true77
The journey to the Nimona movie has been a wild one, just like its main character. Originally a webcomic on ND Stevenson’s Tumblr in 2012, Nimona gained a dedicated following with its quirky story of a shapeshifter and her supervillain idol. Now, with a Netflix animated adaptation in the works, major changes have been made to the beloved characters.
1. Ballister Blackheart becomes Ballister Boldheart
In the transition to the big screen, Ballister’s name has evolved from Blackheart to Boldheart. This change reflects a deeper shift in his character, showing his journey from a misunderstood antihero to a symbol of justice and hope. Voiced by Riz Ahmed, Ballister’s story takes a new turn as he faces challenges and injustices in his quest for redemption.
2. Ballister’s tragic loss
In the movie, Ballister loses his arm in a tragic accident during a knighting ceremony gone wrong. This event sets him on a path of redemption and self-discovery, as he grapples with the consequences of his actions. With Eugene Lee Yang voicing Ambrosius, the tension between the characters escalates, leading to a dramatic confrontation that changes their fates forever.
3. Ambrosius Goldenloin’s new arc
Goldenloin’s character gets a makeover in the movie, with a focus on his backstory and his complex relationship with Ballister. As class conflict takes center stage, Ambrosius’s origins and motivations are explored in more depth, adding layers to his character and his connection to the overarching themes of the story. Voiced by Eugene Lee Yang and Frances Conroy, Ambrosius and the Director’s dynamic adds intrigue and depth to the narrative.
In the movie, Ambrosius is a descendant of Gloreth, a legendary female knight whose monument holds a sword to defend against the presumably monstrous forces outside the kingdom’s high, stone walls. She’s such an icon of the kingdom that its residents swear by her and determine their politics based on what they assume she might think, as some Americans do our founding fathers.
While this change to Goldenloin’s lineage makes for greater dramatic tension between the two knights, the movie also makes more concrete the love story that was implied for much of the comic. When the two are introduced in the movie — which begins before the graphic novel’s story does — they are clearly boyfriends, speaking openly about their relationship and love. And they even share a kiss.
In contrast, the comic, which was aimed at older audiences than the PG movie is, begins with Ballister already wounded, both physically and psychologically. While there are flashbacks to their time before, they’re focused on the disarming event. In the present, the pair speak with yearning, but it’s mixed with a lot of anger and resentment that prevents the ardent affection or expression seen in the movie adaptation.
Nimona’s backstory gets a makeover.
In both versions, Nimona (voiced by Chloë Grace Moretz) gives Ballister a fictional account of her origin. In the movie, Nimona says it’s a wishing well that gave her these incredible powers to shift her form as she pleases.
In the graphic novel, she claims she was once a little girl who wished she could battle back the raiders who terrorized her village. Then, one day she met a witch who’d fallen down a well; the witch turned her into a dragon so Nimona might aid her in escape. When Nimona returned to the village as a dragon, the villagers chased her off. By the time she figured out how to turn back into a girl, the village had been destroyed by raiders. In both versions, Ballister is a bit dubious of her explanation. And he’s right to be.
In the graphic novel, Nimona’s true origin is revealed by “magical scientist” Meredith Blitzmeyer, who notably doesn’t appear in the film. A nutty professor of sorts, she’s an ally of Ballister’s who tells him the tale of “the beast that Gloreth slew.”
Gloreth steps into the spotlight in Nimona, the movie.
In Blitzmeyer’s recollection, Gloreth fought a “great serpent” that villagers said could change its size and shape, and which could also take human form. “They say it couldn’t be harmed with a sword or an arrow,” she explained, which for Ballister connects to why Nimona could survive her head being chopped off!
The battle between this “scaled beast” and Gloreth is only shown in two panels with its ending uncertain. Blitzmeyer notes that conspiracy theorists believe the beast didn’t die but took Gloreth’s place.
The movie opens with Nimona recounting a version of this story, noting that Gloreth’s victory led to the rise of “an elite force of knights,” setting up the class system with their descendants destined to become the ruling class. Later, the film shows us the confrontation between Nimona and Gloreth, but it doesn’t go down like this lore — or the corresponding statue in the film — might suggest.
Turns out, a thousand years before, Gloreth was a little girl who was playing near a wishing well when Nimona found her. The shapeshifter changed her form to a girl to match this could-be friend, and the two got along great — even after Gloreth learned Nimona’s true identity. They frolicked, with the latter taking all kinds of animal forms, but the other villagers panicked when they saw what Nimona could do.
They barreled at her with pitchforks and fire, with Gloreth’s mother declaring Nimona “a monster.” Then, the villagers’ violence sparked a literal fire, engulfing their humble homes. Scared, Nimona reached out to her friend, and Gloreth rejected her. Holding up a toy sword — the same pose as the kingdom’s ostentatious statue — she said, “Go back to the shadows from whence you came.” This means the beacon of this city is a constant reminder for Nimona of her first major heartbreak.
Interestingly, there was some truth in her lie to Ballister. In the movie, she tells him:
“I was just a kid. Cute little innocent me. I was playing in the woods, following the birds flying, the fish swimming, and the deer bounding. They all looked so happy together. But I? I was alone. That’s when I heard it. A song, calling me, leading me to a wishing well.”
In the later flashback, Nimona is seen flying with birds, swimming with fish, and bounding with deer, only to be ultimately abandoned for not fitting in. She then finds Gloreth by a well, and her wish for a friend is granted, until ignorance and prejudice tear them apart.
Nimona’s Ending Goes Bigger and More Hopeful
In the graphic novel, Nimona’s backstory with Gloreth is minor compared to her imprisonment by unknown scientists and being treated like an experiment. When the Institute traps her for their own purposes, chaos ensues due to a rogue blood sample.
Both the graphic novel and the movie share common elements in the spectacular climax filled with action and destruction, leading to the downfall of the Institute and its deceitful leader. While the movie introduces the Gloreth statue plot point, the graphic novel focuses on Ballister using his scientific knowledge to save Nimona, despite feeling betrayed.
Ballister momentarily betrays Nimona in the movie but ultimately apologizes and stands by her side, leading to a sacrificial act to save her friends. In both versions, Ballister and Ambrosius are reunited, with Ballister’s reputation restored and rumors of Nimona’s demise proven false. The movie hints at a potential sequel, while the graphic novel presents a bittersweet farewell.
Nimona is now available for streaming on Netflix.
