She-Hulk: Attorney at Law goes on a detour this week by delivering an episode that’s mostly set on its own, while it also progresses the stories and themes the show has been focusing on up to this point. As a result, it changes up the pace and presents the viewer with an opportunity to gain a better understanding of Jennifer, the person, rather than She-Hulk, the hero.
1. A Self-Contained Wedding Episode
Early on in the episode, Jennifer tells everyone exactly what they’re in for. She gets invited to a friend’s wedding and talks to Nikki about it. Jennifer then turns to the camera, and in a fourth-wall-breaking moment, she says that she knows the viewer is thinking it’s an inconvenient time for a self-contained wedding episode, but that’s how these things work in real life. Here, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law firmly sets the stage for the rest of the episode by making it clear that this chapter of the story will be a fairly standalone installment that doesn’t heavily lean into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe or even the main story of the show itself.
For the viewer, this openness is refreshing and helpful; for the remainder of the episode, it’s easier to go along for the ride without worrying about the aforementioned context or implications for what comes next. That’s not to say that it doesn’t progress the overall narrative or move the characters along; it certainly does that. However, it also presents the show with a chance to fully lean into Jennifer, rather than She-Hulk, and it capitalizes.
2. Just Jen
As suggested by the title of the episode, this installment is all about Jennifer, for the most part. Previously, the show has put more emphasis on She-Hulk, but when she goes to the wedding in her hulked-out form, Lulu (the bride) asks her not to take all of the attention from her on her wedding day. Jennifer acquiesces, so she has to get through the ceremony as her human self. This allows the viewer to get a better understanding of how Jennifer is treated by her friends and acquaintances, something the show has leaned away from since it showcased her family dynamics earlier in the series.
Lulu walks all over Jennifer by volun-telling her to clean up other people’s messes when half the staff threatens to quit due to mistreatment. Plus, the other bridesmaids treat Jennifer in a similar manner as they make her dry the groomsmen’s shirts. In doing so, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continues to widen the gap between Jennifer and her other half, regarding the powerful might of one and the timidness of the other. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Jennifer meets Joshua, a nice guy, at the wedding, and he says he thinks she’s great in her human form. This is a far cry from previous episodes, where some of Jennifer’ s dates have made it abundantly clear that they’re only interested in her She-Hulk side. Consider that a win for Jennifer, as the series continues to build up both halves of the character.
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3. Wedding Fight
Don’t worry, there’s still some She-Hulk smashing to be had. Titania crashes the wedding by getting an invite from one of the groomsmen. Her presence is immediately fishy to Jennifer, who claims that she’s only there because of their feud. Of course, she’s right; while Titania plays nice at first, she’s actually biding her time and waiting for the perfect moment to strike, which comes when Jennifer has had a bit too much to drink. She goes outside to throw up, and Titania attacks her, reminding her foe that she literally said, “This isn’t over” when they last spoke. Jennifer tries to fight in her human form, but she’s far too intoxicated for that. After some initial difficulty, she transforms into She-Hulk to level the playing field.
A wedding fight ensues, as they brawl into the venue for the reception. The DJ picks “Electric Boogie” as the soundtrack for the smackdown, which quickly comes to an end when Titania slips on some ice and breaks her veneers. Humiliated, she storms away, giving a win to Jennifer by forfeit. It’s safe to assume this won’t be the last time the two rivals throw down, and this setback is sure to add more fuel to the fire.
4. Not Just Trolls
Jennifer deals with one threat, but others lurk on the horizon. Nikki and Mallory stumble onto a menacing internet forum, where users voice their hatred of She-Hulk and wonder how they can kill her. Mallory dismisses them as trolls and advises Nikki to keep the information a secret in order to avoid giving these people any power through publicity. Nikki doesn’t listen, as she calls Jennifer and aims to tell her all about it. At the time, Jennifer is still at the wedding, so Nikki leaves her a message. Toxic trolls would be distressing enough, but real danger lurks on the horizon.
The episode ends with scientists secretly spying on Jennifer while she’s at the wedding. At what appears to be a state-of-the-art facility, they package some type of mysterious serum that’s clearly meant for She-Hulk. It’s unclear who these people are, and what their intentions are, but it seems like they intend to harm Jennifer in some manner. Time will tell exactly what their plans entail.
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5. Meet Mr. Immortal
Aside from Jennifer’s adventures, the episode features Corey Hollis, also known as Mr. Immortal, who seeks help from Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg & Holliway because he’s at the center of a rather unusual divorce case. As someone whose body regenerates after any injury, Hollis has mastered the art of “killing” himself to escape relationships. The consequent pattern leaves him with a string of scorned exes, who demand to get paid back for the various ways Hollis’ “deaths” screwed them over.
Nikki saves the day, as she manages to get each ex what they want; for one, it’s as simple as an apology with prolonged eye contact. This case delivers Hollis’ comeuppance, and it also produces a fun way to introduce Mr. Immortal, a character who has been around for decades, into the MCU.
Six episodes in, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law keeps striking an entertaining balance between the two halves of Jennifer Walters. This week’s episode of the series was one of its most grounded outings yet, as it focused on Jennifer’s time at the wedding while also incorporating her ongoing struggle to equally embrace both sides of herself. It’ll be exciting to see how these two halves continue to coexist as the series continued and Jennifer is perhaps forced to evolve into a full-fledged superhero due to the aforementioned threats that await her.
