Bruce Banner has had a remarkable run since becoming the Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all those years ago, alongside two other superheroes films and now the Disney+ streaming series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
There's a good possibility some of you are trying to piece everything together in order to make sense of how the Hulk fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe's past. We're about to introduce you to Banner's tumultuous history.
Bruce Banner Is Transformed Into The Incredible Hulk (The Incredible Hulk)
The Incredible Hulk's opening credits offer an example of how Ang Lee's 2003 superhero film was handled without losing any of its effectiveness. The title sequence also establishes the Banner on the run scenario that was also a key component of the film and the first Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover film four years later, The Avengers.
The Incredible Hulk Fights Abomination
After a Royal Marines commando is transformed by Thaddeus Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) into a massive monster, Bruce Banner takes on his first real test in The Incredible Hulk. It doesn't end with the Hulk killing Abomination, but rather with Blonsky being captured, allowing for a return later on in the film.
Natasha Romanoff Has Recruited Bruce Banner For The Avengers (The Avengers)
The Avengers' Bruce Banner (now played by Mark Ruffalo) had a number of great moments, including his engagement by Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in the early days of the 2012 film. This incredible scene establishes a few of the film's greatest relationships, including the close connection between Bruce and Natasha and the Science Bros. a decade later.
The Hulk Has Leaved Earth (Avengers: Age Of Ultron)
After the titular villain (James Spader) is prevented from bringing the city of Sokovia down to Earth to destroy the planet, the Hulk does something extraordinary and remarkably sad: he leaves Earth to save others, including Natasha Romanoff, from being caught in the crossfire whenever he loses control.
This decision is responsible for a number of iconic events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as the Hulk becoming the Grandmasters (Jeff Goldblum) champion on Sakaar for two years before returning to Bruce Banner and saving Asgardians from certain death in Thor: Ragnarok, and finally encountering Thanos (Josh Brolin) in Avengers: Infinity War.
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The Hulk is only in the 2018 crossover event for a few minutes in the early goings of the affair when he gets decimated by the Mad Titan himself. Hulk is overcome by the fight and possibly scared of the purple baddie.
The rest of the film is spent attempting to persuade Bruce Banner to release his Other Side, but to no avail. This would eventually lead to deepening for Bruce Banner and the Hulk as their human side attempted to establish a symbiotic connection where both parties might benefit, but not before Thanos put his diabolical plan into motion during the Avengers: Infinity War conclusion.
After the Snap, Bruce Banner merges with The Hulk (Avengers: Endgame)
Bruce Banner discovers a way to combine with the Hulk to create a character known as Smart Hulk for the first time in over a decade following the failed gamma experiment. Banner is able to control the beast inside.
In Avengers: Endgame, the audience hasn't seen the transformation or all of the effort that went into it (at least not yet).
The Smart Hulk Reverses The Snap (Avengers: Endgame)
Smart Hulk reversed Thanos' pull with a single of his own that reintroduced everyone and everything the Mad Titan had lost five years earlier, surviving the epic final confrontation with Thanos and his invading army.
Hulk, a smart Hulk, leaves Earth on a Sakaaran ship (She-Hulk: Attorney At Law)
Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) becomes a 6-foot-7-inch Hulk after she saves her cousin, Bruce Banner, who accidentally mixed her blood with his following a car accident. What was the cause of the accident? Oh, a Sakaaran ship that was sent to Earth for some unidentified reason.
Jennifer calls her cousin to tell him about representing his old foe, Emil Blonsky, and then asks him if he will return for a minute, and the camera pans out to show him on the exact ship that caused the accident, this time in deep space.
There's a good possibility we haven't seen Bruce Banner just yet, given the way the second episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law left things out. Will we be seeing Banner, Smart Hulk, or the Incredible Hulk when we see the character in any of the upcoming Marvel films? Time will tell.