Avengers: Endgame Debunked Hulk’s No Way Home Loophole Theory

An MCU theory concerning Spider-Man from Spider-Man: No Way Home has already been debunked by Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man: No Way Home was undoubtedly one of the biggest MCU movies that was released after Avengers: Endgame. From the film’s almost $2 billion box office haul to the endless excitement of seeing all three live-action Spider-Man actors on screen together, No Way Home proved to be the MCU’s biggest event after the defeat of Thanos at the Battle of Earth, with the film subsequently becoming one of the highest-ranked MCU movies.

What made Spider-Man: No Way Home even bigger, however, was the theories that spawned out of the story. Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s ending included the major twist that every single person in the MCU multiverse forgot that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker ever existed. This prompted a great deal of theorization concerning the future of Spider-Man in the MCU’s upcoming movies, including some that linked to other characters in the franchise. One theory connected to the character of Hulk is incredibly interesting, though it was ultimately debunked by Avengers: Endgame two years before Spider-Man: No Way Home was even released.

MCU’s Smart Hulk Story Means A Comic Spider-Man Twist Doesn’t Quite Work

The theory in question links to an old Marvel Comics story and states that Bruce Banner forgot that Peter Parker was Spider-Man, yet the Hulk remembered – or vice versa. This theory links to the idea that the Hulk and Banner are two different people and that one can have memories and feelings the other does not. However, the theory that Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s Peter Parker spell did not affect one but did the other has a specific caveat from Avengers: Endgame that means it does not quite work.

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Spider-Man Theory Claims Hulk & Wong Remember Peter After No Way Home

According to a plausible fan theory, it is possible that Hulk and Wong might still remember Peter Parker after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

The reason this theory does not work is the Smart Hulk storyline introduced in Avengers: Endgame. If the Peter Parker spell had happened before Endgame‘s five-year time jump, it could have easily been made canon that Hulk remembered Peter when Banner did not as the concept of the two being separate was more prevalent than ever. However, Avengers: Endgame molded the two together so that Banner and Hulk became one and the same as Smart Hulk. As such, the two now exist as one meaning they have the same memories and were subsequently both affected by Doctor Strange’s spell to forget Peter Parker existed.

Why Hulk Forgetting Peter Parker Might Be Better For Spider-Man 4

Furthermore, Hulk remembering Spider-Man after Spider-Man: No Way Home would not have worked for the latter film’s thematic themes going forward. As cruel as it may seem, what makes Spider-Man such a compelling character is his ability to do endless good even at his lowest point. Spider-Man: No Way Home solidified this with Peter losing Tony Stark, Aunt May, MJ, Ned, and literally every single other person in the world. This feeling of loneliness and isolation made the MCU’s Peter Parker seem more heroic, brave, and selfless than ever before, something many hope to see continue in Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man 4.

If this theory were true and Banner or Hulk did remember Spider-Man – accounting that they were still two separate entities – this compelling character direction for Tom Holland’s character would have been removed. Bruce has proven to be one of the more friendly Avengers in general, especially to newer characters. Through this, the idea of isolation and loneliness faced by Spider-Man in the future would feel less consequential as one of the two remembered him. Although, thanks to the events of Avengers: Endgame, this Spider-Man: No Way Home loophole has been avoided and the intriguing future direction for Spider-Man’s MCU journey remains intact.