She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continues its positive momentum with a strong third episode following a second chapter that offered plenty of juicy storytelling for the viewer to sink their teeth into. This time around, the series dives into the ways laws are applicable to superhumans and other beings while continuing its exploration of Tim Roth’s Emil Blonsky in a number of compelling ways.
1. Superhuman Law
One of the most compelling aspects of the show took center stage in this third installment, as it finally shined a light on some of the ethical and legal questions surrounding superhuman law. When Runa, a shape-shifting elf from Asgard, winds up in court, she claims that she has diplomatic immunity because she’s Asgardian. The judge tells her that this immunity is not applicable because they’re in the United States, but Runa counters by noting that Asgard isn’t a place, it’s a people. As with the previous episode, when it was revealed that Jennifer’s heroics cost her a case because she biased the jury, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is examining the complications that stem from having superhumans
2. Abominable Love
Emil Blonsky is truly a changed man. In the second episode, he revealed that he has seven soulmates that he met through the pen pal system at the prison. In this installment, he elaborates on these relationships. During his parole hearing, he calls them his “better eighths”, and Jennifer shares his plan to open a meditation retreat with the septet of women who will be funding the whole thing. He has clearly mastered the art of mindfulness himself; to prove that he has full control of his abilities, he turns into The Abomination during the hearing, much to the delight of his loved ones, and, much like Bruce Banner’s “Smart Hulk”, maintains his personality. While Emil’s love life is wacky, there’s no doubting that She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is evolving his character in a number of unexpected ways.
3. Ding-Dong, Wong’s Gone
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is three-for-three with cameos. This week, Wong from the Doctor Strange franchise popped in as he is revealed to be the reason why Emil broke out of prison at the end of the previous episode. He makes one brief appearance and winds up being late for the trial, despite being a key witness. Wong eventually arrives just in time to explain that he made Emil leave his cell because he needed a strong opponent for his training as the Sorcerer Supreme. His testimony clinches Emil’s freedom, given the way he stated that Emil willingly returned to his cell in order to serve out his sentence.
However, when one of the parole board members points out that Wong confessed to a crime by admitting he broke Emil out of prison, the sorcerer promptly makes a portal and leaves again. While it might have been fun to see more of Wong, he does just enough to contribute to the story without overstaying his welcome, which can sometimes be an issue with important characters who make cameos.
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4. Control The Narrative
Throughout the episode, Jennifer refuses to engage with the news media, even as various outlets criticize her and plenty of social media users badmouth her. However, Emil of all people finally convinces her to speak out by telling She-Hulk that the news will tell a story either way, so it’s better to be a part of it. Jennifer heeds his advice and finally accepts an interview request. When she does, she’s asked a softball question about the origin of her superhero name before the anchor says that, after a commercial, the viewer will find out about Jennifer’s eating and exercise habits. While this first attempt to share her part of the story doesn’t go as planned, it’ll be interesting to see how Jennifer’s relationship with the press continues as she presumably continues to gain popularity.
5. “I Know It Ain’t The Stallion”
The news about Megan Thee Stallion’s cameo in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law was already circulating ahead of the premiere of this week’s episode. But that doesn’t make the sight of the rapping superstar in the MCU any less meaningful. Stallion is introduced through the episode’s secondary storyline; the aforementioned shape-shifting else pretends to be the celebrity and scams Dennis, a rich lawyer into giving her well over $200,000 as part of a deceitful romance. Dennis takes her to court and eventually wins the case when Jennifer testifies that he is indeed delusional enough to think that he would actually date Stallion. The camera pans to the real Megan, who makes it clear that she’s one of a kind to neatly tie up the completion of the case.
Then, in the mid-credits scene, Jennifer reveals that Stallion is her new client, and they start twerking together. If nothing else, Stallion’s cameo is a fitting marriage of the MCU and pop culture that should boost the show’s mainstream appeal.
In its third episode, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continues to find its footing. Its strengths remain the dynamics of superhuman law in a real-world context and the expansion of the mythos of The Incredible Hulk. Jennifer continues to come into her own as a superpowered lawyer, and it’s only a matter of time before she faces her first major test on either front.
