Summaries

Synopsis

Waking from another flashback nightmare in the home of his most recent girlfriend, Dr. Maggie Shaw, David Banyon prepares for another day at the Joshua Lambert Institute where they both work, Dr. Shaw as head of biogenetics, David as her subordinate. Today is the day that his creation for the Institute, the Gamma Transponder, is unveiled to the press.

But, as always, he wishes to lay low and not draw attention to himself, for in actuality, Banyon is, as we know, David Banner, the alter-ago of the green berserker, the Hulk. The Hulk is as hotly pursued by its journalist nemesis, Jack McGee, as ever, but Banner is enjoying the two years of respite that he's had from his horrific mutation.

David credits the extraordinary time since a relapse to his relationship with Maggie - as he oddly put it, he uses her as an image of calm in his mind, and he makes it through. Of course, Maggie has no idea of the true nature of David's issues - she simply knows he's had periods of self-destructive behavior in the past.

Unfortunately, someone is soon entering David's life who threatens to bring those issues crashing down on him, and his little life he's tried to make for himself. A former colleague, Donald Blake, has reacquired David after a long period of no contact, and just before David is about to activate the Transponder to potentially cure himself of the Hulk, Don steps back into David's life. And he's got a friend...

Don shows off an artifact that he retrieved from the tomb of an ancient Viking warrior during a recent expedition. Through some unknown magical means, this hammer can summon the physical form and spirit of that long-dead Viking warrior, Thor. Thor immediately shows himself to be a boisterous being, aching for combat and ready to throw down, even in this new, unfamiliar environment.

Unfortunately, a couple misunderstandings and a would-be lethal case of electrocution later, and David Banner's two-year Hulk-less streak is broken. It and Thor battle in the lab of the Lambert Institute, damaging computer components and consoles but thankfully leaving the Transponder unharmed. After Don gets control of the hammer, he promptly unsummons Thor, as Hulk jumps down from the upper balcony of the Institute and runs off into the night.

Days later, David drives Don to work, just the right side of irate as he demands that Don, who is usually known for just cutting and running, stay and fix things that he broke. Unfortunately, the computer damage is quite extensive, setting back David's plans for a cure quite a bit. Unfortunately, Thor, while still a significant obstacle to David's well-being, is not the only one.

Josh Lambert's little brother, Zack, who always was jealous and maybe a bit resentful of Josh's success, has unfortunately thrown in with a gang of militaristic mercenaries, led by Jack LeBeau. During an extremely painful game of racquetball, they hammer out a deal to steal the Gamma Transponder out from under Josh and the other scientist's noses.

Along with David and Don working feverishly to repair the computers so the Transponder can get back on track, Don, who has been chosen by Thor's father Odin, has the somewhat unenviable task of educating Thor as to what passes for good in the 80s. Thor lets Don in on the horrific non-existence that awaits Thor between summonings; it's not pleasant to listen to.

Thor desperately wants to enjoy the pleasures of life that he knows, like good food and drink, fighting and women, so Don takes Thor to a local dive bar where they both partake of all of the above; their mutual friendship and respect increase dramatically after this.

Meanwhile, the mercenaries' (now including LeBeau's second-in-command, Fouche) plan to steal the Transponder meets a slight hitch, as their arrival at the labs and beating of a certain scrawny scientist prove to be their undoing. The Hulk wipes the floor with the lot of them, and chases them off.However, the Hulk runs away again after the fight, and ends up outside Maggie's house on the beach. It reverts to David just before Maggie finds him.

The next morning, the mercenaries make another attack, this time figuring that since there'll be more security around the Transponder, the next logical step would be kidnapping Maggie! Tragically, despite the Hulk's and Thor's intervention, the mercenaries succeed in this.

Zack witnesses Maggie in captivity, and is quite shocked, coming to LeBeau to complain. Despite Zack assuring LeBeau that he's not backing out on their deal, simply naturally shocked at the turn the deal's taken - after Zack leaves, LeBeau gives the go-ahead to Fouche to have Zack taken out.

While waiting for the mercenaries' demands, David spots Jack McGee outside his apartment - Thor volunteers to help get rid of him, and he does so simply by looking huge and speaking sternly. Afterwards, they get a call that Zack's up at the hospital...

With his final words, Zack expresses regret at how badly his quest to be recognized as his own person had gone, and also gives David Maggie's location.

At the foundry, Don, David and Thor make plans to rescue Maggie, when Josh is spotted driving up. David basically throws himself at Josh, knowing that something physical will have to happen to transform David into the Hulk - it does, Josh pistol-whipping David when he ostensibly tries to stop Josh from seeking (doubtless suicidal, due to the number of mercenaries present) revenge.

So, Hulk transforms and rejoins Thor and Don; all three of them (even Don!) quite handily beat up on the mercenaries - Maggie is busted out and led to safety, while LeBeau gets hung up on a hook with a pipe that Hulk bent around him!

Back at Maggie's beach house, Don is letting Thor have a little free time before getting out of town. Thor chases down a pretty woman jogging on the beach!

Maggie never learns who the Hulk really is, but she has a good idea... still, she is heartbroken as David walks away, as he does every time the mutation happens and Hulk appears.