She-Hulk Recap: Episode 2 | An old enemy returns to the MCU

Another week means another episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law or should I say, She-Hulk: Attorney for Hire.

In this week’s episode “Superhuman Law”, Jennifer’s identity is out to the world. The opening shows that every news show is talking about her fight with Tatiana (Jameela Jamil). Among the breaking news, we find Jen (Tatiana Maslany) and Nikki (Ginger Gonzaga) entering a bar, named Legal Ease, that’s shouting “She-Hulk!, She-Hulk!”, a name that Jen has yet to embrace.

Once inside, Jen transforms into her infamous form, She-Hulk, and says, “That name better not stick. It’s so dumb. I can’t even exist without being a derivative of the Hulk.” Sorry, Jen but I think the name is sticking…

As if Jen’s male co-worker, Dennis Bukowski (Drew Matthews), couldn’t get any worse, he comes over to accuse her that she just turned into a superhero to drum up publicity for herself. Like any fragile man, he goes as far as to say that it’s because of nepotism that she got her powers.

But like any supportive friend, Nikki shoos him away and brings up the idea of being an Avenger. Jen quickly responds with, “Do the Avengers offer healthcare? Maternity leave, a pension. Are they even paid?” And I have to say, Jen does bring up some very valid points. Before Nikki can argue back, Jen’s male boss comes over.

Her boss is so intimidated by her that he has her shrink back to human size.  He informs Jen that the case had a mistrial but that he has to fire her.

Cut to a disheartening montage. Jen keeps getting turned away because she is a liability. One hiring manager even says, “We just can’t take the risk of a sideshow.” Ouch!

Feeling defeated, Jen has Nikki over to help look for jobs. Slouching on the couch, Jen starts looking up, “10 Offbeat Jobs For a Fresh Start.” Safe to say the search is not going well. Before Jen can wallow anymore,  she gets a text from her mom. (As if we couldn’t love Jen anymore, her phone screen is a picture of Captain America’s Ass).  It’s time for family dinner!

Jen’s family is an assortment of eccentric characters.  After Jen’s dad promises her that her recent firing won’t be brought up at the table, her cousin, Ched, immediately shouts, “You got fired!” (Read the room, Ched!) Jen’s mom then reveals that she gave her number to a “nice young man”, who wants advice on being a superhero. Why is it that moms are always networking for their children?

Jen’s dad then asks a hard-hitting question about Hawkeye saying, “What happens to those arrows of his?” A question we never get the answer to…

Family dinners, right? 😒 pic.twitter.com/vOpkhVFDWl

— She-Hulk (@SheHulkOfficial) August 24, 2022

 

Sensing that Jen is overwhelmed, her dad brings her into the garage for a heart-to-heart. Jen rambles on saying she’s alright not being okay.  But she’s upset that her heroic act cost her her job. Her dad reassures her everything will be alright saying, “This isn’t even the first time we’ve had to deal with a Hulk in the family. And you didn’t destroy a city.” (Take that Bruce.) Her dad reminds her that she is still standing and needs to keep moving forward.

Upset and back at Legal Ease, Holden Holliway (Steve Coulter), the opposing attorney Jen was facing off with last week, offers to buy her a drink and something a little more unexpected; a job! He was impressed at the case she formed before she Hulked out and without any thought, Jen accepts. Her only request is that she hires her own paralegal.

Things are finally looking up for Jen, that is until she enters the law firm. As it turns out, Holliway didn’t hire Jen, he hired She-Hulk.  Holliway wants Jen to be the face of their newest division, the Superhuman Law Division. Asking her to turn into She-Hulk, Jen hesitantly complies.  In the first fourth-wall break of the episode, Jen rightfully complains and says, “I am totally qualified, but now everyone around here will always think this is the only reason that I got the job. It’s so unfair.”

There’s a moment where Jen looks into a breakroom full of old white men,  reminding us that this is what women usually have to deal with when they start a new job.

But luckily, Jen has an awesome, corner office with Nikki already waiting for her. Her other colleague, Augustus “Pug” Pugliese (Josh Segarra) stops by and offers her a welcome basket: including a map to the best bathroom for pooping. How weirdly considerate!

Alas, Holliway keeps the bombshells coming. Jen’s first case is the parole of Emil Blonsky aka Abomination; a man who is in jail for trying to kill her cousin, Bruce. Of course, Jen points out the major conflict of interest but Holliway reveals that Blonsky signed a conflict waiver. While it still seems like a bad idea for Jen to take this case, it turns out it doesn’t matter because if she doesn’t, she is out of a job.

If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking who the heck is Emil Blonsky? Well, he’s the villain from the 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.  Blonsky was a British Marine contracted by the U.S. government to fight and ultimately defeat the Hulk. To do this, the U.S. government gave Blonsky Super Soldier Serum and gamma radiation. (What could go wrong?) This dangerous combination turned him into the Abomination, a monster that destroyed Harlem before Hulk ultimately took him down. Of course, the Hulk was played by Edward Norton, not Mark Ruffalo but this is the MCU, so just go with it…

Jen then enters an ultra-high-security prison run by the DODC (Department of Damage Control). In a glass cage, she meets Blonsky who is in human form. To start off, Blonsky says “namaste” seemingly turned a new corner; physically and spiritually. He explains that he was just trying to kill Bruce under the U.S. government’s orders. He’s totally a different person now!

Holliway leaves a voice message for Jen saying he needs her decision by the end of the day. Before Jen decides to take the case, she calls Bruce.  She word-vomits her reasons why she is taking the case. In return, Bruce, explains that it’s water under the bridge. Blonsky sent him a letter, a lovely Haiku in fact. In true She-Hulk fashion, Bruce makes a meta-reference saying, “That fight was so many years ago. I’m a completely different person now. Literally.”

With that reassuring phone call, Jen calls Holliway to tell him she will take on the case. But before she hangs up, Holliway tells her to turn on the news. Her case just got a little more complicated. Blonsky broke out of prison in Abomination form. You might remember seeing a giant monster fight Wong, in Shang-Chi. Yeah, that’s the Abomination. Good luck, Jen!