One of the more fun aspects of geek culture are the kinds of discussions it leads to. Comics, science fiction, and fantasy are all breeding grounds for imagination, and an imagination run rampant is a great way to spark interesting conversation. Of all the types of conversations nerd culture inspires, perhaps the best are the “who would win in a fight between...” discussions.

As a source of entertainment, this kind of interaction with stories and character can add a deeper appreciation for fans. It’s fun to imagine who would win in a fight between Captain America and Iron Man, for example. But fans are rarely limited to a singular universe. Could the Millennium Falcon defeat the Enterprise? Could Doctor Strange beat Saruman? Some battles are harder to envision than others. Hulk generally provides for some interesting conversations for fans, leading to some occasionally impossible scenarios. One such scenario, however, may have just been solved.

ScrewAttack! recently took on one of the greatest imaginary battles of all time, Hulk vs Doomsday, in a new YouTube video. The video examines all the evidence, looking at the origins and history of each character to get a full understanding of what both have done and what each are capable of achieving. Using that as their guide, they put together an impressive short film looking at what would happen if these two beasts met in the field of combat.

The video showcases many of Hulk’s accomplishments, for example the time he prevented the planet from breaking apart by pulling the tectonic plates, estimated to weight 45 quintillion tons, back together. Additionally, using evidence from the comics, Hulk is clocked in at a speed of Mach 5, or twice as fast as an average fighter jet as the video points out. Doomsday, meanwhile, is near indestructible. Though he can be killed, his genetic makeup merely brings him back to life, invulnerable to whatever killed him. This immense power has led him to take on Darkseid, escape the Phantom Zone, and, of course, kill the Man of Steel.

As the video details, the destruction would be catastrophic, perhaps more so than any other battle that has taken place in comics history. Hulk’s healing factor and rage issues, according to the video, would eventually draw out World Breaker Hulk—Hulk unencumbered by Dr. Banner’s efforts to control the Hulk. However, would that be enough?

Doomsday has regularly faced off against foes with lightspeed capabilities, giving him an advantage against Hulk in the speed department. No amount of rage was quite enough to overcome Doomsday’s quickness or single-minded efforts. In the end, these slight advantages were overwhelming to Hulk’s healing factor, leading to the brutal conclusion of the fictional matchup. As the video points out:

“The Hulk might look like a giant green monster, but he’s still technically human and his power directly correlates to his anger. A human being’s anger stems from an increase of hormones and adrenaline in the body. However, the brain can only produce these chemicals at such a rate for a limited time, eventually giving up and turning apathetic. Therefore, Hulk’s limitless power could never have existed without his healing factor. It’s the key. It allowed his body to continue producing hormones and adrenaline far beyond the norm, theoretically in endless supply, thus increasing his superhuman power to an immeasurable degree. So Doomsday overtaxing his healing factor meant the Hulk could no longer maintain his increasing rage in Hulk form.”

What makes this imagined battle so unique are the similarities between the two foes. Both are massively powerful, both are fueled by anger and negativity, and both were the result of science gone wrong. While plenty of great imaginary matchups have been discussed and pondered by comic readers, Hulk and Doomsday are well balanced in terms of strength, ability, and drive. They are, in a way, almost mirrors of each other. The only difference is humanity.

As strong as Hulk is, it’s difficult to overcome the limits of biology. Banner might have a unique biology, but as the evidence in the video shows, Hulk often loses his rage when his healing factors have been compromised. Coupled with Doomsday’s near invulnerability, it seems logical to conclude that Hulk never had a chance.

Of course, as with any such video, no conclusion is ever conclusive. An argument could be made that Hulk, in another set of circumstances, might have eventually ripped Doomsday apart or thrown him into the vacuum of space. Doomsday would no doubt survive either of those outcomes, having already had both happen to him, but that wouldn’t stop Hulk from winning this particular battle. As convincing an argument as has been made, there’s always a counterpoint. That’s part of what makes these conversations so fun. In the end, they’re fueled by nothing but imagination.

Source: YouTube