"Tony Stark, don't push me," Banner warned, struggling to keep his anger in check as he scanned the room. "You can still back off."
"Back off, Tony," Steve urged, his concern growing as he watched Tony pummel Banner. "If he loses control, this ship could go down."
"Evacuate the command center," Nick Fury ordered, sensing that Tony was determined to bring out the Hulk.
Thor and Loki remained seated, watching the drama unfold.
"Brother, do you know what the Hulk is?" Thor asked, looking at Loki for clarification.
"This Bruce Banner can transform into a massive green behemoth," Loki replied. "He's quite strong. If he goes full Hulk, he could tear this aircraft carrier apart."
Loki had gathered information about the Avengers from Hawkeye, but he couldn't find humor in the situation. Tony's actions implied that if he dared to cross Tony, it would end badly for him.
"Banner, does this mean you're threatening me?" Tony pressed. "You rely on your strength and use it to intimidate me. Why can't you admit that you're different from others? Why not embrace your power and let it broaden your outlook?"
Tony laughed at Banner's words, turning the question back on him.
"You don't get it. My power isn't like your technology; it's uncontrollable," Banner replied, taking a deep breath to ease the pain coursing through his body. "You think I just stepped into my current strength without struggle? It took countless days and iterations to master my technology."
"But based on what I've seen, you're not trying to control your power; instead, you're thinking about how to eliminate the Hulk. You've even contemplated suicide instead of learning how to manage it," Tony countered. "Though you can't control it, that very power has given you an arrogance."
"You probably take pride in your ability to endure anger and forgive others, feeling superior in your generosity," Tony sneered, grabbing Banner by the hair and lifting him up, his tone laced with contempt.
If it weren't for the impending battle, he would disregard Banner, who, despite presenting himself as a weakling, was filled with twisted arrogance.
"Enough!" Banner growled, feeling a surge of pain as he stared into Tony Stark's armored face, pushing him over the edge.
In that moment, Banner's eyes turned fully green, and his body began to expand.
"Now we're getting somewhere. Let me show you what real power looks like. JARVIS, open the hatch and provide me with the fastest route off this ship."
"Yes, sir!" JARVIS responded immediately.
Before Tony had even boarded the aircraft carrier, he had given JARVIS full access to the ship's systems.
A massive hatch opened, and Tony, holding onto Banner's head, vanished from sight just as Banner was about to transform fully.
Fury had been waiting to see if Tony could indeed control the Hulk, but now he was alarmed to find that Tony's AI had gained access to the aircraft carrier's systems. His face fell as he realized the implications: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets were now potentially in Tony's hands.
"Shall we check it out?" Loki suggested to Thor, watching as Tony and the transforming Banner left the ship.
"Of course! If things go sideways, I can step in," Thor replied, standing up with a grin.
Thor only had a vague understanding from Loki that Banner was an ordinary-looking guy with incredible hidden strength, and he was eager to see just how powerful that strength was.
"Then take me with you," Loki added.
Thor grasped Loki's arm, wielded his hammer, and soared into the air, quickly locating the exit to the ship.
At nine thousand meters high, the cold could freeze a person solid, but as gods, Loki and Thor felt no fear.
As they pursued Tony and Banner, they heard a thunderous roar, akin to a beast's growl.
In response, Tony fired a laser, sending the Hulk hurtling down like a meteor.
But that was only the beginning; as the Hulk fell, shockwaves visibly rippled through the air, repeatedly striking the green giant.
Visible shockwaves and the roaring of thrusters filled the air, but Tony's figure remained elusive.
Loki couldn't help but break into a cold sweat at this display; not all humans on Earth were useless. At least Tony Stark was looking pretty formidable.
Thor, realizing this wasn't Tony's full strength, watched with great interest, eager to see if the Hulk could push Tony to unleash his full power.
With the Hulk unable to counterattack, his anger grew, muscles bulging as visible wounds healed before their eyes.
When the Hulk finally crashed into the ocean, it sent a tidal wave soaring into the air.
Tony hovered ten meters above the water, arms crossed, surveying the roiling surface below.
"JARVIS, scan for land or uninhabited islands nearby," Tony commanded.
"There is a micro-island approximately three nautical miles from here, measuring just over ten square kilometers," JARVIS replied.
"Whatever the cost, buy it," Tony ordered.
He planned to have Reynolds and the others join him later, confident in their ability to confront the Chitauri army.
However, he also knew that the powerful individuals from Earth couldn't be too weak, or else it would be a laughingstock for Reynolds and the others.