10 Marvel Supervillains Who Almost Destroyed The Avengers

Though the idea was briefly tossed around in the lead-up to the first Avengers film to make Hulk the primary antagonist (as was kind of teased by the final scene of The Incredible Hulk), Marvel ultimately decided to go a different route and Hulk has pretty much been a good guy ever since in the films.

In the comics, however, Hulk is frequently leaving the team and/or turning against them. This is a tradition dating all the way back to Avengers #2 in 1963, where Hulk left the team after a whopping two adventures together. But at no time in Marvel history as Hulk ever come as close to destroying the Avengers as he did in World War Hulk.

Before this comic arc, Hulk wasn't having such a good time. He had been exiled from Earth by the Avengers, shot into space, crash landed on Sakaar, risen from a lowly gladiator for sport to leader of the entire planet, gotten married, and then had the ship he was sent in accidentally explode and kill the entire planet including his beloved wife, Caiera.

World War Hulk saw Hulk returning with a vengeance, looking to enslave the entire world and kill all of the Avengers. He defeated several teams of Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Inhumans time-and-time again before ultimately being subdued back into being Bruce Banner by some Stark technology.