The MCU’s Smart Hulk Undermines Phase 6’s X-Men Introduction

Smart Hulk’s introduction as a celebrity in the MCU’s Infinity Saga creates a major problem for the debut of the X-Men in the MCU. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner has seen more character development during his MCU career than most, taking him from the raging Hulk in The Incredible Hulk, to founding Avenger, to gladiator in Thor: Ragnarok, and finally to “Smart Hulk” in Avengers: Endgame. Banner’s Smart Hulk persona was created when he combined his human and Hulk forms during the MCU’s five-year-long Blip, meaning he is now permanently residing in a downsized version of his Hulk body, though retains the consciousness and genius of Bruce Banner.

Avengers: Endgame revealed that Smart Hulk had become an even more prominent celebrity figure during the Blip, although he had been viewed as a celebrity for quite some time, just as all the Avengers had following their introduction to the world in 2012’s The Avengers. Smart Hulk has undergone the most massive physical transformation when compared to his fellow heroes, however, which makes his newfound celebrity status even more impressive. The residents of the MCU being open to accepting a looming, green creature as a role model is fantastic for the in-universe world but makes the introduction of the MCU’s X-Men and mutant characters especially difficult.

Smart Hulk’s Endgame Celebrity Status Makes The X-Men’s Most Famous Story Impossible

In Marvel Comics, one of the most crucial elements to any storyline involving mutant characters is the hatred and prejudices that they face from humans. This is particularly brutal for mutants whose abilities have caused them to change physically, but this will be practically impossible to pull off effectively in the current state of the MCU, where physically abnormal characters such as Smart Hulk are heralded as celebrities. Mutant discrimination is a major narrative in Marvel Comics stories featuring the X-Men and is at the heart of Professor X and Magneto’s rivalry, so must be adapted for the MCU. Pre-existing celebrated heroes in the MCU make this extremely difficult, however.

Why The X-Men Make An MCU Reboot Necessary

While heroes such as Smart Hulk exist in the MCU and are celebrated for their differences, Marvel Studios will find it difficult to introduce the mutants in a way that gives their storylines an effective emotional punch. The easiest way to rectify this issue also fits perfectly with recent rumors surrounding the MCU’s Avengers: Secret Wars, as there are suspicions that Secret Wars may reboot the MCU. This would presumably occur similarly to Marvel Comics’ 2015 Secret Wars event, which established a new continuity for the Marvel Universe. This would perhaps be the most impactful way of bringing the MCU’s mutants and X-Men into a world that doesn’t celebrate them.

While an MCU reboot after Avengers: Secret Wars could help to solve many problems with the franchise, and gloss over any glaring plot holes from the MCU’s history, it could also establish a new continuity in which heroes aren’t applauded. This new timeline would be the perfect stage to introduce mutants and the X-Men, as this would allow Marvel Studios to adapt some of their most powerful and relevant storylines. Marvel’s X-Men have always been an allegory for real-world civil rights, so to carry the same weight in the MCU, this needs to be included, which likely means characters such as Smart Hulk will need to go.