She-Hulk: Attorney at Law Episode 9 Review
For most fictional characters, the fourth wall is an unbending concept. Even the ones aware of its existence often remain powerless. However, there are a rare few who not only acknowledge the fourth wall but can smash it, walk to the other side, and mess with the people making the story. There’s only two beings in all of Marvel capable of such a feat. Since Deadpool isn’t in the MCU yet, though, She-Hulk smashes the fourth wall in her season finale. Which is a good thing, too, because it not only gives her agency, but voices some complaints about the MCU.
Incels Messed With She-Hulk
The finale starts off firing on all cylinders with a faithful remake to the opening of the famed Bill Bixby Hulk show from the 1970s recapping the events of the series. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Jen’s life was ruined by the army of Incels known as Intelligencia. She dodges prison, but ends up getting banned from turning back into She-Hulk, which means she’s lost her job. And now everyone’s scared of her, even though the one’s at fault were Intelligencia. Thus, Jen and her friends decide to take the trolls down, albeit in the courtroom.
When Jen hits a dead-end, though, she decides to chill at Blonsky’s retreat for a few days. As Nikki and Pug soon discover, though, that’s also where the She-Hulk haters are holding their big rally, led by, of all people, Todd Phelps. AKA that creep that She-Hulk went on a date with once and called her a “specimen.” He orchestrated all of this because he’s a human personification of Internet trolls who rip on superheroes just because they’re girls. Then, he uses She-Hulk’s blood and tries to turn into a Hulk himself, and then a big, climatic fight breaks out and…no, no, I can’t do this.
Smash the Fourth Wall to Save the Story
Remember how I said that the finale smashes the fourth wall and walks over it? This is where that happens. Jen, thanks to her self-awareness, sees this whole thing for what it is: gratuitous, unnecessary, and played out. So, she stops everything, breaks into the Disney+ menu, and then transports herself to Marvel Studios so she can have a talk with the higher-ups.
This is more than just breaking the fourth wall, people. This is Marvel ascending to the highest levels of meta-awareness! *Cue the angelic music*. While some people might find this nonsensical, this is the end result of the show’s style of humor. Plus, it also allows Jen the chance to call out how dumb the climax is to K.E.V.I.N.
No, not Kevin Feige. I mean, K.E.V.I.N., the AI that oversees the MCU, and the ultimate meta-joke on its formulaic pattern.
Do Things Their Own Way
The MCU’s been around for fourteen years now. It’s not just a brave, new experiment in cinema anymore; it’s a seasoned veteran, which means it’s got to find new ways to stay fresh and relevant. However, even longtime fans like myself have to admit that the MCU’s got a problem with repetition. There’s a problem to be solved, drama and fighting ensue, and then everything’s solved with this big, climatic battle. It’s like they’re trying to run the superhero thing into the dirt. But, as Jen herself said at the very start of the show, she’s not a superhero. At least, not entirely. Her whole arc’s been about accepting herself as both Jen Walters the lawyer and as She-Hulk. Then, just as she’s finding peace with that, these jerks ruin her life to simply be haters.
Jen ultimately makes K.E.V.I.N. realize that letting Phelps get Hulk powers is not only dumb, but unnecessary. Todd doesn’t deserve the right to become a supervillain. He’s just a loser, plain and simple, and what he did is what people do to others online all too often. So, Todd no get powers. He gets a lawsuit and jail time, just like how Jen wanted.
Oh, and Jen also brings Daredevil back for the fanservice. Not that any of us are complaining, though. In addition, it turns out that Blonsky was turning into the Abomination simply for motivational speaking. And, rather than backslide, he owns up to it and returns to prison. Granted, Wong does bail him out, but I think he’s already proven that he’s changed for the better. Let him serve out his sentence at Kamar-Taj.
Thus, the season ends with She-Hulk getting her life back in order, and finally accepting both sides of her life. Plus, she and Daredevil might become an item.
One of the Best Endings to any MCU Show on Disney+
So, I wasn’t kidding when I said that this episode smashed the fourth wall to pieces. It did it in all the right ways, though, keeping with the show’s tone and sense of humor the entire time. Some might not like how it ended, but I applaud Marvel for taking a different direction. That’s what this whole show’s been about, in the end. The MCU’s free to take things in new directions. For example…did you know that Hulk now has a son?
#WorldWarHulk anyone? I can’t wait to see more of Skaar!
So, this might be my favorite of the MCU shows to come out on Disney+. It wasn’t the most action-packed, or the biggest, but it was hilarious and proud of it. I liked it, even if some of the episodes didn’t always pan out.
