She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was Marvel’s best premiere for Disney Plus

Episode 1 of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law the best premiere for a Marvel Studios show on Disney Plus.

It’s rare that a show will kick off and give you everything that a fan wanted, especially in its first season. There’s usually a waiting period before the fun superhero shows hit their stride. Kamala Khan didn’t use her powers until the end of the first episode of Ms. Marvel, Steven Grant didn’t turn into Moon Knight until the last minute of the series premiere. Granted, waiting doesn’t make a show bad. However, fans want to see the superheroes use their abilities.

This writer expected the montage of Jennifer Walters adjusting to her powers to happen in the second episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. That wasn’t the case. The premiere of the Disney Plus show gave fans of Marvel Studios projects an immediate look at Jennifer Walters with her powers. That’s only part of what made this the best premiere for a Marvel Studios show yet.

She-Hulk isn’t just a Hulk

There’s a huge difference between Bruce Banner’s Hulk and Jennifer Walters’ Hulk. The biggest is control. Jennifer doesn’t give in to her rage. There have been times in the comics when she’s been more Hulk than Jen (it happened after Marvel Comics: Civil War 2 for a bit), but that’s not her normal. The first episode of She-Hulk displayed this quickly. Not only that, she adapted to being a Hulk better than Bruce.

When Bruce was teaching Jennifer the ways of the Hulk, she picked everything up easier and flashier than he did. A lot of it had to do with her not getting her powers via an untested experiment. It came from a small dose of Bruce’s blood. Things may have been different if she did. Nevertheless, Jennifer Walter is a different Hulk. It’s not only with her powers. Jennifer doesn’t want to be a superhero. She wants to help her way.

Helping her way

When Jennifer got control of her powers, she didn’t want to use them to be a hero. Actually, she didn’t want them in general. Jennifer plainly told Bruce that she wanted to help people the way she’s always wanted to. By that she meant being a lawyer. Bruce kept trying to tell her she couldn’t but Jennifer didn’t just rebel, she did so by being both a Hulk and a lawyer.

Jennifer not wanting to put on tights and become a hero was something of a different origin than we see with any other hero.  Of course, there are going to be times when she will be She-Hulk and fight. It was shown in the trailer when she was approached by the Wrecking Crew. But that won’t be her focus. Opening up will continue to make the show interesting. You’ll have to guess when Jennifer will be She-Hulk and when she’ll be her human self. Like Jennifer Walters said, this is a lawyer show.

Bruce’s vulnerability

It’s easy to forget that the Hulk has feelings other than anger. Now that Bruce Banner is in charge, it’s clear that there’s more to the character than that. She-Hulk highlighted that in a special way. The creative team used the friendship between Bruce and Tony to hit the point home.

After Marvel’s The Avengers, Bruce and Tony became close. Their love of science and working together as Avengers eventually made them friends. Marvel Studios movies didn’t have time to focus on their relationship. Plus there was the five year gap (thank Thanos) that wasn’t explored in a movie. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law gave a quick look into what Tony meant to Bruce.

During this moment, Bruce mentioned Tony a lot. It wasn’t like when Peter Parker talked about him; Tony was Peter’s mentor and somewhat of a father figure. Tony was Bruce’s best friend and like a brother to him. They could talk about their lives without judgment. Tony may have gotten drunk and vented about Steve Rogers, but Bruce seemed to cherish those moments. You could tell he wishes he could hear him vent again. It was nice seeing Bruce be vulnerable. A quality that even the strongest men can and should have.

Women empowerment

One of the biggest things this writer loves about Marvel Studios projects is the representation. It isn’t done just so people will click on the shows and buy tickets to the movies. That’s going to happen regardless. Marvel makes it a point to represent more than just the heroes, but the people behind the powers. Kamala Khan is a proud Muslim. Maya Lopez is an indigenous character played by an indigenous woman. There’s also Sam Wilson in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, who had to deal with his feelings towards being Captain America, how people look at him as Cap and being Black, as well as how Black people in America are treated. All of this was important to him and important to life in general.

Thanks to writer and creator Jessica Gao, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law will highlight the power within women. Not just because the lead is a Hulk. But how they have to exist in a world that doesn’t treat them as equals. For example, Jennifer’s conversation with Bruce about controlling her emotions.

While they were testing Jennifer’s powers, Bruce told her that Hulk triggers are anger and fear. Jennifer replied, “Those are, like, the baseline for any woman just existing.” An uncomfortable truth that some men needed to hear. A line like this is so important for women too, as it lets them know that they are being heard. It’s so important to see representation like this on-screen, and She-Hulk: Attorney At Law will undoubtedly make women all over the world feel heard.

She-Hulk is fun

Lastly, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is fun. Jennifer breaks the fourth wall (something she did years before Deadpool), makes jokes about the testosterone filled idea of being a hero and a Hulk and she refused to let go of the idea that Steve Rogers was a virgin. You couldn’t help but laugh or smile. Everything she did was entertaining.

In just one episode, viewers could see the potential of She-Hulk. It’s going to be an amusing ride full of jokes, banter, while also being an incredible story for women empowerment. Imagine what the rest of the season will be like. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is Marvel Studios first full-blown comedy show. When this does well, it will set the stage for more programs like this – and hopefully a lot more with women leading the way.

What do you think, readers? Was She-Hulk: Attorney at Law the best Marvel Studios show for Disney Plus? Let us know in the comments below.