Nimona: Revolutionary Queer Representation
By Anne Gregg
Spoilers for Nimona
“They grow up believing that they can be a hero if they drive a sword into the heart of anything different. And I’m the monster?”
Nimona released on Netflix the same day SCOTUS ruled in favor of LGBTQ+ discrimination by businesses on religious grounds. In a country rife with anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation, Nimona challenges queerphobia through a heartwarming story of love and acceptance that will resonate with any queer person (and hopefully any straight person).
Based on the graphic novel of the same name Nimona, written by transmac cartoonist ND Stevenson, is about Ballister Boldheart, a knight framed for murder, and Nimona, a young shapeshifter. In the past decade, queer characters have appeared in numerous animated children’s media (The Owl House, Mitchell vs the Machines), and yet Nimona is a milestone in queer representation on screen. Nimona not only has queer characters as the leads of its story, but the central plot of the film, two characters being deemed outsiders because of a kingdom’s prejudices, is a queer allegory.
During his official knighting, Ballister is framed for the murder of Queen Valerin. His boyfriend, Ambrosius Goldenloin, cuts off Ballister’s arm in an attempt to stop Ballister’s enchanted sword from killing the queen. Chaos descends around Ballister and he is forced to flee the scene. Nimona, shows up at his hideout with an application to be his supervillain sidekick. She wants to help him take revenge on the kingdom. In her early scenes, Nimona presents herself as big and violent. But she and Ballister are more alike than either expected. Neither of them are the villains they are presumed to be.
Nimona’s shapeshifting is perceived as monstrous. Even Ballister asks her why she doesn’t present as a girl all the time. Nimona rebukes him. Being a shapeshifter is part of her identity and she should not have to be palatable to be accepted. She should be allowed to express every part of herself. Ballister has spent his life making himself palpable to the nobles. He had to be an exceptional knight in order to be accepted. Unfortunately, his achievements were not enough and he’s framed for murder because he’s a commoner.
Ballister and Nimona can make themselves palpable to the citizens of the kingdom. But, by doing so, they lose a part of themselves. Likewise, queer people may attempt to mold themselves into acceptable boxes. They can try to be as close to heteronormativity as possible by choosing a “traditional” marriage and family. They also must be exceptional, smart, well-dressed, well-spoken, and gay… but not too gay. Ballister represents this type of gay person, but he is still rejected. Nimona on the other-hand never tries to be just a girl, and she is ridiculed for it.
Nimona can never live freely when her shapeshifting makes her a monster. When she helps a child while fighting off knights, the child flees from her and the pedestrians at the scene only view her as a villain. Similarly, there are people who believe that the mere existence of LGBTQ+ people poses a threat to them.
When Nimona is left alone at the climax of the film she turns into a scared little girl. She is helpless and angry. She is left with one choice: be a monster. When society decides you are a monster, it is futile to try to convince them that you are not one. Nimona rampages across the kingdom. As a queer person, it’s cathartic to see her tear it down. But it’s also heartbreaking to know she was pushed to this moment. Nimona admits “I don’t know what’s scarier than that everyone in this kingdom wants to run a sword through my heart, or that sometimes I just wanna let them.” While this is dark for a PG movie, her words speak to the profound loneliness many young queer people feel. Nimona doesn’t feel loved for who she is. She is only a monster, never Nimona.
In Nimona’s weakest moment, Ballister reaches out to her. He says “I see you, Nimona, and you are not alone.” Nimona’s rampage stops. Ballister is the first person to accept every part of Nimona and to see her for who she is, not a monster, not a girl, Nimona. Queer people need people to see us for all we are. That is why our found families are so important to us. Ballister accepts Nimona and that recognition is all she ever wanted. Ballister also has come to terms with himself. Nimona saw past him being a villain and accepted that he was framed for murder.
Nimona is not about palpable queers. The characters don’t have to conform to society. They do not have to prove they are just like everyone else. Instead, society has to change to accept them. Nimona is monumental because it doesn’t try to teach children that queer people are just like straight people. Queer people do not have to be like anyone else. Nimona and Ballister are kind and loving individuals. That should be enough. We are different. We contain multitudes and we deserve to be seen as the complex individuals we are. We should not have to hide away the controversial parts of ourselves. Nimona teaches children that hatred creates monsters. And love destroys them.
Anne Gregg is a poet and writer from Northwest Indiana. She is an English Writing major at DePauw University and is the editor-in-chief of her campus’s literary magazine, A Midwestern Review. She is a Media Fellow at her university and loves dissecting how LGBTQ+ people are portrayed in film and tv.
