[theme music playing]
[Jessica] I just want a name.
[Trish] Whose name?
- Brandt? - His full name.
- Andrew Brandt. - Thanks.
[door opens and closes]
[Jessica] You get used to it pretty quick.
The strength.
One day, you're a scrawny kid getting Ds in PE...
the next day, you can toss a minivan.
Eventually, it's just a part of who you are.
The part that no one can take away.
[labored breathing]
[breathing heavily]
[man] Every day, every minute of every day,
the human body is exposed to countless microorganisms
that could end our fragile function.
Well, that tracks.
It's New York City.
The spleen.
The glorious, often overlooked, but never overwhelmed, spleen
protects us from all of them.
So I'm guessing not having one...
it's kind of a negative.
That's what I'm trying to ex-spleen to you.
After a splenectomy, normal life can resume,
provided one takes precaution against an increased risk of deadly infections.
I'll start taking a multivitamin.
A rigorous immunization schedule, prophylactic antibiotic regimen,
and, of course, a swift change in any reckless lifestyle behavior.
And where would a liter a day of bourbon fall on the reckless scale?
[chuckles] You'll be with us for a few days.
But we should apprise your home care team of your needs upon release.
There's no one at home who cares. I'll handle my own needs.
Ms. Jones, if you were a standard human, those injuries would've been fatal.
Well, I'm still alive, so discharge me.
You may be special, but you're not completely invulnerable.
I have to be. That's the job.
There's somebody I have to find.
Whoa, whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Wait a minute. You're a fall risk.
[distorted] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Fall back. There you go.
Get your ass back to bed.
You know I can't face the E train until you make me come.
Too bad you have such trouble asking for what you want.
[Zaya chuckles]
- Is that blood? - It's... It's not a big deal.
See, but I don't typically piss blood, so I think it's a very big deal.
Babe, what happened?
It was just a cabbie last night.
He was riding tail after tail. He was bound to hit one.
Oh, did you get it checked out?
I looked it up.
It's just some internal bruising. It'll pass.
Yeah, because self-diagnosis is always a good idea.
We're gonna sue.
No, we are not.
If these assholes want to compete with ride-sharing platforms,
they'd better start approximating some actual skill behind the wheel.
- Did you get his medallion number? - Babe...
you are off the clock. Please, just let it go.
Uh-uh. Someone injured this beautiful specimen of a man.
And you mess with what's mine, I come for you.
I love you, too, and you gotta get your ass to the office.
- Not you? - I'm, uh, working from home today.
Are you okay, love?
I...
It's just Hogarth.
I work for her, too. I know what she's like.
You don't know everything.
[Zaya] I know I have the job of my dreams.
I'm not sure you'd say the same.
Hey, it doesn't matter.
One more year, I'll have the cash, the clout.
I can go out on my own.
Is that a justification?
It's a plan,
'cause you deserve a man who has one.
[Malcolm] The E train is waiting.
[Zaya chuckles] So am I.
[both chuckling]
[Jessica grunts]
- [panting] - [man grunts]
Damn it, Jones.
Costa?
I already told them no more visitors.
You see flowers under my arm?
I'm here to take a statement about a case.
The attempted homicide of Jessica Jones.
I'm betting you have a guess as to who did this. I need one, too.
What have you got?
Are we sharing?
- The knife? - No.
So nothing.
Which is why I had your assistant pull up your client list.
You could save me some effort by telling me which one you pissed off.
[scoffs] Tough call.
Look, Jones, I respect you.
Mostly. Your better qualities deserve to be respected.
What is that, some kind of flattery?
[sighs] I'm not gonna waste our time with this dance.
You'll do what you'll do, but you're not used to being the victim.
My name on your case file does not make me a victim.
Those staples in your belly do.
And that guy's still out there until one of us finds him.
Don't make yourself an easy target.
[door opens and closes]
The, uh, kale Caesar is quite filling.
Talk about faint praise.
Ladies, can I bring you something to drink?
Iced tea, no lemon.
Ignore my friend's false virtue and bring us two glasses of dry red.
Cab franc, if you have it, and otherwise, your choice.
The last time I saw you, I cried so hard my eyes were swollen for three days.
And the time before that, your head was between my legs.
We need all the wine.
I'm glad you came.
Well, I couldn't resist an hour of navel-gazing with the one who got away.
Speaking of, what ever happened to Wendy?
I married her.
How did that go?
Are you asking if I cheated on Wendy?
Yeah, I cheated.
With what can only be described as unabashed verve.
Well, at least I wasn't the only one. We should start a club.
Wendy, uh... she died.
It was a tragic accident.
So I guess it all finally caught up to me.
I'm sorry. Are you implying that you're the injured party
in your wife's untimely death?
Are you still mad at me? It's been 25 years.
I'm still deciding. Just tell me what we're doing here.
[stammers] I wanted to connect and to reminisce.
Bullshit. Jeri Hogarth doesn't do nostalgia.
I wanted to see if you were happy.
If what I did to you broke you the way that it broke Wendy.
Well, to therapy. Hmm. I'm not broken.
How long have you and Peter been married?
A year after you dumped me.
Started as a rebound, turned into 23 years and a family.
I'm so sorry about your daughter.
Yeah.
Cancer. Bullshit.
See? All of the wine.
Your music. Tell me about it. I want to hear.
I stopped playing for a while after Zoey.
Music felt... empty.
Not that the masses were clamoring.
- You never joined an orchestra? - I wasn't good enough.
[gasps] You were better than good.
I'm sure that teaching has its rewards.
Oh, please. You try impressing the importance of Baroque fugue analysis
on a room full of millennials.
[both laughing]
I remember us.
Well, how I used to be.
A lot's changed.
I remember a singular talent.
I remember a brilliant, baffling girl who showed me the world.
[softly] You took my goddamn breath away.
I still have a tape of that piece that you composed for me.
- No, you don't. - [softly] I can prove it.
You know, um, I have a class at 3:00. And I already ate lunch.
You... you ate lunch?
But I enjoyed the wine.
Well, then the wine is on me.
It was good to see you, Jeri.
And brief. Yet again.
And you don't really have that tape.
[siren wailing]
[nurse] This states you understand
you've been discharged against medical advice,
thereby releasing the hospital of responsibility.
Take care of yourself.
[Jessica] A hero is strong.
A hero is invulnerable.
[elevator bell dings]
A hero has a goddamn spleen.
[sighs]
Welcome home. Detective Costa suggested we heighten security
until the threat against you is apprehended.
[Jessica] I can take care of myself.
[Gillian] I can't. And I'm not taking a knife for what you pay me.
I need you to find out everything you can on Andrew Brandt.
Remind me tomorrow? It's 4:56.
There's a Jim Shaw exhibition opening at MoMA,
and I need at least two martinis
before making small talk about acrylic on muslin.
What the hell is this?
[Gillian] That little troll brought it by.
Vido?
He said it was a new spleen.
Sweet kid, but he sure didn't inherit his father's talent.
I spoke to your doctor. Chatty.
Scheduled your post-surgical vaccinations for a week from Tuesday.
Uh, antibiotic, twice a day.
The coveted opioid, every four to six hours, as needed.
And a laxative, for the resulting constipation.
- Shit. - If you're lucky. Are we good?
Sure.
Give me your phone.
Alarm. It'll remind you to take them, starting now.
- [alarm chiming] - One of each.
You're supposed to take them with water.
Lock it behind me.
[sighs]
Mmm!
[Jessica] Lose an organ, gain a case.
A victim is vulnerable, weak.
And that's just the way Brandt wants them.
Wants us.
[breathes deeply]
But to hell with vulnerable.
Strength is a part of me.
And no one is gonna take it away.
[grunts]
[faint knocking on door]
[grunts]
[knocking on door]
[grunts softly]
Who is it?
[Malcolm] It's me.
Were you asleep? Early for you.
Thanks...
for the ambulance.
I grabbed it before the cops got here.
Meaning you illegally tampered with police evidence.
Jeri's taught you all sorts of tricks.
I knew you'd want to handle this yourself.
It's clean. I called in a favor, ran it for prints.
It's a six-inch chef's knife, part of a set from a popular brand.
- Too common to trace. - So he's smart.
What'll you do when you find him?
Whatever it takes. And I don't need favors.
I figured you'd say that.
- A bill? - For the time I put in.
And how much time did you spend chasing this non-lead?
Fee's gone up.
[sighs]
[printer whirs]
[Trish] I'm impressed.
I've been searching the place for hours, you walk in, have a lead in ten minutes.
- It's called experience. - I said I was impressed.
Brandt was my target first. I should be the one to bring him in.
Well, I was the one with a post-surgical drain in my gut,
so I'm gonna have to disagree.
I get it.
You don't want my help or my friendship.
I've moved on, too. Found a purpose.
At the very least, I didn't think you'd want to take that away from me.
I don't want anything from you.
So you can ride this '90s parkour crap back into the fame you crave.
All I want is Brandt
and every other asshole like him behind bars.
- [groans] - Should you even be out of bed?
The liver and the lymph nodes can do everything a spleen can do.
It's basically... a redundant organ.
Look, you just take care of yourself. I'll take care of him.
You're the victim here.
I'm not a victim... if I stop him.
Do you even know if Brandt is your guy?
Will you even ask if you find him?
- It's not your concern. - The hell it's not.
Before you screwed it up, my plan was to deliver Brandt to the cops.
I doubt you have the same agenda.
Vengeance, not justice? That's not what a hero does.
You've been a hero for five minutes. I've been one half my life.
You've been super, Jess.
- There's a difference. - [scoffs]
[door closes]
This is good. Yeah, great work.
Make those changes and file it with the court.
- Well done. - Thanks.
[Malcolm] You said you had a job for me.
I typically loathe the term "power couple."
It suggests a lack of autonomy from both partners
simply because they share a bed.
I'm sorry. I, uh...
For Chrissake, I don't... I don't give a shit.
As long as you both sign a consent form.
Done.
And your assignments, they stay between us.
Absolutely. Chinese wall.
[chuckles] Bigger men have been taken down by workplace dalliances, Malcolm.
Well, this is, uh... It's more than that.
Like, a lot more.
Okay.
I, uh I need a workup on this.
- [Malcolm] Law school professor. - Potential business associate.
Is there anything I should know?
Just tell me what he's hiding.
I'm on it.
[door opens and closes]
Hi. I'm a collector of Victor Cataldo's artwork.
I am wondering about an upcoming auction you have of A Curious Man in Winter.
[woman] There are no Cataldo works on the legitimate market.
I was referred by Jeryn Hogarth,
who mentioned a confidential auction featuring a Cataldo.
[man] Obviously, we don't deal in illicit trade.
Hi, this is Mallory calling from Jeryn Hogarth's office.
One of our clients is interested in a disputed collectible.
[woman] We don't entertain intermediaries when discussing privileged lots.
[sighs]
[indistinct chatter]
[Peter] Office hours are 2:00 to 4:00.
But I, uh, I got a minute. Come on inside.
What's your name?
Darryl Hughes.
Huh, you know, I take a bizarre pride in having committed my full roster to memory.
No Darryls on that list. Have a seat.
Uh... [clears throat] I'm not actually in the department.
I was hoping to transfer into your Legal Ethics seminar.
Huh. What are you studying now?
I'm in the master's biology program.
Pre-med. So what's the draw of my course?
The discussion of morality... in the law.
I... I come from a religious background.
Same here. Lapsed Catholic.
I'm coming to terms with the idea that... righteousness,
at least the kind that they taught us is...
is never absolute.
Darryl, welcome to the pliable ethics of adulthood.
I can tell you, it only gets more confusing from here.
Huh.
Look, I'm afraid I don't have any chairs left for nonmajors.
But you should check in with me next semester.
- Yeah, I will. - Good luck to you.
[exhales heavily]
[cell phone chimes]
[scoffs softly]
Didn't want to knock,
given your track record with surprise visitors.
What are you doing here?
Somebody gets stabbed in the middle of a hookup,
the traditional response is to check up on her.
You don't strike me as traditional.
Just like that, she caught me giving a shit.
[scoffs]
[sighs]
I have no spleen.
Drag. What the hell does a spleen even do?
That's what I said.
Do you know who the guy was? Why he was after you?
It's what I do.
If you find him, how are you gonna handle him?
When I find him.
Like I said, it's what I do.
Got it.
I just want to know if you tried it. I got 50 bucks riding on this.
The burger.
Eh, tossed it.
The doctor said I needed to make some, uh, lifestyle changes.
And the guy you met over a massive amount of booze
isn't the post-op company you're looking for.
- Not tonight. - Cool.
Have a nice life.
Hope you find a donor.
[sighs]
I understand, Serena.
As women, we tend to give more than we get.
But, you know, that moment at the end of the day
when I pull off my bra and put on a pot of Cozy Chamomile Tea,
available right here on ARN during our Herbal Remedies Hour of Power,
and I sink into the sofa...
That moment... that's mine.
And there is nothing I would rather wrap myself up in
than our signature cozy merino wool
like this beautiful rib-knit long cardigan.
- So soft. - Hold the phone.
I've just been informed that our sweater vest
has sold 140,000 units!
- [exclaims] - Yay!
You've set a network record, outpacing Tucker Price
and his multifunction countertop rotisserie oven.
- [exclaims] - You guys, thank you.
I'm telling you, girl, this is just the beginning.
You were born for this.
Thank you.
[door slams]
It's 12:29. I'm taking lunch.
And there's a client waiting in the office.
Should I tell her you've recently been the victim of a violent crime
and are currently indisposed?
Enjoy your microgreens.
[door opens]
[door closes]
I wasn't aware I'd hired a new assistant. Mallory?
Well, I'd apologize, but it won't be the last time
that I use your name without your permission.
- [sighs] - Malcolm told me what happened. I...
- want to check on you. - Why? So we can be invalids together?
Sorry, I'm a dick.
Every day, I take a glutamate blocker, then a muscle relaxant.
I take something for the excess saliva in my mouth.
Take an Ativan for the panic of impending death
and a stool softener, so I manage a movement every three days.
I see you're on one, too.
In spite of being fundamentally vulnerable and alone,
I get out of bed, I go to work and I win.
Little hard to swallow a pep talk from a woman who begged me to snuff her.
I've... decided to focus on the journey rather than the inevitable end.
You get that off a pamphlet?
You know... they're developing new trials all the time.
There's one out of Israel that... is looking good.
Hmm.
You've been doing some research.
Me, too. And I will continue to.
But I want to make sure that my health status remains confidential.
Thank you.
Now, what makes you think that I know anything about illegal art sales?
Don't you?
I'll make some calls.
In the meantime,
my actual assistant will send you some names of galleries for you to survey.
- [cell phone chimes] - Us invalids, we need to stick together.
- [cell phone chimes] - [door closes]
[Jessica] Well, that was fast.
[alarm chiming]
Hey, uh, what's the cheapest thing you got?
Hot pretzel.
What's the cheapest thing you got that doesn't taste like salted cardboard?
[man] Hot dog coming right up.
- You have something I want. - Whatever.
[breathing heavily]
[Trish] Jess?
Jess, come on. Jess, wake up.
[operator] 911. What is your emergency?
Hi. Yeah, there's a woman passed out on the corner of 49th and 10th.
Alright, stay calm.
Yeah, tell the responders that she has no spleen.
Is she breathing?
[woman] Oh, is she okay?
- Uh, I'm gonna go flag down the ambulance. - [woman] Okay.
[man] What's happening over there?
- [woman] Ma'am? - [man] You guys need any help?
Is she all right?
[Kith] You're relentless.
- I told you I kept the tape. - I'm only here to call your bluff.
"Sonata in A Minor for Jeryn." Catchy title.
I composed it when I was 21. I can't be held responsible.
This worries me, truly. I mean, what else did you save?
Only what was important.
I just came from a lesson uptown.
You want me to take it for you?
No. It's a repro of a Strad Braga.
I won't even let Peter put it in the trunk of a cab.
Wow.
You live here.
There's not one thing that says analog about this place.
How are you planning on playing that cassette?
You forget that I graduated law school in the '90s.
Evidence of a hoarding tendency is only mounting.
Do you remember when we recorded that?
We were in bed. It was late.
But we never really slept when we were together.
You said you had something for me.
And you crawled out from under that ratty, down alternative blanket...
[both laughing]
- Wow. - ...and you pulled up a chair.
I had to remind myself to breathe.
When you put that cello between your naked legs...
I don't think I have ever been more in love
than I was in that moment.
[distorted music]
Oh, shit.
[laughs]
You had heady plans for that big moment, didn't you?
Was it working?
You know, I still remember that piece.
I looked better then...
but I sound better now.
[playing cello]
[Hogarth] Mmm.
[Zaya sighs]
I'm starving. Chinese or Thai?
[scoffs]
Babe, you hungry?
[grunting and moaning over laptop]
That was startling.
Startled the hell out of me, too.
[scoffs] I've got two hours left on this brief. You're watching porn.
- It's... It's not porn. - No judgment.
If this is how you deal with stress, it's fine.
I'd just prefer you watch it with me.
Who needs that when you got the real thing?
Christ, you feel good.
[inhales sharply]
[doctor] Ms. Jones.
Oh, shit.
You lost consciousness due to severe dehydration.
When you said a liter of bourbon...
I need my things, my phone. [panting]
I don't think you've totally grasped your situation.
Your body has spleen better days.
Your immune system is immeasurably more vulnerable.
[distorted] It can't take the abuse it once did.
We're keeping you overnight...
...is immeasurably more vulnerable.
[panting]
- [cell phone chimes] - Jessica? Jessica, are you all right?
[Jessica panting]
I'll stay. [breathing heavily]
You're the only person I've ever met
that has gotten every single thing she ever wanted.
Is that what you see?
You have your own law firm.
Respect and accolades from your peers.
You live in a glass palace.
No one gets to this point in life without regrets.
It's late.
What are you gonna tell him?
The truth.
So I should expect an angry husband at my door.
Oh, no need. Peter and I have an open marriage.
What does that mean?
It means I'm screwing you.
He's probably screwing some graduate student as we speak.
When Zoey died...
we gave each other our own sanity.
Marriage is long... and, I mean, we'll never leave each other.
That's something.
So don't worry. I won't get attached.
Talk soon.
[Jessica] A hero knows the value of a good narcotic.
[pants and grunts]
[strains]
Some people just have too much goddamn money.
[woman]...incredible contemporary collection.
[man] Yes. Let me show you what we have.
[Trish] Well, I can't wait to see. I've only just started collecting.
[man] There's always time to develop an appreciation
for what I call "captive beauty."
[Trish] Oh, I love that.
But I've been through three art consultants already.
- Damn it, Trish. - [Trish] They just... They didn't get me.
It's a developing aesthetic, but it's mine, you know?
[man] Absolutely. It's about listening.
- Interpreting. - [Trish] Right.
[man] Expanding.
Can I offer you a glass of champagne?
Oh, that's all right. I don't, um...
Uh, actually, that would be lovely. Thank you.
[door opens and closes]
[typing]
[door opens]
[man] I opened a special bottle.
You let me know if it's not chilled to your liking.
Thank you.
- I really like this one. - [man] Oh, he's very, very talented.
[Jessica] Hey.
Not bad if you're into the cultural representation of male pathos.
You found it.
You found Brandt's contact info.
I'm going after him.
Jesus. Are we really doing this shit again?
Oh, you look like death. Just give me the sculpture.
Just give me the phone.
I know this goes against your entire sense of self.
That you can be weak and I can be strong.
Don't hang that self-help bullshit on me.
You know what's bullshit?
Getting stabbed because you're caught off guard,
off task, and probably drunk.
You want to be a hero, but you don't walk the walk.
How many times have you trained in the past year? Or ever?
Better yet, how many bottles have you drained?
Hand it over, now.
I've spent the past year honing my skills, evolving into the best version of myself.
I'm unstoppable. And I have all my organs intact.
[Trish grunts]
So I've learned something recently.
Something you should know.
No one is unstoppable.
Hello, Mr. Brandt. This is Lucia calling from the gallery.
You'll be happy to know that your lot has sold.
Yes, I'm actually looking at the cashier's check right now.
Where would you like that delivered?
Shit!
Don't even bother.
What is this place?
And if you say it's your man cave, this will end even worse than you think.
[Brandt] Take whatever you want.
I don't do cars. But I am super into 20th century figurative sculpture.
I may be down a major organ, but I have gained a fine arts education.
- What the hell do you want from me? - [tires screeching]
- [Brandt yells] - What do you think I want, asshole?
Did my sister hire you?
If Madeline wants the Cataldo that bad, she can keep it.
I don't give a shit about the sculpture.
I do give a shit that you hired someone to stab me.
Stab you? Why? How? All you people have impenetrable skin.
- [grunts] - You took my goddamn spleen.
No, you came after me. You and your masked friend.
I've been hiding out here ever since you two busted into my place.
Who am I gonna hire? No one will risk pissing off a couple supers.
[grunting and panting]
[tires screeching]
[panting] What are you gonna do to me?
[sighs]
[bell rings]
Ms. Walker, call for you.
Oh, thank you. Excuse me one second?
Trish Walker.
Brandt's not the one that came after me.
- Then who was it? - I don't know.
But Brandt's at 597 East 23rd, and he's not going anywhere.
He's your win. You'll know what to do.
[Brandt grunting]
[muffled speaking]
He's having an affair.
With a student.
It's not enough.
It's enough to get him axed.
It's not what I need.
Then, what? Who is this guy to you?
What do you want me to do?
I want you to do what you do best. Dig deeper.
[door closes]
Still no flowers.
[Costa] My station got an anonymous call
about a perp we've been trying to pin down for months.
[Jessica] Yeah?
The unis found him gift wrapped with hard evidence against him.
Kept whining about a couple of powered chicks that were after him.
He mentioned you and a masked woman whose face he never saw.
Is that the guy who attacked you?
My guy is still out there.
I'm sorry to hear that. Who's the masked hero?
[sighs] What? You think we all know each other?
- You did good. - It wasn't me.
Well, I'm glad you have somebody. There really is strength in numbers.
Take care.
Keep your door locked.
Any interest in a massive amount of booze?
[knocking on door]
You do realize a glass window on the door defeats the purpose of a dead bolt?
Thanks for the tip.
I owe you 50 bucks.
- You ate the burger. - Yeah.
Well, you... uh, you look better.
Uh, quick healer.
[distorted groaning]
Yeah, that asshole clearly had no idea what he was up against.
He brought a knife to a gunfight.
You being the... the gunfight, of course.
[Erik] Jessica?
So, um... you called me?
Ooh.
There is one thing I would like to know.
Shoot.
Tell me why someone wants to kill you.
Um... [gulps]
[slow cello music playing]