Avengers Assemble “Hulked Out Heroes” Episode Review

This week the Avengers try a new work out program…

After sitting out the last few episodes, Black Widow returns to the Avengers just in time to help the team deal with some rage issues. “Hulked Out Heroes” gives our favorite SHIELD super spy some much needed screen time when she teams up with the Hulk as they try to stop the freshly gamma radiated Avengers from smashing each other, New York, and who ever ate the last pizza bagel. We also get a much deeper look into life as the Hulk, and get to see why the Hulk is the strongest there is. There is plenty of smashing and super spy action to go around, in this great character driven episode of Avengers Assemble.

“Hulked Out Heroes” begins by continuing the now ongoing theme of everyone treating the Hulk like he’s a just a big dumb enforcer. This started a few episodes back and never really felt like a natural addition to the series. Hopefully after this weeks events, Assemble will go back to the more lighthearted humor involving the Hulk that was present during earlier episodes. But I digress, the episode starts with a pretty funny scene of Hulk and Hawkeye playing video games. Hawkeye keeping a box of extra controllers for the Hulk, who keeps smashing them, was great set up for the Hulk themed drama to come. Hulk later decides to go for a late night stroll where he runs into the Blood Brothers. The mercenary tag team were hired by the Red Skull to plant a gamma device onto the Hulk. When the Avengers show up to help, they get infected by a gamma virus as the device detonates. By the time Black Widow shows up at Stark Tower, the Avengers have already succumb to the effects of the virus, it has turned them all into Hulks. Luckily the real Hulk is immune to the effects and he and Black Widow must put aside their issues and find a way to save the Avengers, and hopefully get Hawkeye more pizza bagels, before its to late.

There was some great Black Widow and Hulk character moments in this episode. We finally get a little look into what Black Widow is doing when she is absent from the show. Surprise, she’s doing spy stuff for SHIELD. I always assumed that’s what was happening, but it’s good that the show officially gave her a reason to be gone all the time. It was fun seeing her and Nick Fury running a mission together, sometimes it’s easy to forget that even though they have no powers, they are both pretty bad ass. I also really enjoyed getting a deeper look into the Hulk and seeing the struggles he deals with daily. Watching him try and help a hulked out Hawkeye not destroy everything by telling him to think of everything he touched as being eggshells, really did a good job of putting into perspective what it must be like to live with all that strength. Capt. Amerihulk having to deal with always being hungry and Hulk Thor smashing everything around him, helped drive home even more the point of how hard it is to be the Hulk. Sometimes this show doesn’t do a very good job as developing their heroes, this episode was a good step in that direction and I hope it continues.

This was a good all around episode of Avengers Assemble. It’s always great when Black Widow gets a chance to save the day. She is a valuable member of the Avengers that doesn’t always get the chance to showcase it. Having her team up with the Hulk was a great change of pace for the show and it worked much better than I expected. I also enjoyed getting to see another side of the Hulk, too often the show likes to just use him as a hammer. My only complaint this week is about Red Skull and M.O.D.O.K, at this point though I’m not really sure why they are using the two of them as the series main villains. I mean, does Red Skull even do anything besides ride around in his submarine and hatch evil plots that never work? I’m also starting to think that no one is going to join his Cabal either. Hopefully the show answers these questions soon. That aside, I really enjoyed “Hulked out Heroes”, I was happy to see Assemble go a little deeper into their characters and show that there’s more to them than just their ability to hit bad guys.

I give “Hulked Out Heroes” an 8/10 reasons that Black Widow needs to be in every episode

by Brian West

I am the last son of a dead planet, sent to Earth to save it from the evil forces that conspire to rule it. Using my super strength, lightning speed, power ring, indestructible shield, gadget belt, iron suit, powers of flight, and most importantly, my epic awesomeness, I continue my never-ending fight to protect those who can not help themselves...I'm starting to think maybe I've read one too many comics.

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