Netflix’s new adventure fairy tale, Damsel, has the right combination of fiery danger and much-needed female empowerment. Starring Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Robin Wright (The Princess Bride), Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), and Shohreh Aghdashloo (The Expanse), Damsel tells the story of a girl marrying into the royal family of a far-off kingdom only to be tossed into the mouth a dragon’s cave.
Though it’s a fantastical tale of betrayal and danger, we all can still learn a lot from its empowering motifs. Here’s what I learned about life and love from watching Netflix’s Damsel.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Although Elodie is surprised and and understandably put-out by learning that a kingdom she’d never even heard of wants her to marry their prince, she quickly changes her tune once she sees the beautiful kingdom in person. The views are gorgeous, the palace is dripping with gold and brocade, and the prince seems to share all of her interests.
But it all seems a little too easy, right? And indeed, things aren’t what they seem. If someone is offering you something that seems to good to be true, listen to your gut and be endlessly skeptical.
Don’t ignore the warning signs.
Alas, Elodie falls for the prince and the wonderful life the royals could give her as she marries into the family. She’s ready to jump in with both feet, but someone in her life tries to convince her not to go through with it. When someone you trust comes to you with words of warning, don’t ignore it. While you might ultimately decide to stick with your original goal, it’s a good idea to at least hear this person out. They might have noticed something you haven’t.
Wealth isn’t the same as being a good person.
Elodie and her family are awfully trusting of these royals, especially when they see their thriving, wealthy kingdom. In the end, they aren’t the nice people that they made themselves out to be–not by a longshot. In life, wealth is just one facet of personhood, and it doesn’t hold any moral value on its own. Money doesn’t make you a good person, nor does the lack of it make you bad.
While you can go it alone, it’s easier with help.
Elodie gets tossed into a series of caves, hunted by a dragon hell-bent on destroying her. She has to rely on her wits to survive. While she might be able to do things on her own, she soon finds messages scrawled on cave walls to help her. While independence is a virtue, it’s also important to know when to ask for help. Asking for assistance doesn’t make you weak–it makes you human.
You can overcome anything–and come out stronger in the end.
Even when things get so tough you don’t see any way they could improve, they always can. You just have to struggle before you survive. And in the end, you come away so much stronger.
