Warning: contains spoilers for Hulk #8!
Marvel is teasing a third how a massive lie from Thor could result in the third Marvel Civil War with Iron Man.
When Hulk appears to be responsible for the deaths of seventeen innocent people at a bar in El Paso, Texas, Thor resolves to either bring him back to the Avengers of defeat his old friend once and for all. Iron Man, meanwhile, sets out on his own (without Captain America's approval) to attempt to talk down the Hulk. Iron Man fails spectacularly and cannot stop the Hulk and Thor's battle - which involves a battle on the hand of a dead Celestial, the Hulk using his gamma radiation to turn Thor into a Hulk of his own, and finally Odin intervening in the fight.
In Hulk #8, written by Donny Cates & Daniel Warren Johnson with art by Martin Coccolo, Odin's spirit is locked away inside the hammer Mjolnir and is forced to unleash his true power to "burn out" the gamma radiation inside his own son. A massive, magical blast of energy ensues, finally reverting Thor and the Hulk back to their pure, original forms. But, as Thor relates to Iron Man, "The resulting explosion of energy was too much for all but a God to withstand...Bruce Banner - the Hulk - is dead." This, however, is a lie - Thor simply let him go. "I think in some way, Banner let himself be destroyed. He wanted to be...free." Bruce is free - but he's far from destroyed.
The Hulk was absent from the first Civil War conflict, but he could end up being the centerpiece of the third. If Iron Man finds out that Thor lied to him about his friend's death, the confrontation could divide the Marvel Universe's heroes once again. Since the Hulk has already proven to be a destructive force, the battle could be between those who believe the Hulk is not a danger to everyone else around him and those who believe he is. The events of World War Hulk confirm that no matter how many times Banner has the beast under control, the Hulk will always break out eventually.
Currently, Iron Man believes the Hulk is dead, and will likely report him as such to the other Avengers. Only Thor and Sift know the truth, and will endeavor to hide it from the others for as long as they can. Thor's lie about the Hulk will undoubtedly backfire one way or another, and it just might involve a Civil War-esque fight with Iron Man.
