She-Hulk: Attorney at Law just revealed one of its most unexpected cameos: the return of The Abomination, a Hulk-like villain who debuted fourteen years ago on screen and has been seldom mentioned ever since. While many fans rejoiced at the appearance of the long-absent villain, many may not even be aware that another gamma-induced monster is wreaking havoc in the MCU. Who is the Abomination?

The Abomination was first introduced as Emil Blonsky in the oft-overlooked 2008 film The Incredible Hulk. Blonsky was a special-ops commander of the British Marines recruited by General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross to apprehend the Hulk following Bruce Banner’s exposure to gamma radiation and subsequent transformation. After a failed attempt to capture Banner, Blonsky agrees to be injected with a small amount of a similar “Super Soldier Serum.” While the serum grants Blonsky enhanced speed, strength, and agility, it begins to deform his outward appearance and better judgment.

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After a second confrontation with the Hulk, Blonsky is left severely injured. Upon recovery, he tracks down Dr. Samuel Stern, who has synthesized a supply of the Hulk’s blood. Blonsky forces Dr. Stern to inject him with Banner’s blood, transforming him into the Abomination, a monster beyond the size and strength of the Hulk.

After his transformation, the Abomination rampages through Harlem. Banner realizes the only one strong enough to stop him is the Hulk and the two battle through the city. The Hulk ultimately defeats the Abomination, stopping short of killing him only when Banner’s then-girlfriend, Betty, pleads for his life. The Abomination is left to be apprehended by the U.S. Army at the end of The Incredible Hulk.

The Abomination has since cropped up for brief mentions in other MCU projects. It was revealed in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. that the Abomination was moved to a crypto cell in a high-security prison in Alaska following the events of The Incredible Hulk. He was most recently seen in the MCU in a short cameo fighting Sorcerer Supreme Wong in Macau during Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The encounter, which ended with a friendly handshake between Wong and the Abomination, has puzzled fans since the movie premiered last year.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law put this curiosity to rest in its second episode when Emil Blonsky was revealed to be Jen Walters’ newest client (leading to Mark Ruffalo’s Banner making a hilarious callback to Edward Norton’s Hulk, saying, “I’m a completely different person now. Literally.”). When footage of the fight in Macau threatens to undermine Blonsky’s case for parole as proof that he escaped from prison, Wong arrives to reveal the truth—he released the Abomination from prison temporarily in the interest of a good fight. His testimony is enough to grant Blonsky parole and open the door for Abomination’s future in the MCU.

The Abomination’s storied past in the MCU could easily make for an exciting future with the character. Likewise, his story could parallel Banner’s arc as he navigates the possibility of controlling his vast strength and regaining his humanity. Or, at the very least, some old-fashioned on-screen smashing.

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