Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings featured a very fan-pleasing mid-credits scene as it saw Simu Liu’s new hero interact with two of the Avengers — namely, Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner. Yes, despite evolving into Smart Hulk in Avengers: Endgame, Banner was back in his human form in Shang-Chi. This caused fans to yet again wonder how this latest transformation had come about.
But, going by a new comment from Eternals screenwriter Ryan Firpo, it seems that it was the result of some hard work from Banner himself. While speaking with ScreenRant, Firpo and co-writer Kaz Firpo were asked the age-old question; why didn’t the Avengers show up to help save the Earth in the movie? The scribe pointed out that many of Earth’s Mightiest just aren’t around anymore, plus Hulk apparently had other matters on his mind.
“I think in terms of the timeline, we just lost Tony, we just lost Cap, Natasha’s gone, Hulk is currently working on himself I think to make himself human rather than smart Hulk, so I think that all the Avengers were just pretty busy,” Firpo said.
What we still don’t know is why Banner worked to turn himself back into puny Banner. In between Infinity War and Endgame, he figured out a way to be both himself and the Hulk and that was an arrangement he seemed to be happy with as he had both his brains and brawn in one body. So we’re not really sure what changed his mind, as it’s not like he healed his injuries from using the Infinity Gauntlet, as Banner was still wearing an arm-sling in Shang-Chi.
Hopefully, some further light will be shone on the subject when Ruffalo returns in the She-Hulk TV series, which will introduce Bruce’s cousin Jennifer Walters into the MCU for the first time, as played by Tatiana Maslany. Or maybe it’ll just be another thing that the fans have to make sense of, like Smart Hulk’s sudden appearance.
Eternals is showing in theaters now and Shang-Chi hits Disney Plus this Friday, November 12.
