Captain America: Brave New World introduces a new character to the MCU who appears to be very similar to a beloved Avenger, with one vibrant difference. Hulk has been one of the most popular Marvel characters, even long before he appeared in the MCU. The big green angry giant has had numerous shows, movies, and cartoons all created with him at the center, but the MCU has been fairly restricted in what they could do with the character and his associated characters due to the Hulk rights being held by Universal Studios.

However, the MCU has been able to introduce some of the related characters in recent years, with She-Hulk, Bruce Banner’s cousin, and Skaar, the Hulk’s son. Now, Captain America: Brave New World is set to push things further and introduce one of the most popular rivals of the hero, the Red Hulk. However, why this character bears so much resemblance to the Hulk has yet to be stated in the movies, but there is an explanation behind the major color shift.

Marvel Comics Explains Why Thunderbolt Ross Turns Red

And It Isn’t Just Because He’s Hot-Headed

While both Hulk and Red Hulk have a similar physique, and share several of the same abilities, their biggest difference comes down to the way both characters gained their powers. Bruce Banner was directly exposed to an overwhelming amount of gamma radiation which transformed his body and created the creature known as Hulk. On the other hand, Thaddeus Ross was granted his powers through intentional manipulation of the Hulk’s own gamma irradiated powers.

Ross teamed up with the Intelligencia, which consisted of the Leader, M.O.D.O.K., and Doc Samson, in an effort to finally create a rival strong enough to fight the Hulk and win. After subduing the Hulk, the Intelligencia used cosmic rays and special equipment to replicate the Hulk’s powers and transfer them into the body of Ross. This blending of methods diluted the gamma radiation, and resulted in the Red Hulk’s striking skin tone, as well as a few other strengths and weaknesses not present in his rival.

The MCU Has No Way To Explain Red Hulk’s Color… Yet

The Foundation May Have Been Set

However, while Ross’ transformation resulted in a new Red Hulk, the cause for his desperate act that led to him becoming the Red Hulk was the death of his daughter. Betty’s death sent Ross into a spiral, and led to him joining forces with the villainous Intelligencia, but the MCU hasn’t established any of these details yet. And the only reference to the Intelligencia came in She-Hulk, where they were able to replicate the Hulk’s powers and create HulkKing, who was also green.

None of this explains the red coloration of Ross’ Red Hulk in the MCU, and cosmic rays are typically associated with The Fantastic Four, who have also yet to appear in the MCU ahead of their movie debut in 2025. As a result, the MCU will need to either introduce some of these original comic book elements, or come up with another reason for the Red Hulk’s distinctive colors. And considering Captain America: Brave New World features characters like the Leader and could build on foundations set in the She-Hulk series, it appears that the comic book story could be adapted relatively faithfully.

How Red Hulk’s Powers Are Different To Hulk’s

Red Hulk Hits Different

But, the color difference is not the only thing that sets Red Hulk apart from the big green guy, he also has some distinctly different powers and abilities. Red Hulk has the advantage of being able to transform at will, rather than being driven by his anger like Banner. However, his anger does also have a direct impact on his physique, as it generates massive amounts of heat on his skin. This heat can be manipulated and transferred through touch, destroying anything he comes in contact with, but it can also cause him to overheat and lose focus.

In addition, Red Hulk is able to act as a conductor of radiation and many forms of energy. He can absorb massive amounts of radiation and drain the powers of opponents who use energy attacks. However, he also has some notable weaknesses, which largely stem from overusing his powers. While Ross does not transform back into his human form when being knocked unconscious like Bruce, overusing his abilities will result in Red Hulk reverting to Ross. But how these powers and abilities are presented in Captain America: Brave New World remains to be seen.