After losing her parents, an 8-year-old is sent to an orphanage run by a psychopath; that’s Nica from Netflix’s corny-town section’s current headliner, The Tearsmith. Nica lost her parents at a tender age, and she was never allowed to move on from her pain in the orphanage. Even after getting adopted, Nica’s life had a lot more on the line than she would’ve expected.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened To Nica At The Orphanage?
Little Nica had no choice in her life when she was eight and ended up in Sunny Creek Orphanage. The poor baby had to give away her personal belongings and the necklace her mother wore. Margaret, the warden of the orphanage, didn’t like Nica from the moment she caught her eyes. Margaret abuses Nica; chains and shackles are some of the most ordinary items in the orphanage. Nica is afraid of the dark, so she’s tied up in a dark cellar. She cries when she’s sad, but Margaret has banned crying at Sunny Creek. Just like her necklace, any prospect of happiness also got snatched from her. Living in the “grave,” Nica only had Adeline, who made her happy. Two best friends survived the hellhole by sticking together. After Nica turns 17, she’s adopted along with Rigel by Anna and Norman.
How Does Nica Fall For Rigel?
Rigel and Nica have a truckload of chemistry and tension between them, without even saying a word to each other. Nica always had Rigel in her heart, but when they started living under the same roof, their relationship started developing. The same guy who once snatched her necklace, is now holding her close to himself. Rigel never actually hurt Nica all this time, and kept both Nica and her necklace safe under his watch.
How Does Lionel Change Nica’s Life?
Lionel is Nica’s batchmate and seems to like her. A jerk with a pretty face, his first instinct is to get into Nica’s pants. He plays it sweet with Nica and treats her well, and Nica welcomes the change in her new life without thinking much about it. Lionel and Nica’s closeness invited Rigel’s insecurities, and Lionel’s face paid the price for it. After spending quite some time with Nica, Lionel suffers the wrath of Rigel’s fists and sends a video to Nica to show his bruises. Nica finds Rigel in her arms soon after when he comes back to her.
What Happens To Nica And Rigel On Dance Night?
Dance Night is the first time Nica has gone to a party in her whole life. All the dancing and singing are completely new to her, and Lionel takes her hand in cosplaying as the Joker (he is one). When Nica starts feeling a bit unwell, Lionel takes advantage of that and takes her to the chemistry lab, away from everybody. Nica gets physically violated by Lionel, and Rigel saves her from the assault. Nica’s love couldn’t be suppressed anymore, and Rigel and Nica got intimate.
How Does Nica Save Rigel?
Nica finds herself in a hospital bed after she and Rigel jump into the river to save their lives. Rigel is in a coma, and Nica’s wish to see him can’t be fulfilled. Margaret has taken an oath to tear them apart, and Nica can’t see the person she’s been in love with all her life. Nica joins in on a case against Margaret to prove she’s violated the children of the orphanage. One after the other, witnesses refuse to testify because the trauma Margaret has inflicted on them is too much to overcome. Nica is not much different from the other kids, and Margaret’s attorney does break her with sharp allegations and questions. Anna, a mother by heart, encourages Nica to testify. Nica delivers a heart-rending monologue to prove Margaret has been abusing them all along, and she’s responsible for the distress of all these kids, including her. Everybody in the courtroom applauds the young woman who just took a massive step to change her life and others’ for the better.
What’s The Endgame For Nica And Rigel?
Nica always wanted a family of her own. Anna and Norman are wonderful people who truly wanted Nica and Rigel to be raised as their own. But they clearly also wanted to fill the void their dead son left. Rigel leaving the family avoided the creepy siblings in love idea, and assumably, Nica did live a good few years with Norman and Anna. Nica and Rigel eventually marry each other, and soon their kid completes the family. Her wish to have a family of her own truly came true when she and Rigel got together. Growing up believing in folklore and legends, Nica found her Tearsmith in Rigel.
