Spoilers ahead! You’ve been warned!
What is a hero? This question looms large over Jessica Jones Season Three in the final season of Jessica Jones. As you probably already know, Netflix has been slowly saying goodbye to all their Marvel Defenders series. We have already bid a fond adieu to Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Punisher. Perhaps it is Jessica Jones that will be missed the most. The sarcastic, super powered, alcohol saturated, sleuth has received some of the best reviews of all the Defenders. Before your final binge, you’ll want to take a look back at Season 2.Jessica Jones Season Three
Jessica Jones wraps with the return of all our old friends and frenemies. I don’t know if the writers knew this would be the final season as they crafted it, but it feels as if it was written with the end in mind. Themes of heroism, friendship, loyalty, and morality make up the foundation of Season 3. Bringing down the latest baddy Salinger (The Knick’s Jeremy Bobb) might be the easiest thing Jessica has to contend with this season. Some viewers might recognize Gregory Salinger as the Marvel Comics villain Foolkiller, although he is never referred to as such in Jessica Jones.
As Season 3 begins, Jessica is estranged from her best friend Trish (I mean she did shoot and kill Jessica’s mother), her old employee Malcolm and parted ways with hot artist Oscar. I was really hoping for more paint sex.
The New Guy
This season Jessica’s love interest is a man who’s life is almost as complicated as Jessica’s. Erik Gelden (Benjamin Walker) has an unusual power that could come in handy, or totally be abused to exploit people.
Erik is another character pulled from the Marvel Comics. He was a villain known as Mind-Wave, but here we see a more righteous incarnation of him, sort of, it’s complicated.
I Hate Long Goodbyes
Season 3 of Jessica Jones gives us the final 13 episodes of Netflix Marvel entertainment, but it probably could have been done better in 10. Viewers would have complained but the story lines feel stretched in order to provide a 13 episode season.
The aftermath of Trish’s enhancements at the hands of Dr. Karl Malus plays out over the entire season.
Flashbacks from Trish’s childhood with her mother Dorothy (Rebecca De Mornay) seek to flesh out their troubled relationship and give us more insight into Trish. Unfortunately, the flashbacks only serve to slow down the forward momentum of the show and don’t reveal anything particularly new or earth shattering about Trish or her mom. Dorothy is a momager bitch! We know this and it didn’t need to be reinforced with flashbacks.
Oh Jeri
The constantly plotting, manipulative attorney who reached new lows last season after her diagnosis with ALS, continues her self serving misdeeds even as her ailing body declines.
I don’t know why I have continued to hold out hope for the redemption of Jeri. Alas the end of her story is karmic. It’s like Dr. Phil always says, “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”
The End
As we approach the final moments of Jessica Jones Season 3, it appears as if everything has been packaged for a feeling of total finality. This season takes us through moral battles, a shocking death, a surprise visit and life altering decisions. There is a definite aura of sadness but also a flicker of hopefulness, much like how I feel about the end of Netflix journey with The Defenders.
