Jen argues for Abomination to be paroled, while Pug tries to get compensation for Jen's ex-colleague.
Tropes:
- Adaptational Dumbass: Thunderball shows absolutely no signs of being a nuclear physicist, and is just some idiot with a magic construction tool, same as the others.
- Adaptational Wimp: In the comics, the Wrecking crew roughly share 1/5ths of Thor's strength each. Though not the heaviest of hitters, here, they only seem to have stolen Asgardian construction tools, are otherwise normal humans, and She-Hulk quickly wipes the floor with them all by herself.
- Admiring the Abomination: Literally. Blonsky's seven soulmates look in awe and amazement as he transforms into The Abomination.
- As Herself: Megan Thee Stallion appears as herself and as Runa's impersonation of her.
- Bland-Name Product: The "Megan Thee Stallion IMPOSTER Fight" video that Pug watches is on a website called YouScreen, which fonts and page layout exactly like YouTube's.
- Blunt "Yes": On seeing the glowing weapons of her attackers, Jen asks if they robbed an Asgardian construction worker. In fact, they did.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: When Jen insists to the audience this isn't a cameo show - just as Wong enters the picture to join Hulk and Abomination - and later on when Pug joins them at the bar groaning about representing Dennis to remark on how the episode's A and B story got joined up. She also breaks it again when Dennis of all people gives her an idea on how to get Emil paroled.
- Brick Joke: Nikki messages Wong a "thirst trap" picture of herself with a pile of books to get his attention. Said picture later appears in the credits in courtroom sketch form.
- Bullying a Dragon: The Wrecking Crew knew that they'd be dealing with She-Hulk when they decide to steal Jen's blood, but they massively overestimated how effective their "Asgardian construction tools" would be against her.
- The Cameo: Megan Thee Stallion appears as herself.
- Comically Missing the Point: When discussing Emil Blonsky's case and the video that resurfaced that would make parole for Blonsky much harder to obtain, Wong misreads Jen's intentions:Jen: The parole board will not release him after seeing this video.
Wong: Oh, I know what you’re thinking, Ms. Walters, and I’m not erasing everyone’s memories. Not again.
Jen: That is not what I was thinking. That is highly unethical. - Continuity Nod:
- During Wong's and Jen's discussion on Blonsky's trial, the former mentions that he won't erase everyone's memory because it's messy.
- Runa quotes Thor's speech about how "Asgard isn't a place, it's a people" in an attempt to claim diplomatic immunity outside New Asgard. The judge is evidently familiar with it because Thor's speeches aren't admissible in court. Must be part of the New Asgard tour.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Wrecking Crew try to steal Jen's blood using tools they robbed from an Asgardian construction worker. But once she transforms into She-Hulk, she easily wipes the floor with them without breaking a sweat, and they're unable to pierce her skin to get a blood sample.
- Diplomatic Impunity:
- Runa's lawyer tries to get her out of being sued by Bukowski by claiming that as the daughter of an Elfin diplomat of Asgard (and now New Asgard), she has diplomatic immunity. The judge shoots it down, pointing out that her immunity only applies in New Asgard, and the case is being tried in Los Angeles.
- Downplayed with Wong. He does not try to claim diplomatic immunity,note but he clearly feels that when he is acting in his role as Sorcerer Supreme, he should be allowed to ignore laws against things like "borrowing" a prisoner from a US high security prison. When it's pointed out to him that what he did was a crime, he's quick to excuse himself.
- Distinction Without a Difference: Dennis is evasive about how much he spent on Runa, so Pug starts making guesses. When he hits $200k, Dennis objects to the idea he would spend that much on a woman. It was "only" $175k.
- Everyone Has Standards: Holliway has some shady behavior and coerced Jen into taking the job in the previous episode, but Bukowski is such a slimeball that Holliway makes a quick exit from the office when he can.
- "Eureka!" Moment:
- After hearing from Jen and Nikki about how self-absorbed and unlikeable Dennis is, Pug realizes that he can use this to his advantage by getting Jen to attest to this, so that the judge will believe that Dennis is deluded enough to believe the real Megan Thee Stallion would date him.
- Jen gets one of her own after the trial when Bukowski makes a comment about wishing there was a way to strip Runa of her powers to prevent her from scamming anyone else. This gives Jen the idea to propose having Blonsky fitted with an inhibitor to prevent him turning into Abomination as a condition of his parole. She breaks the fourth wall to point out the connection.Jen: Oh! Did Dennis Bukowski just give me an idea? (to the audience) That will stay between us.
- Exact Words: When Jen accuses Emil that of lying to her about how he doesn't turn into the Abomination anymore, he corrects her, stating that he said that he chooses not to turn.
- Failed a Spot Check: The only reason Runa got away with fooling Dennis is his delusion making him miss the obvious flaws in her impersonation, that she was with him when Megan Thee Stallion was posting videos on the other side of the country and the tiny fact he thought this rich, world-famous music star drove a Volkswagen Passat.
- Flat "What": Jen arranges a TV interview to quell rumors and public outcry about her. After a few basic questions, the interviewer says they'll go to commercials, after which She-Hulk will reveal her diet and exercise tips. Jen's response is a flat, "I'm sorry, what."
- A Fool for a Client: Discussed when the judge tells Dennis he is not able to ask questions to his witness, due to the fact that he is not self-representing.
- Forgot About Her Powers: Jen at first starts screaming when the Wrecking Crew ambushes her for about five seconds before remembering she can turn into the She-Hulk.Jen: [screams then stops and speaks calmly] Oh wait.
[Transforms into She-Hulk]
She-Hulk: Get off me. - Forgot to Mind Their Head: When Blonsky willingly transforms into Abomination he bonks his head against the ceiling of his cell because it's lower than he is tall.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus:
- On one of the news networks covering Emil Blonsky's parole hearing, a ticker in tiny text describes how Titania is in trouble for her courtroom rampage but is confident that her legal team will make her problems go away.
- Wong's work profile that Nikki views on her phone is shown for a couple of seconds. Among other visible information, he apparently worked at a Target in Kamar-Taj before becoming librarian.
- Gushing About Guest Stars: A lot of love is thrown Megan Thee Stallion's way throughout the episode, culminating in Jenn completely squeeing over her in the post credits scene after MTS teaches her how to twerk. The fact that Tatiana Maslany is a fan of her in real life might have something to do with it.
- Has a Type: Blonski's seven soul-mates are women of all races, but they're all older women.
- Hidden Agenda Villain: The Wrecking Crew are merely working for someone else who wants Jen's Gamma-enhanced blood.
- Hollywood Law: The judge at Dennis's trial sentences Runa for her crime of impersonating him. While Civil Court Judges can jail people for contempt of court, it'd require a separate case in Criminal Court to sentence Runa for impersonation.
- I Need a Freaking Drink: Nikki hands Pug her drink when she finds out he's been dealing with Bukowski all day. Five seconds later, a full cosmopolitan has become a sip of a cosmopolitan.
- Jerkass Has a Point: After winning his suit, Bukowski points out that Runa's punishment (repaying him and spending 60 days in jail) is ultimately a slap on the wrist. As long as she still has her shapeshifting powers, there's really nothing to stop her from scamming someone else.
- Just in Time: Jen has Wong lined up for Emil Blonsky's parole hearing to testify that he was responsible for breaking Blonsky out of prison. She's shown looking increasingly worried as the names of other witnesses on the screen are crossed out and Wong still seems to be a no-show. When it comes to his turn and she's beginning to stall, he arrives via portal then, apologizing for being late.
- Laser-Guided Karma: After Dennis successfully wins the case against Runa, the Judge adds 60 days in jail in addition to her paying Dennis back the $175,000 for impersonating him the day before, as impersonating a judge is technically a crime.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again: Jen makes this plea to the audience when she realizes that Dennis just gave her an idea.
- Loony Fan: Tatiana Maslany is a big fan of Megan Thee Stallion and took advantage of the situation to ham it up a bit in the stinger.Jen: I will kill for you, Megan Thee Stallion!
Megan Thee Stallion: Dial it back. - Muggle Power: The guy leading the Wrecking Crew arrogantly calls Jen out for "strutting around" with her powers when they corner her, implying that they are partially motivated by envy towards Enhanced people. Alternatively, since they were trying to steal her blood, he may simply have been trying to disguise a more sinister motive as simple bigotry.
- Mundane Utility: Apparently, construction businesses are employing Asgardians to use their homeland's advanced equipment.
- Mythology Gag:
- The original prosecutor of Emil Blonsky/The Abomination is named Gideon Wilson, who in the comics is a member of the Gamma Corps and the brother of Sam Wilson/The Falcon/Captain America.
- One of the questions the reporters asks Jen is if she got her powers in a mafia hit gone wrong, which is how she got her powers in the comics.
- Newscaster Cameo: The anchor on the Tattle News and the anchor who interviews Jen later are both newscasters on Fox 11 L.A.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: When it's questioned whether Emil would be able to control himself if he ever turned into the Abomination again, Emil decides, of his own volition and against Jen's fervent protests, to do just that so the parole board will see he is the same person in either form. They are naturally horrified and the combined efforts of Wong and Jen just barely manage to keep the whole thing from going sideways.
- No-Sell: The Wrecking Crew's Asgardian tools harmlessly bounce off She-Hulk's skin.
- Not Helping Your Case:
- At one point during the trial, Runa decides to impersonate the judge. Her own lawyer has to call her out on this, stating that what she's doing is illegal, while Pug tells Dennis this will certainly help them.
- Blonsky's attempt to show he can control his transformation backfires because the parole board is so terrified they're now in a room with the Abomination that they completely ignore his demonstration, and just serves as a terrifying reminder of how dangerous the man they're considering releasing can be. Fortunately, Jen's quick-thinking helps convince the parole board that Blonsky now obviously has control over his powers, and she further gets him to agree to wear an inhibitor device as a condition of his release.
- Oh, Crap!:
- When Emil turns into the Abomination to demonstrate he's no longer a bloodthirsty berserker, the panel of judges panic and armed guards swarm into the room despite Jen and Wong attempting to de-escalate the situation.
- When the panel of judges note that Wong confessed to committing a crime by breaking Emil out of prison for his Sorcerer Supreme rite of passage — which required he face a Worthy Opponent — Wong promptly escapes back to Kamar-Taj via a portal.
- Perfect Disguise, Terrible Acting: Despite being good at shapeshifting into other people, Runa doesn't bother try to actually act like the people she's impersonating - having Dennis buy her a Passat while impersonating Megan Thee Stallion, drinking a massive amount of energy drink while Dennis and remaining her mischievous, manipulative and jolly self, even when she's trying to pass herself off as the judge hearing her case.
- Please Put Some Clothes On: After Blonsky turns into the Abomination and back, one of the parole board members says the board will need a day to consider his case and adds that someone should bring Blonsky a new set of clothes.
- Pretender Diss: The real Megan Thee Stallion is in the gallery of the courtroom during the case of Bukowski v. Runa. When the verdict is announced, she loudly proclaims that there's only one Megan Thee Stallion.
- Pyrrhic Victory: For Dennis. He is awarded the $175,000 he spent on Runa in damages, and as a bonus her shenanigans during the court case get her thrown in jail for sixty days, but in the process he got shown up by Jennifer on the stand, and her testimony outs him as a Casanova Wannabe with a delusional Small Name, Big Ego. It's an unambiguous win for the firm, though.
- Race Lift: All four of the Wrecking Crew have gotten one. Most noticeable is Thunderball, who has long been irritated for being known as "the Black Bruce Banner" in the comics but is played by a white actor.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: The Judge in the Bukowski v. Runa case, as he not only doesn’t let Runa off easy because she tries to claim diplomatic immunity, he also gives her a reasonable sentence in jail of 60 days for impersonating him.
- Refuge in Audacity:
- When Wong finally manages to appear before the parole board, he explains that he took Blonsky out of his cell against his will and forced him to be his sparring partner in order to help complete a challenge involved in ascending to the level of Sorcerer Supreme. When the parole board notes that what he committed is essentially a federal offense, Wong promptly portals back to Kamar-Taj, without anyone trying to stop him.
- Pug manages to win his case by proving that yes, Dennis is dumb enough to believe that the real Megan Thee Stallion would date him.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here:
- Mallory enters Holliway's office when called to meet the prospective client and only gets a sentence in. Upon witnessing Dennis's sexist behavior, she immediately turns tail and leaves.
- The Wrecking Crew bolt when it becomes clear that they can't really hurt Jennifer in her She-Hulk form and getting her blood just isn't happening.
- When Wong is told that he committed a crime breaking Emil out of prison, he promptly leaves via portal.
- Shaking the Rump: The Stinger sees Megan teaching Jennifer to twerk.
- The Stinger: In the mid-credit scene, Megan Thee Stallion signs Jen as her lawyer and they dance to Megan's song "Body".
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: In the mid-credits scene, Holloway sees She-Hulk and Megan Thee Stallion twerking in her office, but just shrugs and walks away.
- Voluntary Shapeshifting: Runa the Asgardian Light Elf is sued by Dennis Bukowski for scamming him while posing as Megan Thee Stallion. During this episode, she also briefly shapeshifts into Dennis, Pug, and later the judge at her trial.
- Who Would Be Stupid Enough?: Runa's defense is based on a claim that Dennis Bukowski wasn't really deluded and conceited enough to believe he was dating the real Megan Thee Stallion. Then Jen, who knows Dennis well, is called in as a witness to confirm that yes, he is indeed deluded and conceited enough to believe something like that. That settles the case in his favor.
- Womanchild: Runa's default form resembles an elderly woman by human standards, although since she's a Light Elf it's unclear how old she actually is, but she acts like a hyperactive, self-absorbed teenager who tries to duck out of the consequences of her actions.
