A deleted scene from Avengers: Endgame reveals the answer to a mystery fans have been wondering about since the film was released.
The mystery in question relates to the whereabouts of Hulk during the blockbuster’s climactic battle scene, which results in the death of one of the film’s main characters.
*Spoilers follow – you have been warned*
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As pretty much everybody in the world knows by now, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) dies after defeating Thanos (Josh Brolin). It’s a huge moment that affects every single Avenger, which is witnessed in his emotional funeral scene.
However, a deleted scene shows the characters’ respective reactions in the immediate aftermath of his death as they all kneel in tribute to Iron Man in the emotionally-charged moment.
There is a character, though, whose absence fans have highlighted: Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
Now, thanks to some eagle-eyed fans at Screen Rant, the mystery has been solved. Look closely at the deleted scene, and you will find that Hulk is next to Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), although he is mostly obscured by some debris. The scene, which can be streamed on Disney+, also comes to an end as he appears on the screen.
Why the film’s directors – the Russo brothers – thought that other characters who knew Stark for less time should get more screen time in this moment is unknown, but it is vindication for those who felt disappointed that Hulk seemed to be somewhere else entirely.
Another deleted scene might prove that a popular theory about the villain Thanos (Josh Brolin) has been true all along.
The clip is an alternate version of a conversation between Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) featured in the film, and sees the latter drop a huge revelation about the villain’s destructive finger-snap.
New reports are predicting that X-Men character Wolverine will appear in the MCU as early as Phase 5, with one recent source stating he could cameo in Black Panther 2.
Avengers: Endgame is available to stream on both Disney+ and NOW TV. Find our ranking of every character – from worst to best – here.