5 Good Things ABOUT SHE-HULK
5 Good Things ABOUT SHE-HULK
She-Hulk is two episodes in, with a new one dropping in a few days, and fans seem split on this show. There are some valid complaints swirling the internet. Some reactors and commenters point out that the CGI is Shrek-like and distracting. Others complaints surround some of the dialogue and plot points that feel they were written by members of the feminist movement. Fans seem united in that they feel the Hulk himself is a shell of his former self. Well, there is validity to these gripes, but there is also some things I love about the show as well. Here are the 5 Things She-Hulk is doing right.
TYING UP LOOSE ENDS
2008’s the Incredible Hulk film was the 2nd entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film followed the first Iron Man, before anyone was certain the MCU would expand the way it has. As the train moved forward, this movie seemed to be left in the dust for the longest time. There were no references to it in any of the films following it. Even Hulk’s appearance was different enough that viewers questioned whether it was really connected to the shared universe.
It wasn’t until William Hurt appeared in 2016’s Civil War as “Thunderbolt” Ross again that people got that confirmation. Other than Ross though, the Incredible Hulk still felt very disconnected from the rest of this universe. The writers began filling that hole again with 2021’s Shang-Chi film. They cleverly inserted a cameo from 2008 film’s “big bad”, the Abomination. The vile creature appeared to have turned over a new leaf, putting on a staged cage fight with the current Sorcerer Supreme, Wong. Fans of the character were confused as to why the Abomination was suddenly working with Wong to earn fight money and where he’d been this entire time.
Where did you go, Blonsky?
The 2nd episode gives a fairly decent explanation. For the first time since 2008, we meet Abomination’s alter ego Emil Blonsky once again. He explains that he’s been locked up since the events of the Incredible Hulk, and that he has reformed. During his explanation he also points out that he was simply doing what the military asked of him. That is mostly true. He did want revenge on the Hulk, and took an unstable formula that transformed him against the warnings of Dr. Stern. He did not intend to become an uncontrollable monster that wreaked havoc in Harlem though. By the episode’s end we learn that this episode takes place during the events of Shang-Chi, seeing him in that cage with Wong once again.
The Abomination was a loose end that felt unresolved and abandoned. I think most fans would agree that it’s great to see him back and looking more like his comicbook counterpart this time. Tim Roth is a talented actor who we could all see a little more of in this universe. A deeper dive into what the character has been up to for 14 years would be a pleasant surprise. I don’t think we necessarily expect it though.
acknowledging the past
Fans love “Easter Eggs” and references to past movies in this shared universe. I especially love it when those references are made to the much neglected 2008 Incredible Hulk film. “Smart Hulk”, which he is now referred to as, makes several references to that film in the first two episodes. He mentions the time it took for him to become the civilized Hulk he is today, which is in “real time” based on the year the Incredible Hulk dropped. While training She-Hulk, he teaches her the “thunderclap”, a powerful move he used to win that final battle with Abomination in 2008. There are other Easter Eggs from the past to be found in the episode such as Gladiator Hulk‘s helmet from Thor: Ragnorak, as well as an acid-sprayed head of an Iron Legion robot from Age of Ulton on display.
The 2nd episode continues this trend with a phone call exchange between Hulk and She-Hulk. In that conversation she informs her cousin that she will be taking on his former rival, Emil Blonksy, as her client. Hulk replies, “That fight was so many years ago, I’m a completely different person now. Literally.” This line not only is a nod to how long ago his solo film came out, but it is a self-aware acknowledgment that he was portrayed by a different actor then. This is the first time the MCU has addressed the change from Edward Norton to Mark Ruffalo as the titular character and I found it amusing. Hopefully they address what happened to his pal-turned-villain Samuel Sterna, aka the Leader, at some point.
MOVE OVER DEADPOOL
One of the most notable traits about the character of She-Hulk is that she, like Deadpool, has the ability to break the fourth wall. The show delivers on that aspect. She has looked into the camera several times as both Jen Walters and She-Hulk to speak to the audience or make a quip. Although she may not be as clever as the “Merc with a Mouth” with her one-liners, she had this Ferris Bueller-inspired ability long before he was even created. For all the changes to the character that some fans hated, this is one trait they left in tact that is true to her origination. It’ll be refreshing to see this attribute continue throughout the series. Let’s hope that sometime down the road we get a scene or two with her and Deadpool together.
REFERENCING Ragnorak
It is generally agreed upon that Thor: Ragnorak is a MCU favorite. It may even be the best Thor film to date. The plot involved Thor crash-landing on the planet Sakaar, then being forced to battle his old “friend from work” Hulk. At this time, Hulk had been stranded on Sakaar for two years, after the events of Age of Ultron. He was their champion fighter, with Bruce Banner being lost somewhere inside the beast. Sakaar hadn’t been mentioned again since that film, that is, until now. Sakaarans are almost directly responsible now for Jennifer Walters becoming She-Hulk. It is her fault as well for not looking ahead while driving, but they did park their ship right there in the middle of dangerous roadway. The crash led to her getting her cousin Bruce’s blood into her bloodstream, thus becoming She-Hulk.
We see the Sakaaran ship again near the end of episode 2. This time Hulk is inside, and presumably heading back to their planet with them. He looks more than happy to be aboard too. Some of the writers at Marvel Studios admitted years back that they don’t know what to do with the character of the Hulk at this point. Bringing him back to Sakaar to do more battles, which eventually leads to World War Hulk, seems like a bright idea then. What better way to fix the softie Hulk fans seem to be growing tired of and make him a raging force of nature once again.
Time to Lawyer up
We’ve all seen the trailers and teasers by now featuring the return of much anticipated characters. Wong is back. No surprise there. He seems to be in everything MCU-related nowadays. Wong is almost a bigger character than Dr. Strange himself at this point. Anyway, we like Wong, and he’s always welcome in whatever we see him in. The big feature that has everyone losing their minds though is the return of the “Man Without Fear”, Daredevil.
Since She-Hulk is a show involving lawyer matters, it makes sense to bring in the blind attorney, Matt Murdock, who is a vigilante by night. It’ll be very interesting to see these two interact in the courtroom and even moreso on a rooftop in costume. We got a little taste of Charlie Cox‘s return as Murdock in Spider-Man: No Way Home. That wetted our taste buds, but I think we’re all ready for more Daredevil after nearly a four-year hiatus.
The other Easter Egg that should be mentioned is Wolverine. While we don’t see Logan on the show, and it’s unlikely we will, Jen does scroll passed an article that reads: “Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl”. That is undoubtedly a reference to the character that insinuates that he already exists in this shared universe. It feels right too, knowing that Wolverine’s first appearance was in the Incredible Hulk #181. Wong, Daredevil, and Wolverine… I think we can all agree that these three heroes are more than welcome on any MCU project.
IN CONCLUSION
She-Hulk is not nearly as bad some viewers might have you believe. I certainly don’t care for all of the MCU shows, but despite some of it’s flaws, I find this one to be easier to watch than most of the others so far. I have my gripes too, mostly the same one’s that I mentioned before, but I do feel this show has enough redeeming qualities to make it a worthwile watch. The are issues. It is not perfect, but there some at least 5 things She-Hulk is doing right, and probably at least a few more on the way.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out my previous one about the future of the MCU in Phase 5 HERE.
