For Some Reason I've Seen A Lot Of People Disliking The Way Jessica Jones Season 1 Ends. The Vibe I've

For some reason I've seen a lot of people disliking the way Jessica Jones season 1 ends. The vibe I've seen is that it wasn't epic enough, it was underwhelming, and that it was too simple and fast and Killgrave would be too smart to fall for it. etc etc.

I think these takes miss the point though. This is the only way he could have gone out, BECAUSE it wasn't an attempt to outsmart him at all.

The whole point is that Killgrave wasn't an epic villain, he was a weird misogynistic little control freak that was obsessed with owning Jessica because he couldn't stand that she was her own person.

The whole season is a game of cat and mouse between them, and you can see just how smart both of them are - they are both equally powerful and intelligent, BUT killgrave literally didn’t need to be doing this at all! He could have left ANY time, he didn’t have to send Hope after her, he could have left before the house, or after he escaped, or after the nightclub, literally WHENEVER

His obsession with controlling Jessica was always his downfall

She was the executioner, but in the end he brought it all on himself

He didn’t get an epic ending because it’s not ABOUT him and because he didn’t need one. It was never about outsmarting or overpowering him, it was about his incessant need for control and Jessica making a decision.

And it works SO WELL not just because it makes good commentary, but also because it mirrors exactly how Killgrave tried to get her to bend to his will; both of them aimed for each other’s emotional weak point - but killgrave failed because he doesn’t actually know or understand Jessica at all, just the version of her he made up in his head and made her play act like a little doll for him

He thinks her weakness is a hero complex, because the first time they meet she’s saving Malcolm from some muggers and killgrave asks her if it felt good to beat up those men, she says yes, and when he asks why she says

“Because I helped someone”

And he’s such an inherently selfish person that to him that translates to a hero complex - He can’t imagine a person who just wants to save people, not to bolster their self worth or to in some way help theme selves. He’s spent his entire life only doing things because he wanted to, because it brought HIM satisfaction, that the idea that someone might willingly do Anything that’s not to make them feel better doesn’t even cross his mind.

And that’s why at the house he shows her the (curated) videos of his childhood, why he “respects” her wishes about not hurting the nosy neighbor, why he goes and saves that family with her, and is genuinely helpful. His tactic to get her to stay with him is to show her how his powers can be used for good, show her he’s also a person who can experience pain and love and joy, and then make her ‘realize’ if she stays with him she could make him a hero and good person. Because he thinks she will sacrifice herself for him and for society if he presents it as a way to atone and heal her guilt.

But Jessica refuses. She betrays him and takes her own route while knowing if she had given up all her autonomy she could have made him a good person and saved countless lives. (I don’t think this was ever actually achievable but she believed it was so the point stands)

Jessica jones has a lot of problems, but a hero complex isn’t one of them.

But Jessica jones DOES know his weakness, his real weakness, her. Controlling the only person who could defy him. And yes it is an obvious and see through plan - Killgrave even calls it out! But then in order to prove she’s faking what does he do? He assaults Trish - and when she continues following his orders he FULLY believes it and completely lets down his guard.

Why? It’s such an obvious trick! He’s supposed to be clever!!!! Well it worked so well because he clearly WANTED to believe it so bad (self admittedly), he was drunk on his own power, he wanted to believe his own strength and he wanted to own Jessica again. But also because again

He thinks Jessica has a hero complex

Her allowing this to happen to her friend ? Jessica jones would never do this! He knows her so well! She just Can’t Help but Help people! If she was faking her helplessness this would have broken her out of it! (Also there’s the whole level of the jealousy he has of Trish and the love Jessica and Trish share but that’s for another post)

And so he dies, small, unable to speak, not being told he’s loved, with a simple snapped neck from a cheap, unplanned ploy, that was thought up on the spot. Just as he deserved.

I'm really not a very angry person there's just a lot of rage inside me

I like violets (twdg) character quite a bit, I've just never really been able to see her as a romantic option for Clem. She's obviously not truly over minnie. If Clem chooses to save Louis, Violet ends up going blind over the fact that she's not truly over minnie. Even when Clem has a romantic relationship with her, she chooses Minnie over Clementine. I do like Clem and Violet being friends. Their friendship is awesome to me, but I just genuinely can't see anything beyond friendship for them.

The thing about Jessica Jones is that she is cheesy, and written like a classic noir detective, and talks and sometimes acts like a “strong” female character written by men that think strength in a woman is being able to talk fast, be unempathetic, and have misplaced confidence. She says things like “My only weakness is that occasionally I give a damn” but it works so WELL because it’s completely intentional. 

She walks, talks, and moves through the world in this way because she has the power to. She can walk around confidently, she can talk shit, she can be rude to anyone around her, especially men, and have no reason to fear because she KNOWS she’s stronger than all of them. She never has to truly fear for her safety because of the power she’s been afforded.

Which is why the second she thinks Kilgrave is back she completely falls apart. She’s hyperventilating and crying, she’s running away she’s visibly terrified, because Kilgrave is the only person who’s had power over her, who can hurt her, and she has no protection against. And that’s why that shift works SO well!

Because Jessica is overly confident in every situation, until she has to confront Kilgrave, and we realize it’s not over confidence, it’s that she knows she could protect herself from anyone else. She talks fast and doesn’t let herself be interrupted because she has the power to do so, she never has to worry about a man (or anyone) feeling disrespected and reacting violently. She is mean and hard and often doesn’t treat people well, but that’s a real flaw she has to contend with. If she had treated Malcolm and the support group with more kindness, maybe they wouldn’t have turned on her. This is also important because she genuinely doesn’t see herself as a hero, or TRY to be kind. She tries to do the right thing, but kindness isn’t something she strives for. 

Jessica Jones is such a well written and layered character and she’s so so fascinating and I wish people talked about her more