This one’s a gift. A full-throttle crossover that actually feels earned — not just a cameo, but a convergence. Robert Hays returns as Iron Man, Dorian Harewood as War Machine, and the music cues from Iron Man Season 2 thread through like old friends. Even HOMER, the sardonic AI, gets a moment to shine — cutting through tension with scathing precision. It’s the Marvel Animated Universe at its most ensemble-aware, and arguably its second-best crossover.

But beneath the armour and the banter, this episode is about friendship. Bruce and Rick — the emotional spine of the saga — stand together through chaos and containment. Rhodey’s dry humour offsets Stark’s weary pessimism. Betty and Doc Samson find common ground in care. Even Ross and Gabriel Jones, frenemies at best, share a rhythm of reluctant respect.

The action is tight, the stakes are high, but it’s the relationships that land. Rick doesn’t just follow Bruce — he anchors him. Stark doesn’t just suit up — he shows up. And when the Hulk breaks free, it’s not rage that saves the day. It’s trust. It’s loyalty. It’s the kind of bond that says: I see you, even when the world doesn’t.

If everyone had one friend like Rick Jones is to Bruce Banner, the world would be a far better place.

A family flees danger in the desert — until Hulk intervenes, smashing the attackers’ car and earning their gratitude. But he doesn’t stay. He walks away, as always. Later, Banner re-emerges, finds a phone, and calls Tony Stark — but the bridge beneath him collapses. Meanwhile, Rick Jones infiltrates Stark Enterprises, only to be intercepted by War Machine and brought before Stark. Rick asks after Bruce, and Stark gives him Banner’s location.

Rick finds Bruce buried in rubble, mid-transformation. Hulk lashes out, furious and confused. Iron Man intervenes. The two titans clash — Hulk nearly kills him — but Rick calms the storm. Hulk reverts. At Gamma Base, Doc Samson and Betty prepare a new Gamma bath, while Ross and SHIELD’s Gabriel Jones track Hulk to Stark’s facility. Banner wakes inside Stark Enterprises, greeted by an old friend. Rick explores the armoury. Rhodes watches, wary.

Gabriel calls in — he’s spotted Rick. Rhodes tells him to buzz off, but the military storms the base. Inside, Bruce’s Gamma genes are being extracted. Something goes wrong. He Hulks out. War Machine holds the line, but the military breaches the building. Hulk breaks free. Stark dons his Hulkbuster suit. The battle escalates. Hulk is trapped in the new containment cage — but Rick helps him break out. They escape together.

Iron Man and War Machine finish the fight, dismantling the Hulkbuster robots. Ross and Gabriel retreat, their mission failed. But the damage is done. Trust has frayed. Technology has failed. And Hulk, once again, walks away from a world that doesn’t know what to do with him.

Fresh from the Hulk’s appearance in Hulk Buster, most of the cast of Iron Man reunite for this episode. Tony Stark, Rhodey and HOMER are all voiced by their previous actors, reprising their roles. The Iron Man guitar riff from the opening theme of that show plays throughout this one.

In this episode, Hulk throws Rick towards a brick wall, and he’s saved by Iron Man. At one point in the comics, in Incredible Hulk #457, Rick hit the wall and was paralysed for some time.

The Nutrient Bath, and the idea of it, will come into play in the three part season finale. It first appeared in Incredible Hulk #315.

It’s ironic that there’s some not-so-subtle flirting going on between Doc Samson and Betty Ross. In the MCU’s The Incredible Hulk they were dating.

Armour Watch: Stark unveils his Hulk Buster Mark II armour in this episode.

RICK JONES: THE HULK’S BEST FRIEND

Rick Jones is Marvel’s perennial witness — the ordinary boy who stood too close to the blast. He’s there at the beginning, the reason Bruce Banner becomes Hulk. But Rick doesn’t stay ordinary for long. He becomes a sidekick, a catalyst, a conscience. He’s bonded to Captain Marvel, wielded the Nega-Bands, and even briefly became a Hulk himself. His arc is one of transformation — not into a hero, but into someone who makes heroes better.

Rick’s greatest strength is his emotional clarity. He sees the pain behind the power. With Hulk, he’s the voice that says “you’re not alone.” With Cap, he’s the reminder of what they’re fighting for. He’s not just a tagalong — he’s the connective tissue of Marvel’s mythos, threading through cosmic sagas and street-level stories alike.

On screen, Rick’s absence is felt. The MCU sidesteps him, folding some of his traits into other characters — Darcy Lewis, Ned Leeds, even Peter Parker. But in animation, he thrives. The Incredible Hulk gives him a motorbike, a leather jacket, and a heart too big for his own good. He’s impulsive, loyal, and always in over his head — but never out of his depth emotionally.

Rick Jones is the boy who didn’t run. And every version of him carries that truth — that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stand beside the monster and call him friend.

Raw Power | Innocent Blood