Given Universal and Marvel’s complicated rights over the Hulk, fans have not yet witnessed a standalone Hulk project since 2008. For whatever reasons, that seems to have changed, as She-Hulk is ready to debut on Disney+ this August.
In debates, the Hulk is often pitted against Thor as the strongest Avenger. What happens when we put She-Hulk in this mix? Is she as strong as the Hulk, or stronger?
Most versions of the Hulk boast of superior strength and brain power, when compared to She-Hulk and her varied versions. But given the Hulk’s mental and physical weariness in the MCU’s current timeline, She-Hulk may have an advantage.
Stan Lee once put it across very well—that deciding who’s the stronger character depends on the situation and more so on the writer. Still, let’s try to pragmatically sort this out by comparing the different forms of the Hulk and She-Hulk.
1. The Hulk (Base Form) vs She-Hulk (Base Form)
I. The Hulk (Base Form)
The Hulk has two very key advantages over She-Hulk—brain and brawn. For the first one, you simply have to glance at how accomplished he is in the sciences. His intelligence is truly one to reckon with, and even if he wasn’t the Hulk, he would be a worthy opponent.
The Hulk’s strength, on the other hand, is a tale as old as time, with unbeatable strength, the ability to leap across great distances, and the ability to withstand gamma rays. We all know that the Hulk’s powers are said to have no cap, and he’s gone against the base versions of superheroes like Thor and emerged victorious.
Now the only disadvantage is that in the early days, the Hulk couldn’t control his rage—which ironically made him even more powerful. Still, he has come a long way since then, exhibiting some amount of control.
II. She-Hulk (Base Form)
So let’s talk about how She-Hulk got her powers in the first place. As per the comics, she gained her Hulk-like abilities due to a blood transfusion from Bruce Banner (her cousin) and not because of exposure to gamma radiation. Because of this, even though she has superhuman strength, durability, and regeneration, she is not as powerful as the Hulk.
On the flip side, she is a martial artist and trains daily—which Bruce is not known to do. (This is why in the She-Hulk trailer, we see her ace Banner’s physical tests quite easily!) Another advantage that she has over the Hulk is how she was able to control her powers and her “rage” right from the beginning.
Verdict: General consensus is that despite some of She-Hulk’s incredible abilities (martial arts, rage control) she is still not as strong as the Hulk, as his power’s limits have never been defined.
2. MCU Hulk vs MCU She-Hulk
I. MCU Hulk
The Hulk’s strength is undeniable. After all, he was one of the few who could use the Infinity Gauntlet and survive, only injuring the hand that wore it. But it is this very injury that may put the Hulk at a disadvantage.
While the process of going through direct gamma radiation exposure has made the Hulk marginally strong, he has been in far too many battles to date. As per his latest appearance in Shang-Chi, even his regenerative powers are not helping heal his hand as quickly as they used to.
As the She-Hulk trailer shows, whatever the Hulk can do physically, the younger, relatively unscathed She-Hulk can now do better.
II. MCU She-Hulk
Without watching the show, we cannot be entirely sure of how strong She-Hulk is. For now, we can assume she will have the powers and abilities of her base form.
But even though she is not as powerful as the Hulk, she does have an advantage of martial arts and control over her rage, powers, and transformations at will, as well as being in the prime of her physical state.
Verdict: As of now, who is the stronger one amongst the two is still inconclusive. The show may shed some light on it!
3. The Professor vs The Misstro
I. The Professor
The Professor is a version of the Hulk who can maintain an equilibrium between his Hulk and Bruce personas. While rage is the Hulk’s powerhouse, it is also ultimately his downfall—too much rage and he can turn into a brainless killing machine, easily manipulated by villains.
We’ve seen a version of the Professor in the MCU when Endgame debuted “Smart Hulk.” Having the best of both worlds really does make him a formidable opponent.
II. The Misstro
The Misstro hasn’t been explored much, since she is a future version of She-Hulk that appears in “A Christmas Carol” vision. Basically, She-Hulk was reminded that if she continued to have a bitter, pessimistic view of life, she would turn into the Misstro.
Other than being a cynic, the Misstro has leveled up quite a bit as she sports the Captain’s shield, Iron Man’s armor, and Thor’s hammer. These weaponry upgrades make up for what she lacks in comparison to the Hulk’s power.
Verdict: These two forms of the Hulk and She-Hulk are on par with each other and would give each other tough competition.
4. World Breaker Hulk vs Immortal She-Hulk
I. World Breaker Hulk
We all know that World Breaker Hulk is the Hulk’s strongest form. He got the name because he can literally destroy continents by simply stepping on them.
Now in his origin story, he has absorbed the radiation caused by the explosion of the planet Sakaar where he was held as a prisoner. Along with this, he also absorbs the Old Power of the planet. His powers are truly limitless in this form!
What gives him an edge is that not only is he able to control his rage and powers but he can also separate or align his mind space with Bruce with ease.
II. Immortal She-Hulk
The Immortal She-Hulk is arguably one of the strongest iterations of the character. She has all the abilities of the regular She-Hulk, plus added powers from The Below All. Every time she gets killed, she is guaranteed to be resurrected.
Still, the toll of coming to life does cause her trauma that could put her at a big disadvantage.
Verdict: Although it is a tough one to crack, World Breaker Hulk easily wins this round. She-Hulk may be immortal, but World Breaker Hulk will knock the wind out of her enough to make sure there isn’t a rematch.
5. Conclusion
As one of the strongest Marvel characters, most iterations of the Hulk would easily outdo She-Hulk.
But if we had to look specifically at the MCU, it is possible that She-Hulk could beat him in some scenarios. However, given the Hulk’s intellectual prowess and his extensive combat knowledge, She-Hulk has much to learn from him as she assumes her role as the MCU’s newest superhero on screen.
6. 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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