Warning: spoilers ahead for Immortal Hulk #45!
Immortal Hulk has revealed that Hulk's ultimate battle is to redefine his own name. The latest issue reminds fans of the One-Below-All's master plan, and that the Hulk is fighting not just to end his foe or save the day, but to avoid the apocalyptic fulfillment of his own name.
The Hulk's a well-known hero, but he has a lot of lesser-known abilities and aspects. He's best known for being a massive, super-strong being. In some ways, this is a very simplistic view of the character. Immortal Hulk has explored the many facets that the character has, from his alters to his forgotten powers. This series brings together many elements of horror to provide a closer look at what it is that makes the Hulk unique.
The newest issue, Immortal Hulk #45, brings the One-Below-All's ultimate goal back into focus. Written by Al Ewing with art by Joe Bennett, this series has shown the Hulk fighting different enemies while trying to figure out what the One-Below-All wants with Marvel's gamma mutates. This villain, a massive entity in the deepest level of Hell, has been possessing different gamma-irradiated entities and using them to influence the mundane world. Its ultimate goal is the Hulk, and now readers know why. The One-Below-All wants the Hulk so it can make his name literal, hollowing him out into, "A true hulk - a wandering carcass, wreaking destruction, making me even stronger."
The "Hulk" name has traditionally presented the Green Goliath as massive and looming, but Ewing has previously drawn a direct comparison to the more literal meaning of an old, unwieldy ship stripped of its fittings. The series has revealed that there are multiple facets to the Hulk that could easily turn him into the worst version of his name - a dangerous, uncontrollable, and crucially soulless force of destruction. It wouldn't simply mean that Hulk's his usual, accidentally destructive self, but something much worse than anyone could anticipate.
Immortal Hulk #25 showed Hulk as an entity with the ability to cause intense, Galactus-level destruction. Galactus is known as the destroyer of worlds and in this issue, Hulk is no different. He was referred to as the "Breaker of Worlds" and the "Breaker-Apart" through the perception of Par%l, an alien entity. At this point, there are no planets left in the galaxy - they have all been destroyed, and even Par%l's world is doomed. This is exactly what the Hulk could become if he doesn't win the battle against the One-Below-All. The Hulk could become the next Galactus, tearing apart not just the Earth, but all worlds in the galaxy. Set thousands of years in the future, a glimpse of the Hulk's possible fate saw the One-Below-All declare, "I have made of this a thing of hate. A hollow shell. A hulk. The mystery frightens and disgusts me. I will kill it. Make all hollow as I. Dead and dark as I. And I will be alone."
Throughout Immortal Hulk, the Hulk's potential has been hinted at repeatedly. From issue 7 showing Thor implying that the human world may have created a deity, to issue 25 showing what Hulk as a world destroyer could look like, to issue 45 seeing the One-Below-All begin to enact its endgame, the Hulk is at the cusp of becoming one of the biggest dangers in the Marvel universe. Being a hulk can be a very good thing. In the past, Banner's alter-ego has used the term to refer to being unique, misunderstood, but powerful in the ways that matter. The One-Below-All has a different design on what being a Hulk should mean, and with the series heading for its end with issue 50, it appears the Hulk's ultimate battle is going to be settling this debate for good.