"Agents of S.M.A.S.H" thoughts ten years removed
So lately I've been thinking a lot about old Marvel shows I used to love and things that brought me lots of joy when I was younger and one that's been sticking in my mind a lot lately is "Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H", which is a show I haven't watched in numerous years but look up clips of sometimes just to feel something in this dark day and age.
I think the reason that I'm glad it exists is because I love what it says about depressive cycles and allowing yourself to be surrounded by people that love and understand you fully. Like--at the start of the series, its Hulk and he's in the midst of more self-imposed isolation, with the exception of Rick being there trying to lighten things and he's all "people are always going to see me as a monster, and I'm totally fine with that", And then a bunch of nonsense happens and Rick becomes A-Bomb and Hulk's like "oooookay maybe we shouldn't just be by ourselves, especially if I'm gonna help you get through this," cause in Hulk's mind, Rick being like him is baaaaad, cause he views himself far more negatively than positively.
Its very evident throughout the show that Hulk does not like himself, at all. He's so much more composed and self-possessed and really at his peak in terms of mental stability (to liken him to a comic counterpart, I'd say he's more like Green Scar than any of the others, to the point where he is often in an almost paternal role for the other characters, especially Rick), but he experiences these moments of self-doubt and anxiety and apprehension over being looked up to by people, like that one episode where they're going to head on vacation and the whole time he's like "We shouldn't be here, anytime we're out, people are in danger," which is an insane thing to say because A) you're a hero who's saved the world countless times, fuck what they think and B) how much do you hate yourself that you think you don't deserve to have nice things or be happy?
I love that with the inclusion of characters like Rick and She-Hulk (Red and Skaar less so but I guess they help too), he's allowed to see himself as a more. Especially because the Avengers were very clearly unable to and even unwilling to stick their necks out for him despite him being there for them so many times (I point you to that unwatchable arc during s3 of Avengers Assemble where random white gov man walks in, declares Hulk a threat arbitrarily, they literally COLLAR HIM LIKE A DOG and not ONE of the Avengers sticks up for him. Wildly embarrassing). He is never made to be actively demeaned by the other gamma mutates like he was by the Avengers because they know what he goes through like nobody else could.
I feel that at this series' core, it tells people who are depressed and who feel that they are unlovable and feel that they aren't worthy or capable of being seen for who they are that love is not impossible for you; you are lovable, you are worthy of being held and seen in your own right and you deserve nice things even though you've maybe been difficult or you've been this or that or the third.
Say what you want about this show: Yes, it is obviously for kids and its ridiculous as hell and there's way better material for understanding Hulk as a character and his inner struggles, but it's a really big guilty pleasure for me. Its crazy how as you get older, the things that used to seem so simple gain more significance by merit of the fact that you gain more and more experience in life but for this show, there's so much more that I see now that I can appreciate, and who knows if it was the intent of the writers to code him with so much lingering depression and mental anguish but I really appreciate that :)
