For a while now, the Hulk has felt controlled. Balanced. Almost safe. However, the initial trailer of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ suggests that the quietness may not be as long as it feels- and that is precisely what makes it interesting.
Because if the clues are pointing where they seem to be, Peter Parker could soon find himself facing a version of Hulk no one, not even Bruce Banner, can control.
Spider-Man May Have To Stop Hulk, Not Save Him
The trailer does not explicitly tell who the central villain is, but it is heavily leaning towards something more psychological than physical. Weird lines concerning an unknown threat, combined with disturbing scenes of people apparently being possessed, hint at a danger that operates in the mind and not by brute force.
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It has a fast and cold sequence: a woman is shown as a normal person, and then she changes. Whatever is possessing her is like a virus you can barely see; it is jumping around like a person. Peter himself is not immune either; his eyes momentarily move in a manner that shows there’s something wrong. That is where it becomes dangerous.
Should this villainous mystery indeed possess mind-control or telepathic powers, the possibilities go beyond just Spider-Man. Banner, who is already balancing on the edge between intelligence and anger, is the ideal target. It would not take much to send him over the edge. And when that occurs, the Hulk we have been deprived of might come charging back.
Why This Could Break Banner’s Control
The MCU has not delved into Banner’s dark side since ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, when Hulk refused to emerge after being defeated. By ‘Avengers: Endgame’, Banner had combined brains and strength into a more relaxed and stable identity. However, stability does not imply immunity.
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We have already witnessed how easily things can get out of control when somebody messes with Banner’s mind, as was the case with ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’. All it took was a push by Scarlet Witch to cause pure chaos and make Hulk an unstoppable force that even the Avengers could not contain.
Now imagine that scenario again, but with Spider-Man caught in the middle. Something nearly tragic about it. Banner isn’t a villain. He never really was. However, when he is influenced in the wrong way, he turns out to be just the type of danger that Peter is not prepared to deal with on his own. And that is what gives ‘Brand New Day’ its advantage. It may not be another superhero battle; it could be a story where the real danger isn’t who Hulk is. It’s what happens when he stops holding back.
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