Caught up yet? Good, then let’s keep going. “A.K.A. Crush Syndrome” follows up the pilot with some major developments and takes things to a much darker level than even Daredevil. Let’s dig into this episode and as always: SPOILER WARNING
1. Killgrave’s Depravity Knows No End
So remember how in the first episode we got a decent look at how horrible a person Killgrave is? That was just the start. In this episode we learn how deep it really goes. Jessica thought he died in a bus crash (her fight with the Avengers never happens here) but thanks to what’s happened with Hope, she knows he’s alive. Killgrave, in just this episode, is revealed to have forced the driver of his ambulance to give him both his kidneys, leaving him permanently on dialysis and unable to move or speak after he also suffered a stroke. He also forced a surgeon, once one of the most prominent in the United States, into doing the transplant while Killgrave was awake. Finally, we see Killgrave walk into someone’s apartment and force the children living there into a closet because “children should not been seen”. He is deeply twisted and so scary but what’s interesting is that it’s become very clear that he’s obsessed with Jessica and getting her back is all he cares about. This is a pretty big story change from the comic. In “Alias” he was able to escape prison and came after Jessica because what else would he do? Here there’s a long game being played and somehow this show has made him even creepier. We’ve only seen David Tennant in small scenes but he is clearly lost in this role and despite how twisted he is, I’m oddly interested to see Tennant go further.
2. A Hellcat In The Making?
So another plot point that will be carried through the season got started here. Patricia “Trish” Walker is seen in her apartment training in combat. Right now, she’s a talk show host but it’s not much of a stretch to think she’s training to be a hero herself. That or she’s trying to get better despite not being out in the street anymore. Trish knows Jessica well and knows she has powers. We haven’t seen Jessica’s past yet but if she was a hero, what’s to say that Trish wasn’t out there with her? Her mother has been hinted at many times as well and my theory is that Trish is doing something similar to what Silk Spectre II did in “Watchmen”. She doesn’t want to be her mother and maybe they have the same name, hence why she goes by Trish. Maybe her mother went by Patty. Maybe the Hellcat name is being carried over. I have no idea but it would be pretty cool to see Trish get in on the action and actually become Hellcat.
3. Jess Is A Mess But A Pretty Good Detective
Once Jessica sets her mind to something she can get a lot done. Her quest to find out what happened to Killgrave was not one that took that long. She hasn’t found him yet but she’s put together a lot of important pieces by being sneaky and quick thinking. Some of what she’s done hasn’t been exactly legal but in her line of work, there are blurred lines and she’s been using that to her advantage. I love this because despite her personal issues and her struggle with PTSD, she is brave enough to take on finding him. She’s got this admirable determination and I really hope this cat and mouse game continues to be compelling.
4. Jessica And Luke Sitting In A Tree, K-I-S-S, I Mean F-I-G-H-T-I-N-G
One of my biggest problems with “Alias” was that Luke and Jessica didn’t really become a couple worth rooting for until much later in the series when Jessica found out she was pregnant. “The Pulse” did a much better job at building this relationship. Jessica and Luke had sex in the first episode but it’s here that they start to get to know each other and share their biggest secret with each other. When it’s revealed that Jessica has been following Luke on her own, the husband of the woman he was sleeping with tries to beat him up at his bar. She helps take out some of these guys with Luke and they end up revealing their powers to each other. This is a great moment that’s kind of sexy thanks to the chemistry between Ritter and Colter. What’s even more special is how close they now thanks to this reveal. They don’t know other people like them and even though this is an added complication it bonds them in a meaningful way.
Continued below5. Creepy Can Be a Good Thing But These Twins Take It To The Extreme
Jessica’s upstairs neighbors who fight a lot are into some kinky stuff. After Jessica gets sick of the noise she goes upstairs to find that not only are they into actually playing house but they’re also twins. The way Jessica handles the situation is really funny and I’m not into judging kinks but this sorta took me out of the episode a little bit. I hope something worthwhile comes from the two of them as the season goes on.
What did you think of “Crush Syndrome”? Let me know in the comments below.
