1 of Marvel's Worst Superheroes Just Got Introduced In She-Hulk

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Updated:
Leap-Frog, She-Hulk

As She-Hulk: Attorney at Law approaches its end, the eighth installment finally featured Charlie Cox's Daredevil (who was much more similar to his Netflix version than some initially thought). 

However, alongside the arrival of the Devil of Hell's Kitchen is the involvement of another unexpected vigilante – Leap-Frog. 

Ginger Gonzaga as Nikki Ramos, Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk, She-Hulk
Marvel Studios

The character's introduction has long been teased ever since She-Hulk's first trailer. In fact, Leap-Frog secretly made his debut in Episode 5, with the installment showing actor Brandon Stanley as Eugene Patilio exiting superhero designer Luke Jacobson's office. 

Now, Episode 8 has shown more of what Leap-Frog is capable of (or rather, what he lacks) as he debuts in the MCU series. 

She-Hulk Debuts One of Marvel's Worst Superheroes

Brandon Stanley as Leap-Frog, She-Hulk
Marvel Studios

She-Hulk Episode 8 introduced Marvel fans to Leap-Frog, who could arguably be the worst hero that the MCU has introduced so far.

Leap-Frog initially leaped into action to stop a robbery. During the encounter, not only did Eugene Patilio's humor get lost entirely on the criminals, but his fighting ability was also no match for the assailants. 

This embarrassingly led to Leap-Frog setting his legs on fire after a fleeing attempt; a fate sealed by his own hand after mistakenly using jet fuel in his rocket boots. 

Leap-Frog Fire
Marvel Studios

Clearly, this is no Iron Man. 

If that wasn't enough, Leap-Frog isn't even a competent villain, as shown by how Patilio's goons aren't fully on board with his mission. Before being thwarted by Daredevil, two of Leap-Frog's underlings lamented their boss' ridiculous naming conventions:

Goon 1: “So, I said 'I respect that you wanna dress up like a frog, but that doesn't mean I'm cool with being a baby frog.'”

Goon 2: “Wait, I thought he wanted to call us ‘Tadpoles.’”

Leap-Frog, She-Hulk
Marvel Studios

In Marvel Comics, Eugene is the son of Vincent Patilio, a small-time inventor who turns to crime to support his wife and son. Turning into Leap-Frog, Patilio suffered several humiliating defeats at the hands of Daredevil, Iron Man, Falcon, and Spider-Man. Leap-Frog attempted to go straight at one point, but he wasn't able to stay a hero for long. 

Based on his adventures in the comics, fans will agree that the character is an objectively badly-skilled villain, and this is largely due to his overconfidence. In addition, Patilio also exhibits poor preparation and it seems that he is not totally well-equipped to fight other Marvel heroes.

Moreover, Leap-Frog has appeared in some "worst characters" lists online that bash everything from his ability as a Marvel villain to his terrible green digs – something his designer Luke was sure to point out in She-Hulk's latest episode.  Marvel.com itself even gives some desperately low scores for a number of Patilio's skills, including a 2-out-of-5 for his fighting skills and a measly single point for energy. 

The idea that Leap-Frog is just the worst has hilariously been maintained for the MCU version, making for a hero/villain that will only be tough to beat when it comes to incompetence.

Do Any MCU Characters Rival Leap-Frog?

Although Leap-Frog is believed by many to be one of the worst Marvel villains, giving the character enough of a chance to shine in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law allows fans to better understand the complexities of the villain while still proving the point that he is poorly equipped. 

That being said, the MCU Leap-Frog is still the worst.

It could be argued that there are other worse heroes and villains within the MCU that could go toe-to-toe with Leap-Frog in terms of terribleness. Thor: The Dark World's Malekith is a contender for least memorable and the Clandestine in Ms. Marvel are loathed for their lack of development. But as far as incompetency and entitlement go, Leap-Frog has them all beat.

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law's latest episode is now streaming on Disney+.

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.