As much as Thor may disagree, Hulk is the strongest member of Marvel’s Avengers. But to make him even more terrifying, his current series has just shown Bruce Banner is more dangerous than the immortal Hulk ever can be.
Bruce Banner, while described as a puny weakling by his Hulk side, is a consummate genius. If he sets his mind to a scientific challenge, Banner can accomplish just about anything. And in The Immortal Hulk, Bruce Banner has decided to fix the world–by destroying it. When someone known to possess his genius-level intellect reveals his world-ending manifesto, he shows an ability to incite panic and riots around the world… becoming so much more dangerous than the Hulk’ muscles ever could be.
In a video manifesto released on the internet, Bruce Banner declares war on the human world. The reason? Mankind’s disregard for the planet’s failure to act on climate change. He has lost faith in the world of heroes, and doesn’t believe there is any hope left for the society of man. In a world of genius technologists like Tony Stark and Reed Richards who build green technology, none of it takes hold with the actual governments or societies across the planet. According to Banner, it’s all due to “Disaster Capitalism,” because when catastrophes create opportunities for people to profit, humans have shown themselves more than willing to destroy the planet in order to make money for those in charge. Yet another reason Hulk should be President, if you ask us.
This corrupt and self-destructive system is the world Banner has set out to destroy. Banner believes the world cannot be saved – not the human world, as we currently understand it. The world built by humans is not sustainable, the Earth’s climate is changing rapidly. But due to short-term profit, the same systems destroying the planet are allowed to continue. The biggest problem, as Banner sees it, is there are no real consequences for the big polluters – the big entities that are “too big to fail.” Penalties and fines do nothing to the large fortunes of those profiting off of disaster capitalism. But what is his plan? Banner understands the Hulk is a blunt instrument, and simply breaking everything will not make it better. In order to succeed, it needs to be carefully targeted. At the end of Banner’s manifesto, he states:
Banner knows he’s not alone in his conclusion, and that the younger generation shares his feelings. That gives him some hope for the future, but he also knows the young can’t overrule the powerful… not without removing what is stopping them from succeeding. Banner’s manifesto has rung true with the public, as news footage shows rioting in the streets, people dressed in green shouting “Hulk Smash,” graffiti proclaiming “We believe in Bruce Banner.” And Banner’s first target? Roxxon Energy Corporation, where its CEO Dario Agger won’t give up his power without a fight. He is a Minotaur, after all.
“If there are no meaningful consequences for those who would use their power to engineer and profit from disaster… then we will create some. In one week, you’re going to hear about a Hulk rampage. A targeted Hulk rampage, against a particular entity. A declaration of war against those who would war on us.”
The Immortal Hulk may smash, but Banner wants to destroy. Whose side are you on?
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