Warning: This post contains spoilers for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law season 1, episode 2.A small detail in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law sets up a tragic downfall for Smart Hulk in a potential MCU World War Hulk movie. After Avengers: Endgame revealed that Bruce Banner had finally made peace with his monstrous alter ego, it seemed like the classic angry Hulk would never return. Smart Hulk hasn't lost his composure, even while fighting Thanos' army or performing a Snap with all six Infinity Stones. However, the fight might not be over for Hulk in the MCU.

One major comic book storyline that the MCU hasn't adapted is World War Hulk, where Marvel's Illuminati send Hulk to space in order to keep Earth safe, unaware that Hulk would only come back angrier and stronger than ever before. Hulk has only received one solo MCU movie, which originally suggested that Hulk-centric stories couldn't be adapted to their full glory. But after Thor: Ragnarok's loose adaptation of Planet Hulk, and after She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's reveal that Hulk is returning to Sakaar, hopes for another solo movie centered on the classic, angry Hulk have risen once again.

Related: Everything On She-Hulk's Computer Screen In Episode 2

Unfortunately for Smart Hulk, his trip to Sakaar could result in a catastrophic loss of control that transforms him into an even more dangerous monster, just like the unstoppable World-Breaker Hulk from World War Hulk. What would make his downfall more tragic is the fact that Bruce Banner has put in an impressive amount of work into Smart Hulk, as evidenced by the folio he shows Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode 1. Hulk's detailed record not only shows how far he has come, but also how obsessed with control he has become. If World War Hulk happens in the MCU, it would be devastating for Bruce Banner, as he has exhausted all his options, and another failure would prove that nothing can really cure him, even after several years of peace and a positive public image. Smart Hulk has been repressing the rage he feels in exchange for peace, but a new breakdown would justify getting rid of him altogether, and he wouldn't be able to oppose it.

Why A MCU World War Hulk Would Be Sadder Than The Comics

Smart Hulk in She-Hulk and World War Hulk in Marvel Comics

Hulk's journey in Marvel Comics has been tragic, but at this point, Bruce Banner is already used to failing in his quest for a normal life. Throughout the decades, Banner has gotten rid of the Hulk, fused with the monster to become Professor Hulk (and the similarly intelligent Doc Green), gone into exile, and divided the Hulk into different people. Yet, the Hulk always comes back to torment Banner. On the other hand, the MCU's Banner grappled with Hulk for 15 years, but Smart Hulk has been his one antidote. Bruce Banner achieved his Smart Hulk form through his wits, determination, and self-control. World War Hulk would throw all his efforts down the drain.

The subtle signs that Bruce Banner hasn't fully merged with the Hulk are also visible now. For instance, the inhibitor device that allows him to go back to human form proves that he still isn't fully on board with spending the rest of his life as Smart Hulk, despite his insistence on saying that he's at peace with himself. Likewise, the folio he shows Jennifer Walters in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law proves that he hasn't left the Hulk behind, and suggests that his mind is still attached to the possibility of losing control again. If that happens, there's little hope Bruce Banner's tragic life as Hulk would get back on track the way he wanted.

New episodes of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law release Thursdays on Disney+.

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