3 Things To Know About Jessica Jones Before You Binge 'The Defenders'

Marvel and Netflix's long-anticipated superhero team-up series The Defenders will drop next Friday, August 18, which means we're finally going to see Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist all together at last. It's an exciting prospect, but it also requires viewers to remember what happened on all four of the heroes' respective standalone shows up to this point. Since Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist have all aired more recently, and it's been two years since Jessica Jones dropped, let's refresh your memory on what happened to Jessica Jones before The Defenders.

1. Her Backstory

The one season of Jessica Jones focused on Jones working as a private eye in New York City while also trying to take down Kilgrave, a man with the power of mind control who used to keep Jones under his spell. Jones has powers of her own, namely superhuman strength and the ability to fly. Because of the horrible things Kilgrave would make her do, Jones has developed post-traumatic stress disorder, which she attempts to numb with alcoholism.

At the end of the season, Jessica succeeds in killing Kilgrave by pretending to be under his control to get close to him. This high-profile killing exposes Jessica and her powers to all of New York, as people begin to call for her help all around the city.

2. Her Complicated Relationship

Jessica Jones has a strained relationship with another member of the Defenders, Luke Cage. The two meet and bond over their powers at the beginning of Jessica Jones, and that evolves into an intimate relationship. But when Jessica is forced to remember Kilgrave made her kill Cage's ex-wife Reva Connors while she was still under his control, Cage is unable to forgive Jones and they go their separate ways. It will definitely be interesting to see how they interact in The Defenders.

3. Her Friends

Though Jessica Jones prides herself on being a lone wolf, she actually gets some crucial help from. Her adoptive sister Trish Walker serves as Jones' closest confidant, and the person who most pushes her to use her powers to become a hero. High-powered attorney Jeri Hogarth is another of Jones' close friends, and helps her out of most of the legal issues she finds herself in. Hogarth was also a main player in Iron Fist, so she may be instrumental in bringing Jessica and Danny Rand together in The Defenders.