The Nevers Review: True (Season 1 Episode 6)

The Nevers Season 1 Episode 6, “True,” gives viewers some of the answers we’ve been looking for, but not in the way we expect. Rather than having Amalia just reveal her origins, we get the holy trinity that is Amalia True. More specifically, we get Stripe, Molly, and Amalia.

It’s a little surprising that the episode opens with a spaceship and new characters we don’t know. Considering that we spend most of The Nevers Season 1 Episode 5, “Hanged,” trying to piece together exactly what Amalia is talking about, this is actually a little more comforting. Unlike other episodes, “True” is divided into chapters, giving viewers a framework for what they are about to see. 

The first version of the being we come to know as Amalia True is Stripe (Claudia Black). Black previously appeared on Farscape, Stargate: SG-1, and Containment, and fits right into the sci-fi world. As a fan of Farscape, her performance as Stripe reminds me very much of Aeryn Sun. There’s a gruff and hardened exterior to Stripe but in the final scenes of Chapter 1, she shows some compassion and admits that she has hope. 

While it at first appears that the Galanthi is the only connection between Amalia and Stripe we soon learn that Stripe’s spirit hitched a ride through the portal as well. This revelation brings to mind the correlation I first thought of in my review of The Nevers Season 1 Episode 2, “Exposure,” where this series reminded me of The 4400. The fact that Amalia is really a woman named Zephyr from the future is one correlation, but it feels like there are potentially many more similarities.

Stripe is an interesting addition to the show, and it would a travesty if she didn’t come back in some capacity. Considering that The Nevers has now introduced an entirely new mythos on top of the late 19th Century it feels like they can’t without leaving a lot of dangling threads. 

The story transitions nicely into Molly’s story giving us a glimpse at the Amalia that threw herself into the river on The Nevers Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot,” It’s very easy to empathize with Molly, a woman who married because she felt she had to and who has been widowed and ostracized because she can’t have children. The jabs she takes by her husband and former boss cut deep and it makes what we know is coming feel like it shouldn’t be a surprise. 

Laura Donnelly delivers a great performance in Chapters 2 and 3. Throughout these two chapters, Donnelly creates different personas that really give the audience a sense of her transition from the meek baker to the more hardened Stripe. It’s easy to see how Black and Donnelly’s performances work off of each other to create this fluid portrayal of this one person. 

“True” pulls it all together in the final scene in the tunnels under London where Donnelly delivers an impassioned speech to the Galanthi. The revelation that Amalia may not actually be alone after is heartwarming. The fact that there must be someone else who knows what FreeLife and the PDC are will be great conduits to bring in the thread introduced here. 

When it comes down to it, “True,” is really a character-driven story, just not the type of character story that we may have thought. When it comes to its conclusion, the audience sees a shift in Amalia. The character who wouldn’t tell Knitter her name to someone who feels comfortable enough with Penance to reveal her name. Let’s hope that this calm lasts and Zephyr Alexis Navine can find some peace in the 19th Century. 

The seeds that “True” sows can make an amazing back-half of the episode. It was never really meant to answer questions, but it does give us some perspective on what Amalia has been going through. This is truly a mission she didn’t choose, but now she has to figure out why she was chosen.

Stray Thoughts

• I am still wondering what Lavinia Bidlow’s deal is. 
• The space-lady Amalia sees in the big revelation at the climax of the episode is Myrtle. Given that Myrtle is the one who understood the Galanthi’s song, I am guessing she’ll be key in finding the other consciousness that hitched a ride.
• The moment that Amalia betrays Sara is sad, and it angers me now that she didn’t attempt to save her. Of course, the audience knows that she’s alive, so I am sure that will come up in the near future.
• Horatio has slowly become one of my favorite characters. The way Zackery Momoh delivers each and every line is sublime. His reaction to understanding how spores work and why he has powers is probably one of my favorite moments.

What did you think of this episode of The Nevers? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Nevers Part 1 is currently available to stream on HBO Max.

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