Foul-mouthed, sarcastic, and one of the darkest, most down-to-earth super heroes in Marvel’s entire canon, Jessica Jones is unique. And with A.K.A. Jessica Jones joining Daredevil on Netflix next year, we thought now would be a good time to delve into her background—and to get an idea of just how she’ll fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jessica Jones: The Early Years
Though not featured in many books, Jessica Jones made her mark on the Marvel Universe quickly and furiously. She made her debut in Alias, a 28-issue series released under Marvel’s adult-focused MAX line. Heads up for those of you interested in checking out the series for yourselves (you should, by the way): the book is brimming four-letter words and more than a few scenes that might make the average Marvel reader blush.
Jessica went to Peter Parker’s high school, nursing a crush on the nerdy kid and spending her nights cozying up to a poster of Johnny Storm. Jessica was in the room when Peter’s destiny bit him on the hand (and when Silk was bit, too!), but she remained a regular kid until a road trip accident sometime later. Her parents and brother were killed when her father crashed into a truck carrying drums of mysterious isotope, but Jessica survived the ordeal. Jessica awoke in a hospital room weeks later, emotionally scarred. She chose to try the super hero game after a conversation with her foster father and proceeded to accidentally squash an attempted robbery, starting her career with a win.
Quickly after donning a costume as Jewel, she encounters the pheromone-spewing villain who would become her archenemy, the Purple Man. The Purple Man uses his power on Jessica, destroying her free will and taking her as his super-powered slave for months. Though he never physically rapes her, he forces her to watch him rape others, verbally degrades and berates her, and eventually commands her to attack the Avengers. It’s only en route to Avengers mansion that she begins to awaken from the Purple Man’s terrifying grip. But too late. She attacks The Scarlet Witch, tries to run away, but is ferociously beaten by Iron Man and the Vision (Scarlet Witch’s lover at the time). Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel and now Captain Marvel, rescues her from the Avengers’ onslaught, recognizing that she wasn’t in complete control of herself.
Again, Jessica awakens from a coma. This time in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility with Nick Fury ready to offer her a job and all of the Avengers offering apologies. While she slept, Jean Grey psychically kept her company, soothing her battered mind in whatever way she could. Jessica refuses the post as liaison to the Avengers and instead gives up costuming and sets up shop in Hell’s Kitchen as a private detective.
Jessic Jones’ adventures in Alias are dedicated to her development as a character, from an emotionally tangled woman down on her luck to a hero who conquers her inner demons and changes for the better. So what can this dark, gritty lady do exactly?
Her Powers
Jessica Jones’ powers aren’t splashy or flashy, but they get the job done.
–Super Strength: Jessica’s no Thor when it comes to throwing a punch, but she could probably make Captain America see stars. In fact, seeing Jessica flatten the Purple Man into a car fifteen feet away with a single punch caused Cap himself to utter a simple, awe-struck, “Whoa.”
–Flight… Sort of: As Jewel, she seems to have had a firm grasp on her ability to fly. Though it becomes uncertain just how effective Jessica’s flying powers are given that she “flies” only in short, semi-controlled bursts after her time as Jewel. On an emotional day after the accident that gave her powers, she discovered she could fly… but the flight didn’t last long and she plummeted into a river. No worries though: Thor was around to save her to pluck her from the water and be appalled by the string of obscenities that poured from her mouth.
–Resistance to Harm: Jessica is more resistant to damage than the average person. She can take a beating from a person cranked on Mutant Growth Hormone with little more than a bloody nose. Flesh wounds are minor inconveniences to her: they heal in a few days and don’t impede her performance.
Get more background and some quality theorizing in the coming days as Point of Geeks dives deeper into one of Marvel’s best kept secrets: Jessica Jones. Stay tuned for an in-depth look at Jessica Jones’ famous friends, bitter enemies, and how we think she’ll fit into the MCU!