'Cursed' Season 1: Has Nimue become Lady of the Lake? Here's why the Netflix drama must be renewed
Spoilers for 'Cursed' Season 1
While we were not big fans of the first season of 'Cursed', the events of the season finale set up the beginning of the Arthurian legend, and to be honest, we are more excited about it. Much took place, a lot more was revealed, so let's take a look at what happened in the season finale and how they set up for a potential Season 2.
We first Nimue (Katherine Langford) at the start of the series and she is one of the feys who is entrusted the Sword of the Power -- which may or may not become what we know as the Excalibur -- by her mother and asked to give it to Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård). Nimue then embarks on a quest with Arthur (Devon Terrell), who in this imagining is just a cutthroat and a skilled swordsman -- not a king yet. While Arthur at first steals the sword for selfish reasons, he soon comes back to her and helps her on her journey to save the fey from the Red Paladin Army, led by Father Cardin (Peter Mullan) who wants to kill the feys to the point of extinction.
One of those Red Paladin soldiers is the Weeping Monk (Daniel Sharman) who is a man of few words and a devoted soldier. But pay attention, because a bombshell revelation in the final episode shows us there is more to this character than we are showed.
Many vie for the sword -- Uther Pendragon (Sebastian Armesto), Cumber the Ice King, and, as usual, the Church -- because the one who wields the sword is the true king. Over the course of the first season, Nimue embraces her power and her role as the queen as she sets to save the fey. By the final episode, she strikes a deal with Uther -- she will surrender herself and the sword if he sends ships to help the fey sail off to distant lands. However, Father Cardin and Cumber make another deal wherein Cumber's army slaughter the fey -- Father Cardin will get Nimue and the sword and Cumber will get to be king.
However, as Cumber's army attacks Arthur and the fey, the Vikings led by the Red Spear (Bella Dayne) show up. Together, the fey, Arthur, Red Spear, and the Vikings defeat Cumber's people, with Arthur saving Red Spear's life. Here's a prediction we are willing to bet on -- Red Spear is almost certainly Guinevere from the Arthurian legend.
But what of Lancelot? As the Weeping Monk rescues one of the fey boys named Squirrel (Billy Jenkins) and set off on a horse, we learn that Squirrel's real name is Percival -- in the Arthurian legends, this was the name of one of Arthur's knights. The Weeping Monk is Lancelot himself, who has now left the Red Paladin Army to chart his own course.
Nimue, meanwhile, has been presented the sword by the Widow who is now Morgana (Shalom Brune-Franklin) after Morgana attacked the Widow. This explains Morgana's powers in the legends as we know it. Nimue kills Father Cardin but is later shot with an arrow by Sister Iris (Emily Coates). Nimue falls into the waterfall. We later see her underwater and this is probably when she becomes the Lady of the Lake. As for Merlin, he has now got his powers back. After seeing his daughter, Nimue, killed, he goes on a rampage and kills all the Red Paladin soldiers.
While we did not enjoy Season 1 of 'Cursed' so much, we hope the show is renewed for a second season. The season finale went at a much faster pace and sets up an exciting Season 2. Where the show faulted in its freshman season was diving away from the Arthurian legend, whereas in Season 2, it might be the opposite.
Season 1 of 'Cursed' is now available to stream on Netflix.