14 Years Later, Spider-Man Still Fails to Fix the MCU Hulk’s Most Frustrating Flaw

The Savage Hulk has officially returned. In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Mark Ruffalo’s character departs from the serene, intellectual demeanor of “Professor Hulk” witnessed in Avengers: Endgame. Instead, he channels the visceral, unbridled fury that audiences have been craving. While this comeback is undeniably thrilling, it resurrects an enduring narrative pattern within the Marvel Cinematic Universe that continues to frustrate dedicated aficionados of the green giant.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s persistent Hulk issue

The primary confrontation featuring the Hulk in Brand New Day is an absolute spectacle. Viewers witness the Punisher (Jon Bernthal) futilely peppering the brute with ammunition before Spider-Man (Tom Holland) brilliantly restrains him in webbing and ejects him straight through a building’s facade.

Evaluated on its own merits, the sequence is exceptionally entertaining. The Hulk reverts to a truly destructive force of nature, appearing physically larger than in his previous Marvel Cinematic Universe outings. Nevertheless, the encounter perpetuates a noticeable trend that has left numerous supporters aggrieved.

A chronicle of defeat in the MCU

Not since the inaugural Avengers installment has the Hulk decisively won a significant conflict. Ever since, he has suffered an unbroken chain of setbacks. Rather than achieving triumphant victories akin to his fellow Avengers, the character is consistently employed as a narrative stepping stone to emphasize the power scaling of others. While casual viewers might overlook this pattern, observant enthusiasts have taken note and grown deeply dissatisfied.

The cinematic continuity’s iteration of the hero premiered in 2008 via The Incredible Hulk. Portrayed then by Edward Norton with distinct visual styling, the character engaged the United States military and the Abomination (Tim Roth), ultimately prevailing over both adversaries. Following a subsequent recasting and redesign for The Avengers, he wreaked havoc during the Battle of New York—obliterating Chitauri leviathans and famously reducing Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to a “puny god” with a brutal beating.

Fan exhilaration reached its peak following The Avengers, fostering hope that after Ang Lee’s Hulk and the 2008 standalone film failed to resonate broadly, a definitive, powerhouse version of the character had arrived. Regrettably, that high watermark marked the absolute pinnacle rather than a promising beginning.

Subsequent appearances in Avengers: Age of Ultron relegated the beast to dispatching nameless foot soldiers during initial skirmishes against Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) and the final onslaught against Ultron (James Spader). His most prominent fight sequence—against Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) operating the Hulkbuster suit—ended in a definitive defeat.

Exiled into deep space at the conclusion of Age of Ultron, he found himself on Sakaar, ascending to gladiatorial champion status entirely off-screen. The only visible bout on the planet resulted in a loss to Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Upon journeying to Asgard alongside Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and Loki, the Hulk engaged Hela’s colossal hound. Though he successfully cast the beast down a waterfall into the cosmos, the victory felt dubious, as environmental elements appeared entirely responsible for the creature’s demise rather than his own striking power.

A brief confrontation with the fiery entity Surtur was similarly played for comedic value, serving primarily to emphasize Surtur’s gargantuan proportions.

Subsequently, in Avengers: Infinity War, the character crossed paths with Thanos (Josh Brolin) and suffered a swift, decisive thrashing—so profoundly demoralizing that the persona refused to emerge from Bruce Banner for the remainder of the runtime.

When the alter ego resurfaced as Professor Hulk in Avengers: Endgame, he was tasked with wielding the Nano Gauntlet to reverse the Blip. While undeniably monumental, this duty lacked the visceral combat action expected by the fanbase. Furthermore, the physical toll of the gauntlet sidelined him during the climax against Thanos’ armada.

A sparring match against his cousin in the Disney+ series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law ultimately yielded a stalemate rather than a definitive triumph.

Hulk vs. Spider-Man

To be clear, none of these individual narrative choices are inherently flawed. While debates persist regarding the outcome of these specific clashes, the core grievance centers on the character’s unbroken losing streak. Unsurprisingly, this pattern is largely rooted in complex distribution rights rather than creative oversight.

Unlike the vast majority of MCU properties, theatrical distribution rights for a standalone Hulk film do not belong to Disney; instead, Universal Pictures retains them. Consequently, if Marvel Studios were to produce a solo feature, Universal would secure a substantial share of the financial returns. While Disney successfully negotiated a cooperative arrangement with Sony concerning Spider-Man, a similar pact has not materialized for the Hulk since 2008. Restricted to ensemble features and supporting appearances, the character functions primarily to elevate other protagonists’ arcs. This structural requirement invariably necessitates defeats to allow the central hero to triumph. Until Marvel prioritizes the iconic titan’s solo potential, audiences should anticipate this streak of losses to persist indefinitely.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now playing in theaters.

 

Source: Polygon