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How Jessica Jones Teaches Us That We Might Be Wrong Sometimes And That's OK

Lessons from a superhero who does not see people in black and white.

Anna Biesecker-Mast

Aug 18, 2019

University of Dayton

How Jessica Jones Teaches Us That We Might Be Wrong Sometimes And That's OK

Netflix

I recently finished watching season three of the Marvel TV series "Jessica Jones" -- one of the very few superhero shows with a female lead, Jessica Jones, who wields remarkable super strength and practices effective investigative skills as a P.I. Beyond that, what makes this show particularly unique is that Jessica constantly struggles with labeling herself as a superhero, which is the focus of season three.

At the beginning of the third season, Jessica encounters a serial killer in her line of private investigatory work and Jessica's sister, Trish, wants to help catch him.

Trish and Jessica have always had a complicated relationship, where Trish envies Jessica's super strength and constantly berates Jessica for not being more of a typical superhero.

For Trish, being a superhero means knowing the difference between good and evil -- and snuffing out the evil at any cost with the extraordinary powers you've been given. Trish has always harbored moral righteousness, and when she finally gets powers at the end of season two, she is more than ready to use them for her snuffing purposes.

However, Jessica has always resisted the label of "hero," unable to fathom how she could fit the mold. But I think what makes Jessica a real hero -- one that people in today's polarized world need -- is that she is truly humble and consistently resists the prevalent temptation to assume a black and white interpretation.

Because Jessica does not see herself as a perfect hero, she is able to accept and understand the imperfections in other people.

Season three is riddled with examples of Jessica's humility saving and changing people's lives for the better, so here are just a few people Jessica extends her empathy to.

Malcolm Ducasse.

At the end of season two, Malcolm agrees to work for Jeryn "Jeri" Hogarth, a senior partner at an invincible law firm. In season three, the audience sees how Malcolm's below-the-belt work for Jeri has reoriented his moral compass. Instead of embracing the heroic role he sported in season two, Malcolm has become willing to perform unethical tasks in order to get what the firm wants. And rather than jumping to judgment, Jessica Jones gives Malcolm another chance when he quits the firm and asks to work for Jessica's P.I. business again. Not only does she give Malcolm a chance to redeem himself, but she also sees that his willingness to admit his wrongs has humbled him, and in her words, makes him "less of a sanctimonious asshole."

Jessica's sister, Trish Walker

Throughout the season, Trish darkens as she becomes obsessed with ending the serial killer Gregory Sallinger, who eventually murders Trish's mother. This murder puts Trish over the edge, as she embarks on a rampage to rid the city of people who have committed horrible crimes -- by killing them. Even despite Trish's horrific and murderous quest, Jessica is able to understand where this came from, as Jess tells Trish, "It's Dorothy [Trish's mother] who beat this self-righteous resolve into you." Of course, Jess still knows Trish must be stopped so she won't kill anyone else, but she also has empathy for Trish and the impact her harmful upbringing had on her.

"Jessica Jones" season three is all about complicating the black and white narrative, communicating that no one is perfectly evil and no one is perfectly good. And Jessica is a hero for seeing that, and having the power of empathy -- to see the good and innocence in a person who in every other way seems completely evil. Jessica recognizes the humanity in everyone, and it's her humility that allows her that perspective. This is a message people in today's polarized climate need to see and hear: we might be wrong and that's okay because we're human beings.

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How Jessica Jones Teaches Us That We Might Be Wrong Sometimes And That's OK

Lessons from a superhero who does not see people in black and white.

Malcolm Ducasse.

Jessica's sister, Trish Walker

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10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all. — Thumper

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories. — Genie

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

Money

Socks

Blankets

Gift Cards

Hoodies and Sweatpants

Pajamas

Candles

A Fish

CDs

Movie Tickets

Candy

Gag Gifts

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