Jessica Jones Season 3’s Ending Resolves The Bigger Marvel Netflix Story

Jessica Jones season 3 ties together all the loose ends of the Marvel Netflix era. When Marvel began production on Jessica Jones season 3, they had no idea it would mark the end of their partnership with Netflix. Fortunately, showrunner Melissa Rosenberg always intended season 3 to be the end of her run, and as a result it’s a perfect conclusion.

Although Jessica Jones season 1 was a hit, season 2 received more mixed reviews in part because it lacked a clear antagonist. For season 3, Rosenberg has taken Jessica Jones back to its roots as a psychological thriller. This time round, Jessica goes head-to-head with a serial killer who comic book readers will recognize as the Foolkiller. Meanwhile, a new vigilante stalks the night; Jessica’s sister, Trish Walker, has gained super-powers and finally become Hellcat. It all ends in a stunning final episode, “AKA Everything,” in which Jessica must decide what to do about Trish. This parallels season 2, where Jessica was faced with pretty much the same question about her mother. That time, she was unable to face the truth about her mother, and as a result Trish took matters into her own hands. This time round, Jessica takes a long, hard look at the person she loves the most, and realizes that Trish is completely out of control.

But “AKA Everything” isn’t just the end for Jessica Jones. It’s the final Marvel Netflix episode, and as a result Marvel has gone to considerable effort to tie up various loose ends. It even features an unexpected cameo from Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, putting his arc in stasis unless or until Marvel decides to pick the show up elsewhere. Let’s take a look at how Jessica Jones season 3 resolves all its characters’ arcs (and the rest of the Defenders universe).

Foolkiller Has Himself Been Killed

Gregory Sallinger, known as the Foolkiller in the comics, is the main villain of Jessica Jones season 3. A twisted serial killer, Sallinger desires to prove himself superior to those who haven’t earned their gifts, such as Jessica. In order to tip Jessica over the edge, he murders her adopted mother, Dorothy. Even Sallinger couldn’t predict the outcome of this, simply because he’s unaware that Dorothy’s daughter Trish has become a masked vigilante herself. Sallinger soon finds himself on the wrong side of Hellcat’s claws, but he concludes that this is a perfect chance to demonstrate his superiority by turning Jessica and Trish against one another.

Jessica successfully outsmarts Sallinger, tricking him into confessing to Dorothy’s murder on camera, and she thinks his threat is over. Trish, however, doesn’t really believe a smart man like Sallinger won’t be able to play the system and get off. She breaks into the court, and brutally murders him in an elevator. Sallinger dies secure in his victory, knowing that his death will inevitably force Jessica to take her sister down.

Trish Walker Is Sent To The Raft

Trish started off with the best of intentions, using her newly-acquired superpowers on the streets as a crime-fighter. Unfortunately she’s not stable enough to be a hero, and her addictive personality leads to her becoming addicted to the adrenaline rush of killing. Trish’s attack on Sallinger proves that she won’t stop, and Jessica decides she had no choice but to turn her sister in to the authorities. She publicly exposes Trish as the brutal vigilante now being hunted by the police, which forces Trish to attempt to flee the country – but Jessica tracks her down. The two end up in a shocking face-off in which Trish actually tries to kill Jess with one of Sallinger’s knives, a poetic detail that shows just how far she’s fallen.

Naturally, Trish’s attempt is unsuccessful, and Jessica knocks her out and turns her over to the police. In a haunting scene, Jessica is the only one to turn up to watch Trish being taken to the Raft, the superhuman prison introduced in Captain America: Civil War.

Jessica Jones Has Been Embraced As A Hero

The decision to expose Trish is probably one of the hardest of Jessica’s life, and to her surprise the press respond by praising her as a true hero. Broken at the loss of Trish, Jessica decides to leave, and hands over Alias Investigations to Malcolm. She heads to the airport and books a flight to El Paso, Texas, planning to travel on to Mexico; however, Jessica hears the spectral voice of Kilgrave taunting her that she’s doing the right thing in giving up and running. Stubborn to the core, Jessica instead decides to stay, presumably returning to Alias Investigations.

Alias Investigations Is Expanding Again

Alias Investigations expands over the course of Jessica Jones season 3, and by the end of the season Jessica has a stronger team around her than ever before. Jessica’s new assistant Gillian is tempted to quit at various points, even packing a box, but in truth she cares too much about Jessica to walk away. Meanwhile, Malcolm returns to the fold, not liking the person he was becoming while he worked for Hogarth. Jessica actually hands Alias Investigations over to Malcolm when she walks away, but no viewer will have any doubts that he’ll be happy to see Jessica return.

Detective Eddy Costa always believed that Jessica was one of the good guys, in large part because he never forgot what it was like to be under Kilgrave’s control. His faith in Jessica is unwavering through season 3, even resulting in his suspension at one point. Jessica carefully manipulates Foolkiller’s arrest so that Costa gets the glory for it, though, and he’s back in a position of prestige in the NYPD.

The final member of Jessica’s new extended team is Erik Gelden, an empath who can sense the good and the evil in people. Erik’s powers are key to discovering the threat of Foolkiller, but over the course of season 3 he demonstrates consistently poor judgment, and Jessica doesn’t quite trust him. Still, she sends Costa to him, believing he could make a good police informant.

Jeri Hogarth Will Die Alone

“AKA Everything” effectively seals Jeri Hogarth’s fate. Her ALS is progressing, and at first Hogarth attempts to defy this by orchestrating a suicide-by-Jessica-Jones. Jessica refuses, forcing Hogarth to reassess her life, and she begins to realize she doesn’t want to die alone. As a result, Hogarth attempts to reunite with her ex, Kith, but does so in her usual Machiavellian fashion, making an absolute mess of Kith’s life. When Kith learns the truth, and gets a real sense of the chaos that is Hogarth’s own life, she chooses to walk away.

Luke Cage Is Still On The Side Of The Angels

“AKA Everything” features an unexpected cameo from Mike Colter’s Luke Cage, who’s become concerned at the amount of attention Jessica is getting. Luke is in something of a dangerous position these days, having taken over Black Mariah’s criminal empire in order to prevent a turf war between rival crime gangs. But his brief scene in Jessica Jones season 3 proves that Luke is still on the side of the angels, and he’s the one who persuades Jessica that she has to stop Trish.

Luke may have resisted corruption so far, but even he seems to acknowledge that a fall from grace is inevitable. Jessica is one of a handful of people he believes can stop him if he goes out of control, with Misty Knight and Colleen Wing presumably also numbered among that select group.

Danny Rand Is On A Sabbatical

Finally, Jessica Jones season 3 establishes that Danny Rand is still on what’s described as a “sabbatical” from his position as CEO of Rand Industries. This dovetails neatly with the end of Iron Fist season 2, in which Danny headed out on a mission to Asia to learn the ancient history of the Iron Fist. He’s evidently still there.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4897 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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