Hulk (Vol. 3) #9
The Ω Hulk: Chapter Five
Doc Green has traveled to the wilderness of Alberta, Canada, to find the New Charles Xavier School located within the old Weapon X facility. His knocking attracts the attention of Shadow Cat and Magik of the X-Men. Illyana is concerned about the Hulk and asks if they should call for backup but Kitty is certain they can handle it. Doc Green knocks with too much force and ends up breaking through the door. The Doc introduces himself and tells Pryde that he needs her help. Illyana is disturbed by the fact that the Hulk can now talk and that he found a need for a briefcase. Taken down to the med-lab, Doc Green explains that the Extremis in his head has caused a tumor to begin growing in his brain and has sought out Shadow Cat so she can use her phasing powers to remove it. He gives her a special fluid that will "magnetize" her hands so she can extract the tumor with her hands, even while phased. When Magik asks how Doc Green got Extremis in his head, he explains how Banner was shot in the head and Iron Man used Extremis to repair his brain. Unfortunately, due to the unstable nature of Extremis it is now creating the tumor in Doc Green's mind.
Although Kitty is apprehensive about the idea, Green manages to convince her that she can accomplish this task with her phasing powers while guided by his A.I. system. Sure enough, just as Doc Green believed, Shadow Cat is able to extract the tumor from his brain. However, the impromptu surgery causes hemorrhaging within the former Hulk's brain. Bleeding profusely from his nose, Doc Green awakens and tries to get off the operating table and ends up falling to the ground instead. Kitty and Illyana fear that they might have killed the Hulk, but Doc Green gets up moments later, telling them that he is fine. With the operation done, he thanks the two women for their help and opens a portal back to the Beehive. The two women are upset to see that Doc Green could simply teleport wherever he wished and think he was a jerk for wrecking the door. Later when Cyclops returns to the base he asks them what happened to the door, and Kitty tells him that the door was the least interesting thing that happened that day.
At the Beehive, Randall Jessup and Dama Veriti worry about their mortality due to the recent losses of Patty Wolman and Melinda Lucenstern. Their discussion is interrupted by the return of Doc Green. He tells them that he is going to his lab and sternly warns them not to interrupt him. Once in his lab, Doc Green activates a containment program and his Green A.I. Exhausted from his ordeal, he takes a couple of pills he refers to as "last resort" and warns Banner that he does not want them to dissolve in his stomach. With that, Doc Green goes to sleep and reverts back into Banner. Banner wakes up and finds himself trapped in the lab. Seeing that the Hulk has been busy this whole time he is horrified by the scientific equation written on a nearby whiteboard. He also notes empty syringes as well as the arm severed from Ultron. Suddenly, the Green A.I. kicks in creating a holographic projection of Doc Green. The artificial intelligence tries to tell Banner not to interfere with Doc Green's plans. Banner doesn't realize that he is speaking with an artificial intelligence until he attempts to break free and narrowly avoids getting electrocuted trying to bypass the door lock.
Still, Bruce Banner is undaunted and intends to take full control of his body again. When he tells this to the Green A.I. it warns him against it, threatening to kill Betty Ross if he does. The intelligence informs Bruce that Betty has been cured of her ability to transform into the Red She-Hulk and is quite vulnerable to the bombs planted in her home. With 10 seconds to make a decision, Banner angrily surrenders and allows himself to transform back into his Hulk form. Doc Green sleeps and dreams about murdering the heroes of Earth. After killing Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four he confronts Rick Jones. When Jones asks the Hulk why he killed everyone, the Hulk -- beginning to look much like his future self the Maestro -- responds by saying "why not?" Doc Green then wakes up, finding the entire dream interesting. Green then deactivates the containment system and as he begins shaving his head into his chosen mohawk hairstyle he remarks how the dream has inspired him to start growing a beard.
Recurring Characters
Doc Green, X-Men (Cyclops, Shadowcat, Magik), Doc Green AI, Randall Jessup, Daman Veteri, Betty Ross
Continuity Notes
Doc Green makes references to a number of recent events:
Bruce Banner getting shot in the head happened in Indestructible Hulk #20.
His battle with the Abomination occurred between Hulk Vol 3 #2-Hulk Vol 3 #4.
Hulk Vol 3 #4 was also when Iron Man repaired Banner's mind using Extremis, although Doc Green didn't take full control until Original Sin #3.1-3.4.
Illyana hopes that Doc Green's "death" won't start another "Avengers versus X-Men thing". She is referring to the war between the two teams that occurred primarily in Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12.
Jessup and Daman mention a number of things that have befallen themselves and their fellow assistants:
Jessup was transformed into an Inhuman during the events of Indestructible Hulk #16-20, although genetic inhibitors keep him in human form.
Patty Wolman was dying of neurological disease as revealed in Indestructible Hulk #6-8. She attempted to kill herself by working with Banner/the Hulk. When that failed she exposed herself to the VISTA organic computer and was transformed into a plant-like creature as seen in Hulk Annual #1.
Melinda Lucenstern, unknown to Jessup and Daman, was hired by the Brotherhood of the Shield to try and assassinate Bruce Banner in Indestructible Hulk #20. This truth was revealed in Hulk Vol 3 #8. Doc Green confronted her about it, but her subsequent fate is unknown.
Doc Green dreams about becoming the Maestro. In one possible future, the Hulk becomes the tyrant known as the Maestro as seen in Incredible Hulk: Future Imperfect #1-2.
