The Marvel Cinematic Universe has weathered quite the storm when it comes to supporting characters. We have gone from having a whole slew of them to the point that almost all of them are reduced to insignificance. A good example of this is the absence of Jane Foster from later thor movies other than Thor: The Dark World. Another example of this is almost all of the characters from The Incredible Hulk. Since that movie was independent of the MCU at the time it should come as no surprise to anyone that none of those actors (except for Thunderbolt Ross) were seen in the MCU. But What If…? Episode 3 has given us context as to the timeline of these events. The episode also makes us think that Betty and Samuel Sterns should return in She-Hulk.
It was nice to see Betty Ross take center stage again in the MCU. Her involvement in the episode gave us some much-needed emotional respite in an otherwise Grimm episode. The Avengers fell like flies in the episode and this made us incredibly sad along with the invasion by Loki of Asgard. As things stand we have come to a point where killing off Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is played for curiosity. The important part to note is that because of our point of view we have come to view The Incredible Hulk compilation from the perspective of Betty Ross. This has resulted in us having a newfound appreciation for the character and her position in the MCU as a scientist among superhumans.
The Old Lovers
It had been a while since we saw Banner and Betty together on screen and we have to admit it did feel incredibly nostalgic. It also got us thinking about all the things that Marvel is planning to do with Hulk and his extended family. The common consensus is that a She-Hulk series is on the horizon and it will be following Jennifer Walters. For the uninitiated, this is the same character who embodies the heroine in the comics. She is a distant cousin of Bruce Banner who is saved by the latter via blood transfusion.
This transfusion also ends up giving Jennifer her powers, as she transforms into She-Hulk for the first time. The Disney+ series will likely follow the same storyline and then Jennifer Walters will become the headliner of the series. We just want to see The Incredible Hulk supporting cast return for the OTT series in a significant way. Maybe Betty & Sterns’ presence in the series can go to explain their absence in the MCU. It will be nice to see these characters return if only to act as secondary support for Dr. Banner himself.
Then there is the entire question of what Sterns is like post the events of The Incredible Hulk. The cellular biologist was a good man who helped create a temporary cure for Banner during the events of the movie. However, he was affected by Banner’s blood entering his head’s open wound. This resulted in a situation where his mental acuity was greatly increased but he was now also a supernatural threat.
The Consequences
It is still unclear what became of Sterns, but we did witness Romanoff take him in and hand him over to S.H.I.E.L.D. which seemed to have been a cliffhanger of sorts. The storyline never materialized in the MCU but we want it to be realized in the She-Hulk series. He could finally be transitioned into the big-headed Leader and become the villain for a future Thunderbolts project. It might be nice to see how things play out in the OTT show with Betty and Sterns are thrown into the mix and we think it will represent an important breakthrough in terms of phase IV.
I mean it is always nice to see old characters return with renewed vigor and far important roles than previously seen. The only real question we have is whether Marvel can make it work in a way that fans come to appreciate it. I guess we will find out when the show comes out. We at least hope for a follow-up to the Episode because the fight between Loki and Captain Marvel and Captain America will be nothing short of amazing.
who doesn’t want to see Loki get his ass kicked by the virtuous hero of America and the most powerful Avenger? Do you think that we will get a sequel? Or would you think that Betty and Sterns will return in the series? Let us know your opinions in the comments below and keep watching this space for everything Marvel, DC, and Hollywood.
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