[Thor moved through the crowded residential area of Sakaar with Banner at his side, his head constantly swiveling to check their surroundings for potential threats. The streets were filled with the usual chaos—aliens of various species going about their business, vendors hawking strange wares, the ever-present hum of mismatched technology. Thor kept one hand hovering near Banner's elbow, ready to steady him if necessary.]
["The sun is setting! The sun is setting! The sun is setting!" Thor repeated the phrase like a mantra, his voice taking on that soothing, rhythmic quality he'd heard Natasha use so effectively. "Sit down! Just sit down now! Nice and calm!" He guided Banner toward a less crowded area, constantly scanning for a place where they could talk without drawing attention.]
[Thor walked alongside Banner, constantly repeating those words—Natasha's words, the lullaby she'd created to soothe the Hulk. His tone was carefully modulated, gentle but insistent. He was terrified that Banner would suddenly revert back into the Hulk without warning. The last thing they needed was a rampaging green giant drawing the Grandmaster's attention while they were trying to escape.]
["Oh! Damn it! Can you please just shut up?" Banner pressed both hands against his face, his fingers digging into his temples. The constant repetition was grating on his already frayed nerves. Thor's muttering was making him feel more irritated rather than calmer. His head was pounding, his thoughts were scattered, and that incessant chanting wasn't helping!
"I just want you to stay calm!" Thor's voice carried a defensive note. He was trying to help! Couldn't Banner see that?
"Calm down? I'm on an alien planet!" Banner's voice rose slightly before he caught himself and forced it back down to a harsh whisper. His eyes were wide, his breathing accelerating as the reality of his situation continued to sink in. "An alien planet, Thor! Do you understand what that means? I just went from Earth—from everything I know, everything familiar—to this incredibly strange, completely bizarre planet in what feels like the blink of an eye! How am I supposed to process this?"]
[However, Thor, who had spent over a thousand years traveling between the Nine Realms and had recently developed a rather cavalier attitude toward interstellar travel, didn't think Banner's predicament was particularly noteworthy or unusual. His expression showed genuine confusion at Banner's distress.]
[Thor made a dismissive gesture with one hand, his tone almost casual. "It's just a planet! You were on a planet before!" His voice carried the same energy as someone pointing out that switching from one coffee shop to another really wasn't that dramatic.]
[Banner stared at him with an expression of complete disbelief.]
[Thor nodded enthusiastically, as if he'd just made an excellent point that should resolve all of Banner's concerns. "Now you've been to two! That's great! It's a wonderful new experience! Broadens your horizons! Most Midgardians never leave Earth their entire lives, and here you are, a cosmic traveler!"]
[Banner looked at Thor like he'd completely lost his mind. He covered his face with both hands again, his shoulders hunching forward in a gesture of helpless frustration. His voice came out muffled through his fingers.]
["Oh my God! That's exactly why my nervous system is working faster than my brain can process information! This feels completely different from anything I've experienced!" His hands dropped and he gestured wildly, trying to articulate the enormity of what he was feeling. "Before—before Sokovia—it was like Hulk and I each had a hand on the wheel of our shared body! We were both present, both aware, both participating in the driving even if we weren't always in agreement!"]
[His voice dropped, becoming more intense, more frightened "But this time! This time it wasn't like that at all! I think he had the keys and I was stuck in the trunk! Locked away! Completely powerless! I wasn't just not driving—I wasn't even in the vehicle! I was cargo! Do you understand how terrifying that is?"]
[Thor's expression softened with genuine sympathy. He reached out and placed a hand on Banner's shoulder, his voice becoming more earnest and comforting. "All right! Well! You're back now! That's what matters most! You're here, you're Banner, you're in control!"]
[But Banner's expression remained deadly serious. The fear in his eyes hadn't diminished at all. If anything, it had intensified.
"No! It's not important!" His voice cracked slightly with barely suppressed panic. "What I want to tell you—what you need to understand—is that if I turn into the Hulk again, Banner might never come back! This could be it! The last time! We'll be trapped on a planet that's going to break me down all the time, that's going to constantly trigger transformations, and eventually I'll just... disappear. Permanently."
Thor shook his head firmly, trying to project confidence he wasn't entirely sure he felt. "We're not trapped! I'll find a way to get you home! I promise you that!"
Banner looked at him with genuine gratitude, his expression softening for the first time since waking up. "Thank you!" His voice carried real emotion. It meant something to have Thor on his side, to have someone who—
Unexpectedly, Thor changed the subject abruptly, clarifying his previous statement. "But it's not your home we'll be going to! It's Asgard! My home! That's where we need to go!" His tone suggested this should have been obvious.
Banner's face went blank. He blinked several times, processing what Thor had just said. "What?!!" The word came out somewhere between a question and an exclamation of disbelief.]
[Thor pressed on, his voice becoming more urgent, more passionate. He needed Banner to understand the stakes, to see why this mattered so much.]
["Listen! My people's lives hang in the balance! Every single Asgardian is in mortal danger! You and I must face a powerful adversary together—we have to work as a team! And that adversary is my sister!" The last word came out with a mixture of anger and pain.]
[Banner's brow furrowed deeply after hearing this revelation. His expression showed confusion mixed with growing concern. Sister? Thor had a sister? And she was threatening an entire planet? How did that even work?]
["Okay! This is all too confusing..." Banner rubbed his forehead, trying to organize his thoughts. "I don't want to fight your sister! That's... that's your family's business! That's a family matter! I don't get involved in other people's family drama! It never ends well!"
Thor shook his head vehemently, his expression darkening. "No! She is not just family! She is the embodiment of evil! The Goddess of Death herself! She's going to destroy everything!"
Banner's voice rose with frustration and exhaustion. "I don't care what she is! I don't care if she's the embodiment of evil or the queen of darkness or whatever! I don't want to fight evil incarnate! I'm tired of fighting! Tired of destruction! Tired of being the monster everyone points at!" His voice carried years of weariness. "I just want to rest! I just want to be left alone!"
"What?" Thor stopped walking, staring at Banner with an expression of complete incredulity. He hadn't expected this at all. He didn't expect that the Hulk wouldn't want to participate in the battle, and he certainly didn't expect Banner to be unhappy about being asked to help! He had genuinely thought he'd found his savior, his secret weapon against Hela!]
[Banner continued, his voice becoming more intense, more desperate. He needed Thor to understand the gravity of what he was asking: "I just told you! If I turn into the Hulk again! I might never come back! And you don't care at all!" His voice carried genuine hurt mixed with anger. "You're not listening to me! You're not hearing what I'm saying!"]
["No! No! No! That's not true!" Thor scrambled to explain, his hands coming up in a placating gesture. "I've assembled a team! A really good team! And Hulk is fire! He's... he's a crucial part of the plan!" His voice betrayed his desperation to make this work.]
[But Banner was not as easy to fool or manipulate as Hulk. His intelligence, his ability to read people, allowed him to see through Thor's purpose at a glance. His expression shifted from hurt to understanding to anger in rapid succession.]
["Wait! You're just using me to get close to Hulk! That's what this is!" His voice dropped to a tone of bitter realization. "That's disgusting! I thought—I thought you actually cared about me, about Bruce! But this whole thing was just a manipulation to access my alter ego!" He turned his head away from Thor, unable to look at him.]
[Thor's eyes went wide. "What?! No! That's not—" He looked genuinely dumbfounded, as if this accusation had blindsided him completely. Had he been that transparent?]
[Banner lowered his head, his shoulders sagging. His voice became sad, almost defeated. "You don't care about me at all! You don't deserve to be my friend!" The words hit like a physical blow. For someone as isolated and lonely as Banner, friendship meant everything, and having that betrayed cut deep.
Thor realized immediately how badly he'd messed this up. He moved closer quickly, his voice becoming earnest and rushed. "No! I don't like the Hulk at all! He's always just, 'Smash! Smash! Smash!' Breaking things! Destroying property! I like you more! You're intelligent! You're thoughtful! You're Bruce!" The words tumbled out rapidly, trying to repair the damage.]
Back in the real world, Rhodes couldn't help but comment on what they were witnessing. "You're so quick to change with the wind!" His voice carried an amused sort of reproach. "That's impressive in its own terrible way."
Tony snorted lightly, shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and disappointment. "Thor! You really are the perfect example of what it means to say one thing to one person and another to another! You told Hulk he was your favorite, and now you're telling Banner he's your favorite! Classic political double-speak!"
Scott added his own observation, his tone light: "It should be 'green when seeing green'!" He seemed pleased with his phrasing.
Tony pointed at him with the pen he'd been fidgeting with, nodding in approval. "Yeah! That makes sense! Perfect description! Say whatever the person in front of you wants to hear!"
Banner in the viewing room shook his head, his expression showing genuine disappointment. "You really disappoint me, Thor!" Though his voice was gentle, the criticism was clear.
Thor in the viewing room jumped up from his seat and rushed over to Banner immediately. "No! No! No! It's not like that! I was wrong! I was completely wrong!" He dropped to one knee beside Banner's chair, looking up at him with genuine remorse. "I do care about you! Both of you! I was just panicking! Please, I apologize!"
Banner sighed softly, his expression softening. "Okay! I forgive you!" From their perspective as observers, they all knew how anxious and desperate Thor was in that moment on screen. He was facing an impossible enemy, and he'd been grasping at any solution, any advantage. They understood his actions, even if they didn't entirely approve of his methods. But Thor still had to learn to treat his friends better and not just see them as resources to exploit when facing Hela.
Meanwhile, in his dungeon cell, Loki stood up from where he'd been lounging against the wall. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face. "So you have two faces as well, brother!" His voice carried satisfaction at seeing Thor engaging in the same sort of duplicity that Loki himself was famous for. "Not quite the straightforward, honest warrior you pretend to be! Welcome to the world of political expedience!"
[On screen, after managing to somewhat reassure Banner that he was valued as himself, Thor carefully changed the subject. He tried to steer the conversation back to the practical matter at hand. His voice took on a diplomatic, almost negotiating tone.]
["But with all due respect, if we're going to fight evil incarnate... Hulk is objectively very powerful and very useful in combat situations! That's just a fact! I'm not saying you're not valuable, but—"
"Yeah! Banner is just as powerful and useful!" Banner couldn't help but interrupt, his voice carrying defensive pride. He wasn't about to let himself be dismissed as the weaker version of their partnership. "I bring things to the table that Hulk can't! Intelligence! Strategy! Scientific knowledge!"]
[Thor's expression stiffened noticeably. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened again. He was trying to find a diplomatic way to say what he was thinking. "Isn't this... a little different?" His tone suggested he very much thought the situations were completely different and that Banner was being unreasonable.]
[Speaking of the question of who is stronger between Banner and Hulk, Banner became genuinely animated. His hands gestured emphatically as he made his case. This was clearly a sore point, something he'd thought about extensively during his years of dealing with his condition.]
["How many doctorates does Hulk have? None! Zero! He can barely form complete sentences!" His voice was rising with passion. "How many doctorates does Banner have? Seven! Seven doctorates in various fields! Physics! Biology! Engineering! I am one of the most intelligent people on this planet—on any planet! That counts for something!"]
[Thor recognized immediately that he wasn't going to win this argument. Banner was too worked up, too defensive, too hurt by the earlier implications. Pressing the issue would only make things worse and potentially trigger a transformation. So Thor changed tactics, taking the path of least resistance. His voice became placating, almost soothing.]
["Okay! You're absolutely right! You don't have to fight anyone! But we're in danger here—actual, immediate danger with the Grandmaster hunting us! Let's go! We need to move!" His tone made it clear that the priority was getting to safety first and sorting out the rest later.]
[After saying this, Thor stood up from where they'd been sitting and reached over to pick up a dirty rag that had been lying beside them on the ground. It was stained and worn, but it would serve his purpose.]
[Banner looked at him with a genuinely puzzled expression. His brow furrowed. "What are you doing with that?" The question carried confusion about why Thor would want such a disgusting piece of fabric.]
[Thor held it up, examining it briefly before beginning to arrange it on his head like a hood or wrap.] "I need a disguise! I'm a fugitive! The Grandmaster literally announced my crimes across the entire city! Everyone's looking for me!"
[Banner's expression suddenly shifted to concern for himself rather than Thor. "I'm the one who needs to disguise myself!" His voice rose slightly. "I'm the Hulk! The Grandmaster's missing champion! I'm way more recognizable than you!"]
[Thor glanced at him with a remarkably calm, almost deadpan expression. His response was simple and logical: "You are a disguise!" His tone suggested this should have been obvious. "Nobody's looking for Bruce Banner! They're looking for the Hulk! You being human is the disguise!"]
[Banner seemed to consider this logic for a moment, then reached into the pile of Tony's clothing. He found a pair of expensive-looking sunglasses and slipped them onto his face. The designer frames sat somewhat awkwardly on his nose.]
[He struck a pose, attempting to look casual and cool.] "I'm disguised as Tony Stark!" His voice carried a hint of pride, as if this was a brilliant solution.
[Thor stopped what he was doing and stared at Banner with an expression of complete bewilderment. "What?" The single word conveyed his utter confusion.]
[Banner gestured at his outfit—Tony's expensive clothes, the sunglasses. "Yeah! Tony and the whole playboy genius billionaire thing!" He seemed to think this made perfect sense.
Thor obviously couldn't understand what Banner was talking about or what connection he thought he was making. His expression showed his complete lack of comprehension.]
["No! No! You're not Tony! You're Bruce! Bruce Banner!" Thor's voice carried frustration and confusion in equal measure. Why would Banner think he could pass as Tony Stark? They looked nothing alike!]
[Banner tilted his head, his expression becoming challenging. "Then why did you ask me to dress like Tony?" His voice suggested he thought he'd found a logical inconsistency in Thor's reasoning.]
[Thor's response was immediate and blunt, delivered with the kind of obvious logic that left no room for argument: "Because you're naked!" His tone made it clear he thought this should have been painfully obvious. "I gave you clothes because you didn't have clothes! Not because I wanted you to impersonate their owner!"]
[Banner's mouth opened to argue, then closed again. He had no rebuttal to that. "Okay! You're right!" His voice carried reluctant acceptance. He reached down and tugged at the pants he was wearing, trying to adjust them. They were clearly not fitting properly.]
[Seeing this gesture—seeing Banner reach for the waistband of his pants—Thor suddenly remembered something. He remembered the Hulk's complete lack of modesty, the way he'd been completely naked except for those stretched-out purple pants. His eyes widened in alarm.]
[Thor held up both hands in a stopping gesture, his voice rising with genuine distress.] "What are you doing? Stop that right now! This is so indecent! We're in public! Stop it now!" His expression showed both alarm and secondhand embarrassment.
[Banner looked at him with an expression of discomfort and frustration. His voice came out strained.] "Tony's underwear is really tight! They're like... restrictively tight! I can barely move! How does he wear these?" He shifted uncomfortably, trying to adjust the fit without being too obvious about it.
[Thor threw his hands up in exasperation.] "Why are you so weird? Just... stop talking about Tony's underwear! Stop thinking about Tony's underwear! Just wear them and don't mention it!"
[Banner's voice rose, his frustration and stress from the past few minutes all coming to a head.] "I don't know! Maybe being trapped inside this monster for two years is just making me a little weird!!!" As he spoke, his emotions peaked. The stress, the fear, the confusion, the frustration—all of it reached a crescendo.
[The physical signs were immediate and alarming. The veins in Banner's neck became visible, standing out against his skin. They began turning a distinct green color, the transformation starting at the cellular level. Even his voice changed slightly, taking on a deeper, rougher quality that wasn't quite Banner and wasn't quite Hulk—something in between.]
["Okay, okay! Hush! Calm down!" Thor recognized the danger immediately. He quickly moved closer, raising both palms and placing them against Banner's chest in a soothing, grounding gesture. His voice dropped back to that gentle, rhythmic tone he'd been using earlier. "The sun is setting! Remember? The sun is setting! Deep breaths! Nice and slow!"]