Warrior Nun, a TV series that goes beyond the laws of science and surpasses the most unconditional faith in the Church, appears on Netflix.

Plot

Ava Silva is quadriplegic. Stuck in bed in a Catholic orphanage in Spain, she doesn’t seem to have any prospects. But on a night perhaps more unfortunate than the others, during a battle against the powers of Evil, she receives an unexpected gift. It is from here that her life starts again, in a continuous discovery of herself. But who gave her this second chance? Was it God? The girl will soon discover that her new powers carry a great responsibility: to be the paladin of a secret Order.

Warrior Nun (2020)

© IMDB

Preview

Created by Simon Barry, Warrior Nun puts the ecclesiastical system in a new light, in particular that of the nuns. Do you know the pious helpers of the Church, always ready to join hands in prayer and provide advice with a benevolent smile? Here, forget this vision in favour of a more unusual figure of the nun.

Well-trained muscles, command of languages, computer skills, the dominance of blades and firearms: these are the nuns who are part of the secret Order of the Cruciform Sword. True warriors with discipline who put humanity’s well-being before personal well-being, and take the front line in the war against Hell.

Review

Ava does not know the world. She spent her entire life lying on a bed, subjected to the unloving care of a sadistic and petty nun. So this is why when she is finally reached by death, she cannot help but breathe a sigh of relief. But fate has other things in mind, and so the death of Sister Shannon offers her the opportunity to have a second chance. Then she receives the Aureole, a powerful object believed to belong to the angel Adriel.

Here is where the real-life of Ava begins, who, finally free to roam the world, needs to understand how even the most basic things work, submerged in colours, sounds, and incredulous to be able to move her body and use her legs to walk alone.

But the Aureole is no joke, and soon strange red trails appear in the air, things that she seems to be the only one able to see, evanescent spirits that only later the girl will discover to be demons, evil creatures that come from another reality. And it will be precisely the Order of the Cruciform Sword, this group of fighting nuns, to explain to her what the responsibilities of the chosen one who carries the Aureole are.

Lorena Andrea in Warrior Nun (2020)

© IMDB

Therefore, the harsh reality clashes with the restless personality of the protagonist, a girl who no longer wants to be imprisoned, who only wants to follow her impulses. Life has been hard for her, so why should she sacrifice herself to save humanity? Here then emerges the strong contrast between pleasure and duty, the moral dilemma that has always afflicted man and which in this case seems amplified by Ava’s adolescent behaviour.

But, in this war between Good and Evil, between Church and Hell, a third faction takes a position: Science. Scientist Jillian Salvius is determined to open wide quantum doors, convinced that she can come into contact with a world in which there is no disease or ageing, a paradise that the Church is keeping away from humanity.

We could, therefore, say that for once the scientific and religious worlds do not seem to collide with each other, indeed, in some way, they are both fighting to achieve faith; the first with the aim of finding concrete evidence of the existence of a second life after death, the second to stop the continuous arrival of demons on Earth, including the dangerous tarasca.

Personal opinion

There are many characters in this show, but I think the best ones are Ava, Cardinal Duretti, Sister Lilith, and Father Vincent. We could define Cardinal Duretti as the antagonist par excellence, the snake that managed to grow within the Vatican; the patriarchate supporter who aspires to become pope.

The plot is powerful, well thought out, with an intertwining structure that rises especially in the last few episodes; while the first episodes flow a little slow, especially if like me you will be irritated by the constant escapes of Ava, determined at all costs to get away from her destiny.

This vision of the nun in a modern key is very original, together with a more advanced vision of science. Somehow it makes us reflect on the society around us, on how much the religious and spiritual aspects influence us and deserves to be seen.

Alba Baptista in Warrior Nun (2020)

© IMDB

Conclusion of the first season

The last episode of the season leaves us anxiously waiting for the sequel. I appreciated the arrival on the scene of Cardinal Duretti, in a new role as Pope, with a background of rock music that gives an innovative touch to the classic clerical institution.

And, in a truly unexpected twist, Father Vincent is revealed to have always been under the evil influence of Adriel, that angel buried in the bowels of Vatican City, who turns out to be a powerful demon. But the most curious thing is Lilith’s new condition: will she also become a demon? Or maybe she already is?

In a final confrontation that remains pending, there are still many questions that the show has to answer. So, with this conclusion full of cliff-hangers, I can’t wait for next season to come out!

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