The Hulk is one of the most iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but many of his biggest moments have frustratingly happened off-screen. While characters like Iron Man and Captain America had well-developed arcs with major turning points shown on screen, Hulk’s story has often been pushed into the background, with the most important events often happening between the MCU movies. This is especially aggravating because Bruce Banner’s evolution deserved more attention, making these omissions some of the most frustrating in the MCU timeline.
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Hulk’s sidelining in the MCU is largely due to complicated character rights. While Marvel Studios can use the character in ensemble films, Universal Pictures retains the distribution rights to solo Hulk movies. This means Marvel has avoided dedicating an entire film to Bruce Banner’s story, often limiting his character development to supporting roles in other heroes’ movies. The result was that key moments in Hulk’s journey happen off-screen, leaving audiences to piece things together through exposition and throwaway lines. This article ranks these events by how frustrating it is that they weren’t shown.
You are watching: 10 Most Important Hulk Scenes In The MCU That Happened Off-Screen, Ranked
10
Hulk And Hawkeye Convince Ant-Man To Write A Book
Between Avengers: Endgame & Ant-Man And The Wasp Quantumania
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In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Scott Lang reveals that both Bruce Banner and Clint Barton encouraged him to write his memoir, Look Out for the Little Guy. While this is a fun detail, it’s frustrating that the MCU skipped over what could have been a heartfelt and hilarious scene. Seeing Hulk and Hawkeye – two of the original Avengers – bonding with Scott over his experiences would have added depth to their relationship.
Bruce’s scientific mind could have helped Scott organize his thoughts, while Clint’s dry humor could have led to some entertaining back-and-forth. A moment like this could have also reinforced the post-Endgame camaraderie between the remaining Avengers, showing how they support one another in their new lives. Instead, this friendship moment is reduced to a single line, leaving audiences to imagine what could have been a great character interaction.
9
Bruce Banner Moves Into Stark Tower
Between The Avengers And Avengers: Age Of Ultron
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At the end of The Avengers (2012), Tony Stark offers Bruce Banner a place to stay, teasing a fun new dynamic between the two geniuses. By Avengers: Age of Ultron, Bruce is already living and working in Stark Tower, with his research lab fully set up. The transition from loner scientist to Tony’s trusted “Science Bro” happens entirely off-screen. A scene showing Bruce moving in and adjusting to the high-tech lifestyle of Stark Tower could have been both humorous and meaningful.
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Tony’s sarcastic personality clashing with Bruce’s reserved nature would have made for great dialogue. More importantly, it would have solidified their growing friendship. Given Bruce’s struggles with self-acceptance, watching him find a place where he truly belonged would have been a major moment in his arc. Instead, viewers are left to assume it all happened between movies.
8
Bruce Banner And Natasha Romanoff Begin A Relationship
During Avengers: Age Of Ultron
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One of the most unexpected developments in Avengers: Age of Ultron was the romance between Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff. While the film presents them as a couple-in-the-making, there’s no setup for how their feelings developed. Unlike Tony and Pepper or Steve and Peggy, whose relationships built over multiple films, Bruce and Natasha’s romance seems to appear out of nowhere.
A scene showing the early stages of their bond—perhaps Natasha reaching out to Bruce after The Avengers – could have helped sell their relationship. Maybe she comforted him about his struggles or confided in him about her own past. Instead, the movie expects audiences to accept their connection without seeing how it formed. This made their romance feel forced, and its abrupt ending in Age of Ultron even more frustrating. Without proper buildup, it lacked the emotional weight it deserved.
7
Black Widow Meets Smart Hulk
Deleted Scene In Avengers: Infinity War
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Between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Bruce Banner undergoes his biggest transformation yet – becoming Smart Hulk. However, this was originally supposed to occur in Infinity War, with a deleted scene depicting Bruce and Hulk reconciling and then Black Widow encountering the new Hulk on the Wakandan battlefield. The scene is a charming elaboration on their relationship, both elated and emotional that Banner has finally managed to master his affliction.
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The MCU chose to delete this scene, leaving a very disappointing and brief off-hand comment in Endgame in its stead. Natasha and Bruce had a complex relationship, and her first encounter with Smart Hulk could have been an incredibly emotional moment. Given that Natasha later sacrifices herself, this missing scene is even more frustrating because it robbed them of proper closure. Instead, their forced relationship is left to fizzle between movies.
6
Bruce Banner Becomes The Hulk
Before The Incredible Hulk (2008)
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One of the most frustrating omissions in the MCU is Bruce Banner’s first transformation into the Hulk. While The Incredible Hulk (2008) provides brief flashbacks to the experiment that exposed Banner to gamma radiation, it never fully depicts the moment he became the monster. The scene is a crucial part of his character’s origins, yet it is only referenced through a fragmented montage during the opening credits.
Unlike Tony Stark’s transformation into Iron Man or Steve Rogers’ super-soldier process, Bruce’s pivotal moment is glossed over. Seeing Banner’s horror as he first changes, his confusion as he loses control, and the raw destruction he causes would have been an unforgettable cinematic moment. Instead, fans are left to imagine how it played out. Given the MCU’s ability to craft powerful origin stories, skipping over Hulk’s actual creation remains one of its biggest missed opportunities.
5
Hulk Returns to Sakaar
During She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law introduces an unexpected subplot when Bruce Banner casually reveals he’s traveling back to Sakaar, the gladiator planet he once called home. However, the series never explores what actually happened there. The next time we see Bruce, he returns with a shocking revelation – he has a son, Skaar. Yet, how he discovered Skaar, who summoned him, and what conflicts he faced remain completely unexplored.
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Did the Hulk reunite with the Grandmaster? Did he learn about his son immediately, or was it a struggle? Sakaar was an important part of Hulk’s journey in Thor: Ragnarok, and revisiting it should have been a major moment in his arc. Instead, one of the most significant developments in Hulk’s life happens off-screen. Skipping this MCU story was a frustrating choice that left viewers with more questions than answers.
4
Bruce Banner Creates the Hulk Inhibitor
Between Avengers: Endgame Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
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One of the strangest unanswered questions in the MCU is how Bruce Banner managed to revert to his human form after Avengers: Endgame. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, he appears as Bruce, with no mention of how he changed back. She-Hulk later reveals that he created a Hulk inhibitor, allowing him to shift between forms. However, the process of developing such a device is never shown.
Bruce built this device to allow his arm to heal after he wielded the Infinity Stones, and it was destroyed in the car crash in She-Hulk. Considering how much of Banner’s struggle revolved around controlling his transformations, finally achieving this breakthrough should have been a major moment. Instead, the audience is expected to accept it with no explanation. Seeing Banner’s scientific genius in action would have made for an excellent storyline, yet it remains another frustrating off-screen event.
3
Hulk Travels to Sakaar and Becomes the Grandmaster’s Champion
Between Avengers: Age Of Ultron And Thor: Ragnarok
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Thor: Ragnarok introduces Hulk as the Grandmaster’s beloved gladiator, ruling the arena for two years. However, the journey that led him there is never shown. The last time audiences saw Hulk before this was in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he flew off in a Quinjet. His journey to Sakaar and adjusting to life without Banner while on an alien world was skipped over entirely.
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Hulk going from confused arrival to celebrated champion would have been an incredible sequence. His arc in the MCU has often focused on his inner conflict, yet this was the first time he lived without Banner’s interference. Seeing him grow comfortable with his new identity, form bonds, and enjoy his freedom would have added depth to his character. Instead, his rise to power on Sakaar remains one of the biggest gaps in the MCU’s storytelling.
2
Hulk Fathers A Son
Between Avengers: Age Of Ultron And Thor: Ragnarok
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The revelation that Hulk has a son, Skaar, is one of the most baffling and frustrating off-screen developments in the MCU. Introduced in She-Hulk, Skaar’s existence is simply dropped on the audience with no context. There has been no explanation of who his mother is, or when he was conceived. It’s implied that Skaar is the reason Hulk returned to Sakaar, but the details around this are never confirmed.
These are massive questions that deserve on-screen answers. Instead, a storyline that could have explored Hulk’s growth, regrets, and responsibilities is completely ignored. Fatherhood should have been a transformative moment for him, but instead, it’s handled as a throwaway reveal. Given how much emphasis the MCU places on legacy, skipping over this crucial chapter of Hulk’s life is a missed opportunity that is still absolutely infuriating.
1
Bruce Banner and Hulk Reconcile and Become Smart Hulk
Between Avengers: Infinity War And Avengers: Endgame
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The most significant and frustrating character development depicted off-screen must be Bruce Banner merging his mind and strength into Smart Hulk. After years of struggling with his dual identities, Bruce reveals in Avengers: Endgame that he “put the brains and the brawn together,” but audiences never see the process. While a deleted scene in Infinity War hints at what it could have entailed, even this is disappointingly brief. In the comics, Bruce’s numerous identity issues are dealt with in incredibly novel ways, such as group therapy between numerous Hulks and Banner.
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The idea of Bruce and Hulk working together to achieve balance is one of the most compelling aspects of his character arc, yet instead of an emotional journey, audiences get a quick explanation over breakfast. A movie or series showing Bruce’s experiments, his inner conflict, and the final breakthrough would have been incredible. Even this event was short-lived before Hulk invented his inhibitor in time for She-Hulk. It truly demonstrates how the MCU’s Hulk is transformed depending on what the narrative demands, with the key events explaining this happening between movies.
Hulk
Created by
Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
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First Film
The Incredible Hulk Returns
Latest Film
Avengers: Endgame
First TV Show
The Incredible Hulk
Latest TV Show
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
Cast
Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, Mark Ruffalo
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