Jess Aarons

Jess Aarons is the protagonist of Disney's 2007 drama-fantasy feature film Bridge to Terabithia.
==Role in the film==
Jess lives with his father, Jack, mother, Mary, and sisters, Ellie, Brenda, May Belle, and Joyce Ann. Times are tough for them because they're living in poverty and Jess is always being treated badly by everyone (even by Ellie and Brenda and somewhat abrasive Jack) and as a result, he is very insecure and is pessimistic. However, May Belle worships him, but he believes her to be a nuisance.
All summer, Jess has been practicing to win a race being held at school. A new girl named Leslie Burke races against him and the other boys, but no matter how fast he runs, she wins. Despite losing the race, she is a good sport and offers him friendship. He refuses and takes May Belle away.
When getting off the bus, Jess and May Belle realize that Leslie is their new next-door neighbor. She and May Belle instantly bond, but Jess is still reluctant. She, however, takes much interest in him as possible and tries to befriend him.
The next day at school, Leslie recites a poem and Jess is intrigued by her creative and imaginative mind. Soon enough, they start hanging out more and more often and become fast friends. On his birthday, she buys him a brand new art kit, which he loves.
One day after school, they race into the woods and discover a rope hanging on a tree by the creek. Jess tries to warn Leslie that it might be dangerous to swing on it, but she does so anyway and makes it across the creek. He then follows her and enjoys doing so as well.
Leslie suggests that she and Jess create a new world especially for themselves, so they can escape the burdens of reality. She dubs it "Terabithia". Soon enough, she starts to make up many things for it to the point of saying that all her fantasies are real. Jess starts to learn more and more about her, while at the same time, have brand new adventures in Terabithia.
Back in the real world, Jess and Leslie start hanging out more. He is still having problems, however, as Jack has yelled at him many times, he keeps getting in trouble for things he did not do and everyone else is still mistreating him. Since he is fed up with his miserable life and burdens, he refuses to go back to Terabithia. Despite this, Leslie still stays a friend to him and as a way to make her know he still cares about Terabithia, he gives her a puppy for Christmas who she names Prince Terrien or P.T. for short. Soon enough, he starts getting a better attitude and a more positive look on life when he embraces the world of Terabithia and bonds with Leslie's parents, Bill and Judy.
When Jess and Leslie become fed up with Janice Avery's bullying, they decide to get back at her. They play a prank on her by writing a love note that they pass off from a guy she really likes. The next day, they hear her crying in the bathroom and realize that their joke went too far. Leslie, pitying her, finds out that the reason she is mean is that she is abused by her sadistic father and befriends her.
Jess then takes Leslie to church with him on Easter and she learns all about God. On the way home, May Belle tells her that if you don't believe in the Bible, God damns you to Hell. She says that she doubts that God does horrible things like that because he is too busy making the world a better place. Later that day as they leave Terabithia, Jess starts to fall in love with Leslie.
The next day, Jess' music teacher, Miss Edmunds, takes him to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.. Since he has a crush on her, he does not turn her down, nor does he invite Leslie to come along. During the trip, Jack and Mary get understandably worried and terrified, believing him to be in danger or loss. While trying to figure out what happened, they find out some terrible news.
When Jess comes home, he finds out that Leslie drowned in the creek while trying to get to Terabithia and realizes that he really did love her. At first, he thinks his family is playing a cruel joke on him because they don't like her and are always mean to him, but they assure him it is all true when he goes to her house to check on her but he saw the police at her house. Soon enough, he starts to go through denial with her being gone, takes long, silent walks by himself, becomes bitter towards everyone, reverts back to his original cynical and bitter self, and refuses to speak to anyone.
At school, Jess is still being bullied and demeaned, even more so than before. When Scott Hauger makes a snide remark to him about Leslie's passing by saying that he's the fastest kid the class, he hits him in the face and sends him flying across the classroom due to him not helping or giving him condolences. When their teacher, Ms. Myers, tells him to go out into the hall, not because he's in trouble, but because she gives him her condolences and advice on how to cope with his loss. Then when both Scott and Gary Fulcher were picking on him more, Janice sorted them out, helping him which was a way of showing gratitude to Leslie being there for her during a tough time.
Jess tries to get to Terabithia himself, but May Belle wants to come with him. She wants to comfort him, but he lashes out at her and pushes her off a tree trunk, causing her to run off and cry. Jack follows him into the forest and forces him to confront reality, causing him to finally break down and cry his eyes out. He blames himself for Leslie's death, feeling that if he turned Miss Edmunds away or if he had invited Leslie, this wouldn't have happened (which is kind of true), but Jack apologizes for not being a better parent before and hugs him. He then thinks Leslie will be crucified and God will send her to Hell because she's not baptized. Jack assured him that God won't do that to her, but now he thinks he'll be sent to Hell as punishment for causing her death.
Later at night, Jess goes to visit May Belle in her room, owing her an apology for pushing her, admitting that it was stupid and wrong, and admitting that he actually misses her talking to him, but she's still too mad at him to forgive him, so he leaves her alone and gives her time, until he comes up with an idea.
Bill and Judy decide to move back to their previous town. Before they leave, Jess gives them Prince Terrien and Bill tells him that Leslie loved him and that he meant the world to her.
Jess builds a bridge to Terabithia, then goes to visit May Belle, who is in her room playing with her dolls, Knowing that May Belle is still mad at him, Jess explains that he has a special place for her to play, but still wants her to keep a secret, not wanting her to tell any of her friends about it, but she thinks keeping a secret between him and her is nothing but a baby, and he admits she's right, but he says that none of her friends are ready to be princesses, where May Belle has to train them first. May Belle immediately cheers starting to like what Jess is telling her and she asks who gets to be the princess. Jess stands up, then May Belle grabs his hand so that she can find out for herself, she's amazed with the new bridge Jess built and he decides to carry on Leslie's legacy there with May Belle as the new queen.
==Trivia==
*Jess is a little similar to Max Kane from Freak the Mighty: Both characters are lonely, being bullied, and, in the end, lose their only friend.
Category:Characters
Category:Live-action characters
Category:Bridge to Terabithia characters
Category:Males
Category:Disney characters
Category:Kids
Category:Siblings
Category:Protagonists
Category:Heroes
Category:Students