The Avengers: Doomsday trailer is finally here, and it was packed full of major details and shocking character reveals. Among the moments that stood out (for obvious reasons) were the return of Steve Rogers, who once again was able to call Mjölnir to him, proving that it really is him, as well as the debut of what Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom is going to sound like. The trailer was also stacked with other character appearances, from Loki and Cyclops to Sue Storm and Yelena and so many others.
After months of waiting, especially following the news that CinemaCon attendees had gotten a sneak peek at the trailer back in April, it’s come as no surprise that many fans are thrilled about the trailer drop and dove right in to pick out the easy-to-miss details. Among those blink-and-you-miss-it moments was the sight of one character who audiences already knew was likely to return but didn’t know would be looking rather different compared to the last time viewers saw him.
H.E.R.B.I.E. Had a Major Redesign for Doomsday
H.E.R.B.I.E. entered the MCU in The Fantastic Four: First Steps last year, alongside his beloved Fantastic Four counterparts, and although fans had a bit of fun making jokes at the robot’s expense, some viewers are now realizing that they actually feel quite defensive about the character, including when it comes to his design—or, at least, what was his design. Eagle-eyed fans have caught a quick glimpse of H.E.R.B.I.E. in the Doomsday trailer, and it turns out that he’s had a significant redesign since he was last on the screen.
Based off the brief glimpse in the trailer, it seems that H.E.R.B.I.E. has, at the very least, gotten some upgrades, presumably to keep up with the times and in light of the damage he sustained during First Steps, since his on-screen MCU debut. However, fans have been quick to call out the design change as one that, many are arguing, is worse. Along with one comment that simply reads, “How dare they,” this X post is flooded with comments of viewers who are not at all pleased with the changes that have been made to the robot.
One commenter writes, “From soul to soulless? Poor guy,” and another says, “What have they done to my boy.” Several comments are simply gifs expressing dissatisfaction or, in some cases, disbelief over this choice, some of which specifically name the Russo brothers. Others have argued that this could be a move to sell more merchandise, with H.E.R.B.I.E. now having a distinct, and therefore marketable, look for Doomsday. Of course, for now, it’s a waiting game to see what, if any, explanation the movie gives for this change.
It’s possible that Doomsday won’t directly acknowledge this redesign or that the explanation won’t satisfy viewers, and it’s obviously far from the most significant detail to worry about heading into this new Avengers installment. Even so, it’s clear that this change to H.E.R.B.I.E. is getting a reaction out of fans (and it’s been an overwhelmingly negative one).
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