- “You know what the difference is between you and me?, I make this look good!”
- —J upon being officially made an MIB Agent.
Agent J (usually called Jay) was born in 1965 and is an agent of the MiB, after being recruited by Agent K. He is energetic, and tries to bring life and emotion back to the bland organization. He is of the two main protagonists of the Men in Black films along with Kay. He is portrayed by Will Smith in the films, and is voiced by Keith Diamond in the animated series.
History
Film and Animated Series Continuity
Past Life and Father
J's father, Colonel James Edwards Jr., was killed at Cape Canaveral in 1969 by Boris The Animal when assisting Agent K preventing both his impending death and the large scale invasion that would follow forty years in the future. Although James Darrell Edwards III was present at the scene of his father's death, he was neuralyzed by Agent K. As a result, James was largely unaware of why his father was absent during the majority of his adolescent life. The only memento J had of his father was his fob watch. James then followed in his father's footsteps, and, years later, became a police officer.
Before MiB
James Edwards chasing an unknown alien
Originally James Darrell Edwards III was an officer of the NYPD. During his time as an officer, he chased down an extremely fast alien, disguised as a human. When he finally caught up, the unknown alien gave James a serious warning concerning the Earth, before jumping off a building. Some time later James was interrogated by a fellow officer. Once this officer left the room, a man in a black suit (Agent K or Kay) walked in and explained to Edwards that the human he had chased down was really an alien in disguise.
J looking at aliens in MiB Headquarters
Then Kay takes James for a ride. They go to a nearby pawn shop owned by yet another alien, named Jack Jeebs. Edwards then points out the weapon that the alien he had chased down had owned. Once Edwards explains all of what he knows, he is then neuralyzed. K and Edwards go to a restaurant to eat. About the majority of the meal, Kay cracks himself and gives an MiB card to Edwards, which has an address on the back.
Edwards arrives at the building the next morning, and goes through a training program for recruits. He succeeds in initiative tests, though Zed believes he has a problem with authority. Kay remarks that he does too, and that Edwards was surely fit enough for the job. Edwards is reluctant to join, at first not even believing anything, but after seeing the Worms, a strange race of aliens, he begins to understand their purpose. The next day he returns, and becomes Agent J, the newest MiB recruit.
Men in Black
J with Zed and K at MiB headquarters
As a rookie Jay gains many nicknames from K and Zed such as slick, kid, sport and tiger. After joining MiB he and Kay go straight to work and begin by questioning the alien Redgick as he suspiciously is about to leave the planet. While K questions him, Jay has to help Mr. Redgick's wife give birth. K begins to ponder why Redgick would risk a warp jump with his wife pregnant. They check the hot sheets and question a woman who believes an alien stole her husband's skin. The woman named Beatrice, explains that her husband Edgar walked in the house and acted different and asked for sugar water. They then neuralyzed her.
As K tests the dirt from the crash, they find out they are dealing with a bug. They later visit the Morgue and J along with Laurel Weaver (later Agent L) discover an Arquilian Prince named Rosenberg, inside a human body 'suit'. The Arquilian slowly explains that in order to prevent war the galaxy is on Orion's Belt. The Arquilian dies and after neuralyzing Weaver, they both return to headquarters and Zed explains to Jay that Orion's belt are a group of stars. MiB then discovers that many alien's are fleeing the Earth, and also that an Arquilian Battle Cruiser is nearby the Earth.
J firing the Noisy Cricket
Zed decides that J and K should check out Rosenberg's Jewelry Store and Zed tells K to give J a weapon. Kay gives Jay a Noisy Cricket and J believes its unfair that he gets such a small weapon and even says "I feel like I'm gonna break this damn thing". While at the jewelry store, J spots Edgar the bug driving and fleeing in a tow truck. Jay fires his Noisy Cricket and misses the bug, after the massive aftershock of firing the cricket J begins to enjoy using the weapon. He fires again and hits the back of the tow truck, causing it to release the bugs old vehicle the 'Zap Em Truck'.
By firing his weapon in the presence of many people, K explains not to fire weapons in public. Jay responds by saying that they cant worry about covering up aliens and MiB as there is currently a Battle Cruiser close to Earth. K says that there is always an Arquilian Battle Cruiser, or something similar that is about to put Earth in danger and the only way these people get on with their lives, is if they do not know about it. They question Frank the Pug, at first J suspects the man next to him is an alien but is surprised when it turns out to be the dog.
J and K encounter Edgar the Bug
Frank explains that the galaxy is very small like a size of a marble. J then spots a cat and realizes that the galaxy is on the Arquilian's cat name tag or collar which is also named Orion. They head to the Morgue once again but this time J goes in alone while K waits at the entrance. Jay meets Laurel Weaver once again (she does not remember him as she was neuralyzed by K at their last visit) and asks for the cat, explaining that he needs to take him.
Weaver tries to hint that she needs help as Edgar the bug is actually hiding underneath a medical bed. When the cat jumps and lands on the table the bug then grabs the galaxy off the cat's collar and holds Laurel Weaver as a hostage by using a human gun. K quickly arrives and both he and J draw their weapons, but the bug uses his jumping ability to jump out the roof with Weaver. Jay and Kay run out of the Morgue building in order to catch the bug before he escapes once again.
J asking about the woman K was looking at
J realizes that they're in a cab and searches all cab drivers in the area but there are way too many. K picks up J in the Ford and calmly explains that this bug isn't leaving the planet in a cab. They return to MiB headquarters and Zed describes the situation which is that the Arquilian's are still requesting MiB to deliver the galaxy, until the battle cruiser fires a warning shot to the Earth. J is concerned and asks "Why are they shooting at us for"? Kay goes over the Arquilian battle rules and that they now have a galactic standard week to respond, which is an hour.
Realizing that the bug needs a ship in order to leave the Earth Jay calls Zed and K but they ignore him. J calls them once again but this time saying "Hey old guys" which immediately grabs their attention. J points to the flying saucer's located at Queens and asks if they still work. They both head to Queens to try and stop the bug before he leaves Earth and K decides to use the tunnel, which Jay says would be packed. K tells J to push the red button and the car transforms into a much faster and advanced car. K begins to drive at an incredible speed while on the roof which easily avoids the other cars and traffic. When they both arrive the bug has already taken off in one of the saucers. K and J both aim with their more bigger and powerful weapons and shoot together at the bug's ship.
K and J both fire at the bug's ship
The ship crashes almost directly in front of them and they stand their ground waiting for the bug to show himself. Edgar the bug walks out of the broken and wrecked ship and both K and J explain the MiB arrest procedure and J demands that the bug puts his hands on his head. The bug indeed does but he tears off his human 'Edgar suit' and reveals his true self as a huge cockroach. The bug quickly grabs and swallows their weapons and K tells J to keep the bug on this planet. Kay gets himself swallowed by the bug intentionally in order to grab his weapon.
Jay attempts to distract the bug, providing more time for Kay. His attempts to fight is strategic but the bug is way too strong, until Jay spots many cockroaches around a garbage bin. He starts stomping on several of them which angers the bug, which makes it walk right up to J until they are face to face. The bug explodes in half as Kay shot the bug from inside it's own stomach. Both K and J are covered in 'bug slime', J grabs the galaxy and K calls Zed to tell the Arquilians that they have the galaxy. The bug was still alive after the blast and was about to attack J until Laurel Weaver (who was nearby when this took place) shoots and kills the bug using one of the weapons in the trunk of their car.
J neuralyzing K
They later arrive at the front entrance of MiB Headquarters and J asks K if he doesn't have to neuralyze Weaver. K grabs his Neuralyzer and explains that Weaver isn't getting neuralyzed when it is in fact himself. Kay tells Jay that he hasn't been training a partner he has been training a replacement. After K explains how to use the Neuralyzer he hands it to J. Kay says he was just down the gullard of a cockroach and thats one of a hundred memories he doesn't want. K then says "See you around Jay". J then puts on his Ray-Ban glasses and replies "No, you won't", and neuralyzes Kay.
J is later seen looking through the hot sheet newspapers and sees Kay with his wife, on one of the magazine covers. J smiles and drives off with his new partner Agent L (Laurel Weaver).
Animated Series
In the Animated Series, K has not yet been neuralyzed (although it is possible Kay returned after being retired for some time) and is still Jay's partner in MiB. During this series he and K along with L, Zed and at times the worms, constantly fight off aliens and protect Earth. A running gag in the series is J is never allowed to drive the LTD (or any vehicle for that matter) regardless of who is driving or other circumstances (A noticeable example is in the episode The Lights Out Syndrome, where despite K being blind, is forced to sit as a passenger as he drove a space ship and a moon rover)
However, due to the events of the 2002 film Men in Black II and its sequel Men in Black III, these events have been rendered non-canon.
Post K Retirement
During the next five years with the retirement of Kay, Jay becomes one of, if not, the best agents in MiB. He is partnered first with Agent L. It is unknown how long the partnership lasted but Jay later explains that L wanted to go back to the morgue so he helped her, by neuralyzing her. At one point Jay arrests the alien Jarra who was attempting to steal the Earth's Ozone and sell it on the Black Market. J also saves the world from a Quelon invasion. He also develops a reputation for neuralyzing MiB personel, and he is later partnered with Agent T. Although he gains a reputation for neuralyzing MiB personnel, he becomes a highly respected MiB agent.
Men in Black II
Five years after Jay had neuralyzed Kay, J is seen with his recently new partner Agent T. They both must confront Jeff a giant worm like alien. At first only a small part of Jeff's head is sticking out of a floor.
J about to jump on Jeff
The two MiB agents believe that this is Jeff. However Jeff reveals himself by coming up out of the floor and in doing so, knocks T away. J is surprised that Jeff has gotten this big and is knocked away into a small fruit shop by the alien. J then jumps through the ground (which Jeff made with his strength) and lands on Jeff. He attempts to use his Tranquilizer on Jeff however this doesn't seem to affect him. J is then due to the force of Jeff's strength launched into the train ahead through the window. He explains to the people that they have to leave as there is a bug in the electrical system. Jeff then starts eating the end of the Train and J orders the Train captain to stop the train.
J while riding Jeff
J then heads to the edge of the train, and aims his gun at Jeff and yells "don't make me do this Jeff", and Jeff stops eating and chasing the train. Jay then neuralyzes the people on the train, and explains the event to MiB. He later takes a seat at a park and T soon takes a seat next to him. J asks T if he ever feels alone in the Universe. T doesn't take the question seriously and thinks it's a test. Jay then takes Tee to eat some pie. At the diner T begins to cry as he thinks J is going to neuralyze him. J replies "No I'm not", and asks T why he joined MiB. He soon realizes that T joined MiB to be a hero, something as an MiB agent you cannot be as they 'do not exist'. He then neuralyzes T and tells him to get married and have a bunch of kids, and while leaving J tells the waitress that Tee likes her. He returns to MiB Headquarters and immediately is seen giving orders to other MiB personnel. He walks in Zed's office and Zed tells Jay that there was a killing earlier and that he should take Tee with him to make a report. Jay tries to explain that he neuralyzed Tee as he was crying in the middle of the diner. Zed tells him he needs a partner and makes Frank his new partner.
J deciding not to neuralyze Laura Vasquez
J drives with Frank to the Pizza shop where the killing took place and almost immediately Frank begins to annoy Jay. The duo walk inside the shop and J questions the witness Laura Vasquez. She explains to him that a woman killed her friend Ben along with a man who has two heads. Both Vasquez and Jay eat pie at the diner and Jay grabs his neuralyzer, and tells her that the little flash will make everything go back to the way it was. She responds by saying "After you flashy thing me if I see you again will I know it's you"? Jay says "I'll see you but you won't see me", she explains that he must be very lonely. Jay doesn't neuralyzed her and says he will 'flashy' her some other time. J and Frank then head to a local park where MiB personnel are already monitoring the area. J walks into a small tent and investigates a small alien ship. He contacts Zed and informs him that the ship type is Kylothian Class C. Zed says that it's Serleena and Jay explains Vasquez (the witness) told him that she was searching for the Light of Zartha.
J upon hearing he must bring back K
Zed says he's positive that the Light isn't on Earth, as he took care of this a long time ago by, ordering his best agent to get it off the planet. Zed then informs Jay that the agent was Kay, and tells J that the Earth could rest in what K knows, and that it's too bad he had been neuralyzed. J is told by Zed to go bring K back to MiB now. So J along with Frank arrived at a Post Office located in Massachusetts, Jay walks in and almost immediately spots Kay working in the front desk and starts to smile. He approaches him but K does not remember Jay at all due to being neuralyzed, J tries to explain that they used to be partners and that he used to work for MiB and they urgently need his help. K doesn't believe him and walks into a staff mail room where J follows him. In order to convince K of MiB and aliens he spots an alien in the room. He begins to communicate with the Rapping Alien via beatboxing.
J about to communicate with the Rapping Alien
By doing so many other aliens who are currently working in the Post Office reveal themselves. J even shows K another alien working inside the mail sorting machine. J later convinces K to come with him and when K enters the car, he simply stares at Frank upon hearing him speak. When they both arrive at MiB Headquarters, K is greeted and respected by everyone. Zed explains to K that Earth may be in a bad way and that he may be the only one who can save it.
K along with J
Jay introduces Kay to the Tech Unit, and Kay touches a small planet and Jay yells "Don't touch that!", and tells him to keep his hands in his pockets. J gives K his 'favorite weapon', a Noisy Cricket and begins to smile. He then tells K to put on the last he will ever wear 'again'. After K is suited up they both head to the De-Neuralyzer in order for K to get his memory back. J explains what the De-Neuralyzer is, and K was just about to get his memory back until MiB was 'breached'. They get flushed out of the room and through pipes they end up in the middle of the city. Jay's car arrives and he see's that MiB is Code 101 Lockdown and contacts Frank, who was able to hide. Frank explains that some woman was the reason for the lockdown. K wonders why a photo of himself was inside his pocket, while J finds yet another De-Neuralyzer this time owned by Jack Jeebs.
J and K after being flushed
They enter Jeeb's pawn shop, and J asks for the De-Neuralyzer. At first Jeebs denies having it and questioning even if he did why should he help them. After a gun being pointed to his head, he immediately shows them his De-Neuralyzer downstairs. Kay gets strapped up and is De-Neuralyzed, however it seems it did not work and K walks out of the shop. Jeebs explains that it might take a minute or two for Kay to get his memory back. Suddenly a group of aliens who were previously imprisoned at MiB Headquarters, break the wall and begin shooting. They demand to know where Kay is and Jeebs begins to answer them until Jay shoots his head. J explains that K is retired and he is his trigger happy replacement. Until yet another alien grabs J from behind and knocks him to the ground. Scrad (an alien assisting Serleena) tells J that they really need K. However Jay doesn't tell them so one of the aliens 'bend him'. As all this was taking place, K spent a few minutes looking around and looking up at the stars, K then got his memory back once again.
J facing the aliens looking for K
Kay shoots the alien bending Jay, and begins to fight without the gun as Jay assists him, J even assists him in fighting a Ballchinian. As Kay has his memory back he and J together get in the car and ponder on what to do next. J suggests to get their Headquarters back but Kay explains it's a trap. Instead they head to the scene of the crime, the pizza shop. Upon entering the shop Jay gets smashed in the face with a trash can lid by Laura Vasquez, as she expected someone else. She apologizes and is introduced to Kay, who explains to Jay the MiB code which indicates that all witnesses must be neuralyzed. After spotting a photo of Ben with a fish, J grabs the photo of K inside Kay's pocket which fits into the photo of Ben. It's a clue that K had left in case he needed to be de-neuralyzed. After K grabs the keys to which the clue was for they decide not to neuralyze Vasquez and instead leave her with the Worms in their home.
J attempting to solve the clue
J begins to show his feeling towards Laura because of defending her and refusing to neuralyze her. When they drop Laura off at the Worms' house she gives Jay a kiss and he tells her to watch out for Neeble the worm. Together J and K head to Grand Central terminal which is a locker is located for which the key opens, inside the locker is a small city of aliens who have a watch and Video store card which K takes. In return for the watch they took, Jay gives them his watch and the aliens then chant "all hail J". Together they both visit the Video Store of the card K earlier collected. It turns out that Kay had a certain video reserved and placed aside for himself. This was a video about the Light of Zartha, and Kay begins to remember what happened when he 'ordered the Light off the Earth'. Jay realizes that Kay never ordered the light be taken off Earth, and that it's still on Earth. After neuralyzing the people living at the Video Store they both drive back to the Worms' apartment. While in the car Jay calls Laura and Kay ask if her bracelet is glowing. She replies that it is, and once they arrive at the Worms' place, the home is trashed and the Worms have suffered some injuries. The worms explain that Laura was taken by some two-headed guy.
J neuralyzing a family with K
J and K along with the Worms, then head to a nearby home. They walk into the home, K then uses a small switch on the wall which opens the secret room full of MiB weapons. The family living there then stares at them while they all grab their weapons. They close the room and J neuralyzes the family. Together with Kay and the Worms, they arrive at MiB Headquarters and grab their weapons. Kay says to Jay "are you ready kid?", Jay replies "kid? You know while you were away licking stamps I saved the world from a Quelon invasion".
J about to shoot MiB Headquarters
K asks J if he knows what he's doing. J replies, "Yep, I'm about to attack one of the most feared aliens in the universe, with four worms and a mailman; let's make it hot," and then shoots the front door of Headquarters. However in the event of a Code 101 Lockdown, MiB Headquarters is pressurized. So the entrance of MiB Headquarters quickly pulls J, K and the worms inside. They all quickly get in the elevator and prepare to fight against Serleena. As the elevator finally reaches Headquarters a small trash can like robot was waiting, and begins firing at the elevator. Luckily J, K and the worms are hanging on the roof which the robot's guns cannot reach. K quickly releases his grip so he is now hanging upside down. He shoots the robot which provides cover for J as he runs and uses another elevator inside Headquarters.
J encounters Jarra once again
When the elevator reaches its level, J draws his gun and spots Laura inside a ship about to take off. However before he can help her, he encounters Jarra an alien he arrested many years ago. J tells Laura that he'll be there in one minute, but Jarra reveals that his lower half is a small flying saucer with three other copies of himself. Immediately one of the 'Jarra copies' grabs Jay's gun, and another hits him in the stomach.
J while fighting Jarra and his copies
Jay grabs a metal pole and he tells Jarra that he's under arrest for being that ugly and making that many copies. Then another 'Jarra copy' charges at him, until J smashes him with the metal pole and the copy crashes. Then yet another copy flies and grabs J, flies him up the roof, then drops him. After J gets back up, he charges at Jarra, and jumps and hangs onto his flying saucer. As they are both flying in the air J manages to punch another copy who crashes. Now there's only one Jarra 'copy' left, still hanging on to Jarra, J covers Jarra's eyes and pulls a switch on his saucer. As J quickly jumps off, Jarra collides with the last remaining copy.
J about to shoot Serleena
J then disables the launch pad that was about to take off with Laura inside. Moments later Serleena has K in her grasp until J from behind aims at her with his gun and says "your flight's been cancelled", and shoots her. Suddenly all the power including the lights turn off, due to the worms shutting it down. Their car arrives inside Headquarters with help of the 'cruise control'. Jay, Kay and Laura all get in the car and head for the top of a building which Laura (the light of Zartha) is meant to leave Earth. However K presses the 'red button' which has been 'changed' since he retired. The car then transforms into a flying car which can only be controlled by using a PlayStation controller. The agents arrive at the location the bracelet was directing them to, K reveals the Light of Zartha is Laura and that a ship is at this area waiting for her to get on board to leave. She does after Serleena arrives, and attacks J while K and J finally convince Laura to get on board the ship. Serleena gives chase as Laura is leaving, but J and K get some firearms from the car and shoot Serleena, finishing her off. After J discusses Laura and Lauranna with K, K surprised J after he activates a giant neuralyzer hidden in the Statue of Liberty (something K never told J about) before returning to MiB headquarters. Later on, after the HQ is up and running again under Zed, as a way to provide a measure of comfort, K puts the aliens found in a Grand Central Terminal locker in J's locker. After J suggests showing them that their world is bigger than a locker, Kay shows him and Frank the Pug through a door, that they are in fact an alien species themselves, kept in a locker in an alien station, suggesting from J's point of view.
Men in Black III
J looking for K, without knowing he is "dead", as seen in the trailer.
In 2008, J has now been K's partner for ten years since K came out of retirement and J has been an MIB agent by now for fifteen years, however an alien criminal has rewritten history after time jumping from 2008 to 1969 and killing a young Agent K. Jay, after arriving at MiB HQ and learning from MiB Agent O that K has been dead for over forty years, finds someone who has a time jumping device travels back in time to 1969 to save Agent K from being killed by the alien. J does indeed time jump to 1969 and teams up with a young Agent K after telling him who he was. In the end J learns some of K's secrets and what happened to his father.
Personality
Trivia
- In Men in Black 3, When General James Edwards Jr. (J's dad) is talking to them, he mentions J is his first born. This also means he could have a younger sibling.
- He was Caucasian in the comics.