Thaddeus Ross

"Banner’s work was very early phase. It wasn’t even weapons application. He thought he was working on radiation resistance. I would never have told him what the project really was. But he was so sure of what he was onto, that he tested it on himself. And something went very wrong. Or it went very right. As far as I’m concerned, that man’s whole body is property of the US Army."

- Thaddeus Ross

General Thaddeus Ross is a military leader who is responsible for getting Bruce Banner involved in the experiment which led to the accident where he transformed into the Hulk.

Early work
"You must realize that what I'm about to tell you is very sensitive, both to me and to the Army. You know that we have a Bio-Force Department, and that we had a bio-force enhancement research project developed during World War II..." "A Super-Soldier."

- Thaddeus Ross and Emil Blonsky

Not much is known about Ross' early life and military carreer, but it is known that he participated in the Vietnam War. When he returned to America, he was 27. Over the years he rose to the rank of general.

Thaddeus Ross was involved in an Army research and development program intended to recreate the "Super Soldier Serum" first developed in World War II. He got an agreement with the scientist Bruce Banner, his daughter's fiance, for working on a Government's project to render soldiers immune to Gamma Radiations. Involved in early phase research, Banner conducted a test on himself dealing with gamma radiation — instead of Vita-rays — and after an accidental explosion, became a "Hulk", a giant and amazingly strong brute who flees after injuring Betty, leaving her in a coma.

Hunt for the Hulk
"I will never forgive what you’ve done to him." "He’s a fugitive." "You made him a fugitive. To cover your failures, and to protect your career. Don’t ever speak to me as your daughter again."

- Elizabeth Ross and Thaddeus Ross

Taken by a sense of guilt and rage, Ross put his life at the service of a single cause: to hunt down and capture Bruce Banner. Ross took charge of the Army's effort to recover the fugitive in coordination with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.

Five years later, Ross manages to track Banner because of his contaminated blood, found in a bottle of Guaranito. Ross engages one of the best operatives at his disposal, Emil Blonsky, and sends him in the village of Rocinha, near Rio De Janeiro, where the drink is produced. The team fails to capture Bruce, who becomes the Hulk and flees. When Blonsky comes back and is told how Banner has become the Hulk, he accepts to be injected with an experimental version of the Super Soldier Serum, developed by Ross' researchers. When Leonard Samson, Betty's new boyfriend, warns Ross that Bruce has come back to Virginia, Ross and his forces, super-powered Blonsky included, attacks the Culver University in an attempt to capture Banner. Ross uses all his men and his new weapons created by Stark Industries, but fails once again, and Betty flees with Bruce.

In need of new informations about the Hulk's movements, Ross obtained the World Security Council's permission to to extract the data from S.H.I.E.L.D.'s computers. A few hours later, Ross was confronted by Nick Fury himself. Ross told Fury that he wasn't going to leave the safety of the world in his hands.

Battle in New York
"Use that thing, soldier. Give him some help!" "Which one?" "Help the green one, dammit! Which one do you think? Cut the other one in half!"

- Thaddeus Ross and a soldier

With much of Ross' surprise, Blonsky manages to recover very fast from the wounds suffered in the battle with Banner, that because of the Serum. General Ross manages to track Banner's accomplice and has his lab taken in custody by the Army. Ross discovers Banner and Betty's whereabouts and takes them both into custody by a helicopter.

Unknown to Ross, Blonsky goes to Samuel Sterns' lab and forces him to inject him with Bruce's DNA, which reacts with the Serum and transforms him into a Hulk-like monster. For stopping Blonsky, Ross accepts Banner's help, and has The Hulk fight The Abomination. At the end of the battle, Ross takes Blonsky in custody, while Banner is disappeared once again.

Talk with Stark
"You should talk." "You should listen. What if I told you we were putting a team together?" "Who's "we"?"

- Thaddeus Ross and Tony Stark

Later, in a bar, Ross meets Tony Stark, who wants to talk with him about the "Avengers Initiative" that might interest him. However, the talk ended ended up with Stark annoying Ross so much that Ross tried to have him removed from the bar. In reply, Stark bought the bar, and scheduled it for demolition.

Equipment and skills
General Ross is a highly experienced soldier and Vietnam War veteran. He possesses the normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in moderate regular exercise. Ross uses all kinds of military vehicles at his disposal, mainly helicopters.

Relationships

 * Bruce Banner/The Hulk - Enemy
 * Emil Blonsky/Abomination - Enemy
 * Betty Ross - Daughter