After the trailer for Jessica Jones was released, many of you were wondering, and are probably still wondering, how Marvel would incorporate one of the most notable physical aspects of the antagonist of the series, Killgrave (Zebediah Killgrave/Purple Man), with that being his unusual and purple skin tone. It started to become an accepted notion that he may never have purple skin since it seems too conspicuous for a person to have, leading for him only to wear purple suits as a nod to the character's interpretation in the comics as a sense of realism. For the show, David Tennant's performance as Killgrave is strong to the point in which the need or want for the character to have purple skin is either very little or completely forgotten. However, does that mean it wouldn't work or have any chance of appearing on the show?
With enough thought, of the character, taken into consideration, the answer is no. A purple-skinned Killgrave on the show could work, just not in the most frank way. I am aware of the fact that the image to the right is an image of
Professor Charles Xavier from
X-Men: First Class, not Killgrave, but it plays a role in what I'm about to get to in a second, so stay tuned. Now, Killgrave's origin, in the comics, involves him being exposed to nerve gas, giving him his abilities and his purple skin. His abilities offer him a wide-range of control over others through their mind, which is what he and Professor X have in common, so, it is safe to say that, Killgrave could possess some of the potential that Professor X has with his mutant powers. More specifically, Professor X's mutant powers gives him the power to make other people see what he wants to see, as seen in different scenes of his. Since Killgrave has an effect on the pheromones of people, he could also do this. The purpose for this? To hide what the nerve gas, or whatever happens to him in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe, did to him; his purple/scarred skin. There's no telling how he could look after such an accident. In this case, Killgrave could have made it to where this effect would be an aura he gives off in the air that is always present.
Of course, this needs to have it's limit. Nothing too complicated, a simple hard concussion gives him less mental activity with his powers, causing his control over others and aura to be gone, while his true looks (or colors) are shown. If this concept, or something similar, is applied within the series, then a great amount of mystery should surround such a secluded sight. Without questioning, Killgrave's look would be terrifying to see, in person, and would be a mix of, both, the purple skin tone and hard scarring/wounds.