Jessica vs. Elizabeth: I'm More Near-Dead than You

[bugspotter]

The A.V. Club article in the previous entry made an interesting point:

"Before re-reading these books, I had vague memories of Jessica being the“bad” twin and Elizabeth the “good,” and the books certainly play this  up: Jessica is constantly getting into scrapes and sacrificing others-her sister in particular-to achieve her own ends, while Elizabeth

Comments

[esc_key]

Elizabeth *did* have Margo and William White following her around with knives sharpened. I feel like Jessica was more likely to get herself in danger (by dating guys who are vampires or werewolves or whatever?) and Elizabeth was more likely to have a psycho killer randomly attack her.

[posh_tas]

Well, just in the first 20 books - Elizabeth had a motorcycle accident and then was kidnapped, so already, Elizabeth is a couple up on Jessica ;)

Jessica gets shipwrecked in a book - but I can't think of any other example of Jessica being in any other near-death experiences. Of course, I am writing this off the cuff - and haven't checked my SVH library ;)

Oh wait - Jessica may have had some near-death experiences in the Thrillers?

[winstonegbert]

I think a list is in order:

Jessica's Near Death Experiences

Nora Chappelle/Black [in ROTET]
Lost at Sea [stranded on Anacapa Island]
Jonathon Cain [vampire boy]
Crazy Freddy [in the Camp story arc]
Nancy Swanson [who ties up all the cheergirls]
John Marin

Elizabeth's Near Death Experiences
Carl-the-Orderly
Margo [in The Evil Twin]
Luke the Werewolf
Christopher [Jessica's boy toy in "Two Boy Weekend"; doormat Lizzie takes the hit]
Death Valley
The "Cover Girls" saga
Motorcycle accident courtesy of Todd
Redman [a paranoid schizophrenic bomber who gets Liz confused with an old flame]
John Marin
The fire during "Earthquake"

I think Lizzie might just pip her at the post...

[kaisercydney]

I would add for Jessica: Margo(she came at Jess with the knife as well, and she was cut), crashing Bruce's Porsche through a guardrail in SVU 'Dead Before Dawn', nearly being burned alive in 'A Deadly Christmas'(by Jeremy), runaway horse incident in 'Spring Fever'(super edition), almost drowning in 'Spring Break'(Super Edition)

Add for Liz: almost being taken out by a mobster in a Super Edition, but I can't remember what it was called.

Overall, I think Jessica takes it, but then I am always partial to her.

[melody_power]

Don't forget the vampire who almost kills Lizzie in Kiss of the Vampire.
Scott Culver trying to kill Elizabeth AND Jessica in Wanted for Murder

[llew30]

Don't forget the Super Thrillers-Elizabeth gets knocked out in "Double Jeopardy", Elizabeth and the boy-she's-cheating-on-Jeffery-with are threatened by a man with a gun in "On the Run" and Elizabeth gets knocked out-what AGAIN?-in "No Place to Hide". I haven't gotten to the last one, "Deadly Summer" yet but it's not looking too good for our beloved Lizzie.

[duckay]

There was also one, Winter Carnival, where the whole second half of the book is about Jessica coming to terms with Elizabeth's death and how she should change her wicked ways because it was her fault, but (surprise!) it's a dream.

[bugspotter]

Lol. Maybe I should have asked about which twin had more cracked-out dream sequences, but I think that's more of a Sweet Valley Twins thing.