Warrior Nun was the kind of show that I always enjoy reviewing, a pleasant surprise managing to elevate itself within heavily-contested territory. At first glance, based on the title and vague overview, it seemed like more Netflix teen-drama nonsense; a young woman is saved from death and paralysis to become the chosen one in a secretive sect of demon-hunting nuns. But it ended up being much more than that. The lore was interesting, the acting was committed, the action was cool, and the story ended on a cliffhanger that made a second season not just inevitable but a very welcome proposition.
Warrior Nun season 2 review
Two years later, the second season is here — and it hasn’t lost a step. Picking up a couple of months after a huge debacle at the Vatican that has seen a new, ill-intentioned messiah emerge from the catacombs beneath the center of Catholicism, the show’s characters are separated geographically and trying to come to terms with their worsening predicaments. Ava (Alba Baptista) and Beatrice (Kristina Tonteri-Young) are hiding out in Switzerland, working a small bar, and trying to maintain their cover while continuing to train. Mother Superion (Sylvia De Fanti) and Camila (Olivia Delcán) are in Spain, continuing the work of the Order of the Cruciform Sword under the new Pope, Duretti (Joaquim de Almeida). And Jillian (Thekla Reuten) continues to try and decipher the secrets of the Ark, leaving Arq-Tech in control of Kristian (Peter De Jersey), who is looking to form an alliance between the company, the Catholic Church, and Adriel (William Miller).
But as is typical with new seasons, it’s new characters who begin to shunt the plot in new directions. In the wake of Adriel’s appearance and his highly-publicized “miracles” based on the Biblical plagues, he has amassed a loyal coterie of adherents who call themselves the First-Born Children, or the FBC. A group called the Samaritans have amassed in opposition to it, and one of their number, a handsome, enigmatic Englishman named Miguel (Jack Mullarkey), manages to capture Ava’s attention in the first couple of episodes. Elsewhere, another new character named Yasmine (Meena Rayann), who might belong to an order even more secretive than the OCS, works towards reuniting the nuns so that she can deliver news that might be the key to stopping whatever Adriel has planned.
This is a fair amount to keep on top of, and the first couple of episodes of the new season struggle to keep all the plates spinning. But there are reminders everywhere of what made this show pretty good in the first place; committed performances, arresting imagery and cinematography, surprisingly decent special effects, and clear, well-choreographed action. A late sequence in the premiere in which Lilith (Lorena Andrea) brutally owns a room full of goons is basically a mission statement and a guarantee that this second season won’t be pulling punches in any department.
Once it settles into a rhythm, Warrior Nun season 2 is compulsively watchable, tying together a lot of interesting lore with real-world historical and biblical influences, positioning the show’s story at an overlap between fact and fiction that really adds something to the experience. Characters like the underrated Pope Duretti and the stern, severe Mother Superion lend the frankly silly plot a lot of necessary gravitas, while the young characters bring the genre’s touchstones of coming-of-age, existential crises, and self-identity woes to the forefront. The blend of influences and tones continues to work well, keeping Warrior Nun feeling unique among the overstuffed thumbnails of Netflix’s young-adult content. Between this and The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself, the market is being well-served right now by shows that meet the basic requirements but are also happy to take their stories and content in interesting, sometimes challenging new directions.
You can stream Warrior Nun Season 2 exclusively on Netflix.
