Graduating at the top of his West Point Class, Thaddeus Ross came from a long tradition of military men beginning with the American Civil War. Rapidly rising in the ranks, Ross earned the nickname "Thunderbolt" because of his combat style. General Ross had one child, Betty, and his wife died when the girl was in her teens. Stationed at a nuclear research base in New Mexico, Ross sent his teen daughter away to boarding school. When she graduated she devoted herself to her father's happiness. Although Ross would have preferred his daughter to marry a military man she fell in love with a nebbish and brilliant physicist named Dr. Bruce Banner, a man who would become Ross's greatest challenge and enemy, the Incredible Hulk.
After the Hulk returned from exile and initiated World War Hulk, General Ross made his return. It was revealed that Ross and Doc Samson had a hand in the creation of the Red Hulk, assisted by A.I.M. and the Intelligencia. The true extent, revealed during the Intelligencia's invasion of Washington, D.C., was that Ross had become the Red Hulk to further his vengeance against Banner and as part of a promise made by the Intelligencia to revive the then-thought deceased Betty. After being cured from brain damage with the Extremis virus, the Hulk developed a new super-genius persona called "Doc Green." He set out to eliminate all the other Gamma-powered people in the world, and devised a cure. Once Doc Green depowered Rick Jones, Skaar and Betty Ross, Thunderbolt started monitoring Hulk's moves. He found Doc Green in San Francisco, and engaged him in combat. Doc Green tried to inject Ross with the cure in the middle of the fight, but Red Hulk broke the needle. After having his arm broken by Ross, Doc Green lured him to a portal to his base, the Beehive. There, Doc Green took the time to scan Red Hulk for data before teleporting him back elsewhere.
The following days, Ross made the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository his base, so he could be ready and absorb its radiation in case Doc Green found him. Doc Green ultimately found Ross, with Deadpool's help. He also used the merc's services for another purpose, when Doc Green confronted the Red Hulk, Deadpool shot Ross' ear with a bullet that delivered a compound that interfered with his ability to absorb energy. After a furious battle, Doc Green was finally able to subdue the Red Hulk, and inject him with the cure, reverting him to his human form. The army was alerted to the confrontation, and when they arrived, they arrested Ross for deserting his country. Ross was subsequently jailed in a classified military prison.
During Hydra's take-over of the American government, General Ross led a cell of resisters against Hydra. Because of this, he was paroled following Hydra's downfall as part of an entire program set up for Hydra resisters with shady pasts. He started working for the government again, but additionally became part of a secret cabal of influence brokers called the Power Elite.
Current Form:
General "Thunderbolt" Ross (Post-Red Hulk)
Former Version:
General "Thunderbolt" Ross
Red Hulk
