She-Hulk: Mr Immortal, explained
Disney+She-Hulk Episode 6 features an amusing appearance from Mr Immortal – but who is he, is he from the comics, and what are his powers?
So far, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has introduced several new characters to the MCU. Alongside its titular hero, there’s Titania (Jameela Jamil) and the Wrecking Crew, not to mention the return of Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky, aka the Abomination from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
While fans have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, suited and booted for the first time since the last season of the Netflix series, they were treated to someone else this week: Mr Immortal.
While Jen (Tatiana Maslany) attends an old friend’s wedding, the lawyers at GLK&H assist a man known as Mr Immortal – but who is he in the world of Marvel?
She-Hulk: Who is Mr Immortal?
Mr Immortal, whose real name is Craig Hollis, is played by David Pasquesi.
You may recognize the actor from the likes of Groundhog Day, Strangers with Candy, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Mr Immortal in the MCU and comics, explained
The show doesn’t provide many details about Mr Immortal. We know his actual name is Craig Hollis, and we know he can’t die, but it’s unclear how long he’s been around for. When he tries to kill himself, he passes away briefly, before returning to life.
In the comics, Hollis got his powers after his birth, and the tragic death of his mother. However, before she died, she made cosmic entity Deathurge promise to look after him, so he came up with an idea: he gave the baby the gift (and curse) of immortality.
In his early years, Hollis became close to Deathurge – or “D’urge”, as he would call him – but his immortal exploits grew more dangerous, from playing in heavy traffic to setting his house alight on his 8th birthday and hiding under it as it burned to the ground. He survived the latter event, but he watched Deathurge take his father to the afterlife.
Later in life, he realized he could use his immortality to become a superhero, and Mr Immortal founded the Great Lakes Avengers alongside Flatman, Doorman, Big Bertha, Dinah Soar, and Leather Boy.
The group worked with the real Avengers and Fantastic Four a few times, including a mission to rescue Scarlet Witch, and they briefly renamed themselves the “Lightning Rods” to capitalize on the popularity of the Thunderbolts. They reverted back to the Great Lake Avengers soon after.
During the Civil War event, they were the first team of heroes to register under the Superhuman Registration Act – essentially the Sokovia Accords – and they were enlisted to protect Wisconsin as part of the West Lakes Initiative. It’s unlikely we’ll see this in live-action.
What are Mr Immortal’s powers?
Well, there’s the obvious one: Mr Immortal has the power of immortality, so – in theory – he can’t be killed. He’s the only known member of Homo supreme, a stage of evolution beyond us puny Homo sapiens.
While he can heal and resurrect from any death, it comes at a small price: he’s prone to rages upon reviving as a result of the agony of his injuries and resurrection.
However, while Deathurge believed he’d be the sole survivor of the current universe and merge with the Sentience of the Cosmos, there’s a version of the future where Bruce Banner kills him and takes his place.
What happens to Mr Immortal in She-Hulk Episode 6?
He’s introduced in Episode 6 as a client needing help with his divorce, as he’s worried the settlement will “bleed him dry.” He explains he’s been married several times, and he’s a “good guy who doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.”
However, he then reveals what he’s been doing: every time he gets fed up with a marriage, he kills himself instead of talking to his partner, either by walking out into traffic, biting into a cyanide pill, or – as seen at the end of their conversation – jumping out of the window.
By the end of the episode, he comes face to face with his past wives (and one husband), who want compensation for all of their wasted time and money. He eventually agrees to the settlement.
She-Hulk Episode 7 will be available to watch on Disney+ on September 29. You can sign up to Disney+ here.