Eternals: How Strong Is Gilgamesh Compared To The Hulk?

Since Gilgamesh easily ranks amongst the strongest members of the Eternals, it is worth wondering where he will stand compared to one of the strongest Marvel heroes: the Incredible Hulk. The Jade Giant has been around in the Marvel Cinematic Universe far longer than Gilgamesh, and his MCU arc has largely revolved around the Hulk’s immense physical strength. In contrast, Gilgamesh – who has only appeared in Eternals – has little time dedicated to properly showing off his own strength-based powers before his death. In the comics, though, the extremes of his abilities can easily give the Hulk a run for his money. Given that the Hulk has already set somewhat of a benchmark with his borderline limitless strength, Gilgamesh is one of very few MCU figures who could potentially challenge the green giant in terms of how strong he is – an idea supported by the fact he is suggested to be the strongest of the Eternals themselves.

Unlike the Hulk, who is a human-turned-beast due to gamma radiation exposure, Gilgamesh was programmed by powerful cosmic beings known as Celestials. While the Green Goliath uses his anger to channel his superhuman strength, Gilgamesh, like other Eternals, is fueled by cosmic energy. Barring their origins, though, the two characters have a lot in common. On the surface, their sheer strength and durability in battle are seemingly on a par with each other. However, a closer inspection suggests that one may have a slight edge.

Don Lee, who plays Gilgamesh in Eternals, puts his boxing background to good use and portrays that the superhero is not only a strongman but a skilled martial artist as well. With thousands of years of training and combat experience under his belt – as well as some very serious super-strength abilities alongside all this – Gilgamesh could easily use his martial arts with his powers to gain an advantage over his enemy. The Hulk, who solely depends on brute strength, rage, and mindless smashing, may have a hard time keeping up with a strategic fighter like Gilgamesh. However, there is a caveat to this as well.

The Hulk’s self-proclaimed title of being the “strongest one there is” rarely falters as, time and again, he proves that he is a near-indestructible force. The angrier he gets, the stronger he becomes. Because of the unpredictable nature of his strength, Gilgamesh potentially would only have a chance against him when he is in his relatively normal state as the Hulk or as Smart Hulk (in Avengers: Endgame). However, when it comes to facing other overpowered versions of the  Hulk – or simply the regular Hulk in a fully berserker mode – Gilgamesh may find himself grasping at straws.

With all things considered though, the Hulk, too, has limitations, with one of them being mental blocks, as Bruce Banner can only channel his gargantuan strength if he is extremely angry. In Avengers: Infinity War, he fails to turn into Hulk because of his inability to channel his anger – and as a result, becomes the weakest Avenger in terms of strength. So, were Banner to not have a proper motivation when fighting Gilgamesh, the battle would very much be set in the Eternal’s favor.

While this battle currently seems impossible to see in the MCU due to Gilgamesh’s death, there is a chance this possibility could arise in the future. According to rumors, Don Lee might reprise his role as Gilgamesh in an upcoming Marvel project, even though he dies protecting Thena in Eternals. Owing to this, there is a slight possibility that fans will someday get to see a showdown between the two powerhouses. Even if the two don’t bump heads, the tantalizing prospect of watching them share the screen is exciting enough.

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