The Absence of Thor and Hulk in Captain America: Civil War

While Captain America: Civil War has seen the downfall of all characters in The Avengers, including Hawkeye’s withdrawal, the question arises: why were two of the most formidable characters, Thor and Hulk, seemingly “forgotten”? In the Marvel universe, every event has a reason, and the simplest explanation for their absence is that Hulk and Thor were off on an adventure together in Thor: Ragnarok.

With Hulk venturing to another planet, we can see parallels with the storyline of Planet Hulk, where Hulk was exiled by the Marvel superhero team due to his overwhelming strength becoming a threat to humanity. On this new planet, Hulk becomes a gladiator and continues to search for ways to return to Earth to get back at those who wronged him. This detail aligns well with Hulk’s portrayal in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where he was manipulated by Scarlet Witch into rampaging uncontrollably.

There is still some ambiguity regarding how Hulk left Earth. Recent reports, alongside various news sources, have confirmed that in the final scenes of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Hulk flew away from the Quinjet. However, a more plausible explanation is that The Grandmaster—one of the cosmic beings similar to The Collector from Guardians of the Galaxy—was involved in creating a grand spectacle and selecting powerful individuals, including Hulk.

Additionally, Thor: Ragnarok has also introduced information that suggests the “God of Thunder” must engage in a battle to seek the divine weapon that could help him prevent Ragnarok and reset the universe.

If this premise holds true, it could be a brilliant way to introduce both the formidable characters into a single film, serving as a perfect “reunion” for the Marvel cinematic universe that could leave a lasting impression, especially if it means achieving more than just box office success. We have already seen several films adapting this approach, such as Spider-Man: Homecoming featuring Iron Man, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Thor: Ragnarok with Hulk.

Thor: Ragnarok is officially scheduled for release on November 3, 2017, featuring the familiar faces of Oscar-winning actor Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, Chris Hemsworth reprising his role as Thor for the fifth time, and Tom Hiddleston returning as the mischievous Loki. Other notable cast members include Idris Elba as Heimdall, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, directed by the talented Taika Waititi.