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In Thor: Ragnarok, nearing the end:

Bruce Banner tried transforming into Hulk by jumping from the spaceship onto the bridge. He didn't transform while free falling and hit the bridge really hard. We can see him laying there unconscious and pretty hurt by the fall (no blood though). He then tranformed into Hulk.

Won't Bruce Banner be in serious need for medical treatment once he transform back into a human? After a fall that bad, he would have minutes (if not seconds) before dying (from traumas and broken bones). Him transforming into Hulk means that his human self is put on hold (this fact is already confirmed: earlier in the film, when Hulk transformed into Banner, Banner was as if Sokovia's events have just happened, i.e. he was "paused" for two years). But once he transform back, Banner will be as he have just fallen, meaning he will be seriously injured.

If you think that was a little bit exagerated, then let me rephrase the question this way: Will Bruce Banner have broken bones once he's transformed back into his human self?

Am I right in assuming that?

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    I think the point of the scene was to make people laugh, I know I certainly did I was laughing for 10 minutes straight when that happened the fact that Banner was about to reveal his other self to Valkyrie only heightened the humor
    – Metro Boomin
    Jan 30, 2018 at 20:56
  • @MetroBoomin I did too, the whole movie made me laugh with tears. But once the laughter cleared off, I was left with this question.
    – ibrahim mahrir
    Jan 30, 2018 at 21:00
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    Presumably someone can come up with canon examples where I cannot, but one of Hulk's things is redonculous healing, and once his body transforms back to Banner-shape he's always in at least as good physical repair as Hulk was. They aren't two completely separate bodies, they are the same body, just the Hulk form is really souped up.
    – T.E.D.
    Jan 30, 2018 at 21:06
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    Banner couldn't access any memories from when he was the Hulk, but I don't think that this in itself is evidence that they're effectively two separate bodies with two separate medical histories and trauma that can somehow travel through time
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Jan 30, 2018 at 23:49
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    Not from MCU, but I remember an episode of the Hulk series (70s) where Banner explains that when he becomes the Hulk his metabolism accelerates, and so his healing abilities... when he transforms into the Hulk, all his wounds heal. I think this characteristic is prevailing across all Hulk incarnations
    – Barranka
    Jan 31, 2018 at 18:57

2 Answers 2

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Will Bruce Banner have broken bones once he's transformed back into his human self?

No

A lot of this is covered over on Science Fiction & Fantasy...at least from a comics perspective which seems to be closely followed by the MCU..at least as far as this Hulk is concerned.

The two essential points are:

  • Nothing happens to Banner when the Hulk is injured. The Hulk has arguably a better healing factor than Wolverine.

In Age of Ultron the Hulk loses a tooth but Banner is not affected.

  • The Hulk isn't injured when Banner gets hurt as the transformation to the Hulk heals all injuries.

In The Avengers, Banner relates attempting suicide by shooting himself in the head. The only result..."the Other Guy spit it out".

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I don't think the fall would have broken any bones but it may have slightly injured him maybe spraining his leg but I don't believe that's the point of this scene. But I think simply no, he wouldn't have broken bones.

Would he even be damaged in the first place?

You need to remember that if the fall would have hurt him/damaged him the Hulk would have transformed to try and stop him from damaging himself. In The Avengers (2012) Banner has talked about attempted suicide saying

"I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out"

When the Banner is under stress, being threatened, or is feeling other extreme emotion he seems to show signs of turning into Hulk.

Bruce usually transforms into the Hulk because of rage (or other emotions but predominantly rage), or when is faced with a life-threatening situation. Something like a subconscious self defense tactic.

I imagine Banners transformations into the Hulk as a reflex reaction, imagine you touch a hot stove with your hand, your brain will sub-consciously remove your hand whether you like it or not. In the same way if Banner was falling a large height I believe he would have transformed.

With reference to the comics however since few forms of death are instantaneous (even 100 pounds of C-4 might not instantly vaporize you) it can be presumed that if Bruce Banner became enraged during the explosion, he could transform into the Hulk and that transformation could prevent his destruction.

Would his human physicality affect his Hulk physicality? (Credits to answers posted on this SF&F question)

In the comics: The Hulk's regenerative powers will heal his leg in the time it takes for you to read this sentence. If he didn't have such powers, he would not be able to withstand the brutal amounts of damage he suffers in most conflicts. In this image below, the Hulk has 80% of the flesh blasted from his body by Vector. He regrows it in seconds.

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Damage done to Banner does not necessarily transfer to the Hulk either. Any injury Banner suffers is immediately healed by his transformation into the Hulk. He can even shake off effects such as transmutation into stone or glass. The Grey Gargoyle turns Banner into stone in Incredible Hulk #363. Normal humans converted into stone by the Gargoyle normally DIE!

In the Cinematic Universe:

If you remember, in Age of Ultron the Hulk loses a tooth and when transformed back into Banner the missing tooth doesn't affect the human form of Banner.

He pretty much still owns the super healing factor he has in the comics.

What is the point of this scene?

I think the point of the scene was to make people laugh, the fact that Banner was about to reveal his other self to Valkyrie only heightened the humor when he landed flat on his face.

The pause of him not transforming to Hulk builds up suspense and tension to make it even more awesome when he turns into Hulk and grabs Fenrir.

This scene is meant to be humorous and at the same time build up suspense for when the Hulk is about to enter!

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    Biology trivia nit-pick: "imagine you touch a hot stove with your hand, your brain will sub-consciously remove your hand whether you like it or not" Actually, the brain and sub-conscious have nothing to do with it. The response comes directly from the spinal chord.
    – Arthur
    Jan 31, 2018 at 7:39
  • @Arthur Also, the brain can override the spinal-based reflex - you can hold your hand on a hot stove (though it's obviously a horrible idea). And it's clear that Banner can do the same thing with his Hulk transformation. He does have some control over the transformation (doesn't transform every-time he's angry). The main problem is he loses all control when he transforms far enough. If we assume the head-shot to have all occurred to not-Hulk (i.e. not Hulk transforming right before the bullet hits), this would take Banner's control away, and allow Hulk to appear despite Banner's wishes.
    – Luaan
    Jan 31, 2018 at 13:16

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