The moment Tony Stark and Bruce Banner struck up a conversation in the first Avengers film in 2012, it was apparent that there was a certain chemistry. In a world full of what Stark felt were inferior beings, Banner was the only one who could compete intellectually. This bromance was further enforced when Stark and Banner rode off into the sunset in Stark’s Acura at the end of The Avengers . Ruffalo embellished on this relationship between the two characters in a set visit interview (via Screenrant ).
“Yeah, basically Tony took the orphan Banner in, into the fold. I was just made aware of where my apartment was in the, in the Stark Complex, the Stark Tower. And I think they’re working. I have a lab and Banner’s working on a lot of stuff, and Tony’s working on his own stuff and they complement each other. You could tell that when into this film that they’ve been working together and they’ve gotten even more of a short hand together and really know how to work well together. So that’s been built out quite a lot and it’s fun. It’s cool, it’s cool.”
It is because of this great relationship between the two characters that the Hulk vs Iron Man scene (revealed in the Avengers: Age Of Ultron trailer) will be especially heartbreaking and nail-biting. Robert Downey Jr. elaborated on this idea in an interview on the red carpet from HitFix .
“It can’t just be a good fight, it’s gotta be about something. And the great thing in ‘Age of Ultron’ is, that fight between [the Hulk and Tony Stark] is, nobody wins when two people who are friends fight.”
But what is this fight about? There was speculation that this may all be some sort of simulation to see if The Avengers could defeat The Hulk if necessary. If Downey’s comments weren’t enough, Ruffalo assured reporters this wasn’t the case, but that the fight “has a surprise, a little twist to it as well.” What this twist is remains to be seen. (Perhaps a little launch into space for The Hulk is in order?)
Ruffalo did make it woefully apparent, though, that despite the breakthrough in the first Avengers film, Banner is still very much at war within himself.
“I think he’s trying to become more a part of a group. I don’t think he’s ever felt like part of a family or part of something. He’s always sort of been on the outside or on the run or trying to shun humanity.
“But now I feel like he has the idea that maybe he is part of something and he’s trying to really be a part of something and feels more comfortable with the fantasy that he could actually be a part of something. But I still think it’s a struggle for him and I never think that he quite has it under control.”
Will this Hulk and Iron Man fight be another case of Banner being unable to control his anger, or is it more to do with Downey’s character being in the wrong (after all, we do know that Ultron is a result of Stark’s A.I. going haywire)?
Did the short clip from the Avengers: Age Of Ultron get you excited for this big confrontation? Take a look at the trailer if you’ve somehow managed not to see it!
