She-Hulk: The Reality of Being a Superhero
Being a superhero seems like a pretty glamorous job. Being celebrated and hailed as heroes sounds fun. However, the second episode of She-Hulk challenged this utopian dream. It gave us a little insight into the reality of being a superhero and how it impacts normal life. She also spoke about it when she told Bruce she didn’t want to be a superhero. She rightly pointed out that Bruce was ostracized from society and found himself alone in an isolated lab somewhere in Mexico.
1. Jen gets fired
Jennifer saves the jury at her trial from Titania’s attacks by transforming into She-Hulk and exposing her powers to the world. However, the consequences proved to be devastating. She loses the case as it is declared void due to her positive influence on the jury. This leads to her getting fired. Also, she cannot find a job anywhere else because no company wants to hire her due to her superhuman abilities. Although she did the right thing and saved lives, Jen is being punished for her actions.
2. Family dinner is a disaster.
Apparently, when you’re a superhero, you become nearly invisible to your alter ego. We see him at Jen’s family dinner. His mother gave his number to a random guy because he wanted to be a superhero too. The others bombard her with questions about superheroes. Although his dad asks a pretty funny question about Hawkeye and his arrows. Jen feels quite dizzy and overwhelmed by it all.
3. She-Hulk lands a job…not Jen
Jen seems pretty excited to finally have a new job at GLK and H. She goes to the office, all dressed for her first day. It is then that she discovers that Mr. Holliway wants She-Hulk to lead the division and not Jen Walters. This greatly diminishes his abilities. Her frustration is clear when she talks on camera about the unfairness of the whole situation. Her colleagues at the company will most likely doubt her abilities and think she was only hired because of her superpowers. This makes Jen even more invisible and overlooked.
4. Health Care Questions
Jen’s legal assistant, Nicki tries to get her excited about being She-Hulk. She points out that Jen could be part of the Avengers and that can be a really cool opportunity. However, Jen raises very relevant and appropriate questions. She explains that being part of the Avengers has almost no benefits or compensation. It is a very sad reality. Superheroes aren’t exactly offered health care or paid maternity leave. In fact, they are not paid at all. They don’t have a pension either. She tells the hard truth that superheroing is just a job for billionaires and narcissists. Keeping real-life and financial constraints in mind, being a superhero certainly doesn’t seem like a viable or sustainable option. This is a fact often overlooked by fans.
5. Jen needs a new wardrobe
When Jen finds out she has to be in her She-Hulk form during labor as well as in court, she realizes she needs a new wardrobe. It doesn’t seem to be as big a problem as the others Jen is facing. But she rightly points out the financial strain of buying a whole new wardrobe to go to work every day. Fortunately, GLK and H provide her with a substantial salary and she can afford a new wardrobe.
6. The Post-Credits Scene
The post-credits scene, while funny, also shows how annoying people can be once you become the Hulk. After dinner with the family, Jen walks around the house and helps her loved ones with tasks that might require She-Hulk’s help. She lifts a television and places it. She carries a bunch of large jugs of water around the house for her father. His annoying uncle and cousin also make him lift a car as they bicker to fix a tire. While this scene is funny, it shows a different, less glamorous side to life for these super-powered humans.
That’s all for the second episode. Future episodes will also explore how difficult it is to be the She-Hulk and to date, especially using dating apps. In this way, the show will continue to explore the difficulties of being a superhero in everyday life.
