Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for She-Hulk Episode 8.A lot happened in She-Hulk's eighth episode — most notably, the highly-anticipated return of Matt Murdock aka Daredevil (Charlie Cox). Titled “Ribbit and Rip It,” the episode introduces us to Leap-Frog (Brandon Stanley), a low-level "superhero" who is injured due to a malfunction in his supersuit. This leads to Jennifer Walters (Tatiana Maslany) helping Leap-Frog, Eugene, file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. This presents a major conflict of interest for Jen, as the manufacturer happens to be Jen’s super-tailor Luke Jacobson (Griffin Matthews) — and with Luke on the opposing side, he is going to need his own council. Enter Matt Murdock.
There are a lot of Easter eggs to cover and some larger references to past MCU moments, so strap in and get ready to “Ribbit and Rip It” as we dive into Episode 8.
"My Show"
Before Episode 8 even begins, we have our first mini-fourth wall break. Typically, prior to the start of the story, we are treated to a recap of last week or other moments from the season that will be important to remember for the upcoming episode. Jen usually narrates these recaps by saying, “Previously on She-Hulk…” but in Episode 8, Jen begins the recap with, “Previously on my show…” It’s a small detail but an important one in keeping with Jen’s continuous message throughout the season. With a Daredevil-heavy episode ahead, she is reminding the audience, as she has several times before, that this is her series.
Leap-Frog
As the title of the episode implies, “Ribbit and Rip It” features the debut of Leap-Frog into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Leap-Frog is the alias for Eugene Paul Patilio, Jr. a vigilante turned villain who attempts to sue the man who made his frog-themed supersuit, Luke Jacobson. When he and She-Hulk lose the trial to Matt Murdock, Eugene kidnaps Luke and forces him to create a new supersuit for him.
Created in 1966 by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, Leap-Frog’s history differs a bit from his MCU incarnation. First appearing in Daredevil #25, Vincent Patilio is a down-on-his-luck inventor that finds success in his creation of spring-loaded leaping coils. Dawning a frog costume to match the leaping gimmick, Vincent started his criminal career and frequently crossed paths with Daredevil.
In the episode, Leap-Frog’s aloof, enthusiastic attitude is reminiscent of Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante from Peacemaker as he seems eager to do good but also has a very broad definition of ‘doing good.’ His antics throughout the episode certainly paint him as one of the more memorable cameos in the show thus far and his obsession with the frog theme was never not entertaining.
In case you missed any, I thought I’d include a round-up of all of Leap-Frog’s best frog-themed elements. First up is the Lily Pad, Leap-Frog’s "famous secret lair," which is not-so-subtlety marked by a giant neon sign advertising its location. He also refers to a "Leap Squad" and later his goons mention being referred to as Tadpoles. And of course, Eugene also has a Frogger Arcade machine. If he hadn’t been arrested, who knows what other Frog-themed elements he’d croak up.
Sokovia Accords
During Jen and Matt’s rapid-fire legal battle, Matt brings up the Sokovia Accords, mentioning that they have been repealed. This moment comes and goes and isn’t further discussed, but it holds some pretty large ramifications for the MCU as a whole. Created after the destruction of Sokovia in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Sokovia Accords were a set of documents from the United Nations that were intended to limit the activity and mobility of heroes like the Avengers. The papers transferred control to the UN to authorize if and when superheroes needed to step in.
The Sokovia Accords served as one of the major conflicts in Captain America: Civil War, leading up to Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man’s (Robert Downey Jr.) showdown. Tony was in favor of the Accords, while Steve was very much opposed. The Accords were created to limit mass destruction (think Battle of New York or Sokovia levels) and preserve civilian lives that could be lost in collateral. The tragedy that Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) caused in Lagos led to a nationwide push for the accords and after the events of Civil War, they were ratified by 117 countries and have remained in place until now.
With the repeal of the Sokovia Accords, it will be a lot easier for new heroes to enter the fight for good without serious legal ramifications and let the Avengers get back to business without having to worry about red tape. While the Accords have been mentioned frequently, realistically most superheroes haven’t been abiding by them, so perhaps it's for the better that they won’t be an issue anymore.
John Paesano’s Daredevil Theme
After Jen unmasks Matt, (like a villain at the end of a Scooby-Doo episode) she understandably has a plethora of questions for him — how he fights if he’s blind, why he is attacking her client, etc. But among her questions is his superhero name. She guesses "Gold Devi"’ and Matt corrects her, exclaiming, “I’m Daredevil!” as if he is expecting a round of applause. While Jen’s expression makes it clear that Daredevil isn’t quite well known among the heroes of the MCU, something that is quite recognizable occurs if you listen closely.
When Matt announces his superhero name, John Paesano’s iconic theme from the Netflix series swells for a couple of seconds. It’s music to any Daredevil fan's ears as the theme played before every episode of the three-season series. Paesano’s theme has made its way into many fans' hearts as a definitive theme for Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, with many hoping (myself included) that it will be reutilized in his upcoming series Daredevil: Born Again.
While it seems the episode has created a new theme for the Man Without Fear, the mere inclusion of Paesano’s theme provides enough hope that we’ll hear it again. And even if we don’t, the homage to the theme, even if only for a couple of seconds, is a great show of faith concerning his transition into the MCU.
Hallway Fight
Speaking of a faithful transition to the MCU, Daredevil’s first outing couldn’t have been better. Alongside She-Hulk, Daredevil infiltrates Leap-Frog’s hideout, the Lily-Pad, and finds himself in a room filled with goons. But not just any room – a hallway. See, if you’re a bad guy, you never want to find yourself in a corridor with Daredevil. One of the most prominent things about Daredevil in the Netflix series was Matt’s several fights in numerous hallways. One of which was filmed all in one take. His introduction to the MCU doesn’t skip a beat, giving us a new hallway fight for the collection, this time with Daredevil bathed in blue light. The tussle, which ends fairly quickly thanks to She-Hulk, makes it feel as if we never left Daredevil and a sure promise that his history in the Netflix series will seamlessly integrate into the MCU.
Fancy British AI
Inside the Lily Pad, Eugene spouts off to Luke (whom he has kidnapped and forced to work for him) about all the modifications he wants to add to his next suit. Among his long list is a “fancy AI with a British voice that talks to you.” This is referring to J.A.R.V.I.S., the AI that Tony used in his suit. J.A.R.V.I.S. has been voiced by British actor Paul Bettany since Iron Man in 2008 and seven years later, Bettany would get to leave the voice acting behind and play his own superhero as The Vision. So it seems like Eugene is just searching for a Bettany-type voice, which may prove tough for Luke because you just can’t manufacture an accent like Paul’s.
Wakandan War Spear
Todd (Jon Bass), the “gross tech-bro with the She-Hulk fetish,” is back, and still as weird as ever. He texts Jen, insisting that he needs She-Hulk’s legal support. Jen begrudgingly agrees to meet him at a restaurant, where Todd begins to brag about a rare artifact he won at an art auction. The artifact in question is a Wakandan war spear that Todd won for a million dollars. Todd proceeds to discuss how much he loves Wakanda, mentioning he studied abroad there. And to top it all off, he throws out a “Wakanda Forever,” something that makes Jen, and anyone else watching, super uncomfortable. Though it doesn’t further any plotlines, it’s nice to see Wakanda’s presence in the outside world and serves as a reminder that will be revisiting it very with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releasing in November. Oh, and Todd didn’t have a legal problem, he just wanted a second date with She-Hulk.
Rogers: The Musical
When Jen unmasks Daredevil, and they get acquainted with one another, there is a giant billboard for Rogers: The Musical in the background. Introduced in Hawkeye, Rogers: The Musical is a play all about the Battle of New York from Avengers. It features actors playing the core six Avengers fighting Loki and the Chitauri among fleeing civilians, all set to the catchy original song “Save the City.” It garnered groans from Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) himself who went to see the production in New York with his children, as it varies just a bit from his actual memory of the event. Despite Hawkeye’s disapproval, it appears to be popular enough to make its way from Broadway to LA.
Red Hulk
In another one of Jen’s trademark fourth-wall breaks (which seem to get longer with each episode), she brings up that we’re nearing the end of the season. Jen also mentions that since we’re reaching the finale, it must be time for the big twist. She continues her train of thought pondering with the audience about what kind of twist it will be. One of her theories includes the concept that “There’s another Hulk, but this one’s red.” While it's played for a joke and Jen is being humorous, there actually is a Red Hulk that we have yet to see appear in the MCU.
While the Red Hulk hasn’t been introduced in the MCU, his alter has been a thorn in Hulk and the rest of the Avengers' side since the very beginning, all the way back in 2008 in The Incredible Hulk. General Thaddeus E. “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt) has had a lot to do with the Avengers' past, trying to stop the Hulk, administering the Sokovia Accords, and most recently hunting Black Widow.
In the comics, Thaddeus Ross becomes the Red Hulk after The Leader and M.O.D.O.K. use radiation extracted from Hulk to transform Ross into a serious threat. Judging by the way things are going, we may be headed in that direction, but it’s not likely to happen this season. However Red Hulk pans out, it feels inevitable that Intelligencia will have a hand in the formation of Ross’ transformation, perhaps to weaponize him against She-Hulk. The only issue with a Red Hulk storyline is the tragic death of William Hurt, who died of prostate cancer back in March of this year. This presents two options: Recast or give the General Ross mantle to another actor. While the outcome is unknown, recent rumors suggest that Marvel may be eyeing Harrison Ford to fill the role.
Another Wolverine Reference
Toward the end of the episode, Nikki insists Jen gets ready for the gala. To encourage her, Nikki hops into the room, striking a ferocious pose with several makeup brushes in between her fingers. It’s an undeniable reference to Wolverine and marks the second time the show has indirectly mentioned the mutant.
This reference comes several weeks apart from the last one which was in episode 2, and a lot has happened since then, specifically involving Wolverine. Last week, Ryan Reynolds made a huge announcement: Hugh Jackman is returning to play Wolverine for Deadpool 3. This will mark Hugh Jackman’s first (and last?) appearance in the MCU alongside Deadpool and it set the internet ablaze in excitement. Jackman has played the iconic mutant since 2000, meaning he has one of the longest-running superhero stints in the business. Though the moment with Nikki is just a fun homage for fans, it feels extra exciting after the news of Jackman’s return to the role.
Bruce’s Warning
“Ribbit and Rip it” ends with a shock, as Intelligencia proves it won’t go down easy. At the Female Lawyer of the Year gala, shortly after Jen takes the stage, Intelligencia crashes her speech and projects a video that Josh (Trevor Salter) recorded of him and Jen in bed together in hopes of tearing down She-Hulk’s reputation. For the first time yet, we see the rage Bruce warned her of back in episode one. Although her anger is certainly warranted, the fear of losing control we see in Jen’s eyes directly parallels the same look Bruce (Mark Ruffalo) has when he struggles to control The Other Guy.
The penultimate episode of She-Hulk is fast-paced and fun, as Matt and Jen’s chemistry makes for the perfect rapport – and we finally get to see Jen accepted and valued as just Jen. The episode confirms Charlie Cox’s Daredevil is in safe hands for his own series and is primed and ready for more MCU team-ups. More importantly, we finally get to see She-Hulk try her hand at superhero-ing, a skill she is gonna need for her showdown against Intelligencia in next week’s finale.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law premieres new episodes weekly every Thursday on Disney+.