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This article, Thaddeus Ross (Earth-61616), is property of MarvelousMarty. |
10' 1" (as Hulk)
2,000 lbs (as Hulk)
Dark Age Vol 1 1
History
I never wanted to be like him because of this goddamn accident, but I have to, and I need to... For Betty...
- — The Hulk
- — The Hulk
Ultron Revolution
Before the years of Ultron Revolution, General Thunderbolt Ross seemed to have the same history with his Earth-61615 counterpart, except on the later events that made him the Red Hulk which never had occurred in this reality, until Ultron started an all-out war against humans and those who dares to oppose him and his ideologies.
As a result of desperation in trying to make the war and some other tragedies end sooner than expected, the remaining faction of the United Nations finally decided to send Ross and the entire U.S. Military to side with S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and many other peace-keeping organizations and teams who kept on trying their very best to fight off Ultron's invasion, so they can help one each other out in preventing a global extinction event. Later on, that alliance founded by so many saviors would be known as the Resistance. A few years later, the U.N. eventually crumbled and collapsed, due to the rise of global anarchy among several countries around the world, caused by the Ultron Revolution. Because of this, Ross and the U.S. Military were the only organizations left out to help S.H.I.E.L.D. and the surviving heroes.
Unfortunately, with all their best efforts and sacrifices, Ultron just became too powerful overtime due to his reoccurring, self-upgrade, which no one would've stop since Ultron's Sanctuary was one of the points of interest that was so difficult to track down in order to find the megalomaniacal machine. As time went on, more and more casualties had started increasing throughout the years, taking the lives of several people, both superhuman or not.
The Fall of the Hulk
During one ensuing battle during Year 8 of the Ultron Revolution, Ross, his daughter Betty and her husband Bruce Banner were "safely" on their way getting transported to the secret underground city found under New York through an advanced S.H.I.E.L.D. van, when suddenly, they were unexpectedly ambushed by Ultron Sentries in the streets of the Manhattan ruins. As they were ambushed, the vehicle violently crashed after dozens of Sentries shot off the van using their plasma cannons. In the wake of the crash, both Ross and Bruce barely survived, but unfortunately, Betty didn't make it, finally succumbing from her injuries.
As she dies in Bruce's arms, Bruce mourns her wife's body, and as Bruce's emotions started settling out, he lets out his extreme rage, turning himself as the Hulk once again, only this time, he had no intentions on returning back as Bruce. Ross had no other choice but to hold his daughter's lifeless body and watch the horrors caused by chaos and destruction the Hulk has made started as he destroys the incoming Ultron Sentries and Ultron-controlled Sentinels, which destroyed everything else in its surroundings, from buildings and other structures, in the process.
Now accepting his fate, Ross closes his eyes and waits for his turn to go. That is, until the rescue squadron of S.H.I.E.L.D. had arrived in time to save Ross and get him out of the open, successfully returning to the underground city, with Betty's body. After that point on, Ross or anyone else had seen the Hulk rage or Bruce anywhere in New York or anywhere else in the entire country, leaving his whereabouts unknown.
Ending the Revolution
Becoming more and more desperate in searching for answers, Thunderbolt distracted himself from grieving and mourning due to his daughter's unfortunate death by making several deals with enhanced individuals, both villains, especially the ones that were imprisoned at the Raft II, since according to him, they're the easiest to find. As he interrogated them one by one, only a few manages to know some secrets involving Ultron and his plans on wiping out all life on Earth and taking it with him, and most of those individuals were several imprisoned Hydra operatives, including Baron von Strucker, Donald Pierce, and even the legendary High Evolutionary himself, who gave them the most efficient information about Ultron's evolving nature and even gave Ross some "hints" on how to stop him once and for all. After receiving so many answers, Ross rightfully decided to tell the heroes about the information he found out instead of reporting it to the U.S. Government, who sadly grew dark as it turned into a tyrannical ruler, rejecting the offer of the Resistance, believing that they couldn't be trusted no more. The Resistance were thankful to Ross' big help, because without him, they may not be able to foresee hope for a brighter tomorrow once again. Because of Ross, everyone's faith on humanity was restored for good, motivating them to finally end the Ultron Revolution once and for all.
A Whole New World
Ross as the President of the United States by the 2020s
In the end, everyone's effort's were successful enough to defeat Ultron and finally save the world, but at the cost of many several lives. During the first days of human civilization's recovery, Ross began his new chapter in life as he started to run as the new President of the United States, who won the election against the infamous and controversial Wilson Fisk (formerly the Kingpin), dedicating his life into making the country a safer and a better place than before, ensuring that history will never, ever repeat itself in any process whatsoever. However, Ross kept on realizing that Betty's death will always haunt him whenever he fails to keep the world safe from harmful threats. As a result, Ross decided to partner up with his Vice President Tony Stark's son, Edward in becoming the founding members of the revolutionary H.A.M.M.E.R., a newly-established world organization that would replace the recently defunct S.H.I.E.L.D., to which Ross believed it had dedicated into keeping the world a better, safer place under their "caring hands and protection," and will always make justice a possible element whenever people are harmed by wrong-doers, the way "S.H.I.E.L.D. would never have done," that is according to Edward Stark. Convinced and inspired by Edward's motivations and intentions for a long peaceful future, Ross made H.A.M.M.E.R. the world's most reliable peace-keeping organization as time went on. But little did Ross know, he was making one of the biggest mistakes he could have ever done in his new chapter in life as the nation's new leader, dedicated into helping his people rise up from the ruins of the painful past they have miraculously made through.
Rise of H.A.M.M.E.R.
Weeks after H.A.M.M.E.R. was granted as one of the United Nation's most trusted ally, several many civilians would still disagree, as they continued on protesting on the streets, with some believing that this organization would only bring them into poverty and hunger once more due to expectancy of raising the income tax around the country in order to continue establishing this agency, while some believe that their intentions would not do any good at all, believing that the protection they solely promised them would only lead them to danger, catastrophe, and war, bringing back the days of Ultron Revolution. However, H.A.M.M.E.R. debunked all those claims, saying that they're really certain for planning to guide this country for a better future.
But as time went on, many and many more started believing that H.A.M.M.E.R.'s dedication for this country was all "a bunch of lies," since the crime rate started rising once again, and in fact in rose to an absolutely high rate, it became the highest recorded crime rate in years, before Ultron Revolution started. Realizing things were not going as they planning, H.A.M.M.E.R. tried their very best to convince the public by promoting and establishing a new type of government system into the country, asking the government's superiors permission for its approval. Though some still disagreed with the organization, most of the high-ranking politicians still believed in Stark's sincerity, now believing that this is the "only way" the overall state of the country will be fixed. One of those people was Ross himself, and as the P.O.T.U.S., he did approve their proposition, believing that this will help them "clean the mess up."
Days later, H.A.M.M.E.R.'s government system was applied throughout the entire country. Tragically, unknown to everyone else, this caused for the Empire to secretly rise, signaling the upcoming resurgence of Hydra's new second generation, growing inside of this "peace-making-dedicated" organization, who ironically had secret, totalitarian plans for the country. Eventually, H.A.M.M.E.R. did not even hesitated to slowly show its true colors to the public, such as using a more brutal and more lethal methods in apprehending criminals, to the point where they even execute them in secret after they've been found guilty, innocent or not. Because of this, Ross started worrying and even had some thoughts on shutting down this before it gets even worse than it was.
The Price to Betrayal
After growing concerns among the public and the United Nations for so many months, Ross decided to finally have a private, one-on-one meeting with Edward Stark through dinner, regarding the eerie events that have been revolving around the new government of this country, and convince him that shutting down this will be for the betterment of this nation, instead of committing unnecessary brutal forces to prevent crime and approving the Militia of using illegally-sold weapons to combat criminals and terrorists.
Edward tried to persuade Ross once more but he already knew what was coming, making him activate the next step to his procedure. Unknown to Ross, he drank a champagne that contained pills that unfortunately made him suddenly passed out upon realizing it. Hours later, Ross finds himself waking up inside a secret laboratory at the Triskelion, where he was taunted by Stark, saying that the New World Order has already begun, and nothing and no one will ever be able to prevent Hydra from rising once again, before leaving him with several scientists as they prepared their tools to mercilessly lobotomize Ross and brainwash him by using Hydra's infamous Faustus method, so he can forget everything that he knew from the beginning and make him as their own puppet in order to fool the public eye about the allegations.
Thankfully, Ross was miraculously saved by the members of the Resistance, led by Iron Metropolitan and the "infamous" fugitive War Machine, after infiltrating the Triskelion in order to rescue several individuals, including Ross, the retired Carol Danvers, and several former teenage S.H.I.E.L.D. trainees (who was also in the building at the time) who came to the place for answers, taking them into the headquarters and safe-place of the Resistance away from the superior empire.
The H.U.L.K. Project
During the Resistance's tactical infiltration on the Triskelion, Ross solely led a strike unit in order to take down and permanently destroy several of the secret experimental projects that H.A.M.M.E.R. has always been hiding since it came to rise with Stark's tyrannical reign, especially the one involving the continuous recreation and improvement of the lost Hulk serum since Banner's disappearance and apparent death, a super-soldier program that was simply known as the H.U.L.K. Project. At first, the plan of the mission was executed pretty well to the point where Ross and his team were close to deactivating and destroying every progress that every single program within the hidden Triskelion laboratories had already began since its launch. However, when a H.A.M.M.E.R. sleeper agent within the Resistance revealed himself to Ross and the strike unit as a suicide bomber with the inention of sabotaging their mission, it causes one of the gamma particle infusion chamber to detonate in a matter of minutes without any other way of preventing or stopping it.
As he had sought a reluctant but necessary solution, Ross immediately locked himself within the critically-damaged chamber and subsequently absorbed all the gamma rays into his body, preventing the potntially-destructive self-detonation of the machine but at the cost of gaining incredible power that also transformed him into a green monstrous form, coincidentally similar to Banner's infamous Hulk form. Much to his horror at first, Ross thought that he couldn't until he discovered the unique feat of easily transforming and reverting into both forms by his conscious willpower. Eventually accepting the great power that he has obtained, Ross used it to become a enhanced hero and willingly became the second version of the green goliath known as the Indestructible Hulk, as an act of honoring both his deceased daughter and son-in-law.
Joining the Resistance
Frank Castle's Funeral
Ross was mostly present during Frank Castle's funeral since he was one of the newest heroes who were subsequently inspired by the Punisher's actions, after ultimately sacrificing himself in order to steal the plans of the Empire (in secret) and intentionally detonate most of its safeguarded bases all over the world, so that the Resistance can finally take down the tyranny of Edward Stark once and for all. Frank's mission was thought to be a failure at first, but it was immediately revealed that he did in fact, get all of the information and the resources for destroying the Empire from the within, and as a result, he caused the self-destruction of every base affiliated with the Empire for the past few years.
Taking Down "Iron Man"
Ross as the new Hulk and Rhodey in the guise of Edward Stark's Iron Man Suit
The downfall of Edward Stark's organization and his allies was a very crucial factor in turning the favors of victory into the heroic resistance that ensured their victory against his empire, thus making any room to get his rule back quite impossible. Having no other choice but to let his adversaries play into his own ego, the diabolical Iron Man and his last last surviving allies took their last stand at the secret headquarters in the Alps, the last functioning H.A.M.M.E.R. headquarters until Stark himself had met his fate with a battle against the heroic resistance. Initially thinking he had the upper hand to eradicated all of his resistors, Stark unavoidably met his fateful defeat at the hands of Ross as the Hulk, with the assistance of Jim his uncle Arno Stark, with Rhodey deeming himself to Edward as the true successive embodiment of Iron Man seeing Edward to fail into becoming what his father hoped him to be, and instead descend into the worst version of a Stark none of them thought was possible of happening.
The four went to battle to the death while the Alps headquarters collapses in the process, in which Stark continuously harming himself, failing to admit that his suit of armor is irreversibly malfunctioning, causing his own doing every time he inflicts a heavy attack against the heroes until it explodes, fatally wounding him one last time. Taking his last breath, the fatally-wounded Stark simply mocked Ross about the irony he was seeing: Ross becoming the very thing, the monster he hated almost his whole life, and berating Rhodes that society would without the guidance of his empire and new order. Ross simply that he talked too much and that he has idolized his grandfather too much that has turned him to the monster who he was now, trying to make Edward see their argument that there could've been a better way to bring peace without restricting the people's freedom. Edward simply snickered realizing that his father's long-time allies' have a point, but it was too late for him to change into the good son that his late father would've expected him to be, dying in slight regret and disbelief to his failure.
Secret Wars
The multiversal events known as the incursions caused realities to crash with each other, with the central point being each universe's planet Earth, and one of those universes have pitted Earth-61616 against a distant future reality that unexpectedly unleashes an army of duplicated speedsters, led none other than the future Speed Demon. During the cosmic assault, Ross transformed into the Hulk one last time and willingly assisted his allies which attempted to destroy the alternate Earth, as an attempt of stopping the great "speed storm" summoned by the chaotic speedsters, while the others launch several massive spaceships (built and previously owned by the deceased artificial intelligence Ultron) containing millions and millions of people as they try an evacuate the planet. In the end, the two realities collided, and Ross unfortunately died together with his universe.
Return
After the restoration of the Multiverse at the hands of the benevolent Beyonder in order to compensate the disastrous and convoluted Secret Wars, the Hulk and the rest of Earth-61616's surviving residents would later resurface in his own native universe, which was eventually brought back to existence together with the rest of the Multiverse, most notably after the heroes of the mainstream reality were able to banish Nightmare from this reality, preventing him from taking over Earth-61616 and making it his realm of darkness.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Gamma Radiation Physiology: Ross' Hulk form will not transform between forms without having to consciously will it. For example, when he was knocked out by Iron Man II, Iron Man (Rhodes) and Torunn, he did not revert to his human form for several hours even though he was unconscious.
- Transformation
- Superhuman Strength
- Superhuman Leaping
- Adaptation
- Self Sustenance
- Underwater Breathing
- Superhuman Stamina
- Superhuman Durability
- Gamma Radiation Emissions
- Energy Absorption
- Regenerative Healing Factor
- Superhuman Speed
- Super-Soldier Serum
- Limited Size Addition
- Increased Superhuman Strength
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Abilities
- Formidable Hand-to-Hand Combatant
- Trained Martial Artist
- Master Marksman
- Master Military Tactician
Strength level
Class 100+
Weaknesses
Same as a normal human being (as Thunderbolt Ross).
Paraphernalia
Equipment: None known.
Transportation:
- All kinds of military vehicles at his disposal, mainly helicopters
Weapons: None known.
Notes
- No special notes.
- ↑ Modern Comics: Dark Age Vol 1 11
Trivia
- No trivia.
See Also
- Appearances of Thaddeus Ross (Earth-61616)
- Character Gallery: Thaddeus Ross (Earth-61616)
- Quotations by Thaddeus Ross (Earth-61616)
Discover and Discuss
- Search News for: Hulk&searchx=Search Hulk · Thaddeus E. Ross · Thaddeus Ross (Earth-61616)
Links and References
- None.