Why Is She-Hulk Always Green Unlike Hulk? Explained

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She-Hulk has been a classic veteran hero for ages, but the upcoming She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has brought her back into the spotlight. Still, many Marvel fans are stuck wondering why She-Hulk is always green, unlike Hulk.

Although She-Hulk is always green, she does not have to be. Jennifer Walters has a brown-haired human form, as well as a more violent and less intelligent grey She-Hulk form when suffering from mental trauma. But, the green She-Hulk gives Jennifer the best of both worlds, and she enjoys flaunting her form whether it’s during a heroic fight or in the courtroom.

While Hulk and She-Hulk have plenty of things in common, the fact that She-Hulk remains green around the clock brings a ton of questions. Stick round to find out about She-Hulk’s origins, how her transformation differs from Hulk, as well as why She-Hulk is always green.

She-Hulk (Powers & Origins)

Getting a solid understanding of She-Hulk’s background is key when interpreting her transformations and forms. When it comes to the ‘Hulk’ family, there really is no ‘normal’ to compare to.

Neither the Hulk nor She-Hulk provides a stable benchmark – they are both extremely unique and have differences as a result. Much like Bruce Banner, the Hulk, Jennifer Walter gained her superior abilities as a result of gamma radiation in her blood, according to the Marvel Wiki.

“Jennifer Walters is a talented lawyer and the cousin of Bruce Banner, the Hulk. After being shot by a mobster and seriously injured, she was saved by a blood transfusion from Bruce, and his gamma-irradiated blood mutated Jennifer into the She-Hulk.”

Unlike Hulk, she did not receive this gamma radiation due to experiments, freak accidents, or mutagenic explosions. Instead, she received a blood transfusion from Hulk after she was mortally wounded and approaching a certain death.

Gamma Radiation Powers

Within the Marvel Universe, having gamma radiation does not give you a cut-and-dry or copy-pasted set of superpowers. So, although it’s easy to assume it might be the case, having the same gamma radiation does not simply make her a female version of the Hulk. She-Hulk is really quite unique and is very different from the Hulk.

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Superpowers that are granted by gamma radiation are directly connected to the individual’s mental state, self-perception, and psyche. This includes personalities, memories, past trauma, and much more, and is also a major reason why keeping the Hulk’s emotions in check is so important.

Hulk Transformation vs. She-Hulk Transformation

The way in which gamma radiation reacts has a huge impact on what the new form(s) will be, as was the case for both Bruce and Jennifer. Below is an overview on how the Hulk and She-Hulk differ:

HulkShe-Hulk
MentalMultiple personalities.
Trauma and various self-perceptions.
Minimal mental troubles.
Highly academic.
Secretly wishes to be a flamboyant and flirty party girl.
PhysicalSeveral Hulk forms unless human.
Cannot workout, since an increased heart rate will trigger Hulk.
Body expands to increase in size.
Transforming is extremely painful.
Has little to no motor skills.
Only one true She-Hulk form unless human (one true self-perception).
She-Hulk can be enhanced through human activity.
Body contracts and condenses.
Transforming is painless and enjoyable.
Has completely functional motor skills.
EmotionalAnger triggers Hulk.She has more fun in her outgoing She-Hulk form.
IntelligenceIntelligence decreases compared to human form.Intelligence remains the same or increases in She-Hulk form.

In Bruce Banner’s case, his reaction and transformative abilities are said to be linked to the multiple personalities already present within his psyche – allowing him to turn into several Hulk forms. This includes Hulk forms like a crafty grey Hulk, a super strong green Hulk (which is the most infamous) as well as a more modern, articulate, and intelligent Hulk more akin to Bruce Banner himself.

Even the process of transforming into Hulk is excruciatingly painful for him. One of the novels described the experience as similar to giving birth – but, with each molecular cell within your body.

Is hulk stronger than she hulk

When comparing this sort of process with Jennifer Walters, it’s understandable that the gamma radiation’s effects were entirely different. Jennifer did not have the same trauma or mental barriers that Bruce had when she received her powers.

Jennifer was a simple, smart, and fairly soft lawyer who dove into academics – secretly wishing to be a stylish party girl, which does play a key role. Over time, the gamma radiation transformed her into a not-so-monstrous Hulk that’s always been seen as more sexy than scary among Marvel fans.

Instead of expanding to become ridiculously large like the Hulk, She-Hulk’s body contracts and condenses, packing a massive amount of gamma-powered muscle mass into tight spaces – similar to how Ant-Man shrinks. While she does have a more muscular form (thanks to an infusion of more gamma) and acts more brutish in this state, she isn’t any less intelligent and still has control.

Regarding the process, transforming into She-Hulk is said to be a positive and painless experience for her. The way her body responded to the gamma radiation even altered her pain receptors somehow, so that it translated into pleasure instead. Her physical response is so unique that she is even able to gain strength by working out, unlike the Hulk who would be triggered by an increased heart rate.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law

While her anger does trigger many of her earlier Hulked-out transformations, similar to Bruce, it seems that Jennifer never created a direct connection between rage and her She-Hulk form. Her mental state and personality always enabled her to consciously maintain control over her form – even allowing her to retain fine motor skills, unlike the Hulk who is usually entranced by smashing and smashing alone.

Why Is She-Hulk Always Green?

She-Hulk has typically always been depicted as green, which has made fans wonder. Most people, including hardcore Marvel fans, have always been under the impression that the classic She-Hulk remains green, no matter the circumstances, but this isn’t exactly the case.

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Jennifer Walters has a natural brown-haired human form, just like Bruce, and is free to turn human as she likes. She chooses to remain in She-Hulk form due to having the best of both worlds. She even enjoys representing her clients in this form, dressing up in suits and outfits that compliment her mutated appearance.

Can She-Hulk Change Color?

Although it’s incredibly rare and more due to specific circumstances, Jennifer Walters is actually capable of showing some different colors in some cases. Below is an overview of her alternative forms and colors with images thanks to the Marvel Wiki, as well as why she doesn’t like them too much.

Grey She-Hulk

According to Marvel, her skin can be more of a greyish color in some instances. But, as mentioned earlier, mental trauma has a massive impact on gamma, and Jennifer’s mental state was eventually affected over time. Shortly after she awoke from a coma, she began transforming into a grey She-Hulk.

But, while it is more powerful, she becomes incredibly violent and has limited cognitive abilities (similar to the Hulk). Jennifer soon began to overcome her issues, which allowed her to resume her typical go-getter and green She-Hulk form.

Red She-Hulk

She-Hulk has also been seen turning red – referred to as the Winter Hulk that’s kind of a combination between Black Widow and She-Hulk. But, this form is not due to her own abilities or powers – rather, it was forced on She-Hulk through the Red Room treatment, and she returned to normal after being treated.

Considering that having brains and brute strength are equally important to Jennifer Walters, it’s entirely understandable why she would prefer skipping other forms altogether. She is incredibly gifted in her iconic green She-Hulk form, especially since this form gives her enough strength and smarts to keep up with just about any threat that comes her way.

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