S12E194 - Issue 194 - Thunderbolt Ross

Issue 194 - Thunderbolt Ross

Intro

Captain America: Brave New World reaction coming to Patreon

Background (1:38)

General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962)

Lieutenant General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross oversees gamma bomb project that ultimately leads to the creation of the Hulk (Bruce Banner)

Grew up in a military family, and was focused on serving his country from a young age - joined the Army Air Corps (later Air Force) and worked his way up through the ranks

Bruce's growing relationship with Ross' daughter Betty was a source of frustration and anger for him, as was the recurring nuisance of the Hulk - Ross made it his personal mission to find and destroy the Hulk

Several times he allied with villains to battle the Hulk, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the military

Betty and Bruce get engaged, but the Leader turns Hulk savage, and the wedding is called off - Betty later marries Glenn Talbot, and Ross is satisfied that Banner will never be his son-in-law

When Talbot was captured by the Soviets in a rescue mission to save Ross, his apparent death fractured his relationship with Betty, as well as a demotion at work because of his inability to capture the Hulk

Betty divorced Talbot and revealed she still loved Bruce - enraged by this, Ross allied with MODOK to have the Abomination kill the Hulk, but Betty caught wind of the plan and accused her father of treason - he was discharged from the Air Force and nearly committed suicide