She-Hulk Does What So Many Marvel Fans Have Wanted to Do: Daredevil

I’d like to enter the phase “good things come to those who wait” into evidence. Three weeks after seeing a certain horned helmet in a hatbox, Daredevil finally came to She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — and yes, I’m just going to tiptoe up to that pun and leave it there. And like the proverb/’80s ketchup slogan says, honey, it was worth the wait. Spoilers ahead — and I truly mean that for the first time in my decade as a journalist, critic, and reporter. You do not want this episode’s events spoiled for you. You need to experience them, up close and personal. So… go do that if you haven’t.

But everyone else? Hi. Can we just talk about this??? And by “talk” I mean do that thing where we hold both hands and jump around uncontrollably while our scream-squeals reach a pitch that’s only perceivable by Daredevil himself? Oh. My. Devil. This was it. This was the one. Who cares about a three-week wait since we saw that hatbox in Episode 5? This was the episode that I have been waiting either three years (since She-Hulk was first announced) or my entire comic-reading career (at least 20 years as a massive fan of Jen and Matt) for. Three weeks was nothing, and this episode delivered. I… am… completely emotionally compromised by this episode, so any hope of a genuine critical analysis is as out the window as Mr. Immortal after a tough conversation. She-Hulk and Daredevil had sex and I am beyond thrilled.

For everyone checking Google to see if She-Hulk and Daredevil are a thing in the comics, the answer is “no.” That being said, She-Hulk and Daredevil are two of the more sexually adventurous characters in the Marvel Universe, in that they actually… y’know… flirt and date like adult human beings. She-Hulk has hooked up with Wyatt Wingfoot, Iron Man, Hercules, Man-Wolf, and Luke Cage among others (but not Juggernaut — that was an imposter!). Daredevil’s been with Karen Page, Elektra, Black Widow, Black Cat, Dakota North, and Typhoid Mary. But while these two super-lawyers have gone up against each other in the courtroom before, most notably in Charles Soule and Javier Pulido’s excellent She-Hulk #8-10 from 2014, they’ve never squared off in the bedroom.

Thank god the MCU chose this moment to diverge from canon. This hookup was absolutely perfect in every single way, and yes, I say that as a man who adores She-Hulk and has had an uncontrollable crush on Charlie Cox for around seven years now. Was this fulfillment of a wish I didn’t even know I had? In every single way possible, and I think Jen Walters can say the same too. She deserves it, especially after the whole Josh fiasco!

It’s also so thematically clutch that Jen’s hookup is with Matt Murdock. She’s spent the entire season, especially last episode, trying to grapple with the fact that everyone around her seemingly wants She-Hulk — especially guys. She’s been told way too many times that men prefer She-Hulk to Jen, and it’s done a number on her self-esteem. Well, she knows she’s great, but she can’t get idiot men to see that. But Matt Murdock? There’s the fact that he is literally blind, so the whole She-Hulk/Jen Walters thing is more of a height issue than anything. Then there’s the fact that he can relate to her as a lawyer and as a superhero. He is on her level personally and professionally. He understands her in a way that no guy, not even the fake version of Josh that that scumbag was presenting as the real him, has before. They are perfect for each other! They’re also both incredibly hot, and how could you not fall for sweet, sweet Charlie Cox?

What makes this hookup easily one of the top five — no, top three moments in the entire MCU is how natural yet inevitable it felt. The fact that they met each other in the courtroom as professional rivals, thus low-key establishing that they’re both fully-formed adults with careers and brains. The way the sparring turned into bonding over an appletini at Legal Ease, and how Matt was able to make sense of how a superhero identity can fit into Jen’s life (something he has experience with). And then the flirting — ! As they say on Love Island, these two had great banter. Lots of good bants! Her negging his ketchup and mustard color scheme! Him showing off at every available moment! But y’know where the show really succeeded? It acknowledged that these two individuals, as played by Tatiana Maslany and Charlie Cox, are hot.

Good lord, they are hot. You could cast the heat between Maslany and Cox as the Human Torch. Maybe this stands out more on TV than in the comics because these characters are played by humans with faces and aren’t illustrations with constantly changing facial features as illustrated by hundreds of artists over dozens of years, but of course Jen is attracted to Matt. He looks like Charlie Cox. And of course Matt is attracted to Jen. He can’t see how breathtakingly cute Tatiana Maslany is, but, uh, he gets to experience Jen’s personality which is infectiously charismatic. It all just makes so much sense! The fact that these two have sex at the end of this episode (well, before the heartbreaking coda at the gala) is the most realistic thing about this show about a green, gamma-irradiated superhero lawyer.

And it all ending with Daredevil doing the old walk of shame — which, honestly, walk of pride — tonally perfect conclusion to this perfect escapade.

Also seeing Daredevil absolutely wreck a whole lot of ass — I mean that he beat up the hench-goons — was perfect. We got a hallway fight, which was a lovely nod to the Netflix show, as was the use of the Daredevil theme. And anytime we see She-Hulk using her strength, especially for the first time in costume, is a delight. This was really like a comic book come to life… except with more sexual tension and, ultimately, sex. Y’know, it’s risky to mess around with such established comic book canon, but I appreciate the She-Hulk writers taking this chance.

This episode was worth the three-week wait. It was so good that I’m fine with waiting a few years for Daredevil: Born Again, where hopefully we’ll see Jen take up Matt on that dinner offer… before getting their meals to-go and heading back to Mr. Murdock’s Hell’s Kitchen apartment.