She-Hulk: Smashing the Patriarchy, Expectations and Bad Endings
Jennifer Walters, attorney at law, and her ground-breaking introduction to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
BEWARE: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD (If you don’t care, read on. If you do, come back later. We’re open until 10.)
By Ella Tracy
High-stakes court cases. Dating-in-your-thirties dilemmas. Superhuman defendants who hire superhuman lawyers. Enemies to lovers with bonus lovers to enemies. Tremendous transformations and iconic cameos. Interested? Disney’s “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law” might be the show for you.
The newest Marvel TV series, directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, arrived on Disney+ in autumn of 2022. The show follows the spectacular Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany), a thirty-something Deputy District Attorney practicing law in Los Angeles. Accompanied by her iconic paralegal Nikki Ramos (Ginger Gonzaga) and their unlikely comrade Augustus “Pug” Pugliese (Josh Segarra), Jen tackles a journey of self-exploration. The audience watches Jen grapple with unexpected superpowers, workplace struggles, dating life and all the conflicts that come with being a woman.
Jennifer Walters as She-Hulk. Credit: Marvel)
The Fun Lawyer Show
“She-Hulk” is the first of its kind in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: It’s a comedy. There is spectacular comedic freedom granted to the characters by the very nature of the genre. It’s so easy to have fun with the cast throughout the show. Jen shares a dance party twerk scene with the actual Megan Thee Stallion and invents wild theories about Captain America’s sex life. Nikki and Pug discover a fashion designer’s line of merchandise entitled the Avongers (a brilliant marketing play on Disney’s part). They constantly crack witty jokes. Every character has traits that are hilariously iconic or comically idiotic. Being in the comedy genre frees the show from usual (and thoroughly teased) angsty confines of Marvel television.
But “She-Hulk” isn’t just a comedy; it’s a law show. Court cases are presented through the comedic lens and are used to direct character growth and connection. It’s through these cases that we see the characters truly shine. I’m incredibly grateful that none of the characters are cheated out of competency; each one is portrayed as an expert in their field. That isn’t to say that the professionals handle cases in the same way. They each bring their creative flare to the courtroom, perfectly encapsulating their legal comedy genre.
Another driving force of “She-Hulk” is the main cast of powerful, outspoken women: Jen, Nikki and Mallory Book (Renée Elise Goldsberry). These women have experiences that are endlessly inspiring and relatable. I adore their camaraderie and their immaculate vibe of women supporting women. The number of times I grinned and applauded at their golden nuggets of wisdom or casual calling out of patriarchal injustices are innumerable. This representation of women leading a mainstream television show is so necessary and so important.
To be completely frank, it’s about time.
Smashing the Fourth Wall
A unique contributor to the show’s comedy is Jen’s secret superpower to break the fourth wall, an invisible barrier between characters in a show and their audience. From the first moment, Jen interacts directly with the audience. Breaking the fourth wall is how Jen informs us of her vacation gone awry that led to her becoming She-Hulk, Jen’s green six-foot-seven alter ego.
Jen takes on an extremely aware and meta perspective never before seen in the MCU proper. She refers to the show as a show, commentating on possible episode endings and post credit tags. She pokes at clichés, the show’s budget, annoying characters and Twitter armor. Her regular eye contact and excited gestures seen only by the audience draw us in, adding a complex level of emotion and connection.
Jen glancing knowingly at the audience in “She-Hulk.” Credit: Marvel)
Jen’s most iconic fourth wall break is the climax of the finale. The severity of the terror Marvel fans felt when the MCU Disney+ title screen appeared mid-episode goes without saying. But our fear was short-lived; Jen has issues with the show’s finale, so she breaks through the title screen into the real world and brings her complaints straight to the actual showrunners. Jen presents her case to K.E.V.I.N., the artificial intelligence dictating the MCU’s content. She calls out more Marvel clichés (daddy issues, borderline super-solider serum in every ending) and asks when the X-Men will FINALLY show up in the MCU.
Most importantly, Jen writes her own ending. Jen tells K.E.V.I.N. that the show’s previous finale would have distracted from her struggle to balance being Jen and She-Hulk. It would have overlapped unrelated plot lines. It would have fallen into the Marvel stereotypes. But Jen, the determined, stubborn lawyer that she is, would have none of that.
Some viewers have taken issue with how meta Jen actually got, but I think Jen seizing control resulted in an ending far more spectacular than what we would have received otherwise. Jen writes her own ending—an ending that is fulfilling to audiences and, most importantly, to herself.
Not One of Those “Cameo Every Week” Type of Shows
Even though Jen promises there won’t be a cameo during every episode, the handful of cameos we do see are stellar. The first is Jen’s cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), better known as the Hulk. He arrives for the pilot episode to guide Jen as she explores her powers. Next is Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), whose first on-screen appearance was in 2008 in “The Incredible Hulk” as Bruce Banner’s adversary. Jen handles Emil’s parole case in “She-Hulk” and visits his meditative retreat later in the series.
Next is Sorcerer Supreme Wong (Benedict Wong), Master of the Mystic Arts. Wong breaks Emil out of prison to attend an underground fight club the night before Emil’s parole hearing, so Wong testifies proving Emil’s “innocence.” Wong later returns to request Jen’s legal assistance. On a comedic note, Wong is fashionably late to almost every scene, and it’s implied that his tardiness is due to his obsession with reality television shows.
While other characters join an ensemble of incredible talent throughout the show, the next major cameo doesn’t occur until the penultimate episode. In a moment of signature drama and charisma, Matthew Murdock (Charlie Cox) enters the courtroom as Jen’s legal adversary. Matt is a brilliant and blind lawyer with a practice in New York City living a double life as the infamous vigilante Daredevil. Fans have long awaited Daredevil’s transition from non-canon Netflix to the MCU proper, and his appearance in “She-Hulk” is just that. I am not ashamed to say that I sobbed joyful tears for the entirety of the episode.
I cannot rave enough about the perfection that is Matt and Jen’s banter. In a flawless enemies-to-lovers trope, Matt and Jen spend the episode fighting in the courtroom and as their alter egos before making out once they save the day. (And yes, this is the fulfillment of every Daredevil fanfiction ever written. To say that I flew out of my chair with unrestrained fangirl energy is an understatement.) The finale seems to assure fans that this isn’t the last we will see of Matt and Jen’s relationship, and I for one could not be happier.
A Normal Amount of Rage
For being a legal comedy, “She-Hulk” doesn’t shy away from addressing very real issues. Jen faces catcalling, mansplaining, shaming. Men attempt to force her into boxes, such as Bruce wanting Jen to conform to his isolated and self-sacrificial lifestyle or Jen’s boss hiring her with the caveat that she presents as She-Hulk at work. Dating is equally disastrous; the men she meets are condescending and severely egotistical. Jen is constantly undervalued and underestimated.
Jen also discusses emotions. Anger and fear are “the baseline of any woman just existing,” Jen tells her cousin as she explains why it’s so easy for her to coexist with She-Hulk. She’s lived her life controlling the very emotions that make the Hulk so volatile. At the risk of being called emotional or difficult, Jen must constantly maintain her composure.
This is precisely why I’m so grateful for Jen’s female costars. However grueling or frustrating their experiences are, they find moments to support each other. Rather this be through long-winded rants, exasperated glances, infuriated bar visits or allyship amid unpleasant circumstances, the women know they are never alone.
Mallory Book and Jen as She-Hulk during a court case. Credit: Marvel
I’d Like to Give My Closing Argument
The series concludes with as many open ends as closed ones. No doubt we’ll be seeing Jen, Nikki, Pug, Bruce, Matt, Emil and friends again soon. Whether that will be in show format or on the big screen remains to be seen.
What are my takeaways? The power of women and connection. That theme emphasized beautifully and boldly is one of the main reasons I adore this show. Jen and Co. also remind us to have fun through life’s journeys. Jen always finds time to rest and recuperate, even when on the challenging and dynamic road to self-discovery. I hope all viewers are as heartened as I while watching the steps Jen takes to accept herself. The walk is never easy but worthwhile as we strive toward our destination and beyond.
You can choose your own story, no matter what an omnipotent artificial intelligence says. And who knows? Maybe you’ll develop superpowers along the way.
