The MCU Rewrites Marvel"s Power Hierarchy By Introducing 2 New God-Tier Hulks
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for What If...? season 3.
Ahead of the arrival of Red Hulk in 2025"s Captain America: Brave New World, the MCU has just revealed two incredibly over-powered Hulk upgrades that make every Hulk so far look puny in comparison. Having already introduced a new Hulk in season 2 with Happy Hogan"s mutated form in Marvel"s Die Hard riff, What If...? season 3"s return to screens dials things up massively.
The live-action Hulk is currently still in his Smart Hulk form after Mark Ruffalo"s Bruce Banner managed to achieve a sort of zen balance between the warring sides of his personality. That came at the cost of the Hulk"s most interesting storylines - both conflict and volatility - but it was a smart move for Avengers: Endgame, so the twist always felt logical and justified. Unfortunately, it also now feels unlikely that we"ll ever see a Savage Hulk again, unless something dramatic changes, or the MCU"s multiverse loophole brings a less evolved variant into play. What If...?"s new Hulk forms prove exactly why that might be a good thing.
What If...? obviously affords Marvel Studios - or the Marvel Animation branch of it to be a little more specific - the chance to explore storylines and concepts that aren"t possible in the main MCU timeline, and the season 3 opener does that with aplomb, introducing the mecha-Avengers, a new Hulk villain, gamma beasts, and Bruce Banner"s terrifying final form. And the episode basically smashes the Hulk power hierarchy on-screen and introduces two rivals to the most powerful Hulks in Marvel Comics with impressive abandon.
Marvel's Most Powerful Hulk In The Comics Explained A Hulk Literally Smashed Planets Close There is some debate over which version of the Hulk is most powerful in the comics: for a long time, the Merged Hulk (a combination of Bruce Banner, the Gray Hulk, and Savage Hulk) could claim to be the top dog (and would become the Professor Hulk the MCU"s Banner is currently based on). His combination of brains and savage brutality gave a more full-spectrum Hulk experience, after all. But more recently, Marvel"s race towards power escalation has introduced far bigger threats.
Immortal Hulk evolved into an Avengers-beating menace, but the Maestro (the version everyone should want Ruffalo"s on-screen variant to become in Secret Wars) topples him. But if we"re talking true, unbridled power and threat, the most powerful Hulk of all time is the fan-named "Entropy Hulk" who first appeared in The Immortal Hulk #25. More officially known as the Breaker of Worlds, or Breaker-Apart, the enormous monster was essentially a cross between Hulk and Galactus, who smashed planets rather than devoured them, and was capable of wiping out all life.
You don"t get much more terrifyingly powerful than that, but What If...? season 3 introduces a pair of new Hulks who could very easily slot in just behind the Breaker of Worlds. Which goes a long way to underlining just how much potential Banner has as a weapon.
What If Season 3 Introduces A Terrifying New Hulk Villain Close In an attempt to solve his Hulk problem, in What If...? season 3, Bruce Banner bombards himself with a huge dose of Gamma radiation, unwittingly creating a second hulk - called The Apex - who splits off from his body and is a far larger, more formidable variant who looks like something out of the Doom video game series.
Boasting the same almost immeasurable strength as Hulk, The Apex is also capable of popping giant hulking Gamma Beasts out of its skin, not unlike Gremlins multiplying when they get wet, and effectively creating a limitless army at his command. What If...? season 3 reveals that The Apex and that army are so powerful that they killed the original Avengers, despite Tony Stark providing each of them (and many other heroes) new Hulkbusting mecha-suits.
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Related How Hulk Was Created In The MCU - Origin, Powers & Comic Book Changes Hulk"s MCU origin has been told through dialog and flashbacks that detail Bruce Banner"s backstory and highlight its differences to the comic books.
Posts The Apex then threatens to kill off all the second string Avengers, led by Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who combine their mech-suits to create a giant Mighty Avenger zord, and comes perilously close, before the emergence of another God-tier Hulk stops it in its tracks. Enter the Mega Hulk.
Bruce Banner Gets A Major Power Upgrade In The MCU The Hulk Reaches His Final Terrifying Form In The MCU Close If you"ve ever lamented the fact that Bruce Banner"s powers in the MCU have always felt a little restrained, What If...? season 3 delivers the most powerful version of the character you"ll ever see. Faced with the seemingly inevitable defeat of the Mighty Avenger and the fall of Earth, Bruce once again blasts himself with a huge dose of Gamma radiation, and this time evolves into a monstrous kaiju-like Hulk almost instantly labelled "Mega Hulk" by Wilson.
Reminiscent of a Godzilla-Hulk mutant, Mega Hulk has a huge tail, dorsal fins, and a reinforced forehead, and most impressively, is able to blast gamma breath (again, like Godzilla) that ultimately melts The Apex and replaces him at the top of the new power hierarchy. That means the Gamma Beast army recognize him as their alpha and follow him in the wake of The Apex"s death.
The Mega Hulk is clearly a major threat to Earth, but instead of fearing him and engaging in battle, Sam Wilson draws on his past work as a PTSD therapist to calm the beast and underline the fact that the Avengers do not fear him. He is their friend. The Watcher then takes the opportunity to hype the power of friendship and understanding, as the Hulkzilla retreats to the ocean. It all gets a little Sesame Street, but that"s pretty much the narrative throughline for What If...? season 3.
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6/10 13 9.7/10 What If...? What If… ? is an animated anthology series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. The show sees Uatu the Watcher, an omnipotent being that observes the events of multiple universes from afar as they unfold, unable to interfere. However, things shift when an entity peers beyond the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse.
Where to Watch stream rent buy Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date August 11, 2021 Seasons 3 Writers Ashley Bradley , Matthew Chauncey Directors Bryan Andrews Showrunner Ashley Bradley New episodes of What If...? season 3 release every day on Disney+
Ahead of the arrival of Red Hulk in 2025"s Captain America: Brave New World, the MCU has just revealed two incredibly over-powered Hulk upgrades that make every Hulk so far look puny in comparison. Having already introduced a new Hulk in season 2 with Happy Hogan"s mutated form in Marvel"s Die Hard riff, What If...? season 3"s return to screens dials things up massively.
The live-action Hulk is currently still in his Smart Hulk form after Mark Ruffalo"s Bruce Banner managed to achieve a sort of zen balance between the warring sides of his personality. That came at the cost of the Hulk"s most interesting storylines - both conflict and volatility - but it was a smart move for Avengers: Endgame, so the twist always felt logical and justified. Unfortunately, it also now feels unlikely that we"ll ever see a Savage Hulk again, unless something dramatic changes, or the MCU"s multiverse loophole brings a less evolved variant into play. What If...?"s new Hulk forms prove exactly why that might be a good thing.
What If...? obviously affords Marvel Studios - or the Marvel Animation branch of it to be a little more specific - the chance to explore storylines and concepts that aren"t possible in the main MCU timeline, and the season 3 opener does that with aplomb, introducing the mecha-Avengers, a new Hulk villain, gamma beasts, and Bruce Banner"s terrifying final form. And the episode basically smashes the Hulk power hierarchy on-screen and introduces two rivals to the most powerful Hulks in Marvel Comics with impressive abandon.
Marvel's Most Powerful Hulk In The Comics Explained A Hulk Literally Smashed Planets Close There is some debate over which version of the Hulk is most powerful in the comics: for a long time, the Merged Hulk (a combination of Bruce Banner, the Gray Hulk, and Savage Hulk) could claim to be the top dog (and would become the Professor Hulk the MCU"s Banner is currently based on). His combination of brains and savage brutality gave a more full-spectrum Hulk experience, after all. But more recently, Marvel"s race towards power escalation has introduced far bigger threats.
Immortal Hulk evolved into an Avengers-beating menace, but the Maestro (the version everyone should want Ruffalo"s on-screen variant to become in Secret Wars) topples him. But if we"re talking true, unbridled power and threat, the most powerful Hulk of all time is the fan-named "Entropy Hulk" who first appeared in The Immortal Hulk #25. More officially known as the Breaker of Worlds, or Breaker-Apart, the enormous monster was essentially a cross between Hulk and Galactus, who smashed planets rather than devoured them, and was capable of wiping out all life.
You don"t get much more terrifyingly powerful than that, but What If...? season 3 introduces a pair of new Hulks who could very easily slot in just behind the Breaker of Worlds. Which goes a long way to underlining just how much potential Banner has as a weapon.
What If Season 3 Introduces A Terrifying New Hulk Villain Close In an attempt to solve his Hulk problem, in What If...? season 3, Bruce Banner bombards himself with a huge dose of Gamma radiation, unwittingly creating a second hulk - called The Apex - who splits off from his body and is a far larger, more formidable variant who looks like something out of the Doom video game series.
Boasting the same almost immeasurable strength as Hulk, The Apex is also capable of popping giant hulking Gamma Beasts out of its skin, not unlike Gremlins multiplying when they get wet, and effectively creating a limitless army at his command. What If...? season 3 reveals that The Apex and that army are so powerful that they killed the original Avengers, despite Tony Stark providing each of them (and many other heroes) new Hulkbusting mecha-suits.
Related How Hulk Was Created In The MCU - Origin, Powers & Comic Book Changes Hulk"s MCU origin has been told through dialog and flashbacks that detail Bruce Banner"s backstory and highlight its differences to the comic books.Posts The Apex then threatens to kill off all the second string Avengers, led by Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who combine their mech-suits to create a giant Mighty Avenger zord, and comes perilously close, before the emergence of another God-tier Hulk stops it in its tracks. Enter the Mega Hulk.
Bruce Banner Gets A Major Power Upgrade In The MCU The Hulk Reaches His Final Terrifying Form In The MCU Close If you"ve ever lamented the fact that Bruce Banner"s powers in the MCU have always felt a little restrained, What If...? season 3 delivers the most powerful version of the character you"ll ever see. Faced with the seemingly inevitable defeat of the Mighty Avenger and the fall of Earth, Bruce once again blasts himself with a huge dose of Gamma radiation, and this time evolves into a monstrous kaiju-like Hulk almost instantly labelled "Mega Hulk" by Wilson.
Reminiscent of a Godzilla-Hulk mutant, Mega Hulk has a huge tail, dorsal fins, and a reinforced forehead, and most impressively, is able to blast gamma breath (again, like Godzilla) that ultimately melts The Apex and replaces him at the top of the new power hierarchy. That means the Gamma Beast army recognize him as their alpha and follow him in the wake of The Apex"s death.
The Mega Hulk is clearly a major threat to Earth, but instead of fearing him and engaging in battle, Sam Wilson draws on his past work as a PTSD therapist to calm the beast and underline the fact that the Avengers do not fear him. He is their friend. The Watcher then takes the opportunity to hype the power of friendship and understanding, as the Hulkzilla retreats to the ocean. It all gets a little Sesame Street, but that"s pretty much the narrative throughline for What If...? season 3.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Leave a Review Your comment has not been savedYour changes have been saved
Email is sent
Email has already been sent
My List My Favorite TV Shows My Watchlist Success!
6/10 13 9.7/10 What If...? What If… ? is an animated anthology series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which features fan-favorite characters, including Peggy Carter, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and more. The new series, directed by Bryan Andrews with AC Bradley as head writer, features signature MCU action with a curious twist. The show sees Uatu the Watcher, an omnipotent being that observes the events of multiple universes from afar as they unfold, unable to interfere. However, things shift when an entity peers beyond the veil, jeopardizing the multiverse. Where to Watch stream rent buy Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Release Date August 11, 2021 Seasons 3 Writers Ashley Bradley , Matthew Chauncey Directors Bryan Andrews Showrunner Ashley Bradley New episodes of What If...? season 3 release every day on Disney+
