Comic fans already know that seeing their favorite characters the MCU often means tweaks to familiar abilities and personality traits, so it wasn't exactly a surprise that Red Hulk received the same treatment in the recent Captain America: Brave New World. Unfortunately, one of those changes robbed Thaddeus Ross of his biggest strength as Red Hulk. Instead of keeping his sharp intellect, he turned into a mindlessly destructive monster.

In making him just another raging, out-of-control Hulk, Brave New World completely fumbled Red Hulk's sharp military mind.

With Hulk being a fixture in the Marvel Universe for decades, the lore runs deep. Each iteration of Hulk is different from the last, and many boast unique powers. This is Red Hulk, who, most notably, possesses fire-based abilities in the comics and retains essentially full control of his mind and intelligence.

That's always made Rulk a strong contrast to his green counterpart and kept him incredibly dangerous. Like his MCU peer in the movie, Thaddeus Ross is a tactical genius with a strong military background, and the MCU’s Red Hulk felt weaker by removing this key trait from his transformation

It's True: The MCU Majorly Fumbled Red Hulk’s Most Character-Defining Trait

Brave New World Eliminated One of Red Hulk's Best Comic Book Powers

Bruce Banner is a gifted scientist, but when he transforms into the “standard” green Hulk most fans recognize, that intellect typically doesn’t carry over. That isn’t the case with Red Hulk. Whether it’s Thaddeus Ross or later characters who take on the mantle, Red Hulk retains the full knowledge and strategic thinking of the person beneath the transformation. In Ross’s case, that means his Red Hulk can do things like wield custom S.H.I.E.L.D.-grade weaponry, exploit his military expertise against specific enemies, and even harness the Power Cosmic, feats the MCU’s Rulk could never realistically pull off.

Red Hulk had his first appearance in Hulk #1 by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.

Ross is such an impressive mind on the battlefield that even other villains, like Doctor Doom, respect and seek his expertise. Pairing that sort of gift with Red Hulk's laundry list of other abilities sets him apart, and it should have made him a far tougher foe in Brave New World. Although Captain America did struggle to take him down, and Sam Wilson wouldn't have been able to through sheer force alone, MCU's version of Red Hulk was still far more akin to a rage-fueled monster on a rampage than one of the greatest military minds in the Marvel Universe.

Brave New World’s Red Hulk Failed Before the Fight Even Started

By Dumbing Him Down, the MCU Turned Red Hulk Into a Generic Monster

Aside from simply robbing Thaddeus Ross of his intelligence, and thus one of Red Hulk's standout powers, MCU's take on the character oversimplifies the idea of multiple types of Hulks in general. Although She-Hulk has already made her debut onscreen and didn't get quite the same treatment, Red Hulk's introduction isn't encouraging. Ross' transformation resulted in nothing more than a rampage, and it did nothing to demonstrate why he's a different kind of threat than Bruce Banner. Audiences got a red-skinned "Hulk Smash" and saw nothing to set him apart from his green predecessor. Not all Hulks are created equal.

Although the MCU captures several major aspects of Thaddeus Ross, including placing an all-important emphasis on his military background, it misses the mark with Red Hulk. Fans recognize that there is a distinct separation between Bruce Banner and Hulk, with each essentially acting as their own person (often in conflict with one another). However, that isn't the case for Red Hulk and Ross. Everything that Ross is, including his intelligence and ability to plan and execute tactical plans, goes with him in his transformation. The Red Hulk isn't the only Hulk capable of such a feat, but it remains a defining feature.

Essentially, the MCU stripped Red Hulk of most of what makes him an interesting character and the quality that would've made him a far more worthy opponent. The film found its conflict elsewhere, rooting it in the consequences of Ross's questionable choices, rather than focusing on the Red Hulk. As a result, audiences missed out on his most quintessential trait, and Captain America did not get the full opportunity to showcase the full breadth of his skills in defeating him. In making him just another raging, out-of-control Hulk, Brave New World completely fumbled Red Hulk's sharp military mind.