The Woman in Green

Nanisca confides in Amenza that she gave up her daughter long ago after being raped and becoming pregnant. When she sees Nawi struggle for survival, she recognizes her own history in the young woman. Later, Nanisca discovers a distinctive mark on Nawi's arm that confirms her suspicion, Nawi is indeed her daughter, born from the brutal assault by Oba Ade.

Earlier in the film, Nanisca tells Amenza about her painful past as a captive and rape victim, hinting at the child she abandoned.

Nawi is forced into an arranged marriage with a brutish man who intends to control her. When she refuses his advances, he slaps her, and she fights back by pushing him away with enough force to make him fall. After rejecting the marriage, her father offers her to the Agojie as a warrior. Nawi sees this as her chance to escape oppression and gain freedom through strength.

The film establishes early that Nawi is rebellious and refuses to be dominated, making her journey to the Agojie feel inevitable.

Nanisca recognizes Oba Ade the moment he arrives at Dahomey's gates. He is the Oyo general who previously captured her during a raid and repeatedly raped her while she was held captive. This trauma haunts her throughout the film, and his demand for 40 Agojie warriors as tribute is particularly devastating because of this history. His presence reignites her determination to fight and protect her people from the same brutality she suffered.

During Nawi's training, Nanisca shares her backstory about captivity and slavery, though she doesn't name her attacker until Oba Ade arrives.

Izogie, Nawi's mentor and the experienced Agojie warrior who trained her, is fatally shot during the fierce battle with Oyo forces. She dies in Nawi's arms, which devastates the young warrior and strengthens her resolve to continue fighting. Izogie's death is one of the significant losses the Agojie suffer in the conflict.

The film builds Izogie's relationship with Nawi throughout the training sequences, making her death a emotional turning point.

Malik, who has Dahomey heritage through his mother, forms a connection with Nawi and is horrified by the brutal slave trade. During Nanisca's assault on the European slaver camp, Malik turns against the Portuguese slavers to help free the captives. He drowns Captain Santo Ferreira in the water as part of the rescue effort, sacrificing himself to ensure the captives' freedom and to stop the traders who profit from human suffering.

Malik's internal conflict is established early when he expresses horror at the slave trade and shares his Dahomey heritage with Nawi.

After leading the successful assault on the European slaver camp and defeating Oba Ade in single combat, Nanisca returns to Dahomey victorious. King Ghezo recognizes her extraordinary bravery, leadership, and dedication to protecting the kingdom. He promotes her to the esteemed title of Woman King, a rare honor that acknowledges her as one of the most powerful and respected leaders in Dahomey's history.

Throughout the film, Nanisca's leadership and tactical skills are established as exceptional, making her promotion feel earned.

Nawi confronts Oba Ade during the climactic battle because she is determined to protect her fellow warriors and avenge her mentor Izogie's death. Additionally, learning that Oba Ade is the man who raped her mother Nanisca gives her personal motivation to face him. She fights fiercely and ultimately helps Nanisca overpower and kill him, ending his tyranny over both Dahomey and the women he victimized.

The revelation that Oba Ade is Nawi's biological father through his assault on Nanisca adds depth to their confrontation.

The Oyo Empire, led by General Oba Ade, arrives at Dahomey's gates demanding tribute and threatening war if their demands aren't met. They specifically demand 40 Agojie warriors, which is a humiliating request that treats the feared female warriors as property. King Ghezo refuses to surrender the full number, offering only 20, which escalates the conflict. Nanisca's personal history with Oba Ade and the kingdom's refusal to submit lead to the full-scale attack.

The earlier scenes establish the ongoing tensions between Dahomey and Oyo, with the Oyo having advantages in guns and horses.

Nanisca leads a daring night assault on the European slaver camp to rescue the captives who are being transported to Europe for sale. Her attack is motivated by both tactical strategy, eliminating the slave traders who supply weapons to the Oyo, and her personal desire to end the brutal trade that has devastated her people. She sets fire to the camp, creates chaos, and successfully frees many prisoners who would have otherwise been sold into slavery.

Earlier scenes show the European traders supplying guns to the Oyo, making them indirect enemies of Dahomey.

The Oyo Empire and the Mahi people have formed an alliance to attack Dahomey villages. The Oyo provide military strength through their guns and horses, while the Mahi work with them to raid settlements and capture villagers. The captured inhabitants are then sold to European traders in the slave trade. The film shows the Agojie infiltrating a Mahi village occupied by Oyo soldiers to free the kidnapped villagers.

The opening scene establishes this alliance as the primary threat to Dahomey's sovereignty.

Nawi undergoes rigorous combat training including rope exercises, swordplay, and rifle practice. She initially struggles with heavy weapons due to her inexperience but shows remarkable resilience. A pivotal moment comes when she wins the grueling obstacle course competition during Dahomey's military tournament, impressing both King Ghezo and Nanisca with her skills and determination. Her performance earns her recognition as a formidable warrior.

Her early struggles and later triumph in the tournament mirror her journey from outsider to respected Agojie.

King Ghezo refuses to surrender 40 Agojie warriors to the Oyo because doing so would severely weaken Dahomey's defenses and humiliate his kingdom. The Agojie are Dahomey's most formidable military asset, and handing them over would leave the kingdom vulnerable to further attacks. Instead, Ghezo offers only 20 warriors, which the Oyo interpret as an act of defiance, triggering their full-scale attack on Dahomey.

Ghezo's trust in Nanisca and his commitment to protecting Dahomey's sovereignty drive this difficult decision.