5 Ways That Marvel Destroyed Bruce Banner's Character In Avengers: Endgame
3. His Personality Change Was Too Drastic, Too Fast
As previously mentioned, even in Thor: Ragnarok Bruce still maintains his dorky charm. Think of that lovely – yet still funny – scene where Thor goes to fist bump Bruce and he goes to high five him instead. Ragnarok found a way to make Bruce funny to match the tone of Thor, Loki, the Grandmaster and Taika Waititi’s general style without removing what set his character apart.
Then in Infinity War the majority of his screen time is taken up by his inner struggle with the Hulk. This is where the humour shines, but it’s still in line with the character he’s had established for him since his first appearance. He gets a laugh for bowing to T’Challa when customs do not require him to, which again is a dorky moment of comedy in line with his personality.
Getting stink eyed by Okoye when he trips over in the Hulkbuster? Dorky and endearing.
But as for his personality in Endgame? Some could argue he’s still being dorky in a hello-my-fellow-kids way, but his brand of comedy here is turned into the typical pop culture insert that new movies just can’t help but try and pull a laugh out of. And then beyond that scene all sense of dorkiness is gone.
Instead, the comedy and his personality is physical; seeing a Hulk sized Bruce squeeze himself into the back of a van, waddling through Avengers Headquarters holding a taco, pretending to be violent in New York 2012… nothing that gives us any indication of the characteristics that made us fall in love with his unique personality.
Again, yes, people can change over five years of trauma, but for many, Bruce's change was far too much without any easing into it after the seven years we've spent with the fairly consistent character.
The issue of Hulk not wanting to show himself has been thrown away, so the inner struggle is no longer something we as viewers can latch onto as a familiar but interesting part of his character. Instead that issue has been resolved off screen. Which leads neatly into the next point...