Jessica Jones is a bitch. And I mean that as a true compliment. Another superhero show but one in which the hero would really rather not, this series allows its female lead to be complex — messy in all senses of the word. Jessica is crass and rude, a bit of a slob and alcoholic, emotionally distant, moody, impulsive, and rash. In other moments, she's brave and honest, vulnerable yet strong, and good. She's a hero whether she wants to be or not, and she's also a complicated human being.
Operating within the same New York City as that which was leveled by Marvel’s Avengers in their epic battle against Ultron, Jessica Jones works as a lowly private investigator — creeping in the shadows taking photographs of cheating spouses and hitting the bottle pretty hard in between jobs. She has powers, or special abilities, that she would rather keep concealed, as well as a nasty case of PTSD inherited from a past trauma involving the erroneous use of those abilities.
The clearly evident feminism running through the show is just as complex as its hero. And it isn't perfect either. For every instance in which the episode plot easily passes the Bechdel test — possessing more than one female character and having them talk to one another about something other than the men in their lives — one can’t help but notice the nearly complete lack of women of color among these characters. But while there are bones to pick aplenty, there is real, sincere effort within to tell feminist-inspired stories — show women who, despite monstrous challenges, have true agency in creating their own narratives.
One of the most salient themes throughout this first season is that of domestic violence. And Jessica, even with her superhuman powers, is not above her own traumatic story with partner abuse. The villain of the season is not armed with heavy-hitting super-strength or the ability to move large objects with his mind. Rather, he uses his mind to control other people and make them do whatever he wishes. And his wishes are quite malevolent in nature. This white man with the super-brain, Kilgrave as he is known, is a force of pure white male privileged id gone bonkers. He moves through the world leaving a wake of mind-violated victims behind — men and women both. But he is really gunning for Jessica Jones, because she is the only one who, for just one second, had the ability to say no to him. But not before he had contaminated everything she was — most importantly, her belief in her own agency.
It’s from this source that Jessica’s PTSD stems. It’s because of this horrible man that she had hidden herself and her abilities away and sulked in the shadows. But as the season swiftly moves along, we get to see Jessica change dramatically — finding a strong footing in her relationships with friends and fellow victims. And we see her desire to not only cease Kilgrave’s maniacal path through a vulnerable and unwitting population but also her wish to reclaim ownership over her traumatized psyche and life. It sure is something to watch. And sincerely smile about.
*dialogue from the show
No comments:
Post a Comment