Back when the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just finding its footing, The Incredible Hulk introduced the first enemy to contend with Bruce Banner's titular alter ego: Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination. As the Abomination, Blonsky could maintain his personality but now had immeasurable strength that gave even the Hulk a run for his money. However, once he was defeated back in 2008, he was never seen again.
Passing mentions were made to his whereabouts with the Marvel One-Shot, "The Consultant," mentioning that the World Security Council wanted him on the Avengers. He was also mentioned in Agents of SHIELD as being incarcerated in a cryo-prison up north. But with the show no longer considered canon, his whereabouts were once again made ambiguous. That being said, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is finally bringing the adversary back, which means it's time to look at the character's strengths and weaknesses to see where he stands within the MCU.
Abomination Is the Result of Super-Soldier Experiments - and Hulk's Blood
Emil Blonsky is a KGB spy in the comics who willingly bombards himself with the same gamma radiation that turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk. However, rather than look like a green version of himself with more muscles, he instead returns as a scaly humanoid, with fins in place of his ears. There's no true explanation for his fish-like appearance in the comics. But with the goal being to look like a literal abomination, his creators did just that.
In the MCU, it isn't just the gamma radiation that changes Blonsky but a mixture of factors. In The Incredible Hulk, Blonsky is a special forces soldier and an expert in his profession, making him the best of the best. Sadly, as he gets older, he knows his time is coming to retire. Rather than face his future with his head held high, he sees the power of the Hulk and desires to have the ability to match him and bring him down. General Ross accommodates this by injecting him with an experimental Super Soldier Serum. But instead of settling for that, Blonsky tries to go straight to the source and mixes his serum with Banner's blood. As a result, he transforms into a hulking mass of bone and flesh with incredible strength, finally becoming the Abomination.
Abomination's Retractable Spikes Can Penetrate Hulk's Skin
In the comics, the Abomination has a super-strong hide but no organic offenses aside from that. The Incredible Hulk decides to take his grotesque nature to the next level and have his bones protrude from his body. This is mainly shown in his calves, spine and elbows. During the fight between him and the Hulk, Abomination plunges his elbow into the Hulk's pectoral muscle, piercing his skin. At the time, no object could penetrate the Hulk's skin, from bullets to even small explosives. But with Blonsky stabbing through his skin, it shows just how strong he is in comparison. Shang-Chi's version of the character looks to have adjusted his bone structure to more so mirror the protective hide from the comics, but that doesn't mean he couldn't still pierce the Hulk's skin.
Who's Stronger: Abomination or the Hulk?
Over the decades, the Abomination and the Hulk have fought countless battles to see who is truly the strongest. Both sides have won several times, but when it comes to their abilities, Hulk has much more potential than Blonsky. In both the comics and the films, the Hulk's strength is derived from his rage. Essentially, the madder he gets, the stronger he gets. So while Abomination could blindside Hulk in a calm state and potentially bring him down, he would have to be precise in his attacks. The reason is that if the Hulk gets a footing, his rage and ferocity will grow, and the Abomination's strength will be dwarfed in no time. This is best shown in The Incredible Hulk when Betty could've died in a fire, and the Hulk finds the strength to overpower the Abomination.
Abomination's Greatest Weakness Is His Thirst for Power
The Super Soldier Serum turns people into the peak versions of themselves. However, they also amplify the basic traits of the user. This even applies to the secondhand formulas like the ones that Blonsky and Bucky Barnes were given. However, some are more potent than others. In Blonsky's case, the serum greatly amplified his base desire for power and greatness. What began as a desire to measure up to his younger colleagues quickly became an obsession with obtaining the god-like power of the Hulk. But this desire is also his greatest weakness, as it leaves him vulnerable to whatever side-effects alter his body and brain. For now, he has been lucky in his experimentation, but that luck could quickly run out.
Abomination's Biggest Enemies Are Hulk, the Military and... Wong?
Since his first appearance, Blonsky hasn't garnered a large list of enemies. But what he lacks in numbers, he makes up for in power. Aside from the Hulk, he has also made enemies of the US military. Not only did he disregard the oath he took to serve not just America but the other countries he's fought for, he also killed many innocent soldiers in his first outing as the Abomination. Shang-Chi also looks to have made Wong another enemy of the monster. However, unlike the Hulk and the military, Wong uses his magic in crafty ways to outsmart the behemoth. This includes using portals to turn his strength against him. Should Blonsky lose his fight, he will likely want a round two with his new foe.
See the Abomination's long-awaited return in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, only in theaters on Sept. 3.