Hulk says, and her Lycana form is making her increasingly violent. In other words, Charlie would absolutely tear the Avengers apart if Hulk gave the order. With Charlie (aka Lycana) by his side, Hulk’s victory over the Avengers would be as good as cemented, and the two would relish the misery their victory would bring Banner.

Hulk is More Dangerous Now Than He was During WORLD WAR HULK

World War Hulk Presented Hulk as a Major Avengers-Level Threat

The last time the Hulk posed this much of a threat to the Avengers and the wider Marvel Universe was during World War Hulk, in which Hulk sought vengeance upon the heroes of Earth who sent him off-world. However, the Hulk was ultimately defeated because, in truth, his heart just wasn’t in it. Throughout the event, Hulk continued to let the heroes he claimed he wanted to kill live, until he was ultimately brought down by their combined efforts. That wouldn’t be a problem this go-round.

If Hulk committed himself to killing the Avengers to make Banner suffer, then there’s nothing anyone could do to change his mind, as Hulk would be fighting a purely internal war, with the Avengers merely being the sole casualties. Plus, if the Hulk unleashed Lycana on the Avengers, it’s not guaranteed that he’d be able to reign the god-tier creature in again if he did change his mind. In essence, if the Hulk waged war against the Marvel Universe just as he did during World War Hulk, it’s fair to say he’d be an even greater threat this time around.

As it stands, Hulk is still very much a hero in the Marvel Universe, as he’s fighting a primordial evil in order to save the entire world. However, Bruce Banner’s interaction with Brawn in this issue of The Incredible Hulk was a sobering reminder of how close to villainy Hulk truly is, and how willing he is to cross that line if it means making Banner suffer. It took 62 years, but Hulk is now realizing his villain potential – and it’s utterly terrifying.

The Incredible Hulk #19 by Marvel Comics is available now.