Nimona

A long, long time ago, a kingdom lived in peace...

believing they had nothing to fear.

But lurking in the shadows

was a great and terrible evil.

The monster attacked without warning,

laying waste to everything and everyone in its path.

But in that darkest hour, a hero rose up.

Her name was Gloreth.

Go back to the shadows from whence you came!

Gloreth vowed that her people would never be vulnerable again.

So she trained an elite force of knights and decreed that their descendants

would protect the kingdom for generations to come.

But if you want a happily ever after,

you can never let your guard down

because the monsters are always out there.

Good evening, folks.

We are coming to you live from the Glorodome.

- I'm Nate Knight. - I'm Alamzapam Davis.

And tonight's the night we knight the knights!

- Ain't that right, Pam? - It sure is, Nate.

But this is also the most controversial knighting ceremony in a thousand years.

You can feel the excitement and the tension.

- Come on! It's starting! - Tonight, tradition will be cast aside,

and the kingdom will change forever because of one man.

Ballister.

The street kid with the impossible dream of being a knight.

I'm here to slay monsters and protect our kingdom!

Impossible, that is,

until the queen herself made a shocking decision.

Whoa...

No, he doesn't come from a noble bloodline...

...but he might just have the heart of a hero.

And Ballister made the most of that chance,

graduating top of his institute class.

A class that includes none other than...

- Ambrosius Goldenloin. - Hey.

Direct descendant of Gloreth herself,

and the most anticipated knight of a generation.

- Whoo! - Whoo!

With Ballister joining the ranks, for the first time in history,

our safety will be put in the hands of a commoner.

I don't feel safe.

It's not what Gloreth wanted.

Ugh. I really hope the queen knows what she's doing.

So tonight, only one question remains.

Will the kingdom accept this knight who might not be right?

Will the kingdom accept this knight who might not be right?

All right.

Aaand will Ballister be broody on the biggest day of his life?

I'm not brooding. I'm just... I'm thinking. This is my thinking face.

Hey, Thinky Face. Look at me.

You were better and worked harder than all of us.

You're gonna be a knight, Bal.

Okay, okay, okay.

But what if they still hate me?

No one hates a hero of the realm.

They're gonna love you.

Like I do.

My lords and ladies,

the knighting ceremony is just moments away.

Your sword.

Your sword, and don't touch the cart.

Okay, relax.

Your sword.

Hey, Ballister. Listen, man.

I just wanted to say, I know I've always been tough on you,

and I never thought you belonged here...

And?

And what?

Did you think I was gonna keep going,

or did you think I was gonna apologize for how I treated you?

Oh, my God! That's hilarious.

You're so stupid. I love it. It's so funny.

Hey, everybody!

Ballister thought I was gonna apologize for treating him like the trash he is!

Uh, your sword?

Ah, thanks.

Hmm. Mm...

- Um, uh, Mr. Ballister? - Hey, Squire,

come take a picture with the real knight, not some charity case.

High five!

- Smack that hard. Slap it! - Can I just...

- Cadets. - Uh...

There is no greater calling than protecting this kingdom from evil.

Never let your guard down,

never weaken, and always be the will of Gloreth.

- Yes, Director! - Thank you, Director.

Thank you, Director.

- Thank you, Director. - Thank you, Director.

Ballister, today the kingdom will see you for who you really are.

Thank you, Director.

- Director. - Thank you, Director.

Teacher's pet.

Wait, what do you mean? You think I'm her favorite?

And now the newest heroes of the realm!

Goldenloin! Goldenloin! Goldenloin!

My lords and ladies, Her Majesty the Queen.

Here comes the whoo. Whoo!

Whoo!

Huh.

I hereby pronounce you Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin,

hero of the realm.

Stand, Sir Knight.

Here we go.

I've been looking forward to this moment.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

My people, starting today,

any of you should be able to hold the sword

- if you want it. - Huh?

If you earn it.

I've watched this young man earn it many times over.

Your sword.

I hereby pronounce you

Sir Ballister Boldheart,

hero of the realm!

- Boldheart! - Yeah!

- Boldheart! Boldheart! - Yeah!

Boldheart! Boldheart!

Boldheart! Yeah!

Boldheart! Boldheart! Boldheart!

Congratulations, Sir Boldheart.

Let a new era of heroes begin with you.

Ohh!

Agh.

Arrest him! He killed the queen!

- Let's get him! - Yeah, he killed the queen!

Some of us don't get the happily ever after we're looking for...

...'cause it ain't that kind of kingdom.

And this ain't that kind of story.

The queen killer is still out there.

Everyone is scared.

Oh. Freak!

Not since Gloreth's monster has anything been so hated.

- He never should've been a knight. - He wasn't one of us and hated us for it.

- A commoner. - He's vile.

- He's got no place in this kingdom. - He's a murderer.

He's a monster.

He's perfect.

Ooh, yeah.

- That was weird. - Hey, boss.

Yuh!

- Uh... - I love the secret lair.

The garbage and the smell of sadness pull the whole thing together.

- Wait. Who are you? - The name's Nimona.

- And how did you... - Whoa! Yeah! Sick arm.

- Did it bleed a lot? - What?

- Did they let you keep the old one? - No. Let go!

What is wrong with you?

- Ooh! Can I have it? - What? Put that down.

That is not for little girls.

Little girls?

Okay, how old do you think I am?

I don't know. Ten?

- Help me out. More or less than ten? - Not a lot of kids in your life, huh?

You know what? No. I'd like it to stay that way. You have to go.

But I'm here about the job.

Job? What job?

It's all here in my application.

This is just a bunch of drawings. Very disturbing drawings.

Oh, look, it's me.

On a rhinoceros, skewering several guards like a human kebab.

Yeah! Do you like it?

I thought a visual aid would really make my resume pop.

- What? - Up here.

So, about the job?

What job?

To be your sidekick.

To help you do whatever it takes

to get revenge on the cruel world that rejected you.

Shall we pillage a village? Lay low until they don't remember you.

Then we rise like a fiery phoenix from the ashes

to overthrow the government!

Or we could just talk.

The point is, whatever your dark heart desires, boss.

Your sidekick has arrived.

- I don't need a side... - Every villain needs a sidekick.

- Wait, I am not a... - Whoa! Sweet murder wall!

- Murder wall? - Are these your next targets?

- That's not... - Who do you wanna kill first?

- I'm not killing anybody. - This one.

- What? - This guy looks extremely punchable.

You're right. He is extremely punchable. No, wait. Look. That is not a murder wall.

It's an... innocence wall?

Innocence wall.

Wait. Are you saying that you're not a villain?

Yes!

Yes, you are?

No! No, I'm not a villain. No.

Oh.

What? Are you disappointed that I'm not a murderer?

I mean, a little.

- You know what? We're done here. - Why?

The real villain is still out there, and I do need help.

- Not from you. - Aw, fine! Then from who?

The guy who cut off your arm?

- Seriously? - It's complicated, okay?

Have fun getting arrested.

I am not gonna get arrested!

Murderer.

- Wanna get some lunch? - Yeah, I love lunch.