If you only know Skaar from that five-second cameo at the end of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, honestly, you’ve barely scratched the surface. You saw a teenager with a weird haircut standing next to Bruce Banner at a family BBQ. It was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment that left a lot of casual fans scratching their heads. Was he a variant? A clone? Some random alien?
None of the above.
Skaar is the real deal—the biological son of the Hulk. But his story isn’t some happy "Father’s Day" Hallmark card. It’s a brutal, tragic, and weirdly complex saga that started on a literal gladiator planet and ended with him trying to murder his dad on Earth. To understand why he matters in 2026, especially as the MCU shifts gears, you have to look at the "Old Power" and the absolute chaos of his birth.
The Planet Hulk Connection You Forgot
Basically, Skaar is the legacy of the most iconic Hulk story ever: Planet Hulk. Back in the mid-2000s, Marvel’s "smartest" heroes (the Illuminati) decided Hulk was too dangerous. They shot him into space. He crashed on Sakaar, a savage world ruled by the Red King. Hulk didn't just survive; he became a king. He fell in love with a warrior named Caiera the Oldstrong.
They were happy. For like, five minutes.
Then the ship Hulk arrived in exploded. It killed millions, including a pregnant Caiera. Hulk, thinking his wife and unborn child were dead, flew back to Earth in a blind rage for World War Hulk. But here’s the thing: Caiera wasn’t exactly human. She had the "Old Power"—a cosmic connection to the planet itself. As she died, she used that power to protect her unborn son in a cocoon of stone and lava.
✨ Don't miss: Temuera Morrison as Boba Fett: Why Fans Are Still Divided Over the Daimyo of Tatooine
Skaar didn't just "grow up." He emerged from that cocoon as a pre-teen and aged to adulthood in about a year. Imagine being born into a post-apocalyptic wasteland where everything wants to eat you, and your only "parent" is the ghost of your mother and a burning hatred for the father who "abandoned" you. That's Skaar.
Skaar's Powers: More Than Just Green Muscles
People often assume he's just "Hulk Lite." That’s a mistake. While he definitely inherited the gamma-fueled strength and the "the madder he gets, the stronger he gets" vibe, he’s arguably more versatile than Bruce Banner ever was.
He has the Old Power.
This isn't just "earthbending." It’s the ability to tap into the tectonic energy of a planet. In the comics, Skaar can:
- Turn his skin into literal stone (making him nearly invulnerable).
- Call up magma from the Earth’s core.
- Sense things happening on the other side of the globe through vibrations.
- Manipulate the very ground to impale enemies.
There was this one time in the comics where he fought the Juggernaut. Now, Cain Marko is usually an "unstoppable force," right? Skaar didn't just trade punches with him. He used his strength and timing to literally hurl Juggernaut into outer space. You don't do that if you're just a sidekick.
🔗 Read more: Why Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Actors Still Define the Modern Spy Thriller
Why the Relationship With Hulk Is So Messy
When Skaar finally made it to Earth, he didn't want a hug. He wanted to kill the "Green Scar"—the version of the Hulk that ruled Sakaar. But when he arrived, he found a different version of his dad. Sometimes it was the "Savage Hulk" who was basically a toddler in a monster's body; other times it was Bruce Banner trying to play scientist.
Skaar’s biggest gripe was that his father was a "monster" who pretended to be a hero.
The most nuanced part of their history is when Bruce Banner actually started training Skaar. Not out of love, at least not at first, but because Bruce knew the Hulk would eventually return to his "Worldbreaker" persona. Bruce wanted Skaar to be the one to kill him when that happened. It’s dark stuff. It’s a father teaching his son how to be an assassin for the sake of the world.
Eventually, they found a weird sort of peace. Skaar even joined Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers—but as a double agent for the real Avengers. He’s smarter than people give him credit for. He’s not just a barbarian; he’s a tactician who’s been fighting wars since he was five minutes old.
The MCU Confusion: Skaar vs. Hulkling
There is a huge misconception floating around right now, especially with rumors of a Young Avengers or Avengers: Doomsday project. A lot of people see "young green guy" and think Skaar is a replacement for Hulkling (Teddy Altman).
💡 You might also like: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
Let's clear that up: They are totally different.
- Hulkling is a Kree/Skrull hybrid. He’s not actually related to the Hulk at all. He’s a shapeshifter with wings and a magical sword.
- Skaar is the biological son of Bruce Banner. He’s a gamma-mutate with ancient earth-magic.
If Marvel Studios replaces Hulkling with Skaar, they’re cutting out one of the most important LGBTQ+ storylines in comics (Teddy’s relationship with Wiccan). Most experts think Skaar will stay in the "Hulk Family" corner of the universe, possibly leading into a World War Hulks (plural) adaptation where we see Red Hulk, A-Bomb, and She-Hulk all clashing.
What Really Matters Moving Forward
Skaar represents a shift in the Hulk mythos. For decades, the Hulk was about Bruce Banner's internal trauma—his relationship with his own abusive father, Brian Banner. By introducing Skaar, the story flips. Now, Bruce has to face his own failings as a parent.
If you're looking to dive deeper into this character, don't just wait for the next movie. The MCU version is currently a "domesticated" version that feels very different from the source material. To see the real Skaar, you’ve gotta check out the Skaar: Son of Hulk (2008) run by Greg Pak. It’s gritty, it’s violent, and it explains why he’s often called the "Killer of Killers."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
- Key Issue Alert: If you're a comic collector, World War Hulk #5 is the big one—it's his first brief appearance. But Skaar: Son of Hulk #1 is where the character actually gets defined.
- Watch the Powers: In future MCU appearances, watch if he uses the "Old Power" (glowing cracks in the skin, earth manipulation). If he doesn't, he's just another brawler. If he does, he's a planetary threat.
- Context is King: Understand that Skaar’s "human" form in the comics is actually a small, scrawny kid. It’s a reflection of his vulnerability, much like Bruce Banner. The MCU’s choice to keep him in a "teen Hulk" form is a major departure that suggests they might be skipping his "secret identity" phase.
The son of Hulk isn't just a legacy character. He’s a ticking time bomb of cosmic and gamma energy. Whether he stays a "good boy" at Banner family cookouts or reverts to the savage warrior who can crack a planet in half remains the biggest question for the next phase of Marvel storytelling.
Be sure to keep an eye on The Incredible Hulk comic runs from the late 2000s if you want to see how he eventually gets de-powered and re-powered—it’s a wild ride that involves Doctor Doom and the Savage Land.