Summary
- Hulk's line "Puny God" proves that in his green eyes, gods aren't much different from humans, as he thrashes Loki in the first Avengers film.
- Banner's line, "I'm always angry," reveals his ability to turn into the Hulk whenever he chooses, shedding light on his constant need to manage his anger.
- The line, "I see this as an absolute win," showcases Banner's optimistic side, as he trusts the scientific method despite others' frustrations.
Bruce Banner and his notorious alter ego, Disney may have finally secured a Hulk movie to put the character in the spotlight, he's since held more of a ing role throughout the universe's other franchise.
Still, even as more of a ing character in the MCU timeline, Hulk is still one of the original Avengers and a fan favorite. His compelling internal conflict between the alter egos of Bruce Banner and Hulk have made for some great drama, but Mark Ruffalo's performance as the character manages to show off his comedic timing as well. From thought-provoking, to funny, to simply heroic and cool, Hulk's lines have a lot to appreciate.
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20 "Puny God!"
The Avengers (2012)
Hulk is well-known for his dislike of "puny humans", having spent years on the run from them. When Loki arrives on Earth the first Avengers film, his ego is unchecked, looking down on humans in a similar way. Making the mistake of trying this holier-than-thou attitude on Hulk, he quickly learns the hard way that Hulk doesn't care about his supposed status of godhood.
Thrashing the god of mischief with alarming ferocity, Hulk leaves Loki dazed, confused, and gasping for air. Before walking away, he simply mutters, "puny god", proving that in Hulk's green eyes, gods aren't much different from humans. This delicious reality check for Loki was a gratifying moment, after he spent the whole film gloating about his power and status over humans.
19 "I Didn't See An End, So I Put A Bullet In My Mouth. And The Other Guy Spit It Out"
The Avengers (2012)
It's easy to forget that for Bruce Banner, living with the Hulk's influence is a draining existence. In constant fear of putting others in danger at the drop of a hat, Banner reveals to the other Avengers one of his lowest moments in one of their first meetings, hoping to impress the upon them the gravity containing the Hulk has on him. Making an attempt on his own life, Banner discovers that the creature within him is able to manifest in Banner's body to protect him from even the most immediate physical harm.
This dark line portrays a lot about Banner's character. His willingness to be so vulnerable to his new teammates in the name of collaboration is incredibly brave, matter-of-factly bringing up such a delicate subject just to level with them about the dangers of Hulk. It also shows how far he's willing to go to protect others, forfeiting his chance at life if it means ensuring Hulk would never hurt anyone again.
18 "But Hulk Like Real Fire. Like Raging Fire. Thor Like Smoldering Fire."
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
In Thor: Ragnarok, it's revealed that Hulk has been in control of he and Banner's shared body for longer than ever before. As a result, he gets more development, with more speaking lines allowing audiences a greater window into his personality. In a bonding moment with Thor, Hulk compares them to classical elements, calling himself fire, and Thor water.
Not to be outdone, the prideful Thor asserts that they're both more like fire, only for Hulk to shut him down. The hilarious extent to which the metaphor is drawn out in the name of the two warriors one-upping each other is a great bit of humor that helps develop the two character's budding friendship.
17 “I See This As An Absolute Win!”
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Showing off his big brain, Professor Hulk aids what's left of The Avengers after Thanos' snap in an attempt to build a time machine in order to go back in time and prevent Thanos from ever taking the stones. Using the hapless Ant-Man as a test subject, the machine's first trial goes poorly, making Scott Lang's body very old and then very young in a matter of moments rather than moving him into a new point in time. Despite everyone else's frustration at the test's failure, Hulk is excited to have made any progress.
One of Hulk's most quotable lines, "I see this as an absolute win" has seen its fare share of memes, alongside others poking fun at the differences in Hulk and Professor Hulk. Beyond that, the quote shows off Banner's optimistic side, choosing to trust the scientific method despite what his colleagues may think.
16 “That’s My Secret, Captain; I’m Always Angry”
The Avengers (2012)
In one of Banner's first meetings with the rest of The Avengers' original lineup, he comes close to revealing the secret to how he stays calm, but is cut off before he can finish. It's only until later in the film that the audiences gets the payoff for Banner's teased secrets, when Captain America suggests he get angry in the threat of the approaching Chitauri Leviathan. In one of his most iconic lines, Banner reveals his ability to turn into the Hulk whenever he chooses, stating "That's my secret, Captain; I'm always angry."
This line is what cemented Bruce Banner as a fan favorite within the already strong starting roster of the Avengers. It also sheds light into the mystery of Banner's mental state, constantly having to manage his anger to avoid transforming into the destructive Hulk. The ease with which Banner is able to bring forth those emotions is a great moment that made the Avengers both respect and even fear Bruce Banner just a little bit more.
15 “Everything’s Going To Be Alright Now. I Got This. You Want To Know Who I Am?”
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
In Thor: Ragnarok, we learn for the first time that Banner seems to be able to people he only met as Hulk. Feeling a strange sense of kinship with Valkyrie, who served as the green goliath's trainer, Banner keeps his alter ego from her a secret for most of the film after transforming back. However, when the giant wolf Fenris is set upon the gates of Asgard by Hela, his hand is forced, and he prepares to become the Hulk again to spring into action.
Wanting to reveal his secret to Valkyrie, Banner reassures her that everything will be ok before revealing his secret to her, leaping into the action. Ultimately, this moment is played for laughs, as Banner doesn't transform until after falling, leaving a critically-injured body at the feet of a confused Fenris. Poor Bruce Banner just can't seem to nail the dramatic timing to recapture another cool catchphrase before transforming.
14 “So Many Stairs!”
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Though Banner may have mastered being the Hulk with his fusion of both identities by the time of Avengers: Endgame, the film still treats audiences to some classic Hulk rampages thanks to the film's time travel. In the aftermath of the Chitauri invasion of New York, Hulk has yet to cool down enough to transform back into Banner, following the rest of the team into the Avengers tower. Stopped by Tony Stark from taking the elevator, Hulk throws a tantrum as he's forced to take the stairs, prompting him to belt out this line in frustration.
This scene is a great reminder of just how childish Hulk's anger can be, showing great frustration over what should be a mild annoyance. The hilarious juxtaposition of the rampaging Hulk in the straight-laced, sterile environment of the Avengers tower lobby is the cherry on top.
13 “No Banner, Only Hulk!”
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
These four simple words got the point across to audiences that this time around, Hulk wasn't going away so easily. Meeting up with Thor after their fight in the arena, the Asgardian tries to make sense of the situation, wondering when Banner will take control again. Hulk's chilling explanation makes it clear that he has had control for the better part of the last two years.
How exactly this came to be is a mystery, but Hulk may have taken over a despondent Banner after being sent far into space in the Quinjet, the scientist giving up hope of living a normal life on Earth. This arc emulates the famous World War Hulk run in the comics, and though Thor: Ragnarok didn't exactly follow through with this premise, an MCU World War Hulk film may still be in the works.
12 “You’re Banner’s Friend”
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
After realizing that he's stuck talking only with Hulk, Thor tries to get on the green goliath's good side. Hulk isn't having any of it, however, insisting that Thor is only friends with Banner. This leads Thor to argue the point, hilariously making fun of Bruce Banner to Hulk's face in an attempt to win Hulk's cooperation.
It's easy to forget that Mark Ruffalo also does the motion capture work for Hulk as well as voice lines, on top of acting as Bruce Banner. This dual performance is an impressive feat to keep up throughout the MCU, Ruffalo and Chris Hemsworth showing off some great chemistry in this scene.
11 “Thor Home”
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Upon arriving at Sakaar, all Thor can think about is getting back to Asgard with a plan to stop his evil sister, Hela, from taking it over. Hulk, however, had been living his best life on the planet, enjoying his fame and fortune as a fighting champion for The Grandmaster. Failing to recruit Hulk, Thor storms off, which Hulk simply allows, knowing what's in store.
As Thor is painfully apprehended by the barrier keeping him confined to Hulk's chambers, the monster laughs, having purposefully goaded him into doing so. His simple remark afterward show's Hulk's newfound ability to be subtle, letting someone make a fool of themselves, and his appreciation for having a new friendly face around.
