Damsel Oddly Follows A Millie Bobby Brown Character Trend Started By Netflix 8 Years Ago

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Netflix’s Damsel.

Damsel finds Millie Bobby Brown tackling the fantasy genre for the first time, but the movie also continues a character trend for the actor — one Netflix started eight years ago. Netflix’s new fantasy movie opens with Brown’s character, Elodie, agreeing to marry the prince of another kingdom in order to save her people. Her father requests this of her, and she agrees, despite her reservations about giving up her dreams and freedom to do her “duty.”

Elodie and her father don’t realize that Prince Henry and his parents have a far worse fate in mind for her — one that eventually finds her facing down a dragon. And while Netflix’s new fantasy movie sees Princess Elodie befriending the dragon and coming out on top, her relationship with her father doesn’t get the same happy conclusion. Strangely enough, the scenario continues a character trend for Brown when it comes to her Netflix projects.

Damsel Oddly Continues A Millie Bobby Brown Character Trend That Started With Stranger Things

Damsel continues a character trend for Brown that started eight years ago, when Stranger Things season 1 premiered on Netflix. In both Damsel and Stranger Things, Brown’s characters are used as pawns by their own fathers. In Damsel, there’s little ill will that comes from Elodie’s father, Lord Bayford. However, he does use her to better his kingdom and people, failing to take her feelings into consideration before arranging a marriage. Lord Bayford realizes his mistake at the ending of Damsel, but it’s too late to properly repair his relationship with his daughter.

Dr. Brenner is far less well-intended when it comes to his treatment of Eleven and her siblings, and it’s clear that he and his colleagues hope to use their powers for their own benefit. Still, Dr. Brenner takes a similar approach to being a “papa” as Lord Bayford. That’s why Brown’s characters in both Damsel and Stranger Things wind up with complicated relationships with their fathers. And Lord Bayford and Dr. Brenner even meet similar fates in their respective projects.

Both Of Millie Bobby Brown’s “Papa” Characters Meet Similar Ends In Their Netflix Projects

Damsel doesn’t just continue the trend of Brown’s characters being used by their fathers; it also gives these fathers similar fates, as both Dr. Brenner and Lord Bayford go out in similar ways. Dr. Brenner seemingly perishes in Stranger Things season 4, part 2, with Eleven feeling conflicted as she bids farewell to him. This also happens in Damsel, as Lord Bayford is killed by the dragon and gets a last conversation with his daughter — one that gives him the chance to apologize. It’s strange how both Stranger Things and Damsel mirror each other in this way, but Brown plays both scenes brilliantly.