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Marvel Cinematic Universe (popularly known as the MCU) has released several shows and films in the last few years, including She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The latest Marvel show had its finale on October 14, 2022, and like the rest of the season, the finale continued to defy the odds and shatter conventions.
The finale featured perhaps the most offbeat conclusion to any series, not just Marvel. However, a show like Marvel's She-Hulk, which people expected to be another Hulk affair, turned out to be significantly different. It challenged all the conventions Marvel and other superhero films had set for the genre. It also critically challenged how Marvel has treated the superhero franchise until now.
How was She-Hulk a commentary on the entire superhero genre?
Jennifer Walters' (played by Tatiana Maslany) story was hardly ordinary. The creators initially described the show as a "legal drama." Though it started precisely that way, few believed this plotline would continue until the end. Previously, WandaVision also started as a sitcom but ended in a traditional superhero way.
However, the finale of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law proved that Marvel was slated to do something very different this time. The finale followed classic Marvel norms almost till the middle of the episode. It became self-aware when Jennifer lost her cool after seeing multiple Hulk storylines collide and the space being overflooded with villains and fights (even Mark Ruffalo's Hulk appearing to fight Abomination).
Jennifer proceeded to step out of the Disney+ screen and went to the writers of She-Hulk, urging them to change the storyline of the finale. The team revealed that they were powerless in front of the AI-driven K.E.V.I.N. This was a subtle and clever nod to the producer, Kevin Fiege's influence on the show.
The subsequent conversation between Jennifer and K.E.V.I.N. was as realistic as it can get in a superhero show. From CGI jokes (something that plagued the show from the start) to discussion about sticking to the show's subject matter, this part carefully broke down all the conventions of the traditional superhero genre, giving the show an ending suitable for a comedy-legal drama show, which it intended to be in the first place.
This highlighted one of Marvel's most significant issues till now. Though many shows began trying out novel plotlines, they all concluded using similar tropes. This new approach was a nod to the rapidly evolving superhero genre and its renewed treatment. Over the years, the genre has evolved significantly, with superheroes becoming national figures instead of secretive vigilantes.
This was perhaps a way to develop the genre further, with greater self-awareness, a heavy focus on sub-genres, and a deviation from the same old fight-driven superhero flicks. Marvel critiqued its own tropes with She-Hulk's story, something it may bring on to other shows or films in the future. It has done so with Deadpool, but so far, the Ryan Reynolds starrer is not a part of the universe.
The finale of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is now streaming on Disney+.
