The immortal Hulk is impossible to truly destroy or kill in modern canon, with his mystical powers guaranteed to bring him back to life (eventually). But now that Marvel has offered a glimpse into a dark future without Bruce Banner, fans finally understand the one way the incredible Hulk can finally die... and the sacrifice needed to make it happen.

The secret is first revealed in the pages of Timeless #1, on a doomed future Earth conquered by Moon Knight, and his dark patron god Khonshu. The one-shot comic never details how every other superhero was defeated or killed, instead following the one warrior left standing: Power Man a.k.a. Luke Cage. Eventually confirming Luke powered himself up with the strength of multiple heroes, including Hulk, exposing a dark fate for Bruce Banner.

Hulk Finally Died By Giving All His Blood To Luke Cage

Timeless (Vol 3) #1 by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly, Juann Cabal, Edgar Delgado

With most of the storytelling coming from the narration of this final battle for Earth, it is here that Luke's full powerset is described. This Timeless variant of Luke Cage is not only the master of the Iron Fist, and the new host to both The Sentry and its dark opposite The Void, but also the powers of the Hulk. So, how exactly did Hulk's power end up being harnessed by Luke Cage? That answer comes when Luke's mission continues into Power Man: Timeless #1:

"Poor Bruce Banner, hiding in the dyinfg rainforest, repeating mantras of peace... and testing new deaths that the Hulk never let stick until he bled into Luke's veins."

When the Timeless world began to crumble, Bruce apparently did the same thing he has done in so many other comics and movies before: headed into isolation, meditating to control his Hulk persona. Obviously a temporary solution, especially when Hulk's strength could be crucial to destroy Earth's greatest enemy. Most importantly, the comic doesn't actually state whether Banner or Hulk made the choice to give their blood to Luke, or it was taken by force. Either way, the Bruce Banner version of "Hulk" the world knew has truly died. At a great price.

Hulk Can Only Die If Another Host Takes On The Curse

Power Man: Timeless #2 by Jackson Lanzing & Collin Kelly, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo

Both Timeless comics make sure to paint the role of 'Hulk Host' as a painful one, confirming Luke Cage has become his own version of the Hulk, and responsible for the same mystic death and resurrection process. Any death simply means Luke must "through the Green Door," journeying into the afterlife before being yanked back into his reconsituted body. In effect, fully accepting the Hulk curse from Bruce Banner, and leaving the mortal man to finally be able to live (or, presumably, die) in peace.

How completely this fulfills the idea of Hulk's 'dying' will be up to individual comic readers. When fans argue whether Hulk can ever be killed, are they referring to Bruce Banner, his other half, or the union between the two? The comics have recently shown an ingenius way to kill Bruce Banner and keep Hulk from resurrecting, but that is depicted as a trick, and temporary trap. From all apearances, Timeless is a true attempt to show Hulk can die, but only if another Hulk is born.

If the 'Hulk entity' is immortal in a mystical sense, merely exhibited through Bruce Banner, as could be argued, then a means of killing its most famous host may be the only death possible.

Power Man: Timeless #4 is available now from Marvel Comics.