My favourite character in Jessica Jones: "Malcolm Ducasse"
“Just keep your distance, all right? Or I’m gonna have to kick your ass.”
*
The above fan art by halorvic combined with the quote sums up Malcolm's character. He's facing Luke Cage who dwarfs him in size and yet he's so brave - and protective of Jessica.
Malcolm Ducasse one of Jessica Jones' neighbours. When we first meet him, he appears to be a down and out drug addict. We see him onscreen quite regularly and our feelings towards him mirror Jessica's - irritation and pity. There's one scene where she blatantly uses him to cause a distraction in a hospital, resulting in him getting arrested. We can't help sympathising with his character even though we know nothing about him except that he's a down and out drug addict. Then our view of Malcolm undergoes some pretty dramatic changes:
- We find out that Malcolm is the person that Kilgrave is using to spy on Jessica. He not only used his mind to put Malcolm under his control, but he also got him addicted to drugs and become the supplier of his drugs in exchange for Malcolm spying on Jessica.
- We learn that Malcolm grew up in a household that helped others and that he himself was a good person who was always helping others.
- Jessica helps him to break his connection from Kilgrave and also kick his drug habit. After this happens, he attempts to help others affected by Kilgrave's powers. This includes Jessica Jones herself even though she does not want his help at all. See the dramatic reveral of roles below :
popculty: 1x05 | 1x07
One of the reasons I really like him is that he is at his core a good person. Even in the throes of drug addiction, when Jessica tells him that she needs money, he offers her a television that he had stolen earlier … Despite everything that has happened to him, he still likes people and he still believes in them so wants to be there and continue to help them. He’s a wonderful human being who makes a conscious choice to do the right thing even though it would be easier for him to walk away.
Jessica is not easy to help or love but he continues to help her - calling her on her bad behaviour. Jessica set up the support group just to get intel into Kilgrave, Malcolm’s the one who made it into a genuine support group…
Robyn is his most telling case. He felt guilt but even when she was cruellest to him and told him to give up hope and kill himself, he still couldn't bring himself to walk past her and leave her when she needed help.
He was no longer a victim, he stood by people who truly needed him even when they were pushing him away and he helped them and brought them back from the edge - even Jessica.
At the end of the season finale, Jessica's in her apartment alone. Trish isn't there, Luke Cage (who I don't really like) has bailed and only Malcolm is there to answer her phone and keep pushing her back towards life, towards being connected to others..
