Warning: Spoilers for Imperial #1!Marvel is finally ready to reintroduce Hulk's forgotten son back into the canon. Largely thanks to the MCU, audiences are familiar with his son, Skaar, but the green giant has more relatives in-universe than some fans realize. Hulk has a powerful family tree comprised of some of the strongest characters known to the Marvel Universe, and one of Hulk's most overlooked kids makes a case for being the most powerful yet.

A preview for Imperial #1 by Jonathan Hickman, Iban Coello, and Federico Vicentini alludes to the return of Hulk's son, Hiro-Kala. Imperial is Marvel's next major event on the horizon, and one that promises to reinvent a new status quo for Hulk. In doing so, the preview below shows that the debut issue will be broken up into four chapters, with the first being titled "Light the Pyre of Hiro-Kala."

Hiro-Kala’s reintroduction does more than the Hulk’s new status. It also sets the stage for his own major return to Marvel’s universe.

The Origins and Powers of Hulk's Most Powerful Son, Hiro-Kala, Explained

First Appearance: Skaar: Son of Hulk #2 by Greg Pak and Ron Garney

The origin story of Hiro-Kala begins during the Hulk's first intergalactic adventures in the "Planet Hulk" saga. After the Illuminati exile him into outer space, Hulk's ship crash-lands on the planet Sakaar, where he is enslaved and forced into gladiator combat. There, he meets and forms a kinship with Caiera the Oldstrong. Born from the Shadow People, she inherited an ancient energy known as the Old Power. From a young age, she was trained by the Shadow Elders to control her abilities, eventually serving as an enforcer for the planet’s dictatorial ruler, the Red King.

Caiera helps Hulk overthrow the Red King, and when Hulk takes his place, she becomes his wife and queen. As they work together to bring peace to Sakaar, the ship that brought Hulk to the planet suddenly explodes, killing millions, including a pregnant Caiera and her unborn children. Blaming the Illuminati for Sakaar’s destruction, Hulk leaves for Earth to seek revenge, unaware that he has left his children behind. Unbeknownst to him, Caiera uses her final ounce of Old Power to protect their twin sons, who grow up to be Skaar and Hiro-Kala.

Hulk’s Forgotten Son Has the Saddest Origin Story in His Entire Family

Hiro-Kala’s Tragic Childhood Explains Why He Became a Villain

Between the two Hulk sons, Skaar takes after his father the most, having inherited both his Gamma-generated appearance and Hulk's incredible feats of strength. As a result, Skaar benefited the most from his mother's protection during his birth, whereas his brother wasn't so lucky. Caeira used her Old Power to protect Skaar instead of both her sons, resulting in Hiro-Kala being born physically weak from the blast he suffered in his planet's explosion. It didn't help that Hiro-Kala did not inherit Hulk's power, nor did his mother's powers manifest for him until he was older.

Instead, Hiro-Kala was born with Caiera's pigmentation and was placed into slavery from childhood for being frail. It's not until he's freed from slavery and promoted to army honor guard that he shows his true potential as a hero. His intentions were always noble, and growing up as a slave allowed him a more sympathetic worldview. Seeing destruction firsthand as a child made him want to help people, and upon finally unlocking his Old Power, he had the chance to do just that, until he became consumed with power to the point of becoming a misguided supervillain.

The Old Power can best be described as the planet Sakaar's equivalent to the Power Cosmic. Hiro-Kala's manifestation of The Old Power gives him godlike power greater than the Hulk has ever wielded.

Marvel Teases the Return of Hulk’s Most Misunderstood Son

Hiro-Kala’s Comeback Could Redeem Him and Reforge His Bond with Hulk

The potential for heroism is still there for Hiro-Kala, perhaps even more so as Marvel teases his return. The last time he was seen on-, his blind rage and misuse of power forced him into a fight with both Hulk and Skaar, leading to Hiro-Kala's imprisonment in stone. He isn't dead, so the door has always been open for Hiro-Kala to come back. Keeping in mind Marvel's interest in revitalizing Hulk as a character. A new status quo for Hulk could mean a new role for Hiro-Kala in Hulk's life.

Just because their last confrontation ended on bad does not mean it has to stay that way. This presents an opportunity for Hiro-Kala to redeem himself, not only in the eyes of his father but also in the eyes of readers. He has always had the potential to be a hero. His backstory as a slave gave him a unique perspective on what it means to help others and why a civilization might be in desperate need of a savior. The issue was never a lack of good intentions, but rather not knowing how to use the power that was forced upon him. With Hulk's guidance, Hiro-Kala could finally begin to unlearn the missteps of his past.

Imperial #1 will be available from Marvel Comics starting June 4, 2025!