Jessica Jones was a huge hit for the Marvel Netflix Universe, a slow burn noir that centered around an abused woman and her struggle for freedom from the grip of her assailant Killgrave. Now, with the rumor (per Variety) that classic Daredevil antagonist Typhoid Mary will take his place in season two, it looks like they may have found the perfect foil for Jessica. Typhoid too has a complex background, that most notably connects her with many of the Defenders-verse’s most important protagonists. So with Jessica Jones season two on the horizon, here’s what you need to know about Typhoid Mary.
Her origin story: Matt Murdock knocked her ou a window
Mary’s first appearance was in Daredevil #252–before debuting as Typhoid Mary in #254–when the Hell’s Kitchen hero unintentionally created one of his most iconic frenemies. Fighting a foe in a brothel, Matt knocked Mary out of a window; in that moment she became Typhoid, promising that “no man would ever hurt her again.” She has a vast power set including telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and incredible agility. Mary also has a dissociative identity disorder which manifests in three main abnormal personalities: Mary, who’s a calm and shy pacifist; Typhoid, who’s vengeful, violent, and passionate; and Bloody, who’s brutal and murderous.
She’s been an ally of Kingpin
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin is a highlight for many in the Marvel Netflix Universe, and with the inclusion of Mary in the Jessica Jones roster it’s likely we’ll see him again, given that Mary and Kingpin have a storied history. The crime boss hired Typhoid as an assassin to kill Daredevil, whom she began to hunt down whilst also starting a fledgling romance with Matt Murdock. Later, she would also have a burgeoning romance with the Kingpin himself! However, it’s his cruelty that defined their ongoing relationship, and after a period of health and happiness for Mary, Kingpin unleashed her abnormal personalities again with an act of violence.
She was taken down by Luke Cage and Jessica Jones
After Kingpin assaulted Mary, she attempted to kill Matt Murdock once again in a storyline that we’re likely to see play out on our TV screens very soon. Mary hunted Matt down and set him on fire, only to be stopped by Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, who imprisoned her in the high security prison the Raft. Could this be what Mary’s inclusion hint at? Will Jessica and Luke have to team up to stop Mary from killing their ally? Whatever the showrunners choose to do, it’s clear Mary’s ties to multiple members of the Marvel Netflix Universe are going to be vital.
She once hired Deadpool to kill her
During one of her stints being institutionalized, Mary’s three personalities all hired mercenaries for different purposes. Mary hired Deadpool to kill her and Typhoid hired Deadpool to free her (while Bloody hired a different merc). Deadpool freed Typhoid but soon realized she had no money, so she teamed up with him as a merc to work off her debt. Mary soon experienced a flashback to her inception, and the pair ran off to NYC to beat up Daredevil for a while under the guise of therapy. Though it’s 99.9% sure that Wade Wilson will never turn up in the Marvel Netflix Universe, it sure is fun to dream.
She’s a mutant
Mary carries the mutant gene, which is how she gained her power set. She was also one of the few mutants not depowered in the wake of Marvel’s famed House of M event, leading her to later become Mutant Zero. Though “mutant” is now a dirty word at Marvel due to Fox’s ownership of the X-Men film and TV rights, Mary’s origin means that she’ll follow a previous Jessica Jones villain–the insidious Purple Man–as another mutant who’ll likely have that part of her origin stripped away. But since Mary’s powers are so defined, maybe Marvel could use her to introduce an Inhuman presence into the world of the Marvel Netflix shows.
She was co-created by a woman
Typhoid Mary was the brainchild of Ann Nocenti and John Romita, Jr., which makes her somewhat of a rarity in comics history. Whilst women have always been involved in the comics industry since the Golden Age, they’re far less represented than their male counterparts. Typhoid’s storylines have often centered around her struggle as a woman with mental health issues, which, given the historical use of mental health problems to oppress women, could have easily turn out problematic. Thanks to Nocenti’s touch, they’ve often been radical. If the Jessica Jones showrunners keep this subversive and nuanced take alive they could really add something special to their show.
What do you think of this new addition to the Jessica Jones roster? Let us know in the comments!
Images: Marvel Comics
