'Money Heist' aka 'La Casa de Papel': Tokyo and Nairobi give the men a run for their money proving that women are strongest links in team's chain
'Money Heist' aka 'La Casa de Papel' is the TV version of an "unputdownable book". Even with a theme as repetitive as a robbery, the writers and show creator Álex Pina have managed to mint money with creative storylines and an engaging plot.
However, the winning streak of the show lies in the story arcs of its strong female characters. The series begins with a close-up shot of Silene Oliveira, played by actress Úrsula Corberó with a gun in her hand.
"My name is Tokyo. But when the story started, that wasn't my name," she begins the narration. The protagonist of the show, she is scouted by The Professor (Álvaro Morte) to participate in the ultimate heist of the Royal Mint of Spain. Once she chipped in to his master plan, she was introduced to a bunch of other teammates, whose names were based on different cities—Nairobi, Moscow, Berlin, Rio, Denver, and Oslo.
Alba Flores plays the other girl in the group. Ágata Jiméne, who takes on the name Nairobi, is an expert in forgery and is in charge of printing the money for the group. Together, both women take on the men in their team and give them a strong run for their money. A free-spirit and no-nonsense attitude fringes their personalities. With nothing to lose, both have a certain desire for control that makes them dangerous and unpredictable.
At several important junctions of the show, Tokyo shows the team members and even The Professor that she is not one to be tamed, particularly when she starts an affair with Rio even when The Professor made it clear that none of them should be involved in interpersonal relationships. "I can behave like a proper girl for a long time, but little by little, the nasty girl inside me starts to take over," Tokyo says in season three, showing off her bratty, insensitive and selfish side.
With sharp and shrewd ideas, Nairobi too is instrumental in getting the pot of gold for the group. Ruthless, cunning, and quick-witted, she cements her position in the team as a force to reckon with. So much so that the women are at the center of the plot. Nairobi, in fact, has real motivation in the show. A relatable character, she seems to have the most humane layers.
Even among the cops and intelligence forces, Raquel Murillo (Lisbon) leads the way. Itziar Ituño is firm and resolute in her ways while the heist is undertaken until she joins the group in season three. The creators of the show not only give equal space but also add more weight to the women characters. As fans wait to see what unfolds in season four, the limelight will be on Nairobi as she was supposedly shot by a sniper in the cliffhanger season three finale. Viewers are currently speculating whether she dies or stays alive in the next part of the Spanish crime drama on Netflix.