With She-Hulk: Attorney at Law developing the Hulk franchise mythos in the MCU, viewers have now encountered a variety of well-known and lesser-known villains. The Hulk has had a significant presence in Hollywood, even though his filmography is not as extensive as that of characters like Spider-Man who have been in a multitude of films.
Hulk and She-Hulk have left their mark, starting with The Incredible Hulk series, the first live-action Marvel adaption, which aired in the 1970s. The gigantic, powerful Hulk or She-Hulk have been opposed by a variety of adversaries, some of whom have proven to be considerably more formidable than others. General MCU villains like Loki and Thanos won’t count because Hulk and She-Hulk only faced off against enemies that were in direct confrontation with them.
Abomination – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Emil Blonsky, also known as the Abomination, made his debut in The Incredible Hulk. By linking to Captain America, he contributed to the MCU’s growth. Blonsky starts out as a skilled soldier doing his job, but the serum coursing through his body turns him into a drunken powerhouse. When he injects himself with Bruce Banner’s blood, turning him into the monster that everyone believes the Hulk to be, everything comes to a head.
Abomination, a gamma-powered creature who relishes inflicting harm on others, is the Hulk in almost every manner. It produced something with a very appropriate name and demonstrated why Bruce and his cousin are among the select few who ought to possess these abilities. Abomination, however, appears to have transformed as evidenced by Phase Four, which reintroduces him with a comic-accurate appearance and a fresh attitude.
Glenn Talbot – Hulk (2003)
Glenn Talbot, portrayed by Josh Lucas, is essentially Bruce Banner’s antithesis in the 2003 Marvel film that is not a part of the MCU. Talbot is more concerned with the personal gains that come with Banner’s endeavour than Bruce is with the world’s needs. By comparison, Talbot is fundamentally a bully, whereas Bruce is compassionate and loving. He furthers the premise of Ang Lee’s Hulk, which is that aside from Bruce, every other male character embodies toxic masculinity.
Talbot makes it simple to despise him by imprisoning Bruce, torturing him, and even attempting to kill him. His stay as a villain, however, doesn’t stand out as much as one might anticipate because he is removed from the game relatively fast. He adopts the persona of several Hulk foes by relentlessly attempting to obtain a sample of his DNA in order to recreate the Hulk.
Samuel Sterns – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Samuel Sterns isn’t technically a villain in the MCU at this point. In The Incredible Hulk, he was Bruce Banner’s buddy and worked to help Banner recover from his Hulk condition.
However, Banner’s blood had an impact on Samuel Sterns, who began to swell up in the head. This was done to set up Sterns’ return as The Leader, one of the Hulk’s most formidable foes. The MCU is diving further into the Hulk mythos, so it’s likely that fans will see the Leader return to the franchise even though this villainous storyline hasn’t yet been completed.
Secretary Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Secretary Ross is portrayed by William Hurt in a far colder manner than Elliot was, and he consistently shows hatred for Banner and the Hulk. Secretary Ross is partly to blame for Emil Blonsky’s problems, as it was because of his experiments with super soldiers that his soldier turned into a monster.
He never retracts his actions, despite the fact that his fixation with control frequently results in uncontrollable situations. He would later become a threat to all of the Avengers as well as just the Hulk; in Captain America: Civil War, he supported the Sokovia Accords and in Avengers: Infinity War, he was more interested in detaining the heroes during a crisis. William Hurt’s performance was flawless each time.
Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross – Hulk (2003)
The 2003 Hulk movie depicts Thaddeus Ross as a more sympathetic character rather than the obsessive antagonist that he is typically characterised as. He has no desire to create a weapon or carry out a personal grudge against Bruce and the Hulk.
Sam Elliot’s interpretation, which has already been psychologically damaged by the crimes of Bruce’s father, is more worried about the harm that the Hulk can do. He is undoubtedly an antagonist, yet he is neither malevolent nor malicious; rather, he is simply approaching the situation incorrectly.
The Absorbing Man – Hulk (2003)
In addition to being a crazy scientist, David Banner is the cause of Bruce Banner’s trauma and gamma-powered illness. He is a sociopath who will do everything, including murder his own kid, to obtain absolute power. This is based on the comic book character Brian Banner, who, in addition to abusing Bruce, also killed Bruce’s mother, further illustrating the toxic pattern of other male characters in Bruce’s life.
Interestingly, the Ang Lee movie combined this figure with one of the Hulk’s most potent foes, Absorbing Man, giving the Hulk a foe to truly battle. In both good and bad ways, this interpretation of the character is unique; when he plays David Banner, he is a deranged figure who makes it simple to cheer for Banner, but his abrupt transformation into the Absorbing Man tonally feels out of place with the rest of the movie.
The Swamp Thing – The Incredible Hulk (1978)
Apart from the titular hero, the first live-action series from 1978 avoided incorporating many aspects of comic books. The Swamp Thing was the moniker given to a scientist who unleashed his own gamma monster. He is just another green-skinned giant, not related to the same-named DC world character played by Dirk Durock.
Since Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk is always unbeatable, it makes for a unique villain. Additionally, he’s supposed to be the Hulk’s opposite—the closest thing to the Abomination. The Swamp Thing is the monster that everyone thinks the Hulk is, whereas the Hulk is a misunderstood giant. On Dirk Durock, though, the wig, artificial teeth, and painted skin are not quite as effective, so he occasionally comes off as more corny than menacing.
The Wrecking Crew – Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Wrecking Crew, who made their debut in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, are notorious for being a comical gang of C-list villains. The Wrecking Crew is made up of four normal thugs who carry weapons imbued with Asgardian runes, hence it was successfully translated into live-action.
Even She-Hulk, who was unaffected by the villains’ surprise strike, remarks on their absurdity. The Wrecking Crew has not had nearly as much screen time or had an impact as many had hoped. So there’s a potential the team will improve and grow in stature.
Titania – Marvel Cinematic Universe
Titania has only had a small amount of screen time on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, much like the Wrecking Crew. She is described as a superhuman internet influencer and is played by Jameela Jamil. She has only once encountered She-Hulk so far, but she will become more prominent later in the story.
It’s difficult to rate her at this stage, but based on the comic book version, she is one of the more formidable foes She-Hulk has to deal with. However, by disparaging several She-Hulk posters on social media, she has contributed to the show’s marketing.
