She-Hulk origin includes surprise Thor: Ragnarok connection
It appears that Sakaar and Hulk have some unfinished business.
She-Hulk has an entirely different origin story for her brand new Disney Plus series, which is tied directly to an acclaimed earlier entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ahead of the premiere, word got out that Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige would be changing how Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) gains her incredible powers, but we didn't know that this fresh take would be closely linked to Thor: Ragnarok.
In an early scene of the first episode, Jen and her cousin Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) are catching up on a drive when a Sakaaran spaceship appears out of nowhere and causes them to veer off the road in a serious crash.
Due to a recently invented inhibitor device he is wearing at the time, Bruce does not burst into his Hulk form during the accident, meaning he sustains injuries and a drop of his blood makes contact with one of Jen's own wounds.
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Just a drop is all it takes for the extreme gamma radiation to get into her system, giving her similar abilities to her cousin.
Later in the episode, Bruce confirms that the ship which caused the incident was none other than a Sakaaran Class A Courier Craft, which was trying to deliver a message to him.
"Gotta get to the bottom of that," he adds teasingly, while training Jennifer in her new powers at a remote laboratory in Mexico.
This is all noteworthy as Sakaar is the very same planet where Hulk was found stranded during the events of Thor: Ragnarok, competing in gladiatorial combat for the entertainment of the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) and his patrons.
Hulk was there for some time before Thor ultimately brought him (and Banner) back to Earth, forming a strong friendship with Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) and becoming something of a legend to the planet's inhabitants.
It's unclear at this stage why Sakaar is attempting to get Hulk's attention once more, but it seems likely this is sowing seeds for the character's next major storyline in the MCU, so keep an eye out for clues in She-Hulk and beyond.
There is certainly no shortage of classic Hulk tales still to tell, with some fans voicing support for adapting World War Hulk or the recent Immortal Hulk run, while others are keen to see the introduction of the character's son, Skaar.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is available to stream on Disney Plus. New episodes are released every Thursday. Sign up to Disney Plus now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
