In typical Marvel fashion, we’ve heard almost nothing so far aboutJessica JonesSeason 2, what it might cover, or really anything about it at all. Back in May, starKrysten Rittergave somevague thoughtson the new season, but at that time, the focus was already all on the advent ofLuke Cage. For fans who loved the chemistry and interaction of those two characters, don’t expect to see much of it inLuke Cage, though — the duo will be coming back together again eventually, but there’s stillIron FistandThe Defendersto launchfirst, which will slowly … slowly … so slowly … bring our heroes all together.
However,Jessica JonesshowrunnerMelissa Rosenbergis throwing us a few bread crumbs as she recently spoke withEsquireabout where Season 2 will find our damaged heroine in the wake of defeating Kilgrave:
“She was kind of messed up even before Kilgrave came along, and so in Season Two we can explore what’s possible for her moving forward.”
“I learned from working on Dexter that you can advance the character, but you never want to cure the character. With Dexter, the moment he felt guilt or accepted that he was ‘bad,’ the show’s over. He’s no longer a sociopath. The equivalent for us would be if Jessica somehow recovered from the damage that had been done to her. People don’t just heal, you don’t go through that just to say, ‘Oh, he got arrested, he’s in jail, I’m OK now. That trauma is a huge part of who she is now."
One of the most powerful things aboutJessica Jones’ first season was that it was a story that focused on a survivor. Jessica’s own mind and body were made into a prison because of Kilgrave, and even her superpowers couldn’t save her. It caused a lot of damage, but it never broke her. Ritter’s nuanced performance also walked a fine line all season between strength and vulnerability in a way that made Jessica not only one of the most compelling heroines on television, but one of the best characters full stop.
Something else that definedJessica Jones’ story was how contained the cast and narrative felt, but with Kilgrave and perhaps Luke Cage largely out of the picture, that will mean a very different supporting cast, save for her best friend Trish (Rachael Taylor). As Ritter said in the spring,
“That was one of the most exciting things about the show, that female friendship. At the heart of it, that’s really what it’s about. It’s about that relationship with her very best friend, her sister. I just loved how honest and real it was.
“I think people really respond to seeing a female friendship that is not perfect. And they’re never talking about shoes or a boyfriend. Their own story is enough to sustain a narrative, and I think that’s really cool.”
Rosenberg spoke about how charged that relationship is, one that made some people think the pair were ex-lovers. But she also cautioned,
“I sometimes think there’s sort of a prurient interest in that, like, can’t women just be friends? I feel like for me that’s what is unique about the relationship, that they are such intimate friends, and I think they don’t have to become lovers—that being said, one never knows.”
Regarding how Jessica Jones’ story will relate toThe Defenders, which is being co-helmed byDaredevil’sDouglas PetrieandMarco Ramirez, Rosenberg said,
“[I’m] only as involved as they need me to be. I need to know what they’re doing to plan for Season Two ofJessica, and they need to know what we’re planning on in turn. Marvel is very smart and they enjoy collaboration, so there’s never one maniac trying to take ownership.”
Jessica Joneswill return … not soon enough, but in the meantime there’sLuke Cagepremiering September 30th on Netflix.
