Not Binging Jessica Jones: Episode 10
I know I’ve been harping on the intensity of the last several Jessica Jones episodes, but with good reason, I feel. From episode 7 on Jessica’s attempts to catch Kilgrave and make him confess to his crimes have put Jessica her friends, and the lives of strangers in danger. In Jessica’s blind attempts to bring Kilgrave to justice, she’s committed crimes herself, and in her vain attempt to keep her friends out of Kilgrave’s line of fire, she’s only drawn them in deeper.
One of the masterful things about Jessica Jones is its exploration of truly morally dubious characters. Episode 10: “AKA 1,000 Cuts” is no exception. This episode couldn’t be more grey if it were filmed in the Pacific Northwest. Taking place immediately after Kilgrave’s escape from his prison, he enlists Jeri’s help to get away and treat his wounds. Meanwhile, Jessica has realized that Kilgrave can’t influence her any longer and she presses the attack, putting Kilgrave on the defensive. For her part, Trish takes Kilgrave’s father to a safe location. According to Albert, Kilgrave’s power comes from a virus, for which Albert thinks there may be a vaccine he can synthesize from Jessica’s blood. Meanwhile, Robyn is still searching for her missing brother, and comes unhinged when she finds out the truth of what really happened to him.
Episode 10 truly goes off the rails, with several characters getting murdered and other characters showing their true colors. Count Detective Clemons, Jeri’s wife Wendy, and Hope Schlottman all along the dead, one by Will’s hand, one by Pam’s and Hope by her own. Will’s execution of Detective Clemons is one of the most disturbing moments in the episode and comes on the heels of Will’s re-admittance into the military program he was in before, whose details we aren’t yet sure of. Wendy’s death is more sad, because it comes while she’s under Kilgrave’s influence. In one of the more gruesome scenes, Wendy describes her marriage to Jeri as “Death by 1,000 cuts,” which Kilgrave decides to take very literally. Pam’s killing of Wendy saves Jeri’s life, but does so at the expense of their relationship.
Then there’s hope. The death of Hope (see what the writers did there?) Hope commits suicide to force Jessica’s hand when it comes to Kilgrave; Jessica has until this point been trying to capture Kilgrave and make him confess, thereby saving Hope’s life. With that goal no longer possible, time is running short for Kilgrave. Jessica now has nothing to gain by keeping him alive. The hunter becomes the hunted…
While Kilgrave’s world is closing in around him, Jessica’s world is crumbling. Her lawyer barely survived a knife attack and is broken, Trish’s boyfriend is deranged (thanks to his medication), and Robyn now knows the truth about what happened to her brother. Even if Jessica makes it out of here alive, there is no telling how her attempts to defeat Kilgrave are going to have an effect on her psyche.
Three episodes left…
