Marvel definitely brought their A-game to the table when they began their Netflix series. When Daredevil season one was first released, I very hesitantly began watching it because I still had mental scars on my brain from when I watched Daredevil the movie. I shouldn't have worried; the Netflix series had everything a Daredevil story-line should include (and more). When I heard that Netflix and Marvel were also teaming up to bring Jessica Jones' story straight to our homes, again, I fretted that it would not live up to my expectations.
I should have known better. Jessica Jones exceeded the high quality of television already set by Daredevil. Jessica was a private investigator tormented by the harsh events of her past. Her scathing wit was surprisingly refreshing, and she was far more relatable than, let's say, Captain America. And her villain? Never has a villain given me such a bad case of the heebie-jeebies. I don't think I'm wrong in saying that Kilgrave is the most terrifying villain a hero could ever have the misfortune to meet.
Having an extremely disturbed man as a villain and working as a down-on-her-luck PI makes Jessica Jones' tale a pretty dark one. Even back in the comics, her story was not always a happy one. So if you're curious about what kind of things trouble Jessica Jones or if you're a fan of the Netflix series, I highly suggest you read on. I adore the comic and the show, so come along and join me for a dive into what makes Jessica tick.
30 Unbreakable Vows
For those of you who saw the first season of Jessica Jones without knowing anything about her in the comics, you might have felt sorry about the fact that she and Luke did not end up together in the end. I'm here to tell you that you can still hold onto that hope!
In the comics, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones end up marrying each other.
Admittedly, in the comics, Jessica was not forced to push Reva Connors (Luke Cage's former wife) into traffic by the Purple Man. That's an understandable barrier between the two Defenders ending up together in the Netflix series. But after falling under Kilgrave's mind control himself, Luke should have more sympathy for Jessica's circumstances during the time she was forced to commit that heinous act.
29 Calling All Avengers
Superhero group names seem kind of derivative, don't you think? Avengers? Defenders? (Don't get me started on the Justice League.) Still, there's a prestige in being a member of one of these groups. Aside from being a street-level hero, Jessica Jones has spent a ton of time assisting the Avengers.
She's more than just a private investigator.
Her grit and determination serves her well whenever she's called upon to fight alongside the Avengers. She has even become a member of the New Avengers. (There are several groups of "Avengers." Confusing? That's comic book story-lines for you.) The idea of a down-to-earth person like Jessica being on the Avengers is reassuring to me.
28 Stan The Man
Trust Stan Lee to get himself a cameo in a Marvel television show. He will not simply be relegated to films. No, he spreads his wings into all forms of media. In the first season of Jessica Jones, she lets herself get arrested by the police so as to put a halt to Kilgrave's plans. Kilgrave isn't pleased by this turn of events, so he strolls into the police station to get her, using his ability to control people's minds to ensure his safety. The confrontation between Jessica and Kilgrave is riveting; the tension is palpable. But, tacked to the wall of one of the cubicles spread across the police station, you can glimpse a headshot of Stan Lee. I did not catch this cameo myself. The drama unfolding on the screen totally stole every ounce of my attention.
27 Bright And Peppy
When we're first introduced to Jessica Jones in the show, she comes across as a morose and sarcastic woman simply trying to make ends meet. If you were to compare her with her first hero persona in the comic books, you would think they were two different people. Jessica's first attempt at being a hero saw her dress up in a tight, white jumpsuit with a turquoise-colored belt and bright, pink hair. Doesn't sound like the Jessica Jones we know, does it? The show doesn't paint Jessica as a joyous person. Ever since the car accident that robbed her of her family, Jessica's personality took a turn for the dour (understandably). In the comics, she was a much more hopeful person despite the hardships life had thrown at her. At least until she met Kilgrave.
26 Friendly Neighborhood Jessica
High school reunions are usually events that people don't look forward to. Former classmates either desperately try to appear like their life is supremely awesome even when it isn't or they are, in fact, successful and they shove it in your face. A great high school reunion to attend would have to be Midtown High's, which is the school that both Peter Parker and Jessica Jones attended. I don't know if this little tidbit will become canon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (doubt it, since Tom Holland's Spider-Man looks way younger than Krysten Ritter's Jessica Jones), but that still doesn't make it seem less cool. Jessica and Peter are probably going to be the most interesting people at their high school reunion.
25 The Inside Scoop
Speaking of similar backgrounds between Jessica Jones and Peter Parker, not only did they go to the same high school, they also worked at the same newspaper. Jessica spent some time being a correspondent for the Daily Bugle, which is notorious for being Peter's go-to newspaper for Spider-shaming. Jessica got along with the Bugle's editor, J. Jonah Jameson, about as well as Peter did, i.e. not at all. Jameson's insults, which he spat out faster than a turret fires bullets, obviously got on the nerves of Jessica. She quits working for the Bugle after Jameson slanders the Avengers. I swear, Jameson must slander every person who wears a costume. It's his thing.
24 Let's Go Fly A Kite
You may not realize this if you've only experienced Jessica Jones through the Netflix series, but in the comic books, Jessica has the power to fly. Heroes like Superman take flight all the time, and it makes the ability to fly seem synonymous with being a super hero.
Prior to meeting the Purple Man, Jessica would fly all the time.
Seeing her in her Jewel costume meant seeing her take to the skies. After her time with Killgrave, there was a noticeable decrease in the amount of time Jessica spent in the air. I think her limited flying ability is caused by her not wishing to draw attention to herself as a super hero, which means she gets less practice actually flying.
23 A Marvelous Friend
You can't go far in life without having a good friend at your side, and one of Jessica Jones friends is Carol Danvers, also known as Ms. Marvel. In the comics, it was Carol who helped out Jessica after she broke free from Killgrave's control over her.
Originally, Carol was going to appear on the Netflix show.
Jessica Jones would have had two super-powered ladies as main characters. But with plans for a Captain Marvel movie in the works, Carol was replaced on Jessica Jones with the character of Trish Walker. Trish ended up being a great replacement. I can't honestly say I know what the show would have turned into with two super heroes in the lead, but I think a large part of Jessica and Trish's character development is defined by the differences between them.
22 Twin Greetings
Jessica is as tough as nails, and that point is driven home when we first meet her. Both the comic book series, Alias, and in the Netflix series, start in the exact same way. Their respective beginnings even look the same despite being two different forms of media. Jessica has to deal with a guy who doesn't want to pay for her services. When he keeps being a jerk about the whole thing, she tosses him right through the glass pane of her front door, shattering the window with the fresh letters that say "ALIAS INVESTIGATIONS." By meeting Jessica in this manner, we're able to immediately divine what kind of character she is going to be without receiving exposition about her from another character or (worse yet) having Jessica herself tell us what her personality is.
21 She's A Keeper
One of the things that made Jessica Jones' story frighteningly traumatic was her encounter with Zebediah Killgrave (in the Netflix show, he's simply called Kilgrave with one "l"). Killgrave was a man who could force people to do whatever he told them to do. The worst we thought he could do barely scratched the surface until we read of his history with Jessica Jones in Alias.
He kept her by his side for eight months.
Eight months. That's eight months of her doing his bidding, no matter what he asked of her. That's eight months where Jessica was not allowed to think her own thoughts. That's eight months of being forced to do criminal acts for a psychotic villain. And that's eight months of Jessica Jones' life she can never get back.
20 A Woman Doing A Man's Job
Jessica Jones introduced us to Jeri Hogarth, the sharp lawyer who viciously worked her way to the top of her practice and only seemed to wish to keep herself in power. While Jeri does help Jessica out a few times, it is clear that her own interests are Jeri's priority.
The character of Jeri was actually based on a man.
Wendell Rand, father of the Immortal Iron Fist, Danny Rand, had a long-time lawyer on retainer. This lawyer was named Jeryn Hogarth, and he was a he. One of the great things about Jessica Jones is that there are a lot of diverse female characters in what is usually considered a male-dominated zone, i.e. the super hero world.
19 Phoenix Assisting
In the Netflix show, Jessica Jones breaks free of Kilgrave's control all on her own after he asks her to do the unthinkable and seriously harm another person (Reva Connors). In the comics, Jessica has the luck to know enough people in the super hero community to get the help of one Jean Grey. For those of you who don't know who Jean Grey is, she is a member of the X-Men and, more importantly, she is a telepath. Using her mutant abilities, she placed mental blocks within Jessica's mind in order to keep Killgrave from ever regaining control of her ever again. Those are the perks of being friends with super heroes. Of course, the downside of it all is probably that your life is threatened at least once a month.
18 In-Spider-Ation
When Peter Parker reveals to the Avengers that he is Spider-Man, every one has to take it in, including Jessica Jones. She especially has to digest that information. When she first got her powers, she had no idea what to do with them. She was just a kid in high school.
But then one day, Spider-Man saved the school from an attack by Sandman.
Jessica, observing his heroism, knew then and there what she wanted to do with her powers. Spider-Man inspired her to adopt a super hero identity, and that is when she became Jewel. It's tragic in retrospect, because if Jessica had not gone out into the world as Jewel, she never would have met Killgrave, but the sentiment of inspiration is still sweet.
17 A Partner In Heroism
Trish Walker's journey through the two available seasons of Jessica Jones seems repeated. She not only tries to be the best friend she can be to Jessica, but we can feel a frustration developing within her that she does not have super abilities like her friend. Out of all the characters in Jessica Jones, Trish is the most understandable. As an avid fangirl, not a day goes by where I don't long for super powers of my own. It must be even more taxing for Trish, since she lives in a universe where people can actually have super powers. In the comics, Trish has her own set of abilities and a super hero persona called Hellcat. I can't wait to see if the show lets Trish become who she was meant to be.
16 The Name Of The Game
Kilgrave was expertly brought to life by the extremely talented actor David Tennant. Tennant helped to make me terrified while I watched every episode of season one. The comic version of the Purple Man is creepy as well, but the atmosphere in the show is absorbing. In the comics, the Purple Man is named Zebediah Killgrave, and he got his mind control powers from a chemical refinery. In the show, his name is revealed to be Kevin Thompson, with Kilgrave being an alias he chose. Kevin's own parents experimented on him as a child, and that is the show's explanation for how he got his powers. Zebediah Killgrave is a very coincidental name for a future villain to have, unlike Kevin Thompson, that's all I'm going to say.
15 Power Baby
Luke Cage and Jessica Jones managed to carve out their own slice of happiness in the world, even though both of their lives have been fraught with trials and tribulations. Together, they brought about a gorgeous baby girl, whom they both adore with their whole hearts. Jessica's pregnancy brought about some great moments between the pair, and nothing was funnier than the delivery. Just imagine the foul-mouthed Jessica we know from the show, and you should have a pretty good idea of what it was like. I have no clue if the show will follow the same story-line as the comics, but I honestly wouldn't mind if they did. The baby did change the two heroes a lot, but both Jessica and Luke definitely stepped up as parents.
14 The Real Deal Devil
I might toot Jessica Jones' horn too much, but I can't help it. It seriously is that good of a show. If you haven't seen it and you're reading this list, I hope it convinces you to give the series a try. (And if you have seen it, you totally know what I'm talking about.) One of the great things about the Netflix show is how Kilgrave functions as an antagonist.
In the comics though, he was originally one of Daredevil's villains.
In fact, when Jessica was under his control, the Purple Man sent her to beat up Daredevil after reading a newspaper article praising the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. She runs into the Avengers instead, and that's when they help her get rid of Killgrave's control (by contacting Jean Grey, of course.)
13 Unmentioned Disappearance
Killgrave's mind games on Jessica were not the only things that lowered her into the depression that was her life after him. He did absolutely terrible things to her mind and soul, but one of the truly heartbreaking realizations that Jessica had was that no one tried looking for her while she was missing for eight months.
This thought forever broke Jessica's opinion of her adoptive mother.
That realization would deeply hurt anyone. Imagine you spent eight months enduring the most hellish experience you can imagine. You manage to make it out of said situation, but upon leaving it, you find out that not a single one of your friends or family took notice that you were just gone.
12 I Got Issues
As the Netflix show indicates, the material that makes up the story of Jessica Jones is not suitable for young children. Marvel recognized this and chose to have writer Brian Michael Bendis write Alias for their imprint, Max. This offshoot of Marvel specializes in distributing R-rated comic books, and Alias definitely includes content that should be considered R-rated. Jessica's gritty attitude about different scenarios brings out the most colorful of censored language. And with a villain like the Purple Man, it's no wonder that Jessica Jones' story is labeled as mature content. The show is no different. If you need any convincing of that, just look up what happened to poor Hope Shlottman.
11 Rebel Without A Scarf
Captain America: Civil War introduced non-comic book readers to the Superhero Registration Act. But what the movie couldn't do was give the conflict a sense of scale. In Civil War, the Superhero Registration Act affected only the Avengers because they're the only heroes out there. But in the comic books, there are tons of heroes across the globe who were affected, including Jessica Jones. As you might expect, she was against the idea of registering herself as a powered person and becoming a government stooge. However, since she had her new baby to think of, she eventually joined up with Iron Man's side, solely to protect the newborn infant she cared for.