10 Marvel Cinematic Universe Easter Eggs That Led Nowhere

10. Tony Stark's Post-Hulk Cameo

Tony Stark's cheeky cameo in The Incredible Hulk's post-credits scene almost painted Marvel Studios into a corner just two movies into its cinematic universe construction and, in hindsight, it feels weirdly at odds with the continuity of the other films.

Robert Downey Jr's roguish billionaire shows up at a bar where a disgraced General Ross is drinking and tells him about a team he's helping assemble, and if you've only watched the films, the whole thing reeks of WTF.

Presumably said team is The Avengers, but what does that have to do with Thunderbolt Ross? He disappeared off the MCU radar for years before popping up for cameo in Captain America: Civil War and wasn't part of the Avengers Initiative, while Stark was a reluctant recruit in Joss Whedon's first team-up movie. What gives?

Although this looks like an Easter egg that went absolutely nowhere, it's actually a case of Marvel having to nix a plot thread due to Edward Norton's Hulk being sidelined in favour of Mark Ruffalo's Green Goliath.

Marvel explained Stark's presence in the bar in its One-Shot The Consultant, which revealed that Iron Man was sent by SHIELD to sabotage a meeting involving Ross that could have seen The Abomination released from custody. The whole thing smacked of 'let's just sweep this under the rug forever'.