Jessica Jones promotional art cover for episode 213 “Pray For My Patsy.” Photo courtesy of Netflix.
**This Article Contains Spoilers for Jessica Jones Episode 213 and Episodes Prior**
“Hero isn’t a bad word Jessica. It’s just someone who gives a shit and does something about it.”
It was almost poetic how Alisa went out. In how chaotic and crazy her life has been recently, especially with Jess, their final moment together was not one rooted in conflict…or tension. It was a touching, personal moment between the two of them. Alisa shared a nice exchange with her daughter as they strolled down memory lane. Then it was done. Trish saved Jessica from making a choice or decision that she could never have recovered from.
Now can Jess and Trish’s relationship ever recover? Most definitely, but it isn’t going to be an easy road. It’s something that is likely to be a huge focus going forward. Jessica not only lost Trish and Alisa in this episode, but any semblance of an acquaintanceship with Malcolm. The only person Jess has now is Oscar. She truly is starting from the beginning, and it leaves Jessica in a unique position going forward.
It’s hard not to continually praise Krysten Ritter every episode. She is just so perfect for the role, and the depth she gets out of every scene is amazing. This can expertly be seen when Jess nearly attacks Trish, and then when she sits broken in shock next to her dead mother. It was heartbreaking, and it’s moments in her performance like that that truly shake you to the core.
Now overall I would say the finale, while great, didn’t reach the heights of last season’s. It never felt as tense, bombastic, or on the edge of your seat stressful. That doesn’t mean that it was a miss though, not by a long shot. This finale did a fantastic job at giving an emotional conclusion to Alisa. While doing this, the show was very cautious making sure not to hit the same exact notes as last season. It was sad to see Alisa have to leave. But much like Kilgrave, it was going to be near impossible to justify her sticking around longer. At least with Alisa, her fate didn’t involve a big final battle, or her daughter having to kill her. Alisa had made her choice to end it all herself, one that she never had to make. Alisa ended her life in peace, something she hadn’t had in a long time.
If I had any issues, it was with the car accident. First one has to note the convenience, not only of the accident, but how much it resembled what the Jones family have been through. It felt like a rehash, and them just trying to show us again that Jess and Alisa can do good things together. I felt like it was something we had already seen and known, so I wasn’t sure why they felt the need to make another scene out of it. At the very least, the scene worked to help Alisa try to show Jessica that she is not lost.
While we never saw Hogarth have a particular moment where she truly face down her ALS (a disappointment, but her break down in the apartment easily could count), we did see her make some more power moves. Malcolm, now fully motivated to separate himself from Jessica, finished Hogarth’s case. With that important information given to her by Malcolm, she was able to multiply her Severance, and start her own firm. After her cruel scene with Inez, this whole thing almost feels like the birth of a villain. As she put it, “You should be very afraid of the woman who has absolutely nothing to lose.”
One thing I noticed was how different this ending was to the one we got in season one. Season one ended on a very conclusive note, and not many things were set up to tease future storylines. Here we have lots of dangling threads. Now where did this leave us regarding the future? Hogarth, along with Malcolm and Pryce, are about to potentially come into conflict with Jessica. Trish is hinted to have powers, but is not in a place to confide in Jessica about them. Jessica is now starting her life over, with Oscar at the helm, and is seemingly more open to helping people out vigilante style. There are a lot more places to start right off the bat when the probable season 3 starts.
The season 2 finale of Jessica Jones was able to deliver an emotional conclusion for Jessica, as well as the people close to her. While it never reached the height of the first finale, it still excelled when it came to the characters. When season one ended, I was content with where things concluded, and I didn’t immediately feel a need to continue her story. But now, all I want is for season three to start right up. Here’s to more Jessica Jones!
What did you guys think of the episode? Make sure to leave your thoughts down below in the comments! For all of our Jessica Jones Season 2 coverage and reviews in one place, make sure to check out our HUB!
Bonus Notes:
- “You’ve used two of your nine lives Ms. Walker.” I get that reference.
- Now that these shows take place after Civil War, a Spidey easter egg or name drop would have been fun at some point.
- I look forward to Trish’s rise as Hellcat. She would certainly be the type (and has the need) for a super suit, I think it would be a fun dynamic between her and Jess. Well, after they get along again.
Jessica Jones Season 2 is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
It’s hard to be afraid for the heroine when the more important a character is to the story the more they love her. The tension came from loving at cross purposes, and love corrupted by ambition and pain.