Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire
Season 1 Episode 16: “Ripple Effect”
By Lauren Beukes, Vita Ayala, Sam Beckbessinger, Zoe Quinn, and Elsa Sjunneson
Narrated by Fryda Wolff
I still can’t believe this is already the last episode of the Serial Box exclusive Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire. Time sure flies when you’re having fun.
Spoilers ahead.
The lady is a vamp
It’s been a wonderful ride, and Elsa Sjunneson takes the writer’s wheel once last time as Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire finally reaches its destination.
A tense battle with the supervillain, with the lives of young flares in the balance, and Jessica Jones once more showing why she’s a true hero. Who could ask for more?
It’s the final showdown with Selene, and the odds are definitely stacked against Jessica. Sam has insisted on accompanying her, but Jessica still hasn’t fully recovered from being drained.
Not only that, but also Selene now has control over the young flares whom she’s trying to drain in an orgy of feeding.
“There are others too. This isn’t the gentle meditation where Selene treats the flares as if they were precious pets that she could love.
No. This is a ritual to drain them all of their powers. This is Selene gorging herself on them until she can wallow like a fat leech full of blood amongst the corpses of her prey.“And before Jessica can listen to any of Mel’s helpful advice about planning and being responsible, Sam busts the doors open, phone in one hand with the camera pointed directly at her former mentor. It’s trained on her with the precision of a firearm because, if there’s one thing everyone knows, it’s that the internet is the best tool for killing powerful people’s images, burying them under a wave of character assassination.”
All’s flare in love and war
Already struggling because her powers still haven’t fully returned and she must also worry about Sam, Jessica must now fight against all the flares, while trying her best not to hurt them.
Sam does their best to snap their fellow flares out of Selene’s spell, but they are all mind-controlled and attack Jessica with their special abilities.
“Shafieka’s hands cup in front of her face, her eyelids half closed, and Jessica and Sam both throw their hands up over their ears half a beat too late. Sam drops the phone to the floor, screen cracking. Again, Jessica thinks — and then it happens.
“Getting punched in the face by a sonic boom hurts. Jessica spins around in a circle. The walls are down and the ceiling is at her feet and the liquid between her ears has gone mad. But vertigo has nothing on Jessica. She’s fought a dozen jackasses outside a bar while twelve whiskeys deep into an evening.”
Jessica vs Jessica
More than the climactic showdown with Selene and the mind-controlled flares, however, the biggest battle that Jessica wages is inside her mind.
As I said in my review of the first episode of Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire, this serial novel has truly brought Jessica to life. We have gotten to know her better throughout this journey, and have seen her having to constantly overcome her traumatic past.
More than her superpowers, it’s this inner strength that enables Jessica to triumph against all odds. And perhaps even become a better person along the way.
Thanks, Serial Box, for publishing Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire.
It’s been one hell of a ride.
(Editor’s note: This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided by Serial Box. Marvel’s Jessica Jones: Playing with Fire Season 1 Episode 16 will come out on Aug. 27. Exclusively available on Serial Box.)
Previous reviews:
- “The Big Easy” – Season 1 Episode 1 review
- “The Boy Under the Bridge” – Season 1 Episode 2 review
- “Never Saw It Coming” – Season 1 Episode 3 review
- “This Is Going to Hurt” – Season 1 Episode 4 review
- “A Visit from Old Friends” – Season 1 Episode 5 review
- “Fake It Till You Make It” – Season 1 Episode 6 review
- “It Was Always Burning” – Season 1 Episode 7 review
- “My Door Is Always Open (Now)” – Season 1 Episode 8 review
- “Bad Taxidermy” – Season 1 Episode 9 review
- “Newton’s Third Law” – Season 1 Episode 10 review
- “Sleight of Mind” – Season 1 Episode 11 review
- “Other Times, Other Places” – Season 1 Episode 12 review
- ”Midnight Train” – Season 1 Episode 13 review
- ”Iron Will” – Season 1 Episode 14 review
- “Tunnel Vision” - Season 1 Episode 15 review
Thanks for this review.
Yes, it’s been a great ride, and I’ll remember how I counted down the weeks of summer by waiting for each of these episodes.
As the 16th episode began, I thought, “This is it, the last one.” I was a bit sad, because I’d love for these to continue.
If Serial Box were to come out with 10 more seasons, I think I’d buy them all.
Thanks, DK! I really appreciate that you took the time to comment.
I know, right? I was so conflicted because after every episode, I was eager to find out what would happen next, but at the same time, I didn’t want this serial novel to end. I wish they would come up with a sequel already!
Thanks and stay safe!
Cheers,
Joey