Hulk’s First Words to Cyclops Confirm Scott Summers’ Underrated Power Level

The Hulk has had more than a few run-ins with the X-Men throughout his Marvel Comics career, though his first-ever encounter with them is a definite standout, especially in regard to Cyclops. While the Hulk thought the X-Men would be easy foes to defeat, given that they were just teenagers at the time, he was very surprised when he went toe-to-toe with Cyclops, who quite literally blew the Hulk away.

In X-Men: First Class Vol. 2 #5 by Jeff Parker and Roger Cruz, the X-Men are sent on a mission that very well could have been their last: find and capture the Hulk. This story takes place early in the careers of both the X-Men and the Hulk, as the Green Goliath is not yet widely known around the world (indeed, this comic predates the Avengers), and the X-Men are still young teens. However, that doesn’t stop either party from going all-out when they finally encounter each other – including and especially Cyclops.

After Iceman tried to freeze the Hulk, and Beast tried to knock him out with a kick to the face (again, they had no idea who they were tangling with at the time), it was Cyclops’ turn. Using his immensely powerful concussive optic blast, Cyclops hit the Hulk square in the chest, sending him flying backwards, creating a trench with his body as he went. When the Hulk got up after literally getting blown away, he smiles at Cyclops and says, “Not bad”.

The Hulk Confirms that Cyclops Wields Cosmic-Level Power

While this attack shouldn’t imply that Cyclops is in Hulk’s weight class, it does indicate that Cyclops wields cosmic-level power. The Hulk is immensely strong to an unfathomable degree. He can hold up a mountain range that’s billions of tons, he can break continents with the stomp of his foot, and he can even punch through literal dimensions. Yet, even with all that strength, Hulk still got knocked on his butt by Cyclops – and consistently.

The Hulk was smiling the first time Cyclops knocked him down, but by the second and third time it happened during this fight alone, he wasn’t smiling anymore. In fact, Hulk said that Cyclops’ strength was beginning to annoy him, as it prolonged this battle and actually made it difficult. Cyclops can consistently knock the Hulk into the dirt, someone whose strength rivals the Power Gem-wielding Champion (indeed, Thanos himself said so). That means Cyclops’ own strength is on a cosmic scale, which also means there are few things his optic blasts can’t take down.

Cyclops Proves This Fight Wasn’t a Fluke When He Fought Hulk at His Strongest

World War Hulk: X-Men #2 by Chris Gage and Andrea Di Vito

The Hulk was arguably at his strongest during World War Hulk, as he entered an all-new ‘savage’ state that allowed him to keep his wits while pushing the limits of his strength to an unparalleled degree. When he attacked the X-Men (given Professor X’s involvement in the Illuminati, the members of which Hulk was punishing), Cyclops unleashed the full might of his optic blast, which was enough to stop the Hulk in his tracks. Of course, the Hulk powered through, but even slowing him down when he was like this is incredibly impressive.

While the fact that Cyclops is able to put the Hulk on his butt with a single, mighty blast is awesome, the really cool part of this comic was that the first thing the Hulk ever said to Cyclops was a compliment on his power level. Cyclops’ power is incredibly underrated, especially in the X-Men fandom, but the Hulk’s compliment confirms just the opposite, that Cyclops’ optic blast is incredibly powerful.

Hulk

The Hulk, a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, is physicist Bruce Banner transformed by gamma radiation. He morphs into a giant, green-skinned creature of immense strength and invulnerability when angered. Struggling with his transformations, Hulk allies with other heroes, battling villains while balancing his intellect with uncontrollable rage, making him a central figure in Marvel’s universe.