Probably the worst-kept secret aboutCaptain America: Brave New Worldwas Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) facing off against the Red Hulk, who is a gamma-infused version of President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross (Harrison Ford). Whatever one thought ofCaptain America:Brave New World, the sequence where Sam has to fight off a Hulk utilizing nothing but his wits, shield, and Vibranium-infused flight suit was genuinely thrilling. It also highlightedjust how dangerous the Red Hulk is, since he possesses immense strength that rivals his jade-skinned counterpart. But the question remains: Just how strong is the Red Hulk? The answer is a bit complicated. While the only difference between Ross and Bruce Bannerseems to be a singular color,Ross has a few powers that Banner doesn’t.These powers make himone of the deadliest Hulks ever to walk the Earth, andCaptain America:Brave New Worldtakes a unique approach to Ross’s abilities.
Red Hulk Is Really Hot — Literally
The Hulk is best known for getting stronger when he gets angrier, but Red Hulk’s rage triggers a different effect.The angrier he gets, the more heat he radiates from his skin,and he can also direct heat from his eyes. Red Hulk can burn hot enough to turn sand into glass, or burn through solid steel. He was even able to burn through a mountain of Spider-Man’s webbing using his heat eyes! But that’s nothing compared to Red Hulk’s secondary energy-based ability.He can absorb all types of energies, making him virtually stronger. Using this power, Ross finally managed to beat the Hulk in a fight bydraining out all of his gamma radiationinJeph LoebandEd McGuinness’Hulkrun, causing him to revert to Bruce Banner. But that was nothing compared to when the Red Hulk met the Silver Surfer. Red Hulk beat the Sentinel of the Spaceways by absorbing his Power Cosmic, accelerating his strength to near god-like levels. While comic fans and critics remained split on these changes, they did have an explanation: the gamma-powered mastermind known as the Leader used a combination of gamma rays and cosmic energies totransform Ross into his crimson-skinned alter ego.
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But Ross’s new powers came with a horrible downside. While he could absorb and expel energy,too much power would burn him outand cause him to revert to human form because he wasn’t built to handle these energies. Ross was eventually cured of this affliction inRed Hulk#25byJeff ParkerandGabriel Hardman— and by Bruce Banner, no less! Banner revealed that the power wasn’t a natural ability that Ross had. Rather, it was a fail-safe implanted by the Leader in case he ever needed to take Ross out. Even with his energy absorption powers removed, Ross still proved to be a deadly force as he joined multiple teams, including the Avengersand the Thunderbolts. He also retained his human intelligence, meaning that he had years of military experience to draw upon. Combined with Hulk-level strength, this made him a formidable opponent.
How Does Thaddeus Ross Become the Red Hulk in ‘Captain America: Brave New World’?
Ross’s transformation into the Red Hulk inCaptain America: Brave New Worldis a bit stripped down from his comics' origin. Instead of being infused with a combo of gamma and cosmic rays, he slowly built up gamma energies thanks to a series of pills he took. Said pills were concocted by Samuel Sterns, who ended up transforming into the Leader after being exposed to Bruce Banner’s gamma-iradiated blood inThe Incredible Hulk. Ross kept Sterns prisoner, using his enhanced intelligence to get into the White House and later to create the pills that would keep his heart disease at bay.
But Sterns triggers a series of events that transforms Ross into the Red Hulk, forcing Sam to fight him off. When Ross transforms, he ends up burning away his clothing while the ground simmers behind him, hinting at the Red Hulk’s comic book ability to generate intense heat. But unlike his comic book counterpart,the MCU’s Red Hulk is more of a raging brute like the original Hulk. DirectorJulius Onahactually had a character-based reason for this, saying that the Red Hulk’s transformationrepresented everything Ross was trying to get away from, and having him speak would have taken away from that. Even if he isn’t as powerful as his comics' counterpart, Ford’s take on the Red Hulk is still worth the price of admission.
Captain America: Brave New World
