The Hulk is 'permanently damaged' after 'Avengers: Endgame', says Joe Russo

Poor The Hulk.

His heroism in Avengers: Endgame appears to have cost him dearly, with director Joe Russo confirming that he's permanently wounded from trying to undo Thanos's snap.

Spoilers lie ahead for Avengers: Endgame...

In the final Avengers chapter, Bruce Banner/Nerd Hulk dons the makeshift gauntlet mounted with the Infinity Stones, but while it proves fatal for mortal man Tony Stark, The Hulk doesn't fair all that much better either.

During a Q&A with Comicbook.com (via Slashfilm) Joe Russo details the damage done.

“He’s lost an arm. He lost Natasha. That’s not coming back. He’s damaged himself,” he says.

Read more: Endgame crosses $2 billion

“That’s permanent damage, the same way that it was permanent damage with Thanos. It’s irreversible damage.

“His arm, if you noticed, is a lot skinnier. It’s blackened. So, he loses a lot of strength there.”

Russo is referring to the final scenes of the film, at Tony Stark's funeral, in which The Hulk is seen with a strapped up arm.

And while we don't know whether The Hulk will be featuring in forthcoming Marvel movies, Russo adds that all may not be lost.

Read more: What Endgame’s ending means for the MCU’s future

“But who knows? There’s a lot of smart people left. Maybe someone helps him repair that,” he says.

“Maybe someone gives him a new arm. I have no idea where that character goes from here. The nice thing is we didn’t have to pay attention to where it goes after this, we just try to tell a satisfying ending.”

Tony Stark would be the one to sort that usually, but tragically, that's no longer an option... but maybe he could pinch the arm of the Hulkbuster suit?