Warrior Nun Season 2 - What We Know So Far

Netflix's adaptation of the long-running Warrior Nun Areala series of comic books has finally landed, and most critics and fans agree it was worth the wait. Simon Barry's updated take on the mythology originally created by author Ben Dunn is simultaneously familiar and fresh — a difficult balance to strike in any page-to-screen adaptation.

Barry's streaming series opens with the death of Shannon Masters, the lead character that Dunn made famous in Warrior Nun Areala. Masters death is both substantive and symbolic in that it serves as the inciting incident for the series as well as a ceremonial passing of the torch from Masters to Ava, a new lead heroine of Barry's own creation. Ava is portrayed to satisfying effect by fresh-faced Portuguese starlet Alba Baptista. She's supported by an able cast of fellow Warrior Nuns and a few stylish juvenile delinquents. The resulting mix is a refreshingly dramatic first season that explicitly begs the question: Where do we go from here?

Warrior Nun season 1 leaves all of its plot threads dangling on the edge of one massive cliff, so fans are justifiably curious when, if, and how a second season will be reaching their living room screens. Here's what we know so far.

The first ten episodes of Warrior Nun began streaming on July 2, 2020. The series has not yet been greenlit for a second outing, so it's impossible to predict when season 2 might premiere, but signs are looking good for Barry's supernatural morality play. The show has a positive rating from both critics and fans on Rotten Tomatoes, and has certainly been drawing the eyeballs for Netflix since its debut. Although the streamer of note doesn't share its hard viewing statistics with the public, we can infer that Warrior Nun has performed at or above expectations by its consistent spot on the daily top ten list.

Past popular series have seen quick re-ups after the debut of their first seasons. Even expensive genre fare like The Witcher was almost immediately greenlit for season 2 within just weeks of release. If Ava is indeed destined to return to the small screen, then we should hear word from Netflix before the summer's out. Assuming that happens, and If regular production schedules in Hollywood resume, we could see a second season of Warrior Nun as early as summer 2021. We'll be sure to keep our ears to the ground for an official announcement.

For all the action on season 1, we lost very few central characters to the vicious horde of demons hunting Ava. As a result, most — if not all — of the principals are expected to return for season 2. Obviously, there would be no show without Alba Baptiste in the central role, so she seems a lock to return. We also expect to see more of her fellow Warrior Nuns from the Vatican's secret Order of the Cruciform Sword. Toya Turner's Shotgun Mary, Kristina Tonteri-Young's Sister Beatrice, Lorena Andrea's Sister Lilith, and Olivia Delcán's Sister Camila all have some pressing unfinished business with the demonic entity Adriel, played by the also-likely-to-return William Miller.

Despite Michael's disappearance through the artifact at Arq-Tech, we also anticipate the return of Lope Haydn Evans, as well as Thekla Reuten in the role of his mother, Jillian Salvius. Some other characters entangled in the open cliffhangers from season 1 include Father Vincent played by Tristán Ulloa, Cardinal-turned-Pope Duretti played by Joaquim de Almeida, Kristian Schaefer played Peter De Jersey, and Mother Superion played by Sylvia De Fanti. One can only hope we'll see more flashbacks to 1066, in which case Guiomar Alonso may return in the role of Areala, the original vessel for Ava's Halo.

As for the potential addition of new characters, we can only wait for word from Netflix or Barry. 

Few details are known about the plot of Warrior Nun season 2, but we can assume the series will resume in media res, picking up the action in the A-story, which was just about to come to a head. Season 1 ended on a majorly contrived cliffhanger. The badass women of the OCS had just finished effectively distracting Adriel to buy Ava time to recharge her Halo and manifest a Divinium sword. Just as she pulls the indestructible weapon, however, Adriel summons a clutch of demons to possess the bystanders, and the battle royale is on. 

Except, we cut to credits just as the climactic clash is about to get good. If season 2 starts anywhere except right in the midst of this conflict, the fans are going to revolt. 

Dunn's Warrior Nun Areala makes for great source material because the existing content is largely episodic. The comic has been published in self-contained arcs since the Shannon Masters' debut in 1994. Barry could reasonably draw elements from any of Dunn's pre-existing arcs and tweak them to suit Ava's journey.

Warrior Nun season 1 is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix. Go ahead and watch it over an over until the company announces season 2.