Is He a Man?

"Is He a Man?" is the first episode of the Disney+ animated series The Incredible Hulk. The episode was written by showrunner Sabrina Cotugno, and directed by Stu Livingston. It premiered on September 23, 2035, to strong viewership and positive reviews.

Synopsis
Hunted by the military, Bruce Banner decides to cure himself of his transformations imto The Incredible Hulk.

Plot
In the middle of the dessert in New Mexico, the Incredible Hulk finds himself fighting against an army of Hulkbusters headed by General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross. After defeating the army, the Hulk departs and, feeling empty inside, changes back into his alter-ego, Bruce Banner.

In Washington, D.C., Ross' daughter, Betty, finishes a day of reading at the library when she discovers througth the news of Hulk's battle. Having dated Banner in the past, she confronts her father and tries to disuade him from fighting the Hulk, but he refuses. Betty then ponders of Banner's whereabouts. Back in the dessert, Banner buys new clothes from a nearby town and rents a room. He then reflects on how his life has changed for the worse after becoming the Hulk. That night, he fails to fall asleep, and tries to entertain himself by recalling his childhood, but fails and suffees intense flashbacks of an event he can't recall, almost causing another transformation. Unknowbest to Banner, he's being absorbed by a robot ladybug.

The following morning, Banner contacts Betty. He asks her to find an energy generator for an experiment of his, before the talk becomes a tearful conversation about their relationship. Knowing her father will griw suspicioys if she dissappears, she calls Banner's friend, Rick Jones, and asks him to deliver the generator. Feeling guilty over Banner's condition due to him causing Banner to be exposed to gamma radiation in the first place, Rick accepts.

Main cast

 * Josh Keaton as Bruce Banner
 * Fred Tatasciore as Hulk
 * Sarah-Nicole Robles as Betty Ross
 * Chris Pratt as Rick Jones
 * Sam Elliot as General Ross
 * William Dafoe as The Leader

Guest cast

 * Al Ewing as Quatermine
 * Jessica DiCicco as Bookepper
 * Kari Wahlgren as Jackie McGee
 * Sabrina Cotugno as Shop Owner

Trivia

 * The book Betty was reading was "The Hunchback of Notre Dame".
 * Showrunner Sabrina Cotugno wanted some of Banner's scenes to have him display symptoms of DID, as hints of his mental disorder.
 * The scene where Banner tries to get himself to sleep was inspired by a similar scene in the first episode of Moon Knight.
 * Leader's spy ladybugs are a reference to the Android Saga from Dragon Ball Z.