How Powerful Is The MCU's She-Hulk Compared To Smart Hulk?

The MCU has introduced She-Hulk to its universe, but how powerful is the new hero compared to the most recent version of the Hulk, the Smart Hulk, is a tough question. Released in 2022, the new MCU series She-Hulk: Attorney At Law finally brought lawyer Jennifer Walters, a.k.a She-Hulk, to the screen. Created in 1980, She-Hulk had already appeared in '90s Marvel animations like Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk but had yet to make her live-action debut. Her Disney+ original, wherein she's played by Tatiana Maslany, is a legal comedy. It's had no shortage of action sequences, though, and has contributed plenty of evidence toward the discussion of who would win between She-Hulk vs Hulk in the MCU (as a good legal show should).

She-Hulk marked the franchise's first recognition of the MCU's Hulk universe and its characters since 2008's The Incredible Hulk. For legal reasons, Hulk spent the MCU's entire first decade without receiving a solo film, and important elements from Marvel Comics such as The Leader, Abomination, and She-Hulk herself ended up being forgotten by the franchise. This changed when Abomination (Tim Roth) returned to the MCU in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, which was then followed up when She-Hulk: Attorney At Law debuted. There are also rumors of a World War Hulk movie happening in the MCU, which indicates that the franchise may be making up for the lost time when it comes to the Emerald Giant. This makes the awareness of how the MCU Hulks compare important for understanding the ongoing macronarrative.

She-Hulk has made her MCU debut, but before the first episode even aired, discussions about where the character fits in the rankings of the MCU's most powerful heroes were circulating – more specifically, how She-Hulk's powers compare to those of Smart Hulk. The answer is not simple; it varies on the situation and the writer, and it has to take into account both four decades of comic books and what has already been shown in the MCU. However, episode 1 of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law basically dedicated itself to answering this question (as well as showing She-Hulk's MCU origin). So, who would win in a She-Hulk vs Hulk fight? Here's the (complicated) answer based on Marvel Comics and what we've seen of both Hulks in the MCU so far.

How Powerful She-Hulk Is In Marvel Comics

Even in the comics, it's hard to pin down who'd win in a She-Hulk vs Hulk smackdown. Like the Hulk, She-Hulk's powers vary according to writers. Although she is often described as less powerful than the Hulk as a consequence of not having gone through a full transformation, She-Hulk has performed incredible feats that, at certain times, rival the Hulk's strength. Her powers include superhuman strength, durability, the ability to jump great heights, and regeneration. Not only that, but Jennifer Walters is also a martial artist and is in constant training, something Marvel's Bruce Banner cannot relate to.

As a testament to She-Hulk's strength in the comics, the character was once able to defeat a copy of Thanos that had the same powers as the original version. On the occasions that Jen had Hulk-like outbursts of rage, She-Hulk was able to go toe-to-toe with Avengers like Captain America and Vision. She is described by the Avengers as being a Beta Level Threat but can increase to an Omega Level Threat depending on the amount of radiation she is emitting and her rage state.

Hulk & Smart Hulk's Powers In The MCU

Bruce Banner, Hulk, and Smart Hulk in the MCU

Introduced in the MCU during the early days of the franchise in The Incredible Hulk, the Hulk and Thor were in direct competition for the title of "most powerful Avenger" in the group's original lineup. The god of thunder and the emerald giant even had a quick confrontation in The Avengers, but it was never defined who was the strongest at the time. Over the years, however, the Hulk began to lag behind the MCU's most powerful characters, having lost a battle against Tony Stark's Hulkbuster and failed to defeat an upgraded Thor in Thor: Ragnarok. Even so, the Hulk managed to trade a few blows with Thanos and live to fight another day – a feat of which few can boast. The MCU's Hulk has superhuman strength and stamina and can jump almost to the height of a skyscraper.

As for Smart Hulk, Hulk's most recent form in the MCU that results from Banner and his inner creature peacefully co-existing, the power scale shifts a bit. While he technically has the same physical attributes as he always had, the Smart Hulk doesn't have the rage factor known to the usual version of the character and therefore isn't exactly the best choice for a fight. This is evidenced in the time jump to 2012's New York in Avengers: Endgame, in which the Smart Hulk struggled to re-enact the rage and destructive power of his past self. On the other hand, this new version of the Hulk gains all the intelligence of Bruce Banner, a character with of the greatest intellects in the Marvel universe. All this considered, the Hulk has continued to be one of the most powerful characters in the MCU. He managed to use the Infinity Gauntlet with six Infinity Stones on it — which would have killed most beings in the universe — and leave with only an arm injury that has healed by the time She-Hulk: Attorney At Law begins.

She-Hulk vs Hulk: Other Differences Explained

Unlike the Hulk, She-Hulk did not get her powers through direct exposure to gamma radiation. Instead, Jennifer gained her abilities by receiving a blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner. That is why Jennifer's transformation into a Hulk creature is not as significant as Bruce Banner's. Banner completely defaces himself by transforming into the Hulk, while Jen retains much of her human form — only greener, bigger, and more muscular. Still, when it comes to the matter of their respective power levels, the size of the former does not generally increase with her anger, something that is common to the latter in several versions of the character. Another key difference between She-Hulk and Hulk is that Jen has had control of her actions from the beginning, while Bruce Banner has control over the Hulk only on certain occasions or with caveats.

Is The MCU's She-Hulk More Powerful Than Smart Hulk?

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law episode 1, "A Normal Amount of Rage," contained multiple points where Smart Hulk and She-Hulk compare their abilities. Being a good older cousin, Bruce tries to train Jen in using her new Hulk abilities only to find she needs less guidance than he initially thought. The episode was She-Hulk: Attorney At Law's answer to the She-Hulk vs Smart Hulk question. The key takeaway was that "powerful" isn't really the right term when comparing the two. It seems to be that Bruce is stronger when it comes to sheer brute strength (unsurprising, given Smart Hulk's size), but She-Hulk overshadows Bruce with enhanced physical agility.

There's an important distinction to make here. She-Hulk shouldn't be thought of as a nimble, speedy character like Spider-Man (despite her incredible yoga expertise). She is still a Hulk, and Smart Hulk is only a little stronger than Jen. However, Jen is much more agile than Bruce. Even if her punches don't hit as hard, she could throw about 4-5 in the time it takes Bruce to throw a single jab. The scene where they exchange earth-shattering Hulk claps was proof of this. On balance, Jen is the more capable superhero, especially when considering she's only just started exploring her potential. In terms of raw physical power, though, Bruce as Smart Hulk could probably still beat her in an arm wrestle (at the moment, at least).

Power Isn't Everything: Jen Is Better At Being A Hulk

Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk and Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walter/She-Hulk in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law

Smart Hulk is no Angry Hulk in terms of power levels, but he's still at least equal to She-Hulk when it comes to how hard he can smash. Power levels are only one aspect of being a superhero, though, and it takes more than superpowers to protect what matters. Black Widow and Hawkeye aren't as powerful as any of the other Avengers, but they still hold their own against the likes of Loki and Thanos. Even if Smart Hulk were more powerful, it wouldn't matter much, because Jen has a distinct and game-changing advantage over Bruce — she's better at being a Hulk and controlling its destructive potential. Bruce has only found stability by isolating himself from the world for its own protection. Jen was already saving lives mere weeks into her life as She-Hulk. The difference couldn't be clearer.

Bruce has to live in a remote location and stay vigilant, lest Angry Hulk returns to go on a rampage. Smart Hulk only even exists because Bruce and The Other Guy couldn't coexist. His relationship with Hulk as "the other" is strenuous. The envy in his voice is palpable when he realizes Jen retains her personality and cognitive functions when she's She-Hulk. She doesn't need the huge folder he prepared or the same intense meditation course. Smart Hulk might technically be the "stronger" Hulk, but Jen is the better Hulk. She's already managed to work being She-Hulk into her daily life without needing a secret identity. She adapted to her condition without a single destroyed building or military intervention. She-Hulk isn't the loose cannon even Smart Hulk could be if put under enough stress. This not only makes her more valuable as a team member for the likes of The Avengers, but it also means she's ultimately far better positioned to be a successful superhero instead of a National Emergency waiting to happen. Plus, She-Hulk knows Megan Thee Stallion, which more or less warrants a "no further questions, your Honor."

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