- "Bruce, this is all you! You didn't send me much to work with, so I had to concentrate it and make more. With a little more trial and error, there's no end to what we can do! This is potentially Olympian! This gamma technology has limitless applications. We'll unlock hundreds of cures. We will make humans impervious to disease!"
- ―Samuel Sterns to Bruce Banner[src]
Doctor Samuel Sterns is a cellular biologist and Grayburn College professor who was finding a cure for Bruce Banner. Sterns managed to engineer a temporary antidote for Banner's condition, but was also forced to repeat this process with Emil Blonsky, transforming him into the Abomination. 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. However, Natasha Romanoff arrived and subdued him, handing him into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.
Biography
Helping Bruce Banner
Computer Discussions
Samuel Sterns' S.H.I.E.L.D. database file
Dr. Samuel Sterns was a Professor at Grayburn College, teaching in the department of Cellular Biology. When Bruce Banner went on the run from the United States Armed Forces, led by General Thaddeus Ross, he managed to establish contact with Sterns and they communicated with each other as Mr. Blue and Mr. Green, respectively, while collaborating to find a cure for Banner's condition.
When Banner was in Brazil, Sterns suggested to search for flowers, but when they failed to create a plausible antidote, Sterns asked Banner to send him a sample of his blood so he could engineer an antidote for himself. However, Sterns kept his true intentions secret from Banner: Sterns in reality had desired to use the antidote to create cures to various illnesses, motivated by the goal to make humans practically immune to any genetic disease. However, Sterns' plan was flawed, as he had underestimated the blood toxicity of Banner's blood. [1]
Meeting in the Flesh
Bruce Banner introduces himself to Sterns
- "What I'm saying is, if we overshoot this even by the smallest integer, we could be dealing with concentrations of extreme amounts of toxicity."
- ―Samuel Sterns to Bruce Banner[src]
Sterns was walking out of a building on the campus of Grayburn College when he was confronted by Professor Elizabeth Ross of Culver University. Sterns recognized her close to instantly, and she began introducing him to Bruce Banner, who revealed himself to be Mr. Green.
Sterns explains the antidote process
Sterns expressed his excitement to cooperate with Banner and Ross, explaining that he contemplated on if Banner was real and how he could live with the Hulk, caged inside his body. When Sterns began monologuing, Ross and Banner insisted that Sterns stay on task. Sterns explained to Banner that in order for the antidote to work, they need a precise set amount of blood to create the suppressant, or it would not work otherwise.[1]
Engineering an Antidote
Sterns begins conducting the experiment
- "We could get the Nobel for this! The three of us, this is Promethean fire! We have the antidote now!"
"They don't want the antidote, they want to make it a weapon!" - ―Samuel Sterns and Bruce Banner[src]
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 Banner's blood samples on animal test subjects without his knowledge, and also revealed his wishes to utilize his tests towards further scientific research.
Sterns argues with Banner over the antidote
Sterns debated with Banner, arguing that their discoveries in regard to the antidote could gain them prestigious awards and attention in the long run, whereas Banner insisted that Sterns didn't fully grasp the full extent of the situation. During their bickering, the Strategic Operations Command Center had been listening in to their argument. After a sniper immobilized Banner, Sterns could only watch in horror as Emil Blonsky apprehended Banner into his custody.[1]
Creating an Abomination
Forced Compliance
Sterns is threatened by Emil Blonsky
- "I want more. You've seen what he becomes, right?"
"I have. And it's beautiful. Godlike."
"Well, I want that. I need that, make me that."
"I don't know what you've got inside you already. The mixture could be an abomination." - ―Emil Blonsky and Samuel Sterns[src]
With Banner and Ross taken into the custody of Thaddeus Ross, only Sterns remained inside the building. Major Kathleen Sparr, General Ross' assistant interrogated Sterns about his experiments with Banner's blood, but Sterns explained that he couldn't replicate the "Hulk" monster that Banner could turn into, even with the mass amount of blood samples he received from Banner. When Sparr began to respond to the revelation that the Hulk could not be replicated, Emil Blonsky, who was still inside the building killed Sparr with blunt force.
Emil Blonsky raises Sterns in the air
After the power hungry Blonsky opened up on his true thoughts on Sparr, he turned a gun on a confused Sterns and threatened him to comply with his demands to inject him with Banner's blood. Sterns opened up on his experiment with Banner, but also noticed that Blonsky was already injected with a second serum. Blonsky eventually managed to force Sterns to comply by physically threatening him.[1]
Self-Mutation
Sterns witnesses Emil Blonsky's mutation
- "This is what I was trying to explain. I don't know what you've been ladling into yourself. But clearly it worked. Let's assume you don't understand a word I'm saying, but if you'll just get back on the table, I can fix this!"
- ―Samuel Sterns to Emil Blonsky[src]
Sterns began setting up the procedure, and strapped Emil Blonsky to the rest. When Sterns injected the power-hungry Blonsky with Bruce Banner's blood, Sterns watched Blonsky growl. Despite pleading for him to stay on the rest, Blonsky mutated into a brown, spiky Abomination. As soon as he embraced his newfound powers, Blonsky threw Sterns onto the floor and trashed the laboratory.
Sterns mutating from Bruce Banner's blood
In the confusion, an immobile Sterns was accidentally infected with Banner's blood via an open wound on his forehead. The mutation went wild, as he smiled at the prospect of his brain power incrementing exponentially to attribute with his head expanding in size,[2] while the Abomination began a rampage on the streets of Harlem, massacring the local police force and the United States Armed Forces soldiers.[1]
Standoff with Natasha Romanoff
Natasha Romanoff shoots Dr. Sterns in the leg
- "Dr. Samuel Sterns?"
"I think perhaps once I was...but shall now become much more." - ―Natasha Romanoff and Samuel Sterns[src]
He was found by Natasha Romanoff, who had a brief dialogue with him, during which Sterns identified Black Widow's birth place from a hint of accent in her voice. Sterns then attempted to bribe her, promising he would help her come back to Stalingrad and share his vision with hers, but Widow shot him the leg and subsequently placed him into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s custody.
The incident relating to Stern's arrest was later referred to as "Project Mr. Blue".[3]
Personality
- "Look, I've always been more curious then cautious and that's served me pretty well."
- ―Samuel Sterns[src]
Samuel Sterns is shown to be an eccentric professor, enthusiastic about his work and the opportunities that are presented to him. After being mutated however with Bruce Banner's blood,[1] Sterns went mad, beginning to mesmerize himself as a higher being.[4]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Enhanced Intelligence: After being exposed to Hulk's blood, Stern's brainpower drastically increased to the point where he could pinpoint the exact location of Black Widow's birth just by a brief hint of Stalingrad in her accent.
Abilities
- Master Scientist: Samuel Sterns helped Bruce Banner when he sought a cure for his transformation into Hulk. He was able to develop a method that could potentially reverse the transformation, by duplicating and testing the limited blood samples that Banner sent him. He was also able to duplicate the transformation process with Emil Blonsky, transforming him into Abomination when Banner's blood was mixed with the Super Soldier Serum that Blonsky already had, a situation that Sterns had already anticipated. After Sterns' mutation, his intellect increased, but he was immediately imprisoned.
Facilities
- Grayburn College: To be added
Relationships
Allies
Video Game Only
Enemies
- Emil Blonsky/Abomination - Creation
- Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow - Capturer
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. He also became the superpowered criminal Leader before Banner became the Hulk. Sterns is also one of the leaders of Intelligencia, a group comprised of the smartest villains in the Marvel Universe.
- The film version of Samuel Sterns bears some resemblance to Philip Sterns (also known as Madman), Samuel Sterns' brother in the comics. Both are brilliant scientists who study gamma radiation and romanticize the concept of the Hulk, eventually leading to their receiving gamma-based powers.
- Sterns uses the online name Mr. Blue to communicate with Banner. In the comics, Mr. Blue was an alias used by Betty Ross to keep in contact with a fugitive Banner.
Behind the Scenes
- Scotty Cook was a stunt double for Tim Blake Nelson in the role of Samuel Sterns.
