WARNING: The following article contains mentions of sexual assault.
Marvel’s Jessica Jones, created by Melissa Rosenberg, is a Netflix television series adapted from the graphic novel series, Alias, by Brian Michael Bendis. And every superhero story needs a villain. In AKA It’s Called Whiskey, the third episode of the first season, audiences see Jessica’s formidable adversary in the flesh for the first time. The terrifying figure from her past is none other than Kilgrave, also known as The Purple Man, portrayed by Doctor Who alum, David Tennant.
Jessica Jones, portrayed by Krysten Ritter, and David Tennant’s Kilgrave have an undeniably fascinating backstory that makes for thrilling entertainment, but it must be pointed out that their dynamic is manipulative, destructive and just plain wrong. Here’s some history behind their brief one-sided companionship and an in-depth analysis of the elements that make it so unquestionably toxic.
How did Jessica and Kilgrave Meet?
In the fifth episode of season one, AKA The Sandwich Saved Me, Jessica Jones and her long-time abuser, have their first encounter on screen. When Malcolm Ducasse, Jessica’s soon-to-be junkie neighbor (whom she didn’t know at the time) is getting attacked by some muggers, Jessica intervenes and fights to protect him. Kilgrave, strolling through Hell’s Kitchen with two brainwashed prostitutes by his side, spots Jessica performing feats of heroism.
When he lays eyes on Jessica, Kilgrave’s first words are, “Jesus, you’re a vision. Hair and the skin… appalling sense of fashion, but that can be remedied. But underneath it all the power, just like me.” Not only is Kilgrave attracted to Jessica physically, but her display of strength is extremely appealing for a power-hungry control freak like him.
Kilgrave orders Jones to smile, thus putting her under his influence. Afterwards, he orders her to join him for dinner and in the months following, Jessica becomes a mental prisoner — succumbing to the inevitability and irresistibility of Kilgrave’s mind-numbing pheromones.
How Did Jessica and Kilgrave’s Dynamic Develop?
Many nights of fine dining later, Kilgrave considers himself and Jones to be romantically involved, while Jessica tries — at every opportunity — to break free from Kilgrave’s influence and take back the reins. Within that time, Jessica was forced to be Kilgrave’s companion in all things, including dinner, spending time together, caring for him and unwillingly having sex with him. When Trish Walker, Jessica’s half-sister and best friend, called, Kilgrave instructed Jessica to relay the message that all was well. It was not Jones’ free will that kept her by Kilgrave’s side, but rather a compulsive urge to be ever-present.
Within that time period Kilgrave devised an experiment to test Jessica’s loyalty to him. If she truly loved him, she would stay without force. This required a twelve-hour window from his last command. When time expired and Kilgrave’s powers wore off, Jessica remained with him — much to his delight. However, it wasn’t all as simple as Kilgrave thought.
He believed the twelve hours had passed and Jones stayed of her own free will, which in his mind meant that she cared for him. Jessica, however, made an escape attempt, but wasn’t fast enough — allowing Kilgrave to utter another order and bring her back under his influence. All the while, Kilgrave viewed their extended period of time together as a loving relationship, whereas Jones, who was constantly under his command, viewed it as what it was: an abusive relationship that she was only part of because she had no way of escaping.
But Kilgrave wasn’t only sexually abusive, he also used Jessica’s powers for his own benefit. Reva Connors was the first victim in an ongoing sequence of deaths, all directly traced back to Jessica. Reva’s death, however, proved to be incredibly important, as it provided the motivation for Jones to overcome Kilgrave’s powers. Unbeknownst to her at the time, when Kilgrave supposedly dies in a freak accident, Jones retains that natural immunity.
What Makes The Dynamic So Toxic, Yet Intriguing?
When Kilgrave resurfaces, chaos returns to Jones’ life and the past comes back to haunt her. He believes that they are inevitable – meant to be together – while Jones despises everything about him. He kidnaps Hope Shlottman, drives Malcolm back to drugs and threatens the lives of those closest to her, all to gain Jessica’s undivided attention. In a way, Kilgrave seeks her companionship, but revenge isn’t entirely out of the question.
Jessica and Kilgrave’s dynamic is entirely unpredictable, and that’s part of what makes it interesting storytelling. The contenders are evenly matched in the cat-and-mouse game that ensues afterwards and Kilgrave’s relentlessness against Jones’ strong-willed defiance makes it too close to call. All the while, Kilgrave’s warped perspective of their complex dynamic still insists that Jones will learn to love him, even after he brainwashed her, sexually assaulted her and made her an accomplice to murder.
Jones’ hatred for Kilgrave is what leads her to face her fears and confront him. When Kilgrave kidnaps Hope Shlottman, Jessica is mortified to discover that he has been assaulting others since their first meeting. She wants to prevent the same fate befalling more innocent women, even if it puts her own life at risk. This is her motivation, and ultimately, what leads her to victory against him.
These two are polar opposites in every sense, which is what makes the dynamic so engaging. Kilgrave is a truly sadistic, vile individual whose actions can never be excused, but the experimentation that he endures is something that Jones — to some small degree — can sympathize with, given that neither of them asked to be born into such difficult circumstance or asked for superpowers to be thrust upon them. They simply walked very different paths once they got their powers. Still, while Kilgrave’s upbringing was unfortunate, there’s no arguing he deserved the end he got.
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