Sun Tzu’sThe Art of Warteaches aspiring tacticians that being first on the battlefield is crucial in order to defeat one’s opponent, yet in the case ofMarvel’smost celebrated general, that strategy may have backfired a bit in the long run. That man of course is none other than Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, whose time in theMCUrivals that of Nick Fury and the late Tony Stark, albeit with much less screen time.
Unlike his daughter and Bruce Banner sweetheart, Betty Ross, the character played by William Hurt has been a mainstay throughout the MCU’s four phases and with much source material tied to him in the comic book, his story is still one rife with potential. Unfortunately, Thunderbolt Ross’ early start in MCU history inThe Incredible Hulkmay mean some of the characters’ best and most powerful iterations could remain unseen in film.
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Fighting The Bigger War
Now thatEternals’sits comfortably as the worst-rated MCU film ever,The Incredible HulkandThor: The Dark Worldmay be rest peacefully as there’s a new black sheep in the Marvel family, nevertheless, that doesn’t mean The Hulk’s solo movie is absolved from its sins. Though perhaps burdenedby the load of Ang Lee’s ownHulkmovie, the MCU version paled in comparison to its early colleagues leading up to the first bigAvengersteam-up, and after Mark Ruffalo proved to be charismatic enough for the part, there was no need to explore The Hulk’s universe any further.
That could have very well marked the end of Hurt’s MCU spell, however,despiteThe Incredible Hulk’sfaults, Thaddeus Ross is one of the highlights in the movie due to the character’s behavior and his crucial role in the three-dimensional chess that are U.S. politics in Marvel, all of which could be easily imported without batting an eye. The result is Thunderbolt Ross making a comeback appearance inCaptain America: Civil War, as well as showing up inBlack Widow,Infinity War,andEndgame, albeit in a capacity that makes him more of a nuisance for the Avengers.
So far, Marvel Studios’ handling of Ross has been that of a character that’s too instrumental in the grand scheme of the MCU to fully let go, yet perhaps not exciting enough to become the main villain at any point but that could easily change if Hurt is given the chance to truly be all he can be, army style.
Enter The Red Hulk
While the MCU has opted to remain mostly detached from Hulk storylines, Thunderbolt Ross unique brand of patriotism still makes him a likely adversary for the new crop of Avengers in the future. After all,Civil Warsaw Ross rely on Iron Man to hunt down Captain America’s rogue faction, and despite his attendance at Stark’s funeral, he may not be as patient with the new uncontrollable heroes that Phase Four is in introducing.
In Marvel Comics, Ross’ pursuit of Bruce Banner and the loss of Betty eventually leads to becoming the Red Hulk, essentially a like-for-like red version of Hulk with the ability to transform himself out of his own volition. Although the characters’ super-powered persona was at times considered to appear inCivil War, the idea was tossed, but now thatContessa Valentina is recruiting her own gangofmisfits like U.S. Agent and Yelena Belova, the idea could have resurfaced.
Even ifMarvel’s Phase Four looks to be more “cosmic”, there are some interesting plot points developing back on planet Earth that include the possible formation of a Thunderbolts task force led by Ross, who at times was rumored to beThe Falcon and The Winter Soldier’sPower Broker. No matter William Hurt’s age, the Red Hulk’s powers include de-aging, so maybe the concept could still be used in the future.
What MCU Has In Store For The Hulk
At first glance the answer to this question seems rather obvious,She-Hulkwill introduce Jennifer Waltersas Bruce Banner’s successor much likeHawkeyeis doing the same with Kate Bishop and Clint Barton, yet unlike the current holiday series,She-Hulkwill bring back at last one familiar face.
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Ringsunexpected Abomination cameo served to remind everyone that Emil Blonsky is very much alive serving time at The Raft, and if that character is bound to appear inShe-Hulkit would be odd, to say the least, that The Raft’s warden wouldn’t be involved if he were to break out.
Thunderbolt Ross has been largely underutilized in the MCU, a rare statement considering his presence in so many movies, but regardless of that there’s still a chance to give him a proper sendoff as the fearsome general he is. Whether it’s in his Red Hulk form or simply asThe Thunderbolts' leaderonce Phase Four sorts out its lineup, seeing Bruce Banner retire from the MCU inShe-Hulkwithout him would feel like even more of a waste.
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