Review: Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. "A Druff is Enough"

I've got to say, even though this episode really tried to build up the Druffs as a threat, I think Tribbles are more dangerous.

One of them bit Scotty's finger off!

Plot
This episode was a loose homage to the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." As an homage, it's all right. But nothing exactly screams Star Trek. I mean, if you changed the title to something like "Out of Control," then the Star Trek parallels might go unnoticed.

So if you look at the episode on its own terms without seeing it as an homage... it's not very good. Ronan the Accuser is reduced to being defeated by what are essentially living teddy bears while a convenient wormhole pops up to bring a sudden Deus ex Machina to the Hulks' trip home.

And this was the second wormhole to Earth in as many episodes. I mean, sure, the last one led to an alternate future Earth, but you still have to wonder exactly how many wormholes to Earth there are in this portion of the universe.

Themes
Don't lie, because your lie will grow out of control. Geez, what are the odds I'd recap two episodes in a row with that moral. First Ultimate Spider-Man, now this? Although I have to hand it to Agents of S.M.A.S.H., this show was marginally more subtle with how it used the Druffs to beat the metaphor into our heads.

Marginally.

Characters
Ronan the Accuser
He was reduced to a wuss who got his most powerful weapon broken by the Hulk after having an army of fuzzballs unleashed on him. Definitely not Ronan's finest moment, so you can bet that I'll be bringing it up when the writers try to turn him into the big bad of this season.

Still, I can't help but feel sorry for Ronan. After all, Galactus was going to eat his home planet. The only thing that Ronan could do to save his world was sacrifice Ego the Living, Mass-Murdering Planet to destroy the Devourer of Worlds. For all we know, Ronan could be avenging the destruction of his planet at the hands of Galactus. And in a better show, that would be the case to show that the Hulks' actions have consequences. But that would be continuity, and there's a special abyss where this show throws continuity away.

A-Bomb
I mean, seriously. He almost doomed the ship with the Druffs, then lied about throwing them out the airlock? I mean, yeah, his idiocy saved the day, but he was still being an unimaginable idiot.

And it sort of undermines the moral of "don't lie" when the day was actually solved by A-Bomb lying about having the Druffs, then lying about the Orb of Truth. Whoops.

Druffs
In the comics, Druffs are intelligent, if primitive. About on Skaar's level, I'd say.

In the comics, Druffs are pink.

In the comics, Druffs live on the planet Ryas, and cannot survive on asteroids.

And finally, in the comics, Druffs only reproduce during a multiple-moon eclipse, as they see that as a blessing from their god.

Which means that the only thing this episode got right about them is the fact that they're furry.

Episode, I award you no points, and may whatever god the Druffs worship have mercy on your soul.

As a fun fact, "druff" is German slang for being high on drugs. Make of that what you will.

Animation
Standard fare, nothing to write home about. Though I have to say the video game footage got a chuckle out of me.

Final Thoughts
Our heroes' final episode in space concludes with a bit of "comedic" fluff that makes the alleged villain of Season 2 look ineffectual. And if you're looking for a Star Trek homage, watch the Futurama episode "Where No Fan Has Gone Before." While this episode is a bit of harmless fluff, "Harmless fluff" isn't exactly the note to end a big story arc on. So while it might not be as bad as this show gets, it's pretty darn underwhelming.

Next episode, the Hulks return home, for better and worse. Mostly worse. See you then.