Powers and abilities of the Hulk

This is a listing of powers and abilities possessed by the Hulk, a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. The Hulk is a creation that per definition varies greatly in power from occasion to occasion. As with other comicbook characters, his powers are recurrently displayed at wildly different levels to fit story conveniences or the interpretation/unfamiliarity of the writer.

In some stories The Hulk has been shown capable of withstanding a ground zero nuclear explosion, as well as the 1,000,000-degree Fahrenheit "nova-burst" of the Human Torch, in one case combined with a full-power lightning strike by Storm. In other stories, he has been shown to be significantly weaker, for example passing out from asphyxiation due to being strangled by an ordinary python, or being beaten and knocked out in physical combat with Captain America. Regardless, over time, the Hulk has been shown to grow vastly more powerful from his origins in the 60s.

Powers and abilities
Strength

The Hulk possesses superhuman strength that grows directly proportional to his emotional state, particularly his anger, spawning the famous quotes: "The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets," "Hulk is the strongest one there is," and "The most powerful creature to ever walk the Earth." In the Hulk's early days, his enraged strength, at a usual level, made him a match in combat with beings such as Thor and Hercules.

The Hulk has been shown capable of protecting other prominent Marvel superheroes from the collision of a falling mountain range, claimed to dwarf the Andes, and supporting a part of it on his back, with the assistance of leverage. The cover stated "Beneath one hundred and fifty billion tons stands the Hulk". More impressively, he managed to shift the continental plates of an entire planet to keep it from collapsing. The Hulk has also been shown shattering an asteroid twice the size of Earth with a single punch, with the help of hydraulic catapults launching him into outer space at great speed. When he lost control of his power at one point, he nearly destroyed the entire planet through the sheer output of force from his body. During that time his merest foot step threatened to sink the entire Eastern Coast of the United States. There are examples of the Leader and Doc Samson attempting, unsuccessfully, to measure the limits of the Hulk's strength using the advanced technology at their disposal. Upon probing by the Beyonder, his inner potential for strength was described as "with no finite element inside". As of the events of World War Hulk, the writer Greg Pak described Hulk, as being at a level of physical power where "Hulk was stronger than any mortal -- and most immortals -- who ever walked the Earth ... I don't think even Superman would stand a chance".

During combat with the psionic entity known as Onslaught, stated to possess power rivaling a Celestial, Jean Grey psionically disables Bruce Banner's persona, to remove all restraints on the Hulk's rage. While trading punches, the Hulk is angered to a point where he is able to overcome Onslaught's strength and destroy his armour.

The Hulk possesses highly developed leg muscles which enable him to leap several miles at a time, and even longer distances while in an enraged state. He has been shown covering 1000 miles in a single leap, and even jumping into a low-Earth orbit.

Durability

The Hulk is depicted with extremely high levels of superhuman stamina and resistance to physical injury. His muscles are resistant to fatigue poisons, which allows him to function at peak performance for extremely long periods without tiring. He's been shown enduring the impact of high-caliber artillery shells, falls from orbital heights, or extremely powerful energy blasts without sustaining injury, and resisting poisons and diseases with no ill effect. The Hulk has been shown capable of withstanding a ground zero nuclear explosion, as well as the 1,000,000-degree Fahrenheit "nova-burst" of the Human Torch, in one case combined with a full-power lightning strike by Storm.

At the end of the "Planet Hulk" storyline, he withstands the blast effect of a "warp core breach", which generated enough force to destabilise the fictional planet Sakaar near the point of collapse, and following this, Black Bolt's voice, which generated enough power to knock off a piece of the moon the size of Rhode Island. He has also displayed sufficient durability to survive immersion in magma and the immense temperatures and pressure of a planetary mantle for extended periods.

Other examples include withstanding energy blasts from the Silver Surfer, Thor, a vastly powered-up gigantic Thanos clone, the High Evolutionary, the Sentry, and Galactus (when not fully nourished). A blast from Exodus was incapable of causing him any discomfort.

His skin has resisted being pierced by a "Dog O' War", stated as capable of crushing adamantium in 7.3 seconds, and even his eyeballs have proven completely resistant to portable machine gun fire. In another instance, the Hulk received no damage from a head-on collision powerful enough to shatter an asteroid twice the size of the Earth. His durability and endurance also increase in proportion to his anger.

He has displayed great resistance to unwilling transformation of his physical form. For instance, he was immune to direct genetic manipulation from the High Evolutionary. Additionally, he fought off the effects of being shrunk by Goom, was quickly restored to normal by his healing factor after he was turned to stone by the Grey Gargoyle, and he immediately tore free, completely unscathed, after having his limbs phased into solid concrete. As a possible side effect, he has been shown as functionally immortal by human standards in terms of long lifespan.

Speed and reflexes
Marvel Comics executive editor Tom Brevoort officially listed the Hulk as possessing super speed comparable with Thor or Spider-Man. The Hulk has sufficiently fast reflexes and reaction time to match the Sentry in physical combat.

Resistance to psionics
The Hulk has also demonstrated great resistance from psychic control such as assaults from Xemnu the Titan, Cable, Professor Phobos, and Professor Xavier. In his earliest days, he proved vulnerable to Jean Grey.

Miscellaneous
* In addition to these powers, the Hulk demonstrated the ability to "home in" on the desert base where he was empowered. He also has the ability to see and hear spectres, such as the astral form of Doctor Strange.

* His powers have been stated and shown to increase after absorbing large amounts of radiation up to ground zero nuclear attacks.

* As a result of the Planet Hulk storyline, the Hulk has been written with combat skills and experience as a military strategist and leader. Also, he wears armor and utilizes mêlée weapons. For instance, he was able to eliminate the Juggernaut from his battle with the X-Men by using the latter's own momentum against him, accelerating him to a point where he could not stop himself.

* The Hulk has displayed limited reactive evolution, as he's developed a gland that enables him to breathe underwater, and stated that he would adapt to the , which he later did, spending prolonged periods without needing to breathe.

* He once used a ‘homing sense’ to locate Onslaught while burrowing underground.

* He has been stated to possess an undefined mystical connection, enabling him to work as an inter-dimensional nexus of reality, and has acted as a sponge for dark magic, being immune to or empowered by its effects.

* He has also been able to reflect the gamma ray blasts of the Galaxy Master back to the source.

* Occasionally, the Hulk has performed feats that violate the laws of physics, even by comic book standards, such as keeping apart matter and anti-matter spheres, changing direction in mid-jump, or punching his way through a time-storm. Further noteworthy occasions are displayed in the "Higher Extents of Power" list. As seen, he also regularly completely violates most remotely reality-connected principles of leverage, momentum, and material strain tolerance.

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