- "Here I am, just debating where to eat, and then, bam, there you are!"
- ―Kilgrave to Jessica Jones[src]
The Kidnapping of Jessica Jones was a months-long attempt by Kilgrave to use his mind control abilities to keep Jessica Jones as his personal sex slave.
Background[]
A Master Manipulator[]
Since the moment he was born, Kevin Thompson quickly developed a serious brain malfunction which required a great deal of treatment. His parents, Albert and Louise Thompson spent much of his childhood going through seemingly never-ending tests alongside extremely painful treatments, including spinal fluid extractions. Somehow, he developed the power to control people's wills and make them do as he commanded with ease while he obtained a great resentment towards his parents for never showing him affection and instead concentrating purely on their work.
Kevin Thompson undergoes testing on his brain
Eventually, Kevin forced his parents to obey his commands, using them as his personal slaves and slowly developed a complete lack of empathy for the human need, focusing entirely on his own desires and pleasure from other people's suffering. At the age of ten, he forced his mother to burn her face with an iron, permanently scarring her. Due to fear for their own lives, his parents abandoned Thompson and left him to fend for himself for the next twenty years, using his powers to force others to give him food and shelter. To hide his identity, Thompson renamed himself Kilgrave.[3]
A Struggling "Superhero"[]
Jessica Jones learns her family are all dead
During spring 2000, Jessica Jones tragically became an orphan after the lost of her parents and brother in a car accident.[4]
She was then adopted by a talent agent Dorothy Walker as a publicity stunt to promote her daughter Patsy's television show. A corporation known as IGHthen paid for Jones' hospital bills.
Jessica Jones speaks to Trish Walker in private
While living in the Walker Residence, Jones locked herself in the bathroom and accidentally broke the sink, which was made out of marble. Shocked by her own strength, Jones discovered that she could also lift the heavy sink above her head with one hand, Jones realized that the accident which killed her parents also gave her powers after she received the damage from the toxic waste. She was seen by Trish Walker, both of them agree to keep each other's secrets from the world.[5]
However, when Jones witnessed Dorothy Walker forcing her daughter to vomit in the toilet in order to lose weight, Jones lost her temper. She grabbed her adopted mother and, with an incredible feat of power, threw her across the room to protect her new sister. Dorothy fled while Jones helped Trish back to her feet and the pair struck up a friendship which would last for decades. Although Trish often pushed Jones to use her gifts for good, Jones preferred to keep them a secret.
Jessica Jones after just saving a little girl's life
In 2013, Jones quit her old job only because she considered it boring and went out with Trish Walker. Walker tried to convince her to use her gifts to become a real superhero and protect innocent people, but Jones remained reluctant at the idea. Jones got another job, working at a cheap sandwich shop where she is forced to wear a large sandwich costume and hand out fliers to the uninterested by-passers. Clearly hating the job and feeling utterly humiliated by the stupid uniform, Jones put little effort into her work. However, while on the street, Jones witnessed a young girl run into the road and into the path of a taxi; Jones ran out and used her own strength to stop the taxi and saved the girl. Hearing the girl's gratitude and knowing she had made a difference had a big impact on Jones' mentality towards becoming a hero and saving more lives.
Jessica Jones mocks all of Trish Walker's ideas
Back at Trish Walker's Apartment, Jones continued to be pushed about the idea of her becoming a super-hero like the Avengers, with Walker even having mock-up costumes made and pitching the new moniker "Jewel" as her own superhero name. Jones only mocked the idea more and refused to get involved.[1]
Kidnapping[]
Crossing Paths[]
- "If you don't listen to me what is the point in having ears? Answer me!"
"To listen to someone else."
"You never appreciate anything I do for you. If you can't listen to me you don't need ears. Cut them off." - ―Kilgrave and Jessica Jones[src]
On a cold evening in 2013, Kilgrave witnessed Jessica Jones saving Malcolm Ducasse from some mugs to his surprise. Kilgrave was fascinated by Jones' powers so he focused his attention on Jones, asking her about her powers. He commented on what a beautiful woman Jones was, although he was not fond of her clothing and ordered her to smile before taking her under his control. Over the next few months, Kilgrave would keep Jones as his prisoner raping her several times.
Jones being controlled by Kilgrave
When Trish Walker would call Jones to ensure that she was alright, Kilgrave ensured that Jones explains that everything was fine. Kilgrave would treat her to dinner, specifically at an Italian restaurant called Il Rosso, and use his vast wealth to stay in a five-star hotel; however, it would constantly be his powers keeping her there, not Jones' own free will.[6]
Running Away[]
Kilgrave orders Jessica Jones to cut off her ears
Kilgrave's powers only last twelve hours after he speaks, and one day no order was given so Jessica Jones became free of Kilgrave for a few seconds. She considered jumping off the balcony and escaping, but before she could, Kilgrave ordered her to step down, putting her under his control again. When he questioned why she initially had not listened to him he decided to punish her by ordering her to cut off her ear. However, when she began to obey Kilgrave again, he changed his mind and chooses to hug her close instead as his anger subsides.[7]
Breaking Free[]
- "Come back here! Jessica? Now, Jessica!"
- ―Kilgrave to Jessica Jones[src]
On January 20, 2014, Kilgrave confronted Reva Connors, who was previously in possession of a USB stick that he wanted for unknown reasons. After manipulating Reva into revealing where she buried the stick, he ordered Jessica Jones, who had accompanied him, to uncover it.
It was only after Jones spent several hours digging through solid concrete and retrieved the stick that Kilgrave ordered her to kill Reva. Jones did as she was told, mustering all her strength and killing Reva with a punch to the chest that stopped her heart.[8]
Jessica Jones manages to resist Kilgrave
Unbeknownst to Kilgrave, however, the trauma of taking a life caused Jones to break away from his control. She started to walk away from her tormentor, ignoring him as he demanded she come back. Before Kilgrave could regain control over Jones' mind, an approaching bus swerved to avoid hitting him and crashed, seemingly killing the man who made Jones' life a living nightmare.[9]
Aftermath[]
Jessica Jones received a certificate confirming Kilgrave's death in the crash and moved out of Trish Walker's apartment, deciding to make a living by opening a detective agency in her new apartment. By this time, she began suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of prolonged exposure to Kilgrave's abilities. Jones eventually became addicted to alcohol and started avoiding human contact as much as possible.[6]
A year later, Jones discovered Kilgrave was still alive and determined to make her his again. A devastating series of events ensued until Jones confronted Kilgrave and tricked her tormentor into believing she could be manipulated before breaking his neck, bringing a permanent end to his reign of terror.[10]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jessica Jones: 1.05: AKA The Sandwich Saved Me
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.02: AKA Crush Syndrome
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.09: AKA Sin Bin
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.08: AKA WWJD?
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.11: AKA I've Got the Blues
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jessica Jones: 1.01: AKA Ladies Night
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.10: AKA 1,000 Cuts
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.06: AKA You're a Winner!
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.03: AKA It's Called Whiskey
- ↑ Jessica Jones: 1.13: AKA Smile