Samuel Sterns

"Dr. Samuel Sterns?" "I think perhaps once I was...but shall now become much more."

- Natasha Romanoff and Samuel Sterns

Samuel Sterns is a cellular biologist and Grayburn College professor who was finding a cure for Bruce Banner. When he was affected by Banner's blood on his head's open wound, his mind suffered a rapid mutation, greatly increasing his mental abilities.

Helping Bruce Banner
Sterns was initially a scientific ally to an on-the-run Bruce Banner and they communicated with each other as Mr. Green and Mr. Blue while collaborating to find a cure for Bruce's condition.

Mutation
"Why are you always hitting people?! Now what could I have possibly done to deserve such aggression?"

- Sterns to Emil Blonsky

Upon meeting in the flesh, Dr. Samuel Sterns was shown to be an eccentric man who was infatuated with the potential power of Gamma Radiation. After witnessing Banner transform into the Hulk as a test and successfully reverting him back with their finalized suppressant, it was revealed that he had been experimenting with Bruce's blood samples on animal test subjects without Bruce's knowledge.

He was physically threatened by Emil Blonsky who desired to be further mutated. Sterns eagerly complied. Once Blonsky mutated, he became insane and proceeded to injure Sterns and demolish his lab. Sterns was accidentally infected with Banner's blood via an open wound on his forehead and his head started expanding as he smiled with joy.

Captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I see my future unfolding. It is an illustrious future defined by power and influence. A future that begins this very instant."

- Samuel Sterns to Natasha Romanoff

Sterns' mutation has gone wild, and his brain power has incremented exponentially. He's found by Natasha Romanoff, who has a brief dialogue with him, during which Sterns identifies Black Widow's birth place from a hint of accent in her voice. Sterns then attempts to bribe her, promising he'll help her come back to Stalingrad, but Widow shoots him the leg and arrests him.

Sterns is now in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody referred to as "Project: Mr. Blue".

Relationships

 * Bruce Banner/Hulk - Ally
 * Betty Ross - Ally
 * Abomination - Creation and Enemy
 * Black Widow - Enemy

Trivia

 * In the comics, Sterns was not a scientist, but instead was a menial laborer with only average intelligence. He was exposed to gamma radiation while he was transporting hazardous materials. Also, he became the Leader before Banner became the Hulk.
 * During the course of the film, a drop of the Bruce Banner's blood falls into a scar on Sterns' forehead, making his head enlarge, an obvious nod to him becoming the Leader.
 * Sterns uses the online name Mr. Blue to communicate with Banner. In the comic, Mr. Blue was an alias used by Betty Ross to keep in contact with a fugitive Banner.