Jessica Jones - 1000 Cuts

 

When Kilgrave kills his mother in the cell filled with water and there is no electric shock as Jessica pushes the button responsible for sending a charge it is revealed that the wire was cut by Hogarth. Jessica isn’t really even surprised, as Kilgrave had escaped, his father still alive while Trish is trying to “put a bullet in her head” (at Kilgrave’s command). Trish is convinced by Jessica that she did obey (by putting a bullet in her mouth, essentially “in her head”), so that bit of horror ends. Jessica, though, does have good news: she wasn’t under the effects of Kilgrave, and Kilgrave’s father tells her that they realized through their experiments that he actually emits a virus which causes those in his vicinity to fall prey to his every command. So what this episode does is give us answers as to why Kilgrave is able to do what he does to people without their ability to defy him. But Jessica’s immunity to him, now, means that perhaps her blood could lead to a cure against Kilgrave. And even more ironic, Kilgrave arrives with injury to the soon-to-be ex of Hogarth, needing her medical assistance, finding a common ground with Wendy regarding their seemingly ungrateful former lovers. So while Jeri listens to Wendy and Kilgrave discuss how they were dumped despite their greatest efforts towards maintaining a strong relationship, Jessica has a phone conversation with her semi-employ (and somewhat on-again/off-again ally/adversary) not letting her know that she’s aware of what is going on. So now Jessica finally appears to have a fighting chance against Kilgrave, but he learns of a terrible secret Jeri has been keeping…despite aborting a baby the imprisoned Hope was pregnant with (Kilgrave, the father), Jeri kept the remains and tells Kilgrave about it! Now what makes Kilgrave such a threat could very well be manufactured from the remains of the baby supposedly dead and done away with! That part Jessica is unaware of. So Jeri often serves as a source of frustration and makes decisions that undermine Jessica’s efforts to stop/defeat Kilgrave.

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Will Sampson killing Detective Clemons came as quite a shock and yet seem all but certain. He acted just too suspicious and sinister, while still securing Clemons’ cautious trust, even offering his gun (and some complements about his positive reputation in the law enforcement community) when initially pointing at him upon their meeting at the cell that once housed Kilgrave. Will insisting that Kilgrave must die and that expecting an arrest would be futile at this point, eventually catching Clemons’ off-guard with a gunshot to the forehead. Will dumping gas on Clemon’s body and throughout the room, setting the building on fire, his willingness to commit such actions seems to indicate Kilgrave has pushed him over the edge (his men killed by the neighbor setting off the bomb at Kilgrave’s command). But also Trish realizes that whatever pills Will has been receiving through some unsanctioned experiments seemingly ongoing to create some type of combat soldier with superior strength and capabilities is creating a monster losing conscience and humanity. His murder of Clemons is an example of that.

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 Robyn (Colbie Minifie) has been unsettled since her missing twin brother has left her life. I never could tell what to make of these two, and perhaps what is left behind close doors should just stay that way, but Robyn's brother took to Jessica, not unwilling to share with Jessica his crush on her. Much to Robyn's dismay, she wasn't happy in the slightest with his love for someone in her apartment complex that wasn't her. Since then Robyn has been on the lookout, having printed off missing flyers in the hopes of finding him. Malcolm knows and has just allowed her to believe the brother is still alive, purposely humoring her despite Jessica's assertion that doing so will not solve anything. Later when the Kilgrave victims once again meet at a diner to once again share their experiences and ache, Malcolm shares the secret and Robyn, who had followed him there, confronts them all about how Jessica is involved and knows more than she lets on. Once again, after a conversation with Kilgrave where he emerges in her apartment with a promise to free Hope if Albert is handed over to him, a person interrupts Jessica's plans to stop Kilgrave, this time Robyn and two men from the diner. Hence, the conclusion of the episode where Kilgrave gets his father, while Hope makes sure that Jessica no longer holds back because of her.

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Hope, freed but in a restaurant significant to Jessica and Kilgrave's prior "acquaintance", no longer can tolerate Kilgrave remaining a threat to humankind at large, breaking a wine glass and slitting her throat. Jessica, once again, could not halt an inevitable tragedy no matter how hard she tries. But released from the burden of protecting Hope (what a tragic result of Kilgrave, among many of his victims), who wants Jessica to promise to kill him. With Jessica not allowing Kilgrave to believe even for one moment that she had feelings for him, all Kilgrave can get is the father he badly wants to victimize. Losing Hope as leverage, with his virus still his weapon of choice to dictate terms, Jessica trying to do whatever she can without killing him appears moot. He must die.

Robyn and Jeri, perpetrators of Kilgrave to usurp Jessica even if under false pretenses, it all continues the downward spiral which led to the death of Wendy and Hope.

5/5
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*Failed to mention that while trying to come up with a vaccine, Albert has to have his hands tied up because Kilgrave had told him to cut his own heart out. At the end of the episode, he sprays himself with what he believes will be a potential vaccine.
*Also Kilgrave insisting Jessica loved him at one point occasions a flashback to her contemplating leaping from a balcony while they were dining, his anger towards her noncompliance, to cut her ear, a reminder that he has a hard time with defiance.