Skaar, Hulk’s son, debuted in MCU’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law on Disney+, with an unusual haircut that can be explained by looking at Marvel Comics.
The Hulk introduced his mysterious son to the MCU in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, but this stirred confusion regarding Skaar’s unusual haircut. While rights issues have stopped Marvel Studios from developing a solo Hulk movie since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, the MCU’s Phase 4 introduced new Hulk-related characters to the franchise. While Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination, returned in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Tatiana Maslany debuted as Jennifer Walters, Bruce Banner’s cousin, in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Phase 4’s legal comedy series also introduced one more intriguing Hulk character to the MCU, Bruce Banner’s son, Skaar.
Bruce Banner has had one of the most transformative journeys since his introduction in the MCU’s Phase 1, taking him from uncontrollable monster to his current “Smart Hulk” persona. While Banner himself didn’t have a large part to play in the events of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, his influence was felt throughout the series as Walters came to terms with becoming She-Hulk, regularly attempting to step out from her Avenger cousin’s shadow. Even so, Banner returned in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law’s series finale during the Walters/Banner family dinner, which saw him introduce the newest Hulk family member to the MCU.
Hulk’s Son, Skaar, Debuted In She-Hulk: Attorney At Law
Known for small roles in Stargirl, The Winchesters, and Shut Eye, Wil Deusner assumed the role of Skaar in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and though not much is known about the new Hulk, his brief appearance did reveal some aspects of his character. Skaar appears to be stuck permanently in his Hulk form, whereas Bruce Banner (previously) and Jennifer Walters have the ability to switch between their Hulk and human bodies. He also sported recognizable Sakaaran clothing, referring back to Sakaar’s MCU debut in Thor: Ragnarok, as well as being adorned with Sakaaran markings that could be tattoos.
In Marvel Comics, Skaar was conceived during the Hulk’s banishment to Sakaar by the Earth’s Illuminati, and made his first canonical appearance in 2007’s World War Hulk event. Skaar is a fierce and formidable warrior, hardened by his life on Sakaar, especially since his father was the raging Hulk and his mother had passed away, meaning he was raised among the savage creatures of Sakaar, so needed to learn to survive quickly. Throughout his Marvel Comics career, Skaar is often seen as an antihero, even joining the ranks of Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers. His debut in the MCU was very exciting, but also raised several questions about his backstory.
Skaar’s Hairstyle Connects Directly To His Mother In Marvel Comics
While it might not be clear when Skaar was actually born, as he appears to be a late-teenager during his She-Hulk: Attorney at Law debut. Thor: Ragnarok revealed that time works very differently on Sakaar, so this isn’t outside the realm of believability, however, this does raise the question as to what Skaar has been up to during his life. His appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law saw him sporting a strange haircut that could provide a glimpse into the Hulk character’s prior experiences, and could hint at the potential MCU debut of his mother, which would develop Bruce Banner’s MCU story even further.
In Marvel Comics, Skaar’s mother was Caiera the Oldstrong, an extraterrestrial from Sakaar who was born to the Shadow People, the protectors of the Old Power, a synthetic form of the Power Cosmic which is used primarily by Galactus and the Silver Surfer. The Shadow People were a highly spiritual society led by the Saka Priesthood, whose monks share similar hairstyles to the one worn by Skaar in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. During his solo comic series, Skaar embarked on a pilgrimage to claim the Old Power, guided by a Shadow prophet named Ol-Sahm, who taught him the ways of the Shadow People, and perhaps gave him his trademark haircut.
How Could Skaar’s Mother Be Important To The MCU’s Future?
The fact that Skaar is already sporting this hairstyle for his MCU debut suggests that he has already embarked on this quest, or perhaps is still searching for the Old Power. In Marvel Comics, he is raised by Ol-Sahm after his mother’s death and his father’s return to Earth during the World War Hulk event, which means Ol-Sahm had taught Skaar in the ways of the Shadow People from when the latter was only a child. This was an important moment for Skaar and for Marvel Comics, as it provided more context to the dramatic World War Hulk storyline, which is rumored to be coming to the MCU soon.
However, one key piece of this puzzle is missing, as World War Hulk starts when Caiera is killed. Despite World War Hulk being teased for the MCU, the Hulk has already been to Sakaar and returned to Earth safely, and Caiera has yet to be revealed. This throws timeline discrepancies into focus – if Skaar is already a teenager, and his mother supposedly died when he was born, then World War Hulk should have already happened. A mention of Caiera in a future MCU project could get the wheels in motion for World War Hulk, and clear up mysteries surrounding the Hulk’s two years on Sakaar.
Sakaaran Lore Needs To Be Developed In The MCU
Not much has been revealed about the Hulk’s two years spent in self-exile, and the version of Sakaar that was adapted for Thor: Ragnarok is very different from the version seen in the pages of Marvel Comics. In the MCU, most of the focus during scenes set on Sakaar was on Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster, but there is an entire history and thousands of years of lore that could still be developed for future MCU stories. This will perhaps become most prominent when the Hulk finally gets the spotlight again, and his backstory on Sakaar can be revealed, potentially uncovering a relationship with Caiera, and kick-starting the MCU’s World War Hulk.
The fact that Skaar has the same hairstyle as the Saka Priesthood monks in Marvel Comics suggests that he has been raised by the Shadow People on Sakaar, which means at least some of the lore introduced in Marvel Comics is true for the MCU too. This means that there is yet another rich setting, along the lines of Wakanda, Talokan, and Xandar, that needs to be explored. Following their appearances in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Bruce Banner and Skaar deserve to have their stories told, and Caiera and her background among the Shadow People is an incredibly important aspect of this story that must be introduced to the MCU.
