The Hulk Can't Break Captain America's Shield... Can He? Our Expert Explains

Red Hulk has a variety of powers, with the most notable being his gargantuan size and superstrength that's similar to that of his angrier green counterpart, the Incredible Hulk. That said, is he — or any Hulk for that matter — capable of using those abilities to break Captain America's seemingly indestructible shield? To answer that question, Looper spoke to Marvel expert Devin Meenan at SlashFilm, who provided some valuable insights.

The first trailer for "Captain America: Brave New World" shows Red Hulk hurling Cap's Old Glory-emblazoned symbol to the ground, while the film's poster teases the big brute bending it with his large red hands, suggesting that Hulk is capable of destroying the shield. However, there is no precedent for any Hulk breaking the shield in the comics, so it seems that the movie is bucking some longstanding traditions. As Meenan notes, "Cap's shield is made of both adamantium and vibranium, so it's unbreakable based on both tensile strength and kinetic energy-absorbing properties. When the Hulk punches the shield, it doesn't break."

In short, there is no evidence to indicate that Hulk is capable of shattering Captain America's shield. Still, the weapon hasn't always been impenetrable, with some Marvel characters finding ways to damage it. With that in mind, we shouldn't completely rule out the idea of Hulk breaking the weapon.

According to Devin Meenan, Captain America's shield is the patriotic superhero's primary weapon and meant to be unbreakable. Giving it obvious weaknesses could lead to creative headaches for Marvel writers, which might explain why it's long been portrayed as an unstoppable force. Then again, there are exceptions to the rule, as some Marvel stories prove that there's no such thing as a truly indestructible shield.

Meenan highlights that Cap's shield being damaged is a common trope in apocalyptic Marvel stories set in alternate universes, usually signifying how far the heroes have fallen. This idea has informed the movies as well, as evidenced by Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) hallucination scene in "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which depicts a lifeless Cap (Chris Evans) lying next to his broken shield in a future where the Avengers have been defeated. Similarly, Thanos destroys the shield with a double-edged sword made of an unknown metal during his showdown with Cap in "Avengers: Endgame."

Elsewhere, Jim Shooter and Alan Weiss' "Avengers" #215 sees Molecule Man dissolve the shield by messing with its molecular structure. In the "Secret Wars" storyline, Doctor Doom damages Cap's trusty weapon after stealing the powers of a god-like being known as The Beyonder. It's difficult to break the shield, sure, but there are numerous examples of it cracking in battle.

While Hulk has yet to break the shield, history has shown that he's capable of evolving. Bruce Banner's ability to transform into the Hulk was originally connected to the arrival of nightfall. Over time, though, that rule was changed and his monstrous transformations became synonymous with his temper tantrums. Theoretically, another creator could come along and add new abilities to his arsenal that will enable him to break Captain America's shield.

Stan Lee once said that scriptwriters decide which characters win fights. As such, a creator could pen a story where Hulk beats Captain America in battle and destroys his shield in the process. In fact, the "Captain America: Brave New World" poster suggests that screenwriters Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Matthew Orton have added Red Hulk to the list of Marvel characters who have broken Cap's iconic weapon, potentially marking a historic first for the character.

Still, we should perhaps lower our expectations for now. Devin Meehan notes that the Hulks don't have a strong track history against adamantium, so maybe Cap's shield will be safe from harm. "It's generally consistent that the Hulk can't break adamantium," Meehan says. "He's fought Wolverine plenty of times and never broken any of Logan's bones, no matter how hard he punches him." Could that change in "Captain America: Brave New World"?

Harrison Ford's Red Hulk might be the true villain of "Captain America 4," and the early teasers show that he gets his hands on the iconic shield, only to throw it on the ground with ease. While the movie will undoubtedly feature plenty of twists and turns, the trailer depicts Cap (Anthony Mackie) and Red Hulk's human self, President Thaddeus Ross, butting heads over the former's role in serving America — but will that lead to Red Hulk trying to destroy the shield?

One of the small details in the "Captain America: Brave New World" trailer hints at adamantium being an integral part of the plot, as the world's superpowers are seemingly fighting over it. Given that this metal is part of the makeup of Cap's shield, it's possible that Ross will have his sights set on the weapon for his own nefarious political and villainous purposes. At the very least, he'll want to get the weapon out of Cap's hands so that it's easier to defeat the noble hero. 

Of course, it remains to be seen what the red menace's plans are for America's favorite son and his shield. For now, though, this Hulk has yet to convince us that he's capable of putting a dent in the weapon.