There is a lot of mystery surrounding the final run of the Marvel/Netflix franchise, Jessica Jones Season 3. That includes the villain, who was teased in the recent trailer and is played by Jeremy Bobb (Russian Doll). However, one Redditor who is extremely confident in their leak claims to know that Bobb plays “Foolkiller,” a totally D-list Marvel villain that has been “repurposed slightly.”
On Wednesday, a Redditor named u/TheMarvelScoopMaster (haha, okay, sure) posted on r/MarvelStudiosSpoilers that the villain of Jessica Jones Season 3 is Foolkiller, who MarvelScoopMaster says is “a psychopath kidnapping people.”
“Villain is Gregory Salinger (aka Foolkiller),” they wrote, “Who is traditionally a Defenders villain but is re purposed slightly. In this he’s a psychopath kidnapping people. This gets him on Jessica’s radar. It’s alluded to that he may be gay but I can’t remember an outright confirmation on that.”
They add, “As far as I can tell he never is referred to as Foolkiller or wears a comic accurate costume. He’s just referred to as ‘Greg’ or ‘Salinger.’”
Whether or not MarvelScoopMaster’s information is good, it sounds credible enough. The Marvel/Netflix universe is populated with obscure villains being heavily reworked and lacking their signature costumes. It’s happened in Daredevil, The Punisher, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and it’s definitely happened in Jessica Jones.
Greg Salinger's Foolkiller, who may be the villain in 'Jessica Jones' Season 3, in issue #73 of 'The Defenders.'
Season 1 of Jessica Jones, which starred David Tennant as the show’s antagonist, was never referred to as “The Purple Man” but “Kilgrave,” who constantly wore a purple suit instead of actually being physically purple. It seems even in the final season of Jessica Jones, not much will change.
Introduced in Man-Thing #3 by Steve Gerber and Val Mayeric, Foolkiller is a religious nut named Ross Everbest who errs on the right-wing political spectrum. In the comics, he was offended by the ‘60s counterculture and anti-Vietnam War protests, and so decided that sinners and criminals were “fools” who must be killed. Hence, “Foolkiller,” a crusader sent by God.
While he doesn’t have any powers, Foolkiller possessed a “purification gun,” essentially a laser gun that zaps away people in an instant. Foolkiller also left his victims in a state of paranoia for 24 hours, leaving a calling card urging them to repent or be damned to a life in hell.
The calling card read: “Foolkiller, e pluribus unum, You have 24 hours to live. Use them to repent or be forever damned to the pits of hell where goeth all fools. Today is the last day of the rest of your life. Use it wisely or die a fool.”
Greg Salinger, whose name is being used by the Foolkiller in Jessica Jones (at least if the leak is to be believed) was the second Foolkiller after Ross. A prisoner serving time for disorderly conduct, Salinger hears the story of Foolkiller from a cellmate. When he’s released, he seizes upon the name and equipment of Foolkiller. Unlike his predecessor, Salinger targeted “fools” who were guilty of mediocrity and slaves to materialism.
In 2017, Foolkiller returned in his own five-issue solo series, where he tried his hand at being a psychotherapist. It didn't really work.
No Foolkiller has ever crossed paths with Jessica Jones, even in the comics. But Salinger was an enemy of the Defenders back when the team had a completely different roster made up of Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, and Hellcat (who in the MCU is Jessica Jones’ sister Trish).
Will the Foolkiller strike in Jessica Jones? We’re fools ourselves if we don’t find out when the third and final season finally premieres.
Marvel’s Jessica Jones Season 3 will premiere on Netflix on June 14.
