Newly transforming into a Hulk is not supposed to be a piece of cake. Still, Jennifer Walters seems to be managing it just fine — She isn’t always in her She-Hulk form, can manage her rage, and doesn’t seem to have any major memory loss either.
This is very unlike her cousin’s experience when he first got his powers. Is Jennifer Walters really better adept at her Hulk powers than Bruce?
She-Hulk Ep 1 depicts that Jennifer has adapted to powers better than Bruce because her DNA synthesizes gamma rays in a different way. Another major reason is that her Hulk form does not have a separate persona or identity of its own.
Jennifer and Bruce not only differ with regards to how they got their Hulk powers, but also that their bodies reacted to it differently. Let’s explore in more detail:
Why is Jennifer better adept at her powers than Bruce?
There is no arguing that the Hulk is far superior to She-Hulk and one of the strongest Marvel characters. So why does the MCU show make it seem like Jennifer could give Bruce a run for his money?
First of all, the trailer was rather deceiving. Although Jennifer’s She-Hulk is quite strong and beat Bruce at some of his training exercises, we simultaneously see that he’s not actually using his powers to the nth limit.
This is clearly demonstrated in the boulder scene where he catapults it across the sky, possibly into outer space.
But there is no denying that Jennifer has adapted to her powers better and faster. This is because, unlike Bruce, Jennifer’s She-Hulk form does not have an identity of its own.
So where Bruce and the Hulk are two different personas, the She-Hulk is simply a bodily transformation for Jen.
Bruce faced a lot of barriers adapting to his powers because he had to make room for a whole new person who was also controlling his body. Plus, the Hulk’s personality is quite raw and primitive, which responds to very id-centric emotions like anger or fear. Finding the balance between this is what kept Bruce from assuming his full potential all these years.
It’s also why Smart Hulk is such a supreme character!
Since Jennifer doesn’t have to balance or deal with another personality, and her She-Hulk form only acts like a physical enhancement, she can control her powers more easily.
She even counters back by saying how she is so used to controlling her rage (which is a trigger for transforming into a Hulk) because of her daily experiences as a woman — a powerful commentary in my opinion!
Let’s also not forget that she’s supposed to be trained in martial arts, which would also help her use her powers better.
When we meet Jen at the beginning of the show, she’s back at her office and is able to control when and how she transforms into the She-Hulk. While it looks like she’s got everything under control now, maybe the future episodes will shed light on any difficulties that Jennifer faces with her new abilities as She-Hulk.
About She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is an American superhero television series created by Jessica Gao for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, the show is a part of Phase Four of the MCU.
Jennifer Walters, Attorney to superhumans, must balance her job and identity as She-Hulk and decide which path is for her. Her journey is hurdled by dangerous enemies like The Abomination and Titania. Her cousin Bruce Banner trains her to live life as a green-skinned superhero.
The comedy-legal drama premiered on Disney+ on August 17, 2022, with weekly episodes every Wednesday. The show stars Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Jameela Jamil, Benedict Wong, and Charlie Cox.
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