Slowly, the Netflix’s DefendersVerse has been making its way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe once more. Daredevil stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio have returned to the franchise, and so this, of course, has many speculating about whether the others will return. During FAN EXPO Boston, angel boyfriend actor David Tennant was asked if his Jessica Jones character Kilgrave would return.
According to ComicBook.com—reporting on tweets from podcaster Jules Thompson, who attended the event—Tennant said that he thought returning would be “difficult,” but “he’d love to see the some of the writers behind the franchise try and involve his character somehow.”
Jessica Jones starred Krysten Ritter as the titular character, a woman with superhuman strength and flight abilities (well, mostly jumping real-real high). She suffered from post-traumatic stress after being assaulted and mind controlled by the villain Kilgrave. One of the aspects of the show that made it so good (at least in that first season) was that it very honestly and compelling explored the trauma of sexual abuse. It was very important and impactful.
And Kilgrave also died by Jessica’s hands. In the second season, Kilgrave would reappear as a hallucination, becoming a dark manifestion of Jessica’s guilt. He ended up reappearing in the third season, as well.
I feel like him being a constant reminder of Jessica’s guilt is an interesting thing, but I also want to show Jessica healing in other ways that aren’t just totally trauma-riddled. We don’t have many lead characters who are survivors, and while showing the struggles matters, that character history can manifest in other ways. What is most important about this conversation is that we need to know if Marvel will find a way to make more mature content that can have that same kind of emotional resonance.
Plus, I’m sure they want to save David Tennant for like … Mr. Sinster or something.
(via ComicBook.com, image: Netflix/Disney)
