Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #4

Mar 16

Mar 16 Fall of the Hulks: Red Hulk #4

Best Case Scenario

Gamma Base: The Recent Past

The Intelligencia is working on the next phase of their scheme. After they conquer the United States they begin their plans to conquer the rest of the world. That's when the Red Hulk enters the room and begins to scoff at his allies for carving up the world as though it is a board game. He points out that while they are thinking of historical conquests like that of Mongolia or Rome, when they should be thinking of more recent conflicts like Vietnam. He says that logic alone will not help them conquer the world because every country will fight by any means necessary, employing methods they couldn't possibly think of. Red Hulk then mocks MODOK for his strictly clinical thinking, resulting in three mental blasts. The Red Hulk gets up after each one pointing out that MODOK won't have another attack without risking his body, to provide his point. Furious, MODOK's scientists lead him away. However, the Red Hulk's demonstration has convinced the Leader to let the Red Hulk in all the strategic planning meetings in the future. Walking out of the room, the Red Hulk also tells him that they need to factor the Hulk into their plans, otherwise they might as well surrender.

Later, The AIMarines have stormed the capital, killing Skaar and Korg. Furious, A-Bomb snaps the necks of two of these rogue Hulks. The Leader then arrives in a flying craft and bombards Rick with gamma radiation, reverting him back to human form. He then pulls out a gun and shoots Rick. He then goes to gloat over the apparently dead body of the Hulk. However, when he approaches the crater. But the Hulk isn't dead, and he leaps from the hole and chokes the life out of the Leader...

... Thus ends the 401st simulation of their plans to assure their victory, and the Leader is furious. The Leader and the rest of the Intelligencia realize that they must listen to the Red Hulk's advice and find a means of factoring in the Hulk. As they leave the simulation room, MODOK assures the Leader that they have time to think. Watching from the shadows is the Red Hulk, who smiles deviously.

Now

The Intelligencia have learned that the Thundra had stashed Dr. Doom's Time-Platform in her desert dwelling. Deciding to use it to see the future, the Mad Thinker sends his Gammeroid out to see what they can learn. They proceed with caution so as not to damage the Time-Platform, for if they do Lyra will never be born and come back in time and join the Frightful Four, potentially spoiling their plans. Using the time monitor, the Gammeroid is ordered to enter the time coordinates so they can see the near future.

What they see is a utopian future created by the Intelligencia. They witness as Betty Ross meets with her new fiancé, the Leader. They go and check on Rick Jones, who is confined to a wheelchair and repeating an apology for killing Bruce Banner over and over. The Leader tries to convince Jones that it wasn't his fault that the Hulk had died. He tells Betty that he will look into Rick's state of mind after they have the southern territories under control.

They return to the Leader's base of operations where Igor the Super-Ape informs them of the progress of building the world in their image. On the east coast, the Mad Thinker and his Gammaroids begin the rebuilding effort. In Russia, the Red Ghost and his new apes are bringing supplies to the people there. While Lyra and the Trapster are crushing the resistance in Northern China. They are then joined by MODOK -- now in a human form -- and their court jester, Dr. Doom. After sending Doom off with Igor for some pudding, they go out onto a terrace to look out at a statue of those who fell in their conquest of the world. Betty is sad that Rick killed the Hulk, but believes that it was worth it to save the world...

... Having seen enough, the Intelligencia stop their viewing of the future and have the Gammaroid come back to base. With this brief glimpse, the Leader believes that he can work with the variables to assure that they win. However, not far from the time machine, Bruce Banner and the Red Hulk watches the Gammaroid depart. Banner deactivates a device that played the phony glimpse of the future for the Gammaroid to see. Banner remarks that they have just exploited their foe’s greatest weakness: their over-confidence.