In a world the place superheroes are regularly revived, reanimated, or recast, irrespective of how typically they’ve beforehand been despatched to that nice massive multiverse within the sky, it’s admirable that The Unimaginable Hulk’s small-screen swansong adhered to its title forevermore. That mentioned, this everlasting demise wasn’t precisely a part of the plan.
Regardless of its spoiler-heavy identify, The Demise of the Unimaginable Hulk wasn’t speculated to wrap up the string of TV films that introduced mild-mannered Dr. David Banner (Bruce Bixby) and his unjolly inexperienced large alter-ego (Lou Ferrigno) again to tv after six years within the wilderness. Following the success of 1988’s The Unimaginable Hulk Returns and 1989’s The Trial of the Unimaginable Hulk, NBC bosses and screenwriter Gerald Di Pego had meant to ship a fourth feature-length serving to of smashing, stomping motion earlier than circumstances intervened.
Celebrating its thirty fifth anniversary this month, The Demise of the Unimaginable Hulk begins as a cross between Good Will Searching and the tone-deaf Easy Jack movies so brilliantly skewered in Tropic Thunder. In a bid to entry the data he believes will forestall all of the metamorphosing, Banner performs dumb as a analysis facility janitor. Whereas he sweeps flooring throughout the day, he sneakily examines the formulation scientist Ronald Pratt (Philip Sterling) helpfully leaves on a chalkboard at night time.
This barely problematic cowl story proves fully pointless; upon studying the identification of his nocturnal assistant, Pratt and his equally kindly spouse Amy (Barbara Tarbuck) agree to assist Banner discover a treatment. Utilizing a concoction of tranquilizers, electrical rod shocks, and forcefield cages, the pair summon the Hulk to see precisely what they’re coping with. In an unexpectedly touching scene, the experiment’s video footage permits their take a look at topic to witness his transformation for the very first time (though even in 1990, the particular results are nonetheless restricted to some ripping garments, white contact lenses, and buckets of inexperienced paint).
Sadly, the brand new dream crew is foiled by a gaggle of racquetball-playing Soviet spies decided to get their grubby mitts on Pratt’s research so their nation can create super-soldiers. Throughout their impolite gatecrashing, poor Pratt results in a coma, and the Hulk is compelled to flee the power by way of an electrical fence. Whereas on the run in his much less aggressive state, Banner is tracked by Jasmine (Elizabeth Gracen), an agent who’s no stranger to chameleonic personas herself.
You don’t wish to see Banner when he’s offended.
NBC
Fortunately, Jasmine is a reluctant spy, solely taking the job when cartoonish superior Kasha (Andreas Katsulas) threatens to kill her sister Bella (Anna Katarina) if she doesn’t comply. As a substitute of turning Banner in, she falls in love with him (as demonstrated by a number of icky scenes that verge on daytime cleaning soap opera). And after discovering her sibling isn’t a damsel in misery, however truly the brains of the entire operation, she joins forces with Banner to take her down.
It’s right here the place The Demise of the Unimaginable Hulk lastly kicks it up a gear because the loved-up pair go on the warpath. First, they pose as potential automotive consumers to seize and query a henchman, then interact in a high-speed automotive chase to rescue the kidnapped Amy and recovering Pratt. Then, simply in time, the Hulk re-emerges to thwart Bella’s getaway in a small aircraft.
The evil sister will get her comeuppance when her try to shoot the heroic monster hits the gasoline tank as a substitute, triggering an explosion that kills everybody inside. Tragically, that additionally contains the Hulk, who falls a whole lot of ft in wonderful slow-motion (and to the sounds of a tacky energy ballad, too) earlier than hitting the concrete airfield under.
The Hulk at his World’s Strongest Man greatest.
NBC
Together with his accidents too extreme for even his miraculous therapeutic powers, The Hulk turns again right into a dying Banner in entrance of his new beau. “David, don’t. Don’t die. We might be free now,” Jasmine pleads. “Jasmine… I’m free,” comes his tear-jerking response.
Though the top credit roll quickly after, these weren’t meant to be his closing phrases. In keeping with Di Pego, a follow-up known as The Revenge of the Unimaginable Hulk would’ve by some means introduced the physician again to life. Missing his superpowers, he would have been kidnapped by some pesky villains — little doubt hailing from Japanese Europe — who pressure him to show their brokers into a military of Hulks. The one solution to save the day? Faithfully re-create the gamma radiation experiment that by accident sparked his personal transfiguration.
This story, which was additionally designed to carry Iron Man and She-Hulk into the fold, by no means noticed the sunshine of day, as mediocre rankings for The Demise of the Unimaginable Hulk prompted NBC to finish the franchise. The tragic passing of Bixby from lung most cancers in 1993, in the meantime, ended any hopes of a belated return elsewhere. It was exhausting to even think about anybody else within the position till Eric Bana took up the torch greater than a decade later.
So The Demise of the Unimaginable Hulk stays a uncommon beast, a superhero story the place the superhero is killed off for good. No retconning, no prequel appearances, and no preposterous fan service resurrections. It may not be the character’s best journey, however it’s undeniably probably the most trustworthy.
