As She-Hulk: Attorney at Law prepares for its August 18 premiere date, director Kat Coiro is already teasing details about a potential season 2, opening "infinite possibilities" of her story past the series. Yet, Jennifer is already receiving the welcoming debut and feeling part of the MCU family due to her interaction with prominent characters like Bruce Banner and Wong, as evident from the released trailers.
Though the Disney+ series serves as Jennifer Walter's origin story, the trailers have hinted that several key players will impact her arc, such as Emil Blonsky's decade-long return to the MCU. More importantly, the events from 2008's The Incredible Hulk are heavily connected to the She-Hulk storyline, though its development for the Multiverse Saga is unclear. But with so little time left to catch up on these materials, whether Bruce's origin story, Wong's current escapades, or Daredevil's canonical facets, it is worth freshening up some knowledge that will help guide fans before its premiere.
Bruce Is Professor Hulk - But It's Infrequent
Considering that Bruce is Jennifer's cousin, he will have a notable role as a so-called "mentor" to her, as shown several times in the trailers. Before becoming Professor Hulk, Bruce and the Hulk had their personal disputes that became a central subplot in many Avengers films before eventually resolving their differences. The important aspect is that Bruce became Professor Hulk in the process, which came by in Avengers: Endgame, and likely means that he has more control of his Hulking than ever before.
But there have been inquiries about Bruce's Hulking powers. Particularly in the Shang-Chi's mid-credit scene, Bruce made one of his best Phase Four cameos but in his human form. Though the trailers depict him as Professor Hulk, an official clip from the series shows Bruce back to his human form while with Jennifer. With the number of times Bruce slid back to his human form, the series may explain how he has managed to control his transformations without being angry to Hulk out.
Bruce Is Still Helping Other Superheroes
Although most of the original Avengers have either died or retired, Bruce has remained relatively active. The Shang-Chi mid-credit scene is the prime example of his current affairs, having formed an association with Captain Marvel and Wong as they try to understand the mysticism behind the ten rings.
Based on his appearances thus far, Bruce likely has a significant role in The Multiverse Saga, perhaps to uncover the mysterious things in the universe. Thanks to his intelligent mind and seven PhDs, he is the most qualified candidate to research the matter regarding the multiverse - though this may not be a noteworthy plot for She-Hulk. But his more caring nature is conveyed in She-Hulk as he will likely save his cousin by infusing his gamma-radiated blood into her and training her to control her Hulk-like powers.
The Sokovia Accords Is Still A Thing
There have been glimpses of the post-Blip world, with overpopulation a major issue and the Sokovia Accords still being in place. It was revealed in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, where Sam eventually did sign the accords while Bucky made a deal to expunge his criminal record under Hydra.
The Sokovia Accords will likely be a big part of the legal proceedings taking place in the MCU, especially with Jennifer's profession as a lawyer. The Disney+ series could dive deeper into the specific laws and regulations to understand how it becomes enacted, which may put Jennifer in a pickle as soon as her She-Hulk powers emerge. But Bruce's opinion about it remains a mystery - since he missed out on the Avengers Civil War - but the series could settle the unresolved matter of which team he would have chosen if he was present.
The Big Three: "Aliens, Androids, & Wizards"
In addition to the Sokovia Accords, Sam also dropped an interesting detail about how they group villains: aliens, androids, and wizards. These "big three" designation identifies any threat that enters Earth since these are the typical villains they face, highlighting how normalized these occurrences have become in the MCU.
The detail's importance could become associated with Jennifer's occupation as an attorney. Jennifer is part of the superhuman law division, and one of her cases is with the mutated Emil/Abomination - though it's unclear where and how he fits into any of these groups. But, this grouping may play a part in understanding the legal processing, especially with the Sokovia Accords still intact.
Wong Vs. Abomination Cage Fight
Aside from The Incredible Hulk, the other movie that has direct connections to She-Hulk is Shang-Chi. On top of the mid-credit scene that united Wong and Bruce, there is a cage fight scene where Wong fought against Abomination. With Emil/Abomination likely granted permission to participate in the fight, it does hint that he may have changed since the 2008 film.
Wong and Abomination are friends as shown by their cordial gestures to each in the following scene. Their growing friendship could explain why Wong wants Jennifer to defend him. Despite comic books fan knowing things about Abomination, there are a lot of unanswered questions about Emil, given his 14-year nonattendance in the MCU. There is the issue of why Emil deserves to be free, what caused him to change his ways, and how he has controlled his monstrous form. He remains at the Damage Control Supermax Prison - first seen in Shang-Chi - and She-Hulk will return to this facility where he is still placed.
Hulk Defeats Abomination In Harlem
The Hulk and Abomination have a complicated history with each, having battled each other 14 years ago in The Incredible Hulk. Hulk triumphed over Abomination in Harlem streets, though instead of killing him, he surrendered Abomination to then-General Ross. Abomination ended up in SHIELD custody, though he has been imprisoned in Damage Control Supermax Prison since SHIELD no longer exists.
That was the first and last time that Bruce/The Hulk faced a distinct supervillain because The Incredible Hulk was Bruce's only Hulk-centered film in the MCU. Not to mention, Edward Norton had portrayed the role at the time before Ruffalo replaced him in 2012's The Avengers. Ruffalo has since been donning the character but hasn't had the opportunity to feature in a Hulk-based project. On the other hand, Tim Roth reprises his role as Emil Blonsky/Abomination after his absence. And while fans may see Hulk reacquainted with Abomination again, it is still uncertain whether that may come to fruition or if there will be a Hulk vs. Abomination 2.0. Though Emil seemingly changed, it remains questionable if he truly became a different person or if he still fantasizes about wanting to beat the Hulk.
Secretary Ross' History With Bruce & Emil
If an existing character could appear in She-Hulk, now-Secretary Ross would be the highest probability. Not surprisingly, then-General Ross was a villain hunting down Bruce Banner. In The Incredible Hulk, he continued his manhunt for Bruce and recruited a special ops commander, Emil Blonsky - to partake in a special super soldier program and commissioned to retrieve the Hulk. In the end, Ross jailed Emil and ended his search for Bruce while reflecting on his misdeeds and retiring from the military.
Since Captain America: Civil War, Secretary Ross has been a recurring minor antagonist in the MCU, mostly vigorously trying to keep the superheroes in check. It was Secretary Ross who proposed the Sokovia Accords, which further makes his presence a possibility. Also, with Jennifer representing Emil, her best case may require having to subpoena Secretary Ross for his involvement in the program and his control over Emil. But fans are excited to see if Bruce confronts Secretary Ross after the showdown in Harlem and whether there is still a feud between them. Having portrayed Secretary Ross for 13 years, William Hurt sadly passed away earlier this year due to complications from cancer, so if Secretary Ross does appear, it will likely be his final appearance.
Wong's Active Role In The Multiverse Saga
Considering the trailers show Wong reaching out to Jennifer to represent Emil, many people describe him as the Multiverse Saga's new Nick Fury. Thus far, Wong has made cameos in Shang-Chi, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and a prominent role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With additional appearances in She-Hulk, Wong is the only character to surface in about four MCU films in the Phase Four's short span.
Wong's busy schedule likely stems from his "technical" title as the Sorcerer Supreme. The Sorcerer Supreme has immense knowledge that no other wizard or sorcerer has managed to possess, making him a vital person to comprehend the multiversal and cosmic elements in the current saga. Also, combining his magical expertise with Bruce's scientific mind is a recipe for uncovering the impossibilities. Though it may not be relevant in She-Hulk, it may just be a peek at what is to come.
Jennifer Is Not The Only "Good Lawyer"
What makes She-Hulk unique from other MCU content is that it will be a legal comedy-drama that will not only focus on Jennifer's journey as She-Hulk but also on balancing her lifestyle as an attorney. Hence, the series will feature many aspects of law and order and glance at how the legal system works in the MCU.
While Jennifer will represent Emil Blonsky in the court of law, she is not the only "good lawyer" in the universe. The latest trailer gave a quick look at what is Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock, marking his second reprisal after Spider-Man: No Way Home. Considering that comic book fans know She-Hulk is from Los Angeles, this may be the case of west meets east lawyers' edition. And though the trailers did not indicate why or how they have crossed paths, Coiro hinted that Daredevil may feature more than just a few second cameos, with already a confirmation of his costume change to a more red and gold design.
The Devil Of Hell's Kitchen Returns, But What Parts Are From The Netflix Series?
Since Cox's return as Daredevil in Spider-Man: No Way Home, many fans have debated whether and how much of his story from the Netflix series is canon. It's tricky because Netflix produced the first three seasons before Daredevil's cancellation in 2018.
The Netflix series illustrated Matt Murdock's story as a daytime lawyer and nighttime vigilante, which progressed his arc wearing the Daredevil moniker along with his feud with Wilson Fisk. Unlike She-Hulk's humorous tone, Daredevil was sophisticated with its violent and graphic imagery. With a Daredevil: Born Again series now greenlit, She-Hulk will hopefully give a better idea about Daredevil's narrative and likely answer the long-awaited conundrum about his story's canonical nature.