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Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, Ph.D.[4] a.k.a. the Hulk, is an American theoretical physicist famous for his work in the fields of nuclear physics and gamma radiation.[76] He was recruited by General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross and the U.S. Army to develop the first Gamma Bomb. During its first live test, he was bombarded with a massive dose of gamma rays while saving Rick Jones, a teenager who had made his way onto the test site. He was mutated into a green behemoth, the living personification of anger that was fueled by pure physical strength, and would come to be known as the near-mindless "Incredible Hulk". Fearful of the damage that the Hulk could inflict, as well as fleeing from the military, he went on the run.[77] In the years that followed, Banner became a loner, occasionally joining together with other heroes, but more often than not struggling to be left alone. He was a founding member of the group of heroes known as the Avengers, "Earth's Mightiest Heroes", as well as a founding member of the group of outsider heroes known as the Defenders, but would not remain with either group for too long (although, admittedly, his time with the Defenders was much longer than his time with the Avengers was).[37][78] Over the years, the Hulk's personality changed drastically, owing to Banner's undiagnosed dissociative identity disorder. At times intelligent, at other times savage, the one constant in the Hulk's existence was his quest for solitude and peace in a world that would not leave him alone.[77]
After being defeated by Thor, Loki is banished by Odin to the Land of Silence, a place capable of driving any being mad. There, time flows differently, and Loki spends centuries in complete isolation, while in Midgard only a short time passes. With his mind sharpened by hatred, he realizes that the barriers between the worlds are weakened: not enough to escape, but enough to spread his influence through whispers and manipulations. Using this power, Loki influences scientists to explore the barrier and manipulates Bruce Banner to unleash the Hulk in New York, keeping Thor occupied. However, the chaos attracts the attention of other heroes: Iron Man, Ant-Man, and Wasp join the fight. After a devastating confrontation, the Hulk is finally contained. Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, then reveals that it was all a distraction created by Loki. The god of lies' plan was a success. He escapes with the help of Dr. Erik Selvig and even steals SHIELD's most powerful project: the Cosmic Cube, an artifact of limitless power that was once in the hands of the Red Skull. Thor decides to face his brother alone, but Fury warns him that the threat is greater than it seems. With Loki emerging in New York at the head of an army, ready to dominate the Nine Realms from Earth, the heroes unite. They are the planet's last line of defense—and, if they fail to protect it, they will avenge it.
