Hulkhas appeared in some strange scenes throughout his longMarvelcareer, but I’m certain that these are the strangest. Across nearly six decades of movies and TV shows, the Hulk has done it all: smashed, roared, leaped across continents – and occasionally confused the heck out of audiences. While most think of Hulk as a green rage monster with a penchant for destruction, he’s also been at the center of some truly bizarre scenes that feel more like fever dreams than superhero moments.
Whether it’s due to outdated visual effects, campy writing, or just tonal whiplash, the Hulk’s long screen history is a goldmine of head-scratching moments. From the wild 70s years tothe MCU timeline, the Hulk has stepped far outside the typical Marvel comfort zone more than once. These scenes don’t just stand out, they challenge everything people thought they knew about the Green Goliath.
8Smart Hulk Takes Selfies
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
No matter how funny or wholesome it was, watching the Hulk calmly pose for selfies with children was one of the strangest moments in Marvel history. InAvengers:Endgame, viewers are introduced to “Smart Hulk,” a hybrid of Bruce Banner’s intellect and the Hulk’s brawn. It’sa far cry from the Savage Hulkmany grew up with – hulking, wordless, and uncontrollably angry.
Here, he’s wearing glasses, smiling, and encouraging kids to dab. As a single scene, it’s visually absurd: this is the same guy who once tore through Harlem in a rage, now politely asking kids to “say green.” Thejuxtaposition of a meme-loving, dad-joke-telling Hulknext to his violent past is such a tonal shift that it almost feels like parody. The MCU had changed, and Hulk wasn’t just smashing anymore, he was smiling for the camera.
7Hulk Gets Naked
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Marvel viewers were caught off guard whenThor: Ragnarokdecided to get a little cheeky – literally. After Hulk’s epic fight in the Sakaar arena, he returns to his chambers and enjoys a soak in a hot tub. Chatting with Thor, Hulk casually exits the tub completely nude. The camera lingers onThor’s horrified reactionas he gets an eyeful of Hulk’s green privates. It’s a moment that plays entirely for laughs, but it’s also undeniably weird.
The Hulk has always been larger-than-life, but never this exposed. The fact that it happens in a vibrant, colorful, comedic sci-fi fantasy world only adds to the strangeness. Sure, audiences have seen the Hulk lose his shirt countless times, but full-on nudity was a real surprise. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-blush kind of scene thatpushes the character into awkward comedy territory.
6Hulk Bursts Out Of A Giant Cake
The Incredible Hulk (1978), Season 3, Episode 10 “Babalao”
One of the most surreal Hulk transformations takes place duringa parade gone wrong. InThe Incredible Hulkepisode “Babalao,” David Banner finds himself in New Orleans amidst a voodoo-themed mystery, and, of course, things escalate. Banner ends up beneath a parade float designed to look like a giant cake, and when he Hulks-out mid-chaos, the result is unforgettable.
Hulk bursts straight out of the enormous fake cake in front of a stunned crowd, as if he’s a bizarre green party favor. It’s visually hilarious, narratively baffling, and utterly out of place – even for a show that loved throwing Hulk into the weirdest locations possible. Thesymbolism is non-existent, the setup contrived, but it’s the sheer audacity of the moment that makes it so memorable. It’s a strange scene in an already very strange show.
5The Hulk Enjoys A Barbeque With His Family
She-Hulk: Attorney At Law (2022)
Nothing could’ve prepared viewers for the final moments ofShe-Hulkseason one. After all the fourth-wall-breaking madness, audiences were treated to a peaceful backyard BBQ with She-Hulk and her extended, whereHulk suddenly introduced Skaar, his long-lost son. It’s a scene straight out of aFast & Furiousepilogue, with burgers on the grill, jokes flying, and zero smashing in sight. What’s jarring is how normal it feels.
Hulk, once Marvel’s most unpredictable powerhouse, now calmlymingles with guests in a Hawaiian shirt. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reveal of Skaar, with no explanation or follow-up, only heightens the strangeness. It’s a wildly different tone from anything seen before. For longtime Hulk audiences, the juxtaposition of this domesticated green giant casually introducing a son between barbeque anecdotes is so bizarre it borders on the surreal.
4Hulk Seduces A Green Mannequin
The Incredible Hulk (1978), Season 3, Episode 21 “Equinox”
In what might be the most unintentionally hilarious scene of the classicIncredible Hulkseries, Hulk finds himself in a shopping center after another rage-fueled transformation. Amid the chaos, he spots something that stops him in his tracks: a green mannequin. Possibly confused or fascinated by its familiar hue, Hulk approaches it with a surprising gentleness. He strokes it, leans in as if intrigued, and beginswhat looks suspiciously like flirtation.
Hulk evenseductively removes his tattered shirtand presents his muscled torso to try and entice the mannequin. Then the mannequin topples over, lifeless and unmoved – something even Hulk seems to understand as rejection. The entire sequence is wordless, surreal, and deeply uncomfortable. Whether it was meant to showcase Hulk’s loneliness or simply fill the runtime, it’s impossible to ignore how downright weird it is. It’s part camp, part tragedy, and 100% strange, an unforgettable scene from Hulk’s strangest era.
3Bruce Banner’s Hulk Nightmare
The Incredible Hulk (1978), Season 2, Episode 1 “Married”
Few things scream “1970s TV” like psychedelic dream sequences, andThe Incredible Hulkwent full Pink Floyd with one in “Married.” During this two-part episode, David Banner is tormented by a surreal nightmare: he’s running through a barren desert, pursued by the Hulk. However, this isn’t just any chase, it’s slow, dreamlike, and filled with swirling sand, echoing roars, and layered visual effects thatlook ripped straight from a ’70s music video.
The imagery becomes more abstract by the second, turning Hulk into a literal monster of the subconscious. The use of filters, mirror shots, and strange music cues makes this sequence feelmore like an art film than a CBS drama. It’s not only jarringly weird for the show, it’s also a fascinating look at Banner’s psychological torment, wrapped in gloriously strange late-‘70s style.
2The Hulk Fights A Bear
The Incredible Hulk: Death In The Family (1977 TV Movie)
When David Banner encounters a woman in distress in the woods, it’s only a matter of time before he Hulks-out, and fights a bear. A full-grown, very real bear. What was probably meant to be a dramatic clash between man and beast comes off more like a slow-motion wrestling match between Hulk and a confused animal. The bear flails, the Hulk grunts, and the entire scene plays out with theawkward pacing of a school play fight scene.
What’s most striking is how long Lou Ferrigno isvery obviously wrestling with a real bear. It’s surreal primarily because it feels so dangerous and anachronistic. Things quickly turn hilarious though when the bear is quickly replaced with a stuffed toy for Hulk to throw it across the lake. Even in 1977, it was a stretch. Today, it feels like a relic from a strange era of superhero storytelling, where budgets were low, but ambitions were sky-high.
1The Hulk Flies A Plane
The Incredible Hulk (1978), Season 1, Episode 5
In one of the most baffling moments from the originalIncredible HulkTV series, David Banner finds himself attempting to land a small aircraft mid-flight when he succumbs to the pressure and inevitably transforms. As the Hulk takes over, most would expect a crash, but instead, Hulk somehow pilots the plane, or at least doesn’t let it crash. One of the most entertaining visuals shows Hulkfrantically pulling wires out of the cockpitwhile wearing a pilot’s headset.
It’s hard to tell how much of the plane’s safe landing is due to the Hulk’s intervention or just luck, but the implication is clear: the giant green rage monster saves the day midair. Theentire scene defies logic,even within the loose physics of 1970s television. There’s something beautifully absurd about watching Hulk, with his limited vocabulary and massive hands, operating flight controls. It’s a moment equal parts hilarious and inexplicable, and might be the strangestHulkmoment ever.
