Let’s Talk about She-Hulk Episode 1-4
This week: shippers are out in force as Wongers finds an unlikely new partner in Madisynn, the current darling of social media. Let’s talk about She-Hulk episode 1-4, the one where She-Hulk hooks up, but that’s not the pairing that viewers adore.
A Failed Sorcerer
Source: Marvel Studios
Meet “the great” Donny Blaze. He’s a magician performing at the vaunted Los Angeles restaurant, The Magic Castle.
Diners receive dinner and a show here, with Blaze taking the stage this night. But, unfortunately, it’s…not going well. His levitation and fireball tricks don’t impress anyone.
Frustrated, Blaze asks for a volunteer from the audience. At this moment, MCU history is made.
Source: Marvel Studios
A slightly intoxicated woman identifies herself as “Madisynn with N’s, one Y, but it’s not where you think.” Yes, her name is Madisynn. Her parents must be terrible people.
Anyway, Blaze and his incredibly dedicated hype man, Cornelius P. Willows, recognize that his show needs some juice.
So, Blaze throws on a sling ring and, eventually, opens a mystical door to the unknown. An unknowing Madisynn enters the portal as the audience finally gives him a round of applause.
Source: Marvel Studios
Moments later, we transition to Kathmandu, Nepal, where Wong is binging The Sopranos.
In an unlikely but serendipitous turn of events, Madisynn ports into his home. That’s not the only place she has visited, though!
The party girl recounts what sure sounds like an encounter with Mephisto and believes that Wong may be the goblin king.
Source: Marvel Studios
She also drops a heart out of her hand, which tells a story in and of itself.
As far as meet-cute stories go, I haven’t seen one where the woman may have just participated in a blood sacrifice immediately beforehand. Somehow, it works, though.
Like any good first date, Madisynn tells her backstory about growing up in Fort Lauderdale but then visiting her dad with his new family in Arizona.
(L-R): Benedict Wong as Wong, Patty Guggenheim as Madisynn, and Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer “Jen” Walters/She-Hulk in Marvel Studios’ She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
Also, there’s some stuff about escaping a lava pit and a trade for six drops of blood. If this isn’t a future MCU series, somebody has blown it.
The Law Stuff
Source: Marvel Studios
No matter how engaging Madisynn is, She-Hulk remains a law show at its core. So, we’ve got legal developments from her recent travels.
Wong demands that Jennifer Walters stop Donny Blaze from opening portals to other dimensions. Believe it or not, the law isn’t clear on this matter.
Sure, we can’t jaywalk or impersonate Megan Thee Stallion/a judge or spoil The Sopranos to Wongers. Somehow, there aren’t any rules against sending Madisynn to Mephisto’s lava pit lair. Seems like a legal loophole.
Source: Marvel
For her part, Jennifer Walters is happy that Wong is back because “it’s like giving the show Twitter armor for a week.”
We’re five minutes into the episode, and I’m head over heels in love…like Wongers is with Madisynn, despite her breaking the bad news about Adriana.
For her part, Jen Walters is dealing with an angry, overprotective father with a shovel. She’s also got a dating profile with no viable results.
Source: Marvel Studios
Yes, we’re playing The Dating Game on She-Hulk this week, and the most fascinating part is that former pro wrestler David Otunga appears. Take that, ex-wife Jennifer Hudson!
Also, an Aaron Sorkin favorite named Jon Bass appears as someone who is highly interested in the science of She-Hulk, which makes for awkward first-date questions. Don’t be surprised if this dude appears again. He’s probably bad news.
Source: Marvel Studios
Still, we should probably talk about the law stuff. Wong and Jen serve Blaze and his hype man with a cease-and-desist, leading to a court showdown.
By the way, an underrated gag this week is that Willows genuinely loves magic. The actor in this role oversells everything in the best possible way.
Madisynn Testifies
Source: Marvel Studios
In what is objectively the best courtroom scene since A Few Good Men, Madisynn takes the stand to testify against Blaze. Sadly, the judge refuses to allow her to nurture a beverage during testimony, which makes me realize how terrible our justice system is.
Anyway, Madisynn confirms that Blaze pushed her into “a fire land” where she “made a pact with a demon that I cannot discuss.” Fans of comic relief are euphoric over every word spilling out of Madisynn’s drunken mouth. Here’s where Madisynn drops the bad news. Said demon takes NDAs seriously.
If Madisynn describes their bargain, he will reap her soul and the souls of all the people she loves. So, it’s probably a good thing that Mephisto didn’t show up in WandaVision.
Source: Marvel Studios
Anyway, the judge decides to allow the trial to proceed. However, Blaze may continue to practice magic during the interim.
The magician, his hype man, and even his attorney celebrate by pulling off some low-rent magic tricks. Yes, the attorney is a magician, too.
Also, Willows knows Jake the Demon, the one who made a bargain with Madisynn. With Marvel, stuff like that is rarely random. So, expect a callback.
Source: Marvel Studios
Life’s not all bad for She-Hulk, though. She does make a love connection…but only after using that profile instead of Jen’s. Don’t let hate groups on the internet fool you. Dudes are way into superpowered women!
Sadly for Jen, the timing proves unfortunate. Simultaneously, Blaze hosts another stage show that goes poorly. He somehow summons angry demon bats.
Blaze enlists Wong’s help. In turn, Wong interrupts Walters on what is about to become a literal loveseat and forces her to ditch the foreplay in favor of mortal combat. It’s tough to be a She-Hulk.
Madisynn and Wongers
Source: Marvel Studios
This is really just the third time that we’ve watched She-Hulk in action, and it’s a more extensive battle than the previous two instances. She and Wong prove an effective fighting duo. Walters demonstrates that she’s always an attorney, too.
Toward the end of the fight, she negotiates a strong-armed cease-and-desist with Willows and Blaze.
Even though they’re in the middle of a doomsday scenario, Willows manages to slide in the line, “Good evening, milady.” That dude’s smooth.
Source: Marvel Studios
Back at home, Jen’s embracing the afterglow of the morning after. She’s even made mimosas for her man, whom she discovered reading a feminist author while she was out battling demons.
Just when Walters thinks she might have found the one, he fails to recognize the small, decidedly not green woman replacing She-Hulk. He’s apparently a groupie.
Have you ever heard that old Rita Hayworth quote? It’s applicable in a modified state here. “Men go to bed with She-Hulk but wake up with me, Jen Walters.”
Source: Marvel Studios
As She-Hulk’s date rushes off, the morning somehow gets worse. A process server hands her the papers. Titania is suing over trademark infringement. Apparently, the influencer liked the name She-Hulk so much that she trademarked it! So Jen’s in violation of that trademark!
Theoretically, that’s where the episode ends, but I’m happy to report there’s a post-credits scene. It’s just Madisynn and Wongers kickin’ it at his house. They’re watching This Is Us and talking about life and alcoholic beverages.
Wongers mentions that he may still have “vodka and yak milk” “from the wedding.” Whose wedding does he mean?
Source: Marvel Studios
The internet is ablaze with speculation that his comic book wife, who died in Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, may have been his MCU wife, too.
Personally, I’m hoping Madisynn and Wongers already eloped.
