Marvel Answers the Hulk Mystery in Endgame Encore, but Why Only Now?

Marvel Studios has finally offered an explanation for one of the biggest questions left by Spider-Man: Brand New Day through a post-credits scene in Avengers: Endgame Encore, the re-release version of the 2019 film now playing in theaters. The scene shows Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who was last seen being carried away on a stretcher after transforming into the Hulk and going on a rampage at the Department of Damage Control (DODC) headquarters.

In the scene, Banner is in an underground facility he appears to have designed himself. He confidently states that no one can get in or out of the place, while mentioning that he is developing a gamma-suppressing serum. But before he finishes his explanation, a mysterious green light appears and an unknown figure drags him away, leaving behind a glowing emerald rune. This visual clue points to Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), who is suspected of abducting the Hulk for his grand plan in Avengers: Doomsday.

Marvel's decision to place the scene at the end of Endgame Encore has drawn criticism from fans. Many argue the scene would have been better attached to the end of Brand New Day because it would have provided a neater resolution for that important cameo. Instead, Marvel chose to wait two months and attach it to the Endgame re-release, which was explicitly marketed as a bridge to Doomsday.

Besides the Banner scene, Endgame Encore also includes several other connective scenes, such as Loki's appearance before Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, as well as a TVA sequel dealing with the collapse of the multiverse. But the Banner scene is considered the strangest because it is not directly tied to the plot of Endgame. Speculation has grown that Marvel may have moved the scene from Brand New Day to Endgame Encore for commercial reasons, though there has been no official confirmation.

"I'm here to pick you up," the mysterious figure says in the scene, immediately taking Banner away.

For the film industry, Marvel's move shows a marketing strategy that increasingly relies on extra content to drive ticket sales. In Indonesia, the phenomenon is also felt, with loyal Marvel viewers willing to buy re-release tickets just to get story clues. But such practices can spark debate about artistic value versus commercialism, especially when the scene feels forced.

Going forward, will Marvel keep using similar tactics to build its cinematic universe, or is this a sign that it is running out of ways to sustain fan enthusiasm? Time will tell, but for now, audiences still seem willing to pay for curiosity.