Comic-book panel: a shield-bearing hero and a green giant stand in the ruins of New York under a portal full of alien ships.

Original artwork, not a still

Steve Rogers

Hulk... smash.

— Marvel's The Avengers · 2012

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

Rogers, the soldier from another era, asks the Hulk to be exactly what he is; naming his strength as the plan is both a command and a compliment. Fans love how little it costs: two words, a nod to the Hulk's comic-book catchphrase, and a crowd-pleasing beat in the middle of the battle.

Context reviewed

In context

Spoilers for Marvel's The AvengersShow the scene

The Battle of New York in Marvel's The Avengers (2012). With the portal over Stark Tower open and Chitauri pouring out, Captain America takes command and assigns the team: Barton on a rooftop, Stark on the perimeter, Thor to bottleneck the portal, and himself and Black Widow on the ground. He turns last to the Hulk, who has just transformed, and points at the Chitauri with the word that tells him what to do. The Hulk grins and leaps into the fight.

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Context reviewed

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