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“Jessica Jones” recap (1.13): Holding out for a hero

Previously on Jessica Jones: Kilgrave is bucking for more power. Luke is under Kilgrave’s power. Jessica has to use the power of a shotgun to stop Luke.

Jessica drags Luke into the ER. He is unconscious, but with a lot of brain swelling. Unfortunately, this whole unbreakable skin thing makes rendering critical aid nearly impossible. Jessica realizes this, as the nurse breaks needles on his skin. So does another interested nurse. Another nurse, who fans of Daredevil will most definitely recognize, also takes notice.

The nurse is Dr. Claire Temple, played by Rosario Dawson. She has a knack for patching up superhero types. So she steps in and tries to do just that. After breaking a drill bit on his forehead, the doctor realizes he is “one of those.” The cops show up, and Jessica realizes they have to go.

She asks Claire to help or get out of the way. Claire chooses to help because we all know this isn’t her first Marvel universe rodeo. She also tells Jessica not to blame herself, because guilt makes you do stupid shit. So Jessica blames her for everything instead. And just because they’ve grown so chummy so quickly, Jessica has her take Luke to her apartment.

Jessica has to take a call first. A random nurse passes her the phone and, big surprise, it’s Kilgrave. Not to cast doubt on her decision-making, but at this point shouldn’t she just stop taking calls from that homicidal fucknut? Kilgrave is actually in the building now, and his powers transfer over the phone. If it’s a virus spread via contact, I’m not sure how that is even possible given the laws of physics. But, whatever it’s the last episode, I’m just going with it.

They have some hate chit-chat about how much they want to watch each other die. He runs off and Kilgraves people as he goes. First a pistol-packing security guard, then the entire damn hospital. Oh, by the way, his powers also transfer over the TV now. Yeah, I don’t know why. But does this mean we’re one step closer to me being able to pull a fresh pizza out of my TV set? Because then I’m more OK with it.

Jessica escapes relatively unscathed, except for the huge scalpel slash on her thigh. She returns to her apartment where Claire is being like some incredibly hip Florence Nightingale. But Luke is mid-seizure—and straddle. And it seems the only way to save him is to bypass his unbreakable skin which leaves—drumroll please—his optic nerve. Yeah, that means his damn eye. I hope you weren’t eating during this scene because ew. Ewww.

Claire, who is seriously like a medical professional angel form above, notices Jessica’s leg wound and offers to patch her up. Actually, she instructs her to “take off your pants.” Jessica gives her a look and replies, “I usually like a little more romancing.” Then she makes a crack about Kilgrave’s name and suggests he just call himself “Snuffcarcass” instead. Aw, man, now I wish Claire were sticking around in the Jessica Jones universe instead of following Luke to his.

Claire confesses her own time working with one of the good guys. And how he wasn’t always sure he was one of the good guys, but he kept trying anyway. She even offers to bring him in as backup. But Jessica declines, because she doesn’t want to risk getting anyone involved and/or controlled. The one thing she knows for sure is that she has to kill Kilgrave herself.

The purple man himself is still squatting in the gay couple’s penthouse and ranting at his dad to make him stronger. That is in between running through his misogynistic revenge fantasies for Jessica. He decides impulsively to take the whole dram of the virus—with its 40 percent change it makes him stronger and 60 percent chance it’ll kill him. Everyone but him, of course, is rooting for the latter. Alas, it’s the former. Dammit, odds, I thought you were on our side.

Jessica has her own fantasy chat, but with a still unconscious Luke. She promises not to be around to screw up his life if—when—he wakes up. Well, who is to say there will never be a crossover episode of Luke Cage? She then imposes on the already incredibly compassionate nature of Claire to be even more incredibly compassionate and stay with Luke in case he wakes up. And Claire agrees, but only because she’s seen Jessica with her pants down. See, how can you not love this show?

Jessica has traced Kilgrave back to the fancy gays’ penthouse, and Trish takes her there. Before she goes up, she tells Trish she might not come back. So she asks Trish what it was she came over to tell her before. Good, I absolutely hate it when they use that sort of “I’ll tell you later” mystery as a plot device.

So Trish gives her the info on the IGH private research group funding her medical recovery and superpowers. Jessica says she gave up looking for answers on that a long time ago, but Trish says she hasn’t. Guess we know what the show will be getting into in its second season, eh?

Jessica thanks her for her iron will, and asks her to hold onto it for her. Of course, Trish wants to help. But they agree they’ll have Jessica give her a sign she isn’t Kilgraved. Trish says it should be something she never says. And then Jessica knows the perfect thing to say. It’s I love you. She leaves the car without saying any more, and Trish says under her breath, “That’ll do.”

It’s hard to think of another show on TV right now that so thoroughly hinges on the bond between two women. A show whose entire emotional arc has been finding the strength through friendship to confront and defeat one’s greatest fears. I will never stop wanting Trish and Jessica to be a couple, especially after being teased with the idea before the show started. But I’d also never want anything, ever, to hurt their friendship.

And, boy, are they going to need each other after the untold horrors Jessica finds in the penthouse. One gay is dead, via a syringe full of Drano. The other gay is trying to stuff a human arm down the garbage disposal. And Papa Kilgrave is lying armless in a pool of his own blood.

But he isn’t dead quite yet and awakes to scare the shit out of all of us. Oh, and also to tell Jessica not to listen or look at him because he is stronger. And then he croaks. Jessica texts Trish her “I love yous” and she comes up to help.

Back in her own little corner of Hell, Jeri is very bandaged up and back in her office. Jessica calls to bust her on the fetal tissue. Jeri tells Jessica her life is pretty much in the shitter already—a girlfriend who won’t see her and is being charged with murder, estranged wife who is dead, partners trying to push her out of the practice. Plus, who knows if that cheekbone slash will scar.

But Jessica tells her—even though she made terrible, terrible life choices—she should fight to keep her job. She is who she is, and that is the sharkiest lawyer in New York. So the still living half of the power gay couple will need her as his defense attorney. She tells her while it won’t make them square, doing something does help with the self-loathing.

I know her darkly pragmatic, power-hungry, win-at-all-costs tendencies make Jeri a sack of dark oozing shit in an expensive suit. But, to be honest, I can’t help feeling a little bad for her. Or maybe it’s just the lingering goodwill of my love for Trinity. Either way, I think we’ll be seeing a different Jeri in Season 2, don’t you?

Kilgrave has left a clue, a fancy boat docked at the Hudson Ferry Terminal. Trish knows it’s a trap, and so does Jessica. But at least it’ll be over. But they go anyway, because that’s what heroes do. But nobody said heroes had to go in without a plan.

So we see who we think is Jessica striding into the ferry building. Hoodie, skinny jeans, black boots, and a killer soundtrack. Kilgrave is there, with a whole army of police officers now under his control. They surround her and, oops, it’s Trish and some really fantastic noise canceling headphones.

Granted, I wish they’d come up with a better plan than “And then Jessica shows up after Trish has already revealed herself,” but at least they tried. The fleet of cops opens fire on her. She guided falls over them and races after Kilgrave, who has already made his speedy away.

Next she finds herself on the dock where she also runs into Trish. All that stands between them and Kilgrave now is a small army of dock workers, boat staff, and cruise goers. At first, I thought, well that’s rather small potatoes for Kilgrave. He’s just going to have all these folks throw themselves at Jessica. But, of course not, he is appealing to her hero complex instead. He orders them to “start killing each other.”

Trish jumps in to help, but her headphones get knocked off. Tape those puppies on, folks. It won’t feel good, but you also won’t buzzsaw your own arms off because some British asshole in a nice suit told you to. But Jessica, knowing what she needs to do, marches on through the melee. This annoys Kilgrave to no end because how dare any woman—but particularly Jessica—disobey him.

So he screams “Stoppppppp!” in his most petulant, purple-faced display to date. Everyone stops kicking the crap out of each other. And Jessica, her face awash in shock, stops moving as well. Or did she?

Kilgrave isn’t sure either and thinks she is faking. So he tests her. He says Jessica isn’t capable of love, with one exception—Trish. He calls her over and says out loud that perhaps he chose the wrong sister all along. Now he intends to make her his plaything and slave, who he can rape every day. Yeah, I’m not going to miss this villain one tiny little bit.

He turns to leave with Trish—with the contingency that if they ever see her again, Trish will slit her own throat. But before they go he orders her to kiss him and “mean it.” Isn’t that just the saddest, most pathetic “please clap” of so-called romantic gestures you’ve ever heard?

Finally convinced, Kilgrave walks over to Jessica giddy with his return to power over her. He declares his long nightmare “finally over.” Yes, free will is such a bitch. He says she is his now, forever. And he asks her to start with a smile because, again, he is exactly the kind of guy who thinks women owe men their smiles. In fact, he is their god king.

She complies. Then, he whispers in Jessica’s ear: “Tell me you love me.” But instead, she looks over his shoulder at Trish and says, “I love you.” And then she picks Kilgrave up by the jaw and breaks his neck. And just like that, our long nightmare is finally over.

If you can think of another show where a woman telling another woman she loved her was the climax of the entire series’ narrative, I’d love to hear it. Because that’s clearly another show I’d also love to watch. But until then, let me say rewinding and watching that scene over again is a deeply, deeply satisfying experience. Try it if you’re ever feeling a little down. It’s a guaranteed mood lifter.

Luke wakes up still in Jessica’s apartment. Claire is there and explains what has happened. Jessica has been arrested for killing someone—more specifically Kilgrave. Claire tells him someone like Jessica is a good friend to have, and maybe they should try to work through their issues. Instead, he disappears for his own spinoff when she goes to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. See you again on your own show, Luke. But, seriously, did you have to take Claire with you? I think Jessica could use someone with medical expertise in her corner more than you. Heck, you can’t even bleed.

At the police station, Jeri is defending Jessica. She says she has more than enough witnesses to convince a jury that Kilgave compelled Jessica to snap his own neck. And more than enough witnesses—including all those trigger-happy cops—to convince a jury that mind control is real. Perhaps this makes them square, or at least almost square? Jeri doesn’t even ask for that; she just leaves without a word having successfully gotten Jessica released of her charges.

Trish is waiting for her because Trish is always there when it matters. Trish is all that matters to Jessica. There’s talk of all being born a hero, and life pushing us to become villains. Then Jessica returns to her apartment. I will say, it’s remarkable given the percentage of time her door is broken that no one appears to have stolen anything out of her place. Granted, there isn’t much to steal unless you want the CRV from recycled booze bottles.

Malcolm is there cleaning up. He sure has proven to be the true cinnamon roll of this show—so good, so pure. Well, I mean after the whole being a junkie spy thing. Jessica plugs in her phone to charge—a realistic touch I greatly appreciate —and when it comes back, her voicemail has blown up. It’s all calls for help from Jessica. All people reaching out for a hero. Better fix that door, Jessica. So many people are about to come knocking.

Find more from Dorothy Snarker visit dorothysurrenders.com or @dorothysnarker.

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