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NOTE: This post is the second part of an ongoing essay about religious themes in Warrior Nun. You can read the previous part below:

Thank you.

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As Episode 3 of Warrior Nun begins, so too does the show’s more splintered narrative. Like many TV series in the modern age, the show features one core character as its protagonist, but often focuses on fleshed-out storylines for its other characters as well. In light of this, I will no longer be going through the perspectives of each episode in the same chronological order as before. Instead, there will be a stronger focus on how a character or group of characters’ story in every episode constantly builds on the religious themes of the series. In particular, focusing on the ideas presented herein that pertain to religion being twisted for different purposes. Which will also require a bit of jumping around to future episodes and writing with the assumption that you yourself have seen the show (I doubt there is anyone in my audience reading this essay without having watched the series already).

The first major twisting of religious history happens in Episode 3. Following a swift recovery from Beatrice’s tranquilizer, Ava is thrust into the unfamiliar world of the OCS. This starts with an introductory story about the origins of the organization from Father Vincent. As he informs Ava about the beginnings of the OCS, a flashback plays, signifying this history as part of the OCS’ reality. Vincent’s story goes as follows: Long ago, during the Crusades, a nun named Areala of Cordoba was killed in battle. However, as she lay dying, an angel descended from the heavens. This angel’s name was Adriel. The angel, taking pity on Areala and deciding that it was not her time to die, bestowed his Halo upon her. He shoved it into her back, reviving her from the brink of death. Thus, Areala became the first Warrior Nun of the OCS. Not only was she a powerful member of the Church against their human foes, but she also fought off demonic entities the Halo allowed her to see. Entities that either tried to possess humans, or wanted to steal the Halo for their own nefarious purposes.

Of course, this history is not the truth. Rather, it’s the history of the OCS that was passed down from the time of the Crusades, almost a thousand years ago, into the modern day. A history written in bias and obfuscation. At the end of Season 1, this history is revealed to be a fabrication. Yes, there were nuns fighting during the First Crusade. And yes, Areala was indeed gravely injured. But it’s here the story of the OCS’ foundation diverges from the reality of how they were formed. Adriel did not descend from Heaven. Rather, he rolled his way out of a mysterious portal, followed by three Tarasks. After wrestling with them and eventually killing them, Adriel forced the Halo into Areala’s back. He did so much for the same reason the nun in the morgue shoved it into Ava’s. The Halo’s power is dampened when inside a human, meaning any new Tarasks hunting for the artifact were no longer able to detect it.

The truth behind the Halo’s origins differs greatly from the story the Church has been telling its own Warrior Nuns for generations. Instead of dealing with the mystery of where Adriel came from and why the Tarasks were chasing him, the Church simplified the story to align with its own Biblical beliefs. Or, perhaps, simply believed a story told by the OCS after Adriel was dealt with by them. Either way, Vincent’s story in Episode 3 and the subsequent revelation by Episode 10 that not all of it was truthful shows how religious stories in the Warrior Nun universe have been passed down in dishonesty. How not every story that is considered history or legend is entirely true or false. In the case of Adriel giving Areala the Halo, pre-established elements of Christianity were used to embellish the story, fitting it within the Church’s narrative for how the world works. And while the Church may have gotten some of the details right (beings from another world bearing Halos, for example), not everything about the historical truth aligned with their values. Which is why history had to change.

But the true details of this idea aren’t as strongly prevalent in Episode 3 as Ava’s training is. Training that Ava is highly reluctant to do. Despite not being able to leave her new location—the Cat’s Cradle, home to Spain’s OCS branch—Ava doesn’t want to train in the ways of the Warrior Nun. While Vincent and the rest of the OCS view the Halo as an object symbolic of religious responsibility, Ava sees these newfound additions to her life as a burden. She wants to be “free,” exploring the world and trying to find a new meaning therein. However, what she doesn’t realize here is that the Halo offers her an opportunity to embrace a purpose. It may not be the purpose she envisioned for herself while she was laying awake in the orphanage, dreaming of a different life. But it is the life she ended up with. And one that seems like it could offer her a purpose beyond simply exploring the world.

Ava, however, doesn’t see it that way. She goes through a multitude of rigorous training exercises in her first days at the Cat’s Cradle. This training is spearheaded by two important figures in the OCS: Lilith, who was supposed to be the original Halo Bearer after Sister Shannon; and Mother Superion, the leader of the nuns in the OCS. At first, Ava’s strict training seems to underscore the idea that she doesn’t have what it takes to be the Warrior Nun. She loses in a fight to Lilith and is scolded for not taking their training seriously. There’s a moment where Lilith is showing Ava weapons made of divinium—telling her the holy material is the only thing that can kill a Warrior Nun—when a Wraith Demon seemingly attacks out of nowhere. Despite Lilith’s pleas for help, Ava phases through a nearby wall. She comes out in Mother Superion’s office, getting her foot lodged in the wall as she desperately tries to explain what just happened. That is, until it’s revealed the Wraith Demon wasn’t real. It was a test to see if Ava would protect a member of the OCS from a dangerous, demonic force. It was a test that Ava failed.

The beginnings of Ava’s training are rough. And one key part of her initial difficulties is her outlook on the Halo’s purpose. When Ava first awoke in the morgue, she was renewed. Not only did she have use of her legs again, but she also had abilities beyond her wildest dreams. These newfound superpowers, for her, were a way to rekindle the flame of her life by going anywhere and doing anything she wanted. However, once she realizes the powers she has in the Halo come with responsibilities, she subconsciously tries to push away the reality of her new situation. She wants to use the religious artifact for her own benefit. But, even after knowing there’s a history of importance and reverence to the Warrior Nun, she still rejects the idea. Excusing her role as Warrior Nun as a pipe dream because of her inability to find her footing right away. It’s an excuse to run from her responsibilities, something that both defines her character more clearly and highlights her reinterpretation of the Halo as her personal ticket to a new life. Away from even the OCS.

In the meantime, Dr. Salvius and her adviser Kristian are trying to piece together what happened regarding the OCS’ collection of Ava at the previous night’s ArqTech event. While they aren’t quite sure what happened the evening prior, they begin to posit theories about the OCS. It’s here that something very important about the organization is established: To those outside the Church, the OCS is nothing more than a myth. A perceived group operating for the Church, but one that is not evidenced to exist. That is, until Salvius and Kristian realize the holy artifacts they’ve been using to scrounge divinium means the organization is more than likely real. It’s this revelation that not only reveals more about how religion operates in Warrior Nun, but also how Salvius—and, by presumed extension, the world—perceives it. Religious powers are very much real in the series, but it’s not until Salvius makes contact with them herself that she starts to believe. Seeing is believing in the world of Warrior Nun, especially for someone of a scientific mindset like Salvius who is trying to twist religious artifacts toward her personal gain.

The initial conversation between the pair also reveals something else about their views on religion. Salvius and Kristian approach religion not from a holy perspective, but from a scientific one. In Salvius’ mind, even if the OCS exists, all it does is prove that divinium is the most appropriate substance for her experiments. Later episodes reveal she is building the Ark, a massive quantum teleportation device she wants to send her sickly son Michael through. This is because Salvius believes a world without death awaits Michael on the other side. For Salvius, the items she’s meddling with may be beyond her understanding. Her twisting of them may reflect the thematic idea of religion in Warrior Nun being twisted by characters to achieve particular goals. But it also reinforces the idea that it’s not always done on purpose. Much like Ava’s initial use of the Halo, Salvius’ employment of divinium for her experiments is done out of a naiveté toward the deeper implications of the material. The holy material is just a means to an end for her, much like the Halo is for Ava in these early episodes. While the OCS presents balance and order pertaining to the use of religious artifacts, those who don’t understand their full importance will inevitably remodel them to fit their personal desires.

This is eventually what drives Ava to run away from the OCS. While she does make a friend in Beatrice (more on that in a later chapter), Ava eventually decides she doesn’t feel at home in the organization. She may have the burden of many unfamiliar responsibilities now, but because she didn’t ask for them, she decides they aren’t worth the weight. So, Episode 3 ends with Ava escaping the Cat’s Cradle, leaving a note for Vincent in all capital letters:

“I WANT TO LIVE.”

Episode 3 is titled “Ephesians 6:11,” which in the Bible reads, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil” (King James Version). This passage is, essentially, what Superion and Vincent are urging Ava to do throughout the episode. To utilize her God-given second chance in the Halo to help make a difference for the world. The episode’s passage reads like an order, but it can also be interpreted as a path one must choose. One can put on God’s armor and stand against the forces of Hell, as Ava has the opportunity to do. Or, she can go her own way. Ignore the Biblical advice she’s been given by the OCS to pursue a life free from the burden of responsibility.

This is, of course, a defining character trait in Ava’s early days as the Warrior Nun. She doesn’t want to be responsible for anything, fleeing quite often when the idea of having to face something she doesn’t want to rears its ugly head. At this point, Ava doesn’t realize that she has no say in the matter. That the Halo chose her to help the world, and in doing so proved the very real and—sometimes—autonomous behavior of the religious factors in her world. Even so, she chooses to struggle against it. Leaving the Cat’s Cradle is symbolic rejection of the religious reality Ava’s been forced to face. She instead decides she wants to twist the hard fact of her status as the Warrior Nun into something she can use to attain a freedom that isn’t even fully formed in her mind. But, as Warrior Nun shows time and time again, the twisting of religious reality for personal gain never seems to end well.

And it all starts with Ava shirking her responsibilities.

Episode 4 has a rather interesting title in “Ecclesiasticus 26:9-10.” That’s because this title doesn’t come from the typical books you would find in the Bible. Instead, it comes from the Apocrypha, a collection of books considered old and outdated that used to be part of the Bible—the original 1611 King James Version to be exact. Ecclesiasticus, therefore, is often not recognized as part of the modern Bible bibliography. It is orphaned, or separated, from the rest of the book. The particular quote reads as follows: “The whoredom of a woman may be known in her haughty looks and eyelids. If thy daughter be shameless, keep her in straitly, lest she abuse herself through overmuch liberty.” It’s a very interesting quote to choose for an episode where Ava has decided to cast aside her responsibilities for the OCS and begin her life traveling the world with JC. It’s almost as if the episode title, clearly about keeping women from rebelling against modesty, has been recontextualized to describe Ava’s “overmuch liberty” of fleeing the Cat’s Cradle. This obviously gives the quote a much different meaning than its words pertain, but still, that seems to be the connective tissue between the title and the events that unfold.

The episode begins with a hint of what’s to come, when Ava decides to play the hero, attempting to rescue a girl from a man in an alleyway. This is because of a Wraith Demon trailing behind the girl. However, it turns out the girl is the one who is being influenced by the Demon, alongside a group that leaves Ava injured in the alley. The issue for Ava is that, despite trying to do the right thing, she was unable to understand the full context of what her powers were telling her. While Ava later learns Wraith Demons latch onto people to make them do bad things, it’s not until she finally speaks to Mary about her powers in Episode 6. For now, she is clueless as to how she can employ her abilities to properly do good for others. Even if she thinks she could make a difference, the sad reality is she doesn’t understand the truth behind everything the Halo allows her to do.

Eventually, she ends up with JC and his group again, but not everything is as bright and shiny as when she left. In the previous episode, Salvius tracked JC and his group down, telling them to let her know if they find Ava, and threatening to punish them for their house-hopping if they don’t comply. One member of the group, Zori, is adamantly against Ava continuing to be around them. She believes Ava is a liability, telling so to her face even while JC comes to her defense. As the argument between Zori and JC builds, the stress of the situation becomes too much for Ava to handle. This results in an uncontrollable power burst from the Halo. JC’s group is shocked by Ava’s sudden superpowers. But Ava storms off. Even in trying to escape from the OCS, Ava still isn’t able to find the stress-free life she wants to live. It doesn’t help that she can’t control everything the Halo does, which is why her powerful energy burst happens in the fist place. She has tried to twist her religious powers into a tool for her enjoyment. But all her current circumstances have done is cause a conflict she doesn’t want.

Ava sits alone at the beach, contemplating some sour memories of her life at the orphanage. These are interrupted by JC, who talks with Ava about what transpired between her and his group. At first, Ava says she wants to leave town on her own. But, to her surprise, JC wants to go with her. In a twist, he tells Ava that he’s not really friends with the people in his group, but rather scam partners with them. They’re just people who were convenient to be around because they shared a common goal. But, now that the group has basically fallen apart, he wants to go somewhere with Ava. Just Ava. After giving it some thought, Ava decides she does want to run away with JC. The pair plan to leave Spain on their own, with the destination not mattering as much as the journey. This is the big break Ava has been searching for. By leaving the rest of the world behind with JC, Ava has a chance to pursue a freedom she has been yearning for this whole time.

Except, symbolically, JC is not the answer to her attempt at freedom.

Much like Ava, JC has a tragic backstory. While he had enough money to go to university, he ended up spending it on hospital bills for his dying mother. When she finally passed, he began to steal money and squat in empty homes, hopping from one place to the next as a vagabond on the run from his own life. While JC had his crew, a group that could have been called his friends, he dropped them once he decided he enjoyed hanging out with Ava more. Despite the tragedy of his own life leading to the circumstances he’s in, Warrior Nun hints that JC is not someone who dedicates himself to anything anymore. After the death of his mother, he became someone without a real purpose in life. Someone who is willing to throw away something he already has for the next best thing. He is, to an extent, a reflection of the person Ava could become if she were to mimic his path in life. Someone who is always running away from something, without any semblance of stability or permanent satisfaction.

And now you’re probably wondering what any of that had to do with Warrior Nun’s religious symbolism. As stated in the previous chapter, JC’s initials are telling when it comes to representing certain religious ideas in the show’s characters. By sharing the same initials as Jesus Christ, JC could seemingly represent a savior figure. Someone who can wash others clean of their sins, granting them new and eternal life. This is exactly how Ava views JC. For her, JC is very much a symbol of rebirth. Of the path Ava can take in life, one that washes her clean of the life she lived before she met him. JC even offers her this life by acting as her savior. Not only does he save her from drowning the first time they meet, but he establishes himself as someone who can show her how the world works while teaching her his way of doing things. Teach her his beliefs about the world. But the initials are simply a play on Christ as a Messiah figure. JC is not a savior, and what little we learn about his character reflects that. If he was willing to drop the people in his group so quickly—including Randall, who he’d been with for 18 months—who’s to say he wouldn’t do the same to Ava when a better opportunity came along?

JC likely means well, given his puppy-dog infatuation with Ava. Because, to him, she’s mysterious, and mysterious means a new adventure that he’s never been on before. Due to her lack of real-world experience, Ava sees this as a blossoming romance between her and JC. Not only that, but JC is someone who can help her understand the world for how it truly is. But he can’t really do that, because he himself is running away from his own life. From the responsibilities he should be taking care of now that his mother has died. When Ava meets JC, she sees him as a savior. But, in reality, he is a reflection of the impulsive, unfulfilling life Ava will live if she doesn’t take up her responsibilities. JC may have the same initials as Jesus Christ, but the life he lives on the run is anything but holy. The smoke and mirrors may be there, such as his former followers and his willingness to teach Ava about the world. But thinking about his path in life causes every illusion about JC to crumble into dust.

As Ava falls into a false sense of security thanks to JC’s philosophy on life, other characters are dealing with their own responsibilities as it pertains to religion. Unlike the pursuits of both Ava and Salvius, though, the OCS’ association with religion is based on the foundation of the religious reality they are part of. This kicks in the most when Beatrice, Lilith, and Camila lead the charge in stealing a divinium shield from ArqTech. This particular artifact could act as the final piece of Salvius’ Ark project, opening up a quantum portal to an unknown destination—which Duretti and higher powers in the Church fear would lead to catastrophic, Hellish consequences. Breaking into the ArqTech building, the OCS nuns ensure no one is killed as they fight their way through the scientific building’s guards. However, while their mission is ongoing, Beatrice ends up confronting Lilith about something she saw earlier in the day. This was when Duretti pulled Lilith aside to discuss something. An event Lilith says was unimportant, and yet has roused Beatrice’s suspicions.

In reality, this event was a key component in understanding how even inside the Church, religion is being manipulated to benefit those with more power. Duretti takes Lilith aside and essentially tells her the Halo is her birthright, and that, because Ava has left the Cat’s Cradle, Duretti no longer sees her as worthy to wield the power of the Warrior Nun. He tasks Lilith with finding Ava, implying that it wouldn’t matter to him if she was dead or alive. What truly matters is that Lilith, who was trained to become the next Warrior Nun after Shannon, is able to utilize the power of the Halo. As stated previously, one key reason why Lilith appears to be a prominent figure in the OCS is because of her family’s thousand-year connection to the Church. Without it, the possibility of Lilith becoming the next Warrior Nun seems uncertain. This is in spite of her skills, which she has previously displayed as being advanced enough to train Ava with. Even so, it seems lineage is an important part of the Church for both Duretti and Lilith, prompting the search and recovery operation of the Halo into action.

However, there is an argument to be made that Duretti and Lilith’s ploy is not entirely aligned with the wants of their religious reality. As Vincent has previously implied, there appears to be some level of sentience to the Halo that made it “choose” Ava as the next Warrior Nun. For Vincent, this underscores his belief in divine intervention, and acts as personal proof that God wanted Ava to become the OCS’ most powerful fighter. But, for Duretti and Lilith, Ava acquiring the Halo in an interruption of what should be happening. Lilith should be the Warrior Nun in their eyes, no matter if the Halo chose Ava as its next host or not. The pair are so blinded by their own desires for what should be happening, that they fail to see Ava’s use of the Halo as a possible sign that she deserves to be the next Warrior Nun. This preoccupation with lineage and birthright goes against the religiously-motivated actions of the Halo itself. Duretti and Lilith’s plan becomes a component meant to preserve the religious foundations the concept of the Warrior Nun was built upon. But, in reality, their motivation is personal, causing their actions to feel like they’re going against the very religious attributes they have built their lives around.

None of this is known to Beatrice, though, who becomes a prominent figure in the mission to take the divinium shield from ArqTech. The mission itself underscores the role of the OCS: To not only protect the world from dangers, but to indirectly preserve the true purpose of religious artifacts. While stealing the shield from Salvius ensures it can’t be used for untoward reasons, the OCS commandeering the relic also signifies the importance the group has in preserving it from any harm. They aren’t just trying to save the world, but also honor the reality of the religion that drives them forward. It’s why Beatrice has no qualms about skirmishing with guards in the building. For her, this is simply part of her mission. Part of an effort to preserve the past, ensuring the history of the Church itself is maintained for the foreseeable future.

As the shield is being rescued by the OCS, Ava sets out on a rescue mission of her own. While waiting for a train so she can start her new life with JC, Ava recollects something about her time in the orphanage. In particular, she realizes two horrible truths: Sister Frances, her grumpy caregiver, injected her with something to kill her out of mercy. And she was about to do the same to Diego, her old roommate and her only true friend in the world. Putting Diego above even JC and his way of life, Ava runs away, determined to get to the orphanage before Frances can do anything to harm Diego. This decision underscores the key difference between Ava and JC’s characters at a subconscious level. JC was content to run away from every single responsibility in his life. And yet, when Ava is faced with the possibility that someone from her past could be killed, she runs to the rescue. Despite not wanting the responsibilities of the Warrior Nun, Ava takes action when those she cares about are in trouble. Though still buried deep within her, there is a part of Ava that would gladly use the Halo for its intended purpose, even if it means going against the idea of disappearing from the rest of the world.

Ava arrives at the orphanage just in time. However, confronting Frances leads to a disastrous conclusion. While Diego is saved, Ava, in her rage, accidentally kills Frances. Ava becomes distraught by this, leaving the orphanage feeling as if the whole world is falling apart. Her reaction is layered, as the reason she was even able to kill Frances in the first place was because of the powers of the Halo. Ava used a religious artifact to kill a woman of faith. Even though said woman of faith was murdering children, the entire situation doesn’t sit right with Ava. She feels like she’s done something wrong. And even though she saved Diego, this event seems to reflect how the strength of the Halo is not supposed to be used to harm mortals. It is supposed to be employed on demonic entities. While Frances was a monster for killing Ava and almost killing Diego, Ava still can’t get over the fact that she killed a person. It’s still something she has to wrestle with. As if, instinctually, she knows that’s not part of her purpose.

But Ava doesn’t have time to reflect on Frances’ death for long. Once she steps outside the orphanage, she’s greeted by an aggressive Lilith, ready to take back the Halo for herself. She comes with a divinium sword, planning to slice into Ava in order to get the holy artifact. Here we’re shown one of the first ultimate effects of Ava’s decision to run away from the Cat’s Cradle. Had she instead tried to tough it out and continue being the Warrior Nun, Lilith wouldn’t be hunting her down. Then again, if Ava had stayed, then Diego may have died, alongside countless other children Frances would have murdered afterwards. This complicates just how much Ava’s twisting of the Halo for her own benefit could be considered “bad.” Despite the selfishness of her deciding to leave, she also managed plenty of good in the process. Thereby, it seems that, even though she twisted the Halo to benefit herself, Ava’s decision to do so resulted in more good than bad.

But that doesn’t change the fact that Lilith is standing in front of her, a symbol of the double-sided nature of twisting religion to suit one’s goals. For Lilith, this involves stealing the Halo from Ava and becoming the Warrior Nun, as she believes she was born to do. For Ava, this involves running away with the Halo and relinquishing her duties as Warrior Nun, something she never asked for. The two now stand against one another, each wishing to hold the Halo for their own selfish reasons. But neither seeing the bigger picture of how important the Halo is to religion.

Of how important it is to the world.

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