>>Definitely not ok, but I actually read that one as less trolling and more making a very huge point to Bruce that he was completely, totally unafraid of Hulk, beyond even Betty's levels of 'not scared', because even she flinched dealing with Big Green for the first time.<<
True. I think it also has to do with Tony's tendency to test people to see how they'll snap, which is an abuse survivor trait also shared by Bruce and Clint.
>> Knowing Tony, he'd calculated the chances of Bruce Hulking at him over that down the the fifth decimal. <<
He seems to calculate everything that way -- he has to run relationships on a digital model, because he doesn't have the standard-issue analog model.
>>What makes it weird is that *Bruce* seemed to realize exactly what Tony was doing. Probably still thought Tony was out of his damn mind to not be afraid, but realized that Tony wasn't.<<
That's the part that's hard for me to maintain suspension of disbelief. About the only way that makes sense is if Bruce has simply concluded that people invading his space and hurting him is normal and just not worth making a fuss over. That it's always going to happen no matter what he does, so he no longer responds to the lower levels in hopes it will keep people from escalating.
>> And clearly *HULK* got the message, despite the method of delivery, if he was willing to save Tony's ass without any prompting. <<
Yeah, that's even weirder. The way I write Hulk, he has a great deal of emotional acuity -- but that was so early on, it wouldn't have helped much. I have to conclude that Hulk was sufficiently intrigued by the positive examples to want more time to study Tony, and simply ignored the petty violence as baseline normal. Tony's only the second person who ever did anything for Bruce-and-Hulk instead of against them, after all.
>>I suspect the offer of hospitality was equal parts Tony being a snarky bastard, his knowledge of the fact that alcohol acts as a social lubricant, and some bit of noblisse oblige (sorry if I spelled that wrong), if there's 'how to treat a defeated enemy' somewhere in the "Rich Man's Code of Conduct".<<
I think all of those fit. There's also the offer of alcohol as hospitality and peacemaking in Viking culture. One last attempt to avert all-out battle.
>>Alternately, it was, possibly, continuing his apparent theme in the movie of reaching out to folks (Phil, Bruce, even makes nice, if briefly and in a very offhand way, with Thor once they're on the Helicarrier).<<
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dancing_serpent
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2013-04-29 05:16 pm (UTC)True. I think it also has to do with Tony's tendency to test people to see how they'll snap, which is an abuse survivor trait also shared by Bruce and Clint.
>> Knowing Tony, he'd calculated the chances of Bruce Hulking at him over that down the the fifth decimal. <<
He seems to calculate everything that way -- he has to run relationships on a digital model, because he doesn't have the standard-issue analog model.
>>What makes it weird is that *Bruce* seemed to realize exactly what Tony was doing. Probably still thought Tony was out of his damn mind to not be afraid, but realized that Tony wasn't.<<
That's the part that's hard for me to maintain suspension of disbelief. About the only way that makes sense is if Bruce has simply concluded that people invading his space and hurting him is normal and just not worth making a fuss over. That it's always going to happen no matter what he does, so he no longer responds to the lower levels in hopes it will keep people from escalating.
>> And clearly *HULK* got the message, despite the method of delivery, if he was willing to save Tony's ass without any prompting. <<
Yeah, that's even weirder. The way I write Hulk, he has a great deal of emotional acuity -- but that was so early on, it wouldn't have helped much. I have to conclude that Hulk was sufficiently intrigued by the positive examples to want more time to study Tony, and simply ignored the petty violence as baseline normal. Tony's only the second person who ever did anything for Bruce-and-Hulk instead of against them, after all.
>>I suspect the offer of hospitality was equal parts Tony being a snarky bastard, his knowledge of the fact that alcohol acts as a social lubricant, and some bit of noblisse oblige (sorry if I spelled that wrong), if there's 'how to treat a defeated enemy' somewhere in the "Rich Man's Code of Conduct".<<
I think all of those fit. There's also the offer of alcohol as hospitality and peacemaking in Viking culture. One last attempt to avert all-out battle.
>>Alternately, it was, possibly, continuing his apparent theme in the movie of reaching out to folks (Phil, Bruce, even makes nice, if briefly and in a very offhand way, with Thor once they're on the Helicarrier).<<
Also true.
Tony rarely does anything for only one reason.