13 Years After Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk Debut, the MCU Hero Has Missed Out on Two Crucial Relationships

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I didn’t get a chance to witness Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk when he first joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but ever since his introduction in The Avengers, he has undeniably become an integral part of this fascinating franchise. Incredibly, within just 12 months, he became the first actor to play this character across multiple live-action theatrical movies, thanks to a post-credit scene in Iron Man 3. He’s graced us with his presence in numerous MCU blockbusters such as three Avengers sequels, Thor: Ragnarok, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Next up, we’ll see him in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, further cementing Ruffalo’s massive impact on the Marvel Universe.

Regardless of the number of projects Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk has been involved in, it remains peculiar that there haven’t been any encounters between his version of the Hulk and two notable Incredible Hulk characters who have recently appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five.

Why Has the Ross Family Never Interacted With Hulk Again?

As a movie enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this:

In “The Incredible Hulk”, I found myself drawn to the complex relationship between Bruce Banner, portrayed by Edward Norton, and Betty Ross, played by Liv Tyler. Yet, her father, General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (William Hurt), was relentless in his pursuit of Banner as a fugitive. When Mark Ruffalo stepped into the role, it became clear that films like “The Avengers” would only subtly hint at the events of this movie (“Last time I was in New York, I kind of…broke Harlem,”). Later on, Hurt’s General Ross resurfaced in “Captain America: Civil War”, marking one of several appearances of the Incredible Hulk character. Following Hurt’s demise, Harrison Ford took over the role for “Captain America: Brave New World”, where we saw Ross transform into the Red Hulk and Betty Ross make her long-awaited MCU comeback after a 17-year absence.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame”, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk had a near-miss with hologram Ross and both were present at Tony Stark’s funeral. However, it is worth noting that Hulk and the two members of the Ross family have not appeared together in the same place thus far. Additionally, they haven’t engaged in any direct interactions, which seems unusual considering their extensive history in the comics and the “Incredible Hulk” series. The complexities of these characters are not overlooked by the new artists working within the Marvel Universe as evidenced by Samuel Sterns’ return as the Leader in “Brave New World”.

It seems strange that Ruffalo’s Hulk has been kept apart from other characters so much. One theory could be because Black Widow emerged as a new love interest for him in Avengers: Age of Ultron, which continued to play out throughout Phase Three, even influencing Banner’s reactions to her death in Avengers: Endgame. Betty, like Mary Jane Watson, Lois Lane, or Jane Foster in the comics, was once Banner’s primary romantic interest. With Hulk now focused on Black Widow, it might be that MCU directors felt there wasn’t enough space for this version of the character to interact with his Incredible Hulk love interest.

The Messy Nature of Modern MCU Callbacks

During this period, Ross found himself limited to the Earth-bound stories of Phase Three and Four, such as “Civil War” and “Black Widow”, rather than the space-faring adventures of “Thor: Ragnarok” that the Hulk was involved in. This difference in storylines prevented a rekindling of their past rivalry between Ross and the Hulk, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo. Moreover, Hulk doesn’t lead his own standalone movies but makes appearances in shared universe films or as a secondary character in other superhero productions. Consequently, there’s not much room for Hulk’s supporting cast to garner substantial screen time due to his limited solo film appearances.

Despite there being logical explanations for Ruffalo’s Hulk, Betty, and “Thunderbolt” Ross not having a conversation, it’s still an unusual situation since these characters were significant figures in the narrative earlier. If the Incredible Hulk characters had simply disappeared after 2008 or General Ross was limited to brief appearances in movies with a spy theme in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it might be more understandable. However, in Captain America: Brave New World, the plotline of Sam Wilson was diverted to focus on General Ross and his strained relationship with Betty, characters with whom Wilson had minimal connections. The transformation of Hulk’s pursuer into the Red Hulk lost much of its impact without Banner present.

Phases Four and Five in the MCU seem to be overwhelmed with references to earlier movies and fan service. The fact that Wilson, not Bruce Banner (played by Mark Ruffalo), has significant scenes with Betty and General Ross in “Brave New World” highlights this issue. Instead of bringing these characters back in a setting where they could make a powerful emotional impact, they’re included in an MCU storyline just for more fan service. This has made the oddity of Bruce Banner (the Hulk) not interacting with these important characters from “The Incredible Hulk” even more noticeable.

Captain America: Brave New World and The Incredible Hulk are now streaming on Disney+.

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2025-08-21 01:24