There are major spoilers ahead for Jessica Jones season 2! You’ve been warned!

Nearly two years ago, Jessica Jones became the second Marvel live-action TV series on Netflix and introduced fans to Krysten Ritter‏’s titular heroine. As played by Ritter, Jessica was a tortured soul whose sarcasm and ferocity instantly made her compelling. Another major factor for the success of that series was the casting of former Doctor Who star, David Tennant, as Kilgrave, Jessica’s nemesis. Tennant was so convincingly creepy that it blew viewers away. His time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe came to a natural conclusion in the season finale, when Jessica finally killed Kilgrave. But that may not be the end of their story.

Entertainment Weekly debuted a first look at Tennant’s surprising return to set for the second season of Jessica Jones. This is something that we welcome, since his performance made Kilgrave into one of the best villains in the MCU. But how could Kilgrave make a comeback after getting his neck snapped by Jessica in the first season finale? That was about as definitive as a death scene ever gets! But there are a few ways that could allow Kilgrave to seamlessly return. Here are a few potential explanations.

Mind Games

The most obvious choice would be for Kilgrave’s appearances to be in Jessica’s mind as he continues to torture her even from beyond the grave. We’re not suggesting a supernatural event, but Jessica was clearly haunted by Kilgrave’s presence even when he was alive. That probably won’t stop now that he’s dead, and it would give us some potentially powerful moments between Jessica and her greatest enemy.

Flashbacks

Another alternative—and perhaps most likely—would be to bring Kilgrave back for a flashback or a series of flashbacks that depict Jessica’s time as his prisoner. We already have a pretty good understanding of what happened between them and how he forced his will upon Jessica. But it’s not something she has completely gotten over, despite the catharsis of killing him. New scenes could expand our understanding of what Jessica went through. Potentially, there could even be something in Kilgrave’s past that connects with Jessica’s newest nemesis, Typhoid Mary.

The Purple Children

Within the pages of Marvel’s comic book universe, Kilgrave has fathered many children, some of whom share his powers to bend the will of other people. Kilgrave’s daughter, Kara, became a heroine called Persuasion and joined Alpha Flight. More recently, a group of Kilgrave’s children encountered Daredevil and demonstrated their powers on a much larger scale. Tennant’s appearance in Jessica Jones season 2 could set the stage for Kilgrave’s children to emerge in the MCU and become new threats. Alternately, Jessica could try to take Kara or another one of Kilgrave’s children under her wing and give them the moral compass their father lacked.

Back From the Dead

There is always the potential for resurrection within superhero fiction. Dead doesn’t always mean dead—especially in this world. It’s unfortunate that Kilgrave’s parents were killed off in the first season, as they would be the most likely suspects if he was actually brought back to life. But that doesn’t mean that someone else wouldn’t step up and bring Kilgrave back. It’s a bit of a stretch, but not impossible, all he would have needed to do was compel someone to resurrect him before he died.

The Fake Out

Finally, there’s the simplest explanation: Kilgrave never actually died at all. In the comics, Kilgrave has had a few brushes with death that were passed off as if they never happened. The official explanation was that Kilgrave used his powers to fake his death. And during Kilgrave’s most recent death, he came back to life because of a healing factor. But if the show’s creative team decides to go in that direction, it would not be the most satisfying way to handle it. And it would also rob the first season finale of its most powerful scene. Jessica’s triumph over Kilgrave was real, and we don’t want to see that moment taken away from her. That said, we’re definitely excited to see Kilgrave make his return and eager to know how it will play out.

How do you think Kilgrave’s return will play out in Jessica Jones season 2? Share your theories in the comment section below!

Images: Netflix/Marvel Comics