WARRIOR NUN | Netflix's Underrated Gem
Season 2 of Warrior Nun dropped this month earning critical acclaim with 100% on the Tomatometer among eight citric ratings and a 99% audience score from over 5 thousand people on Rotten Tomatoes. However, even with some of the highest ratings Netflix has ever seen, fans are concerned there won't be a season 3 due to Netflix's inconsistent standard for renewals.
Season 2 brought us great LGBTQ+ representation, high stakes, and lovable characters, but fans were disappointed with Netflix’s minimal marketing. Show Runner Simon Barry shares on Twitter, "...Tell every living soul you know to watch it, and watch all eight eps within the shortest reasonable time frame. Also repeat watching is encouraged. I have no say whatsoever." Barry has stated that he has big plans for Warrior Nun, with five to seven seasons on the horizon. Fans are rallying together to bring awareness to this hidden gem in the hopes that Warrior Nun will get to continue its story in season 3.
Despite the name, Warrior Nun is not what you would expect. The religious imagery might be intimidating to some, but it functions as a tool for the supernatural aspect of the plot. In many ways, the show questions and examines the flaws in the Catholic Church's power and people's misguided faiths, especially in the second season.
Netflix’s Warrior Nun
The show opens with a squad of demon-fighting nuns taking shelter in a church from their latest conflict. After suffering fatal injuries, their leader, Shannon, can no longer bear the "Angel's Halo," which is the source of her powers and gives her the ability to see demons. To hide the halo from their assailants, they implant it in the corpse of a seemingly random girl in the chruch’s morgue. Unbeknownst to the nuns, the halo would resurrect her, and she would escape the morgue into the city.
This newly resurrected corpse is that of Ava, a 19-year-old girl who grew up in an orphanage after a car crash took her mother's life and left her quadriplegic. Now alive and with the ability to walk again, she discovers that she has inexplicable new powers. She has been granted a second chance at life; for the first time she is free to walk around and discover the world on her own. Every experience life has to offer is brand new to her and it is beautiful and endearing to observe Ava's childlike wonder.
Warrior Nun is well paced and gives its characters time to breathe. It knows how to be witty, funny, and cool but provides plenty of raw emotions when the scene demands it. The cast is incredibly talented and makes you fall in love with all the main characters by season 2.
Warrior Nun takes place all across Europe and flaunts dynamic multi-lingual dialogue. The cast highlights the talents of many actors from all over the world, especially new actor Kristina Tonteri-Young, who plays Sister Beatrice.
Netflix’s Warrior Nun
Season 2 builds on season 1 with more extraordinary character developments and raises the stakes for our protagonists. We see our characters pull themselves out of the trenches to overcome evil and fight for love. We also see a long-awaited romance that brings another set of queer characters into the limelight for some outstanding LGBTQ+ representation.
Though this falls into the supernatural and sci-fi genres centering around a group of militaristic nuns, the show grounds itself brilliantly. Our main character Ava, played by Alba Baptista, a Portuguese-Brazilian actress, is captivating to watch and brings so much humanity to her character. Through Ava's enthralling voiceovers, we intimately observe her thoughts and growth. Ava wears her heart on her sleeve, finds wit and humor in her genuine reactions, and makes for a wonderfully human main character.
Netflix’s Warrior Nun
Fans of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Xena Warrior Princess, Legend of the Seeker, Assassin's Creed, and Supernatural will like this show. Ultimately this show is for anyone who loves a good story and genuine characters.
While Netflix has fallen short in marketing this show, the showrunner and fans are fighting tooth and nail for season 3, and encourage everyone to watch it and rate it well on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes.
Netflix’s Warrior Nun