She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continues on the Disney+ scene with episode 2! We’re starting to see where the story is going and fleshing out the day-to-day world of a superhuman who is out and about in public. Let’s check in and see how are things going for our new favorite Hulk?
Recap of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law S1E2: “Superhuman Law“
Right away things start off on a high note with Jen entering a bar and having the whole place chanting her new moniker: She-Hulk. An eyewitness interview leads to the new name, which Jen is clearly not a huge fan of. But as with most mob-mentality, this name sticks for now.
Anyways, while they’re at the bar, Jen gets fired from her attorney job. You know, the job that she desperately wanted to keep and juggle along with the She-Hulk persona instead of being a superhero? Apparently law firms don’t want a ‘circus sideshow’ with superpowers detracting away from their cases and arguments, so Jen is nothing more than a liability. She gets turned down at firm after firm trying to get a new job, and things are looking pretty bleak with student loans looming.
Family dinner night doesn’t go much better, as her job-loss comes up in conversation and it seems like Jen’s going to spiral. Luckily, her dad peels her away into the garage to check in on her. Good dad award!
As luck would have it, Mr. Holliway from GLK&H, the law firm that Jen was taking to town in the courtroom in episode 1. He offers Jen a job to be the face of their new Superhuman Law Division. Well, actually, he offers She-Hulk the position, as that’s the persona that Jen will have to work in everyday.
Jen’s first case is in the parole for Emile Blonsky. Sound familiar? MCU enthusiasts might not even remember the name of Abomination’s alter ego from The Incredible Hulk movie back in 2008. That’s the Hulk movie with Edward Norton, because Bruce never got to shine in his own silver screen debut.
So now Jen is faced with a predicament because Abomination tried to kill Bruce back in the day, which seems like a decently major conflict of interest. Apparently just signing a conflict waiver makes the business-side of things a non-issue. However, Jen is still wrestling with the moral implications of this. If she refuses though, she will be out of her new job before it begins.
Jen goes to visit Blonsky in some supermax prison under the Department of Damage Control’s purview. And instead of seeing the Abomination, she’s face to face with a Blonsky who seems to be a changed man. They discuss the past with Bruce, and Blonsky laments the serum that the government allegedly forced upon him to turn him into Abomination. It’s interesting how he conveniently leaves out his Hulk blood transfusion which ultimately put him over the edge.
Emile assures Jen that he’s a changed man, and Jen is convinced enough to take the job. She’s even a considerate cousin by calling up Bruce to let him know about it, although he’s forgiven Emile long ago thanks to a nice letter and haiku. Bruce loses cell service as he casually gets out of range on a spaceship.
Just as Jen calls up Mr. Holliway to tell him that she’s taking the job – or keeping it in this case – he tells her to flip onto the news and Abomination has escaped his captivity. Pretty convenient!
Thoughts on She-Hulk: Attorney at Law S1E2: “Superhuman Law”
There are lots of fun little throwback eggs in episode 2 of She-Hulk! One of my favorite jobs was when Bruce reminisced about his interactions with Blonsky and said that he was literally a different person. In-character, he’s talking about the development of Smart Hulk, but we all know that he’s talking about the actor-switch from Norton to Ruffalo.
Also, if you’re paying close attention while Jen is scrolling the online classifieds to find a job, you’ll notice two interesting headlines on the side. No, I’m not talking about her offbeat jobs. Take a peek:
The first ‘Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl’ sounds like somebody we might know. Is that a Wolverine reference?! The MCU has slowly been setting up mutants in the MCU between nods in Ms Marvel and all of the multiverse stuff. It’s definitely on the horizon, or we else we are all hyping ourselves up for nothing.
The second headline reads ‘Why there is a giant statue of a man sticking out of the ocean’. Remember that shot of the Celestial sticking out of the ocean from Eternals? Up to this point we’ve been wondering why nobody has questioned this giant thing yet. Even living in a superhero world, this would probably rank up there with something I’d want a near-immediate answer to. And it’s been addressed, finally, so at least we know people aren’t ignoring it!
I had completely forgotten that Wong broke Blonsky out from prison back in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, so that’s what’s happening at the end of the episode. This helps give us a better sense of timing for the show, while also making the connection between this show and the greater MCU. We also see why Hulk wasn’t around to help during these other movies.
Obviously there’s also a few Silence of the Lambs references in this episode. Not only does Jen mention fava beans, but when she meets with Blonsky there’s the immediate feel of the prison scene with Hopkins in the center of the room. Except now we have fancy high-tech lasers and amenities that only the DODC can provide.
A big question mark in the season is how Jen is going to play Emile’s case in the courtroom. She definitely pauses when he mentions the super soldier serum, and it seems like this might turn into a case against the government? Might need some more backup to take on a case of that magnitude. Anybody know any good lawyers?
The mid-credit scene brings some more levity as She-Hulk helps her dad with chores around the house. It’s clear that her dad cares for her well-being and it’s nice of her to help him out. After all, carrying 8 Culligan water canisters would have taken him all night, and She-Hulk can do it in a single trip!
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