Face It, the Avengers are the Real Villains of the Hulk’s Story

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In the Marvel Universe’s hierarchy, the Hulk occupies an unusual position. He ranks among the most powerful beings, yet his standing within the superhero community is intricate and layered. The Hulk is admired by all, and in his benevolent moods, he works alongside others to protect the world. However, there’s always a turning point when the Hulk opts for destruction over cooperation, often leading to confrontations with the Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes and the primary protective force of our planet. The Hulk and the Avengers share a long-standing relationship that, from the Hulk’s perspective, reveals an interesting aspect: the Avengers could be seen as the true antagonists in the Hulk’s narrative.

The intricate backstory of the Hulk reveals multiple potential antagonists. His troubles initially stem from his father’s abusive actions. Often, The Leader manipulates events negatively impacting the Hulk’s life like a master puppeteer. The One Below All lurks in the shadows, a menacing presence with ominous plans for the Hulk. Bruce Banner is often viewed as the Hulk’s most formidable adversary.

However, upon closer examination of the Hulk’s narrative, one could argue that the Avengers unintentionally contribute to the chaos in his life.

The Avengers Should Be the Hulk’s Friends but They’ve Become a Weapon Against Him

Bruce Banner transforms into the Hulk, a character born from his childhood trauma, after saving Rick Jones from a gamma explosion. Initially, Hulk wanted solitude to protect Banner, but the military pursued him relentlessly due to his immense power. One day, Rick calls on various heroes for help against Loki, and Hulk is one of them. This was an opportunity for Hulk to make friends, but things took a turn when the Avengers were tricked into fighting him instead. Disgusted, Hulk left the team. The Space Phantom (or Mephisto in later accounts) manipulated the Avengers against Hulk, making them believe their worst fears about him. Eventually, the Avengers rejected Hulk, confirming his belief that the world was against him.

Since then, the Hulk’s ties with the Avengers have been marked by danger and strife. Despite having collaborated with them on various occasions, they have also been summoned to curb his destructive rampages, such as when he transforms into the Savage Hulk. Given these circumstances, it is clear that someone needs to control the Hulk in such situations. However, the Avengers and the Hulk were never close friends to begin with; their friendship was damaged when the Avengers betrayed the Hulk. This betrayal has only worsened with each encounter. In the Marvel NOW! run of Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers/New Avengers, Bruce Banner rejoined the Avengers, eventually becoming a member of the Illuminati during the Incursions. However, this period was based on the Hulk from the MCU, making it more Banner-influenced and less Hulk-centric. The Hulk’s superhero days were effectively ended by the Avengers in Civil War II, only to be resurrected as a monster by the Hand and Arnim Zola during Secret Empire. In The Immortal Hulk, the Avengers continued their contentious relationship with the Hulk, even fighting him in various battles. The actions of the Avengers have effectively stripped the Hulk of his potential as a superhero and have instead led to more confrontations rather than making amends for their past mistakes. They have also taken advantage of the Hulk’s power when it was convenient for them.

The Hulk Could Have Had a Better Life If Not for the Avengers

While the Hulk is frequently labeled as a monster, this label isn’t entirely accurate. At his core, the Hulk cherishes Bruce Banner and desires to safeguard him. Over time, however, various factors such as personality splits, increasingly aggressive forms, and external influences in the Hulk’s life have not always been under the Hulk’s control. However, it’s clear that if the Avengers hadn’t betrayed the Hulk in the past, certain events might have been avoided, potentially leading the Hulk to a more favorable state.

The Avengers repeatedly missed opportunities to make life less difficult for the Hulk. Instead of helping or supporting him, they often provoked him and worked against him. They’d utilize him in certain situations, but as soon as things took a turn for the worse, he was once again a target for their attacks. Despite their numerous successful universe-saving missions, they failed to aid the Hulk when given the chance.

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2025-08-23 18:13