Avengers 4 Theory: Hulk Becomes An Agent of SHIELD

Avengers 4 Theory Suggests Hulk Becomes An Agent of SHIELD

Published Jun 18, 2018

Followed

Will the Hulk be reinvented as an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Avengers 4? One new theory posits he might, in an arc lifted from Mark Waid's Indestructible Hulk run.

Marvel is working on a Avengers: Infinity War, and finishes in next year's Avengers 4. It's now clear this arc brings the Hulk and Bruce Banner personas into head-on conflict. "Hulk speaking [in Thor: Ragnarok] is the start to separating of these two individuals," Mark Ruffalo explained, "these identities in this split-identity person, and where that's going to end up going."

A new theory, developed by CBR, suggests that this character arc will ultimately see the Hulk and Bruce Banner personas combine - and that the Hulk will become an Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

"Professor Hulk" and the Pantheon

The MCU has always treated the Hulk and Banner identities as separate beings who share a single body; that's why Bruce has always referred to Hulk as "the other guy." Thor: Ragnarok brought those personalities into conflict, with the Hulk resisting the urge to transform back to Banner for a full two years. By the end of the film, Hulk was clearly frustrated with Banner, actually allowing him to crash head-first onto the Bifrost before coming out to play. In Avengers: Infinity War, Hulk took a brutal beat-down from Thanos and then refused to return during the Battle of Wakanda. Although viewers interpreted that as fear of Thanos, co-director Joe Russo insisted there was another reason. "I think that if the Hulk were to say why, it’d be [that] Banner only wants Hulk for fighting. I think he’s had enough of saving Banner’s ass."

As CBR rightly note, this arc is lifted from Peter David's legendary run on The Incredible Hulk; some scenes in Avengers: Infinity War are even straight comic-to-page adaptations of Incredible Hulk #376. That issue featured scenes in which Bruce reeled, his body rebelling against the transformation, hands enlarging and turning green and gray. It also featured dialogue where the personas spoke to one another through Banner's mouth. All that actually happened in Infinity War.

Incredible Hulk #377 saw the Banner and Hulk personalities merge into a single, new being. Referred to by fans as "the Hulk in armor was shown at CineEurope, it's been expected this transformation is coming to the MCU. But, as CBR note, the film can't simply reproduce that arc; in the comics, Hulk became a member of a super-team known as the Pantheon, and it's far too late in the day to introduce the Pantheon for Avengers 4. But there's another option.

CBR suggests Marvel Studios could look to a more recent comic book run for inspiration; Mark Waid's Indestructible Hulk, which launched in 2013. This saw Banner and the Hulk agree to work for S.H.I.E.L.D., with Bruce modifying a S.H.I.E.L.D. biosuit into armor that could be worn by the Hulk when in the field. And, it must be said, the little we know of the Hulk's costume in Avengers 4 seems more evocative of Indestructible Hulk than the Pantheon era.

Although S.H.I.E.L.D. was disbanded in the aftermath of Nick Fury and Maria Hill are working for an organization that looks a lot like a new version of S.H.I.E.L.D.. It's possible Avengers 4 will see Earth's Mightiest Heroes working alongside a reborn S.H.I.E.L.D. - in which case, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Hulk actually become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, donning that modified biosuit.

Marvel don't really tend to do straight comic-to-page adaptations. Rather, they blend ideas into a new form, one that suits the MCU. The "Professor Hulk" personality seems to have been clearly set up by Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War, but Avengers 4 could easily draw inspiration from Mark Waid's more recent run.

Source: CBR