# Damsel

Damsel is a 2024 American/British fantasy action drama revenge film about a dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt.
    Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo. Written by Dan Mazeau.

## Elodie

* There are many stories of chivalry where the heroic knight saves the damsel in distress. This is not one of them.
* The land I come from is exactly how your mother explained. Harsh and barren. The union will save us. I've made my peace with it. My happiness is a small price to pay for the future of my people.
* [To the glowing worm after pulling them off her now healed wound] I'm deeply sorry for underestimating you.
* This is the end of your story.
* I'm through being told what to do.
* [To Lady Bayford] You're the only person I trust to look after our people mother. [They hug]

## Floria

* You're Elodie. You can do anything.
* I am the sacrifice.

## Elodie and Floria

* First impressions are everything.

## Queen Isabelle

* It seems even the harshest clime can grow the fairest flowers.
* If you want these people to think we belong here, you can't act so easily impressed.
* It seems your family need money. My family needs a bride. What we don't need is more family.
* [To Elodie] Welcome, princess. For generations, it has been our task, our duty, to protect these people. The price is dear, but so too the reward.
* So, tonight, you join a long line of women who have helped build this kingdom.
* It is this sacrifice we commemorate every generation. A tradition going back centuries. Your hand, child. A legacy of honor and duty you now inherit, Princess Elodie of Aurea. Let our two lines mingle and fast become one. She is now of royal blood.
* A prince protects his kingdom, without hesitation or complaint.
* [To Elodie] You know nothing of what we've endured. You know nothing of our story.

## Lord Bayford

* [To Elodie] I have made a match. A prince.
* [To Elodie] We need this. Our stores are empty. We will not make it to the thaw. Your people need you. This is who we are.
* Elodie. Can you hear me? I have made a horrible, horrible mistake. To sacrifice the one thing I love most. To trade your life for the good of my people. I thought I could take the gold. That I could live with myself. My choice. But I can't. I can't.

## Lady Bayford

* These people, I don't trust them. It's hard to explain, but a mother knows these things.
* They may be royalty, but that doesn't make them good people.

## Prince Henry

* [Reading Elodie's letter] "I hope you'll get to know my heart."
* [To Elodie, before he tosses into the dragon's lair] Close your eyes. I've got you. I'm sorry.

## Dragon

* [To Elodie] I want what is promised. What is owed. Every generation, your kind must pay. The scent of royalty betrays you. It's in your blood. Now, my favorite part. Run.
* This story ends the same.
* There is no way out princess. Not for any of you. Three were taken. Three must be given.
* [To the first King of Aurea after his men slayed her newborn dragonlets] Death is not enough for you. You must know my pain.
* [Sounding out] El... o... die... Accept your fate, as I have mine. We are to die alone.

## Dialogue

    Floria: [Putting a necklace on Elodie] It's perfect. Everything in here is so perfect. [They both laugh with Lady Bayford bursting in their quarters]
    Elodie: Stepmother. Is something the matter?
    Lady Bayford: Elodie. I know we haven't always been close, but I need you to listen to me now. This wedding... is a mistake.
    Floria: What?
    Elodie: I don't understand.
    Lady Bayford: These people, I don't trust them. It's hard to explain, but a mother knows these things.
    Floria: Only yesterday, you were enamored by this place.
    Elodie: Floria.
    Lady Bayford: I was wrong. They may be royalty, but that doesn't make them good people.
    Elodie: Well, what does father think?
    Lady Bayford: He refuses to talk about it. And when I try to tell him my worries, he snaps at me.
    Floria: That's because you're being unreasonable.
    Elodie: That's enough, Flor'.
    Lady Bayford: Elodie, I swear, I only want what's best for you.
    Lord Bayford: [Appears in quarters] Am I interrupting something?
    Elodie: No. Just... girl talk.
    Lord Bayford: Well, tomorrow's a big day, and these girls need their rest.
    Lady Bayford: Think about what I said. There's still time.
    Lord Bayford: Time for what? [Lady Bayford gets up and walks to Lord Bayford]
    Lady Bayford: [To Lord Bayford] I hope you know what you're doing. [Walks on]
    Lord Bayford: Good night, my angels.
    Elodie and Floria: Good night, father.
    Lord Bayford: Good night. [Walks on]
    Floria: [They hug passionately after Elodie is married] I hope I'm as half as beautiful somedays as you are today.
    Elodie: Twice as beautiful. [They tilt foreheads to touch] I love you.
    Floria: I love you.
    Dragon: ['To Elodie hiding from her in her lair] Your name, little bird? Speak your name.
    Elodie: Elodie.
    Dragon: El... o... die... Exciting.
    Elodie: What do you want?
    Dragon: I want what is promised. What is owed. Every generation, your kind must pay.
    Elodie: My kind?
    Dragon: The scent of royalty betrays you. It's in your blood. Now, my favorite part. Run. [Elodie scream and flees down cave with dragon's fire at her tail, lightly burning when she hides round a corner] Did I hurt you? Quiet now? A clever one. The last one was over so quick.
    Elodie: Mother wanted you to fight. [Tears off strip of her dress to dress her wound and uses a locket as a lightsource to guide her]
    Lord Bayford: What do you think Ellie?
    Elodie: I think I had a rather limited definition of wealthy.
    Elodie: I just hope he's kind. And well-read.
    Floria: Handsome.
    Queen Isabelle: What is your greatest strength?
    Elodie: I always tell the truth, your majesty.
    Queen Isabelle: Some might call that a weakness.
    Elodie: It's my life's dream. For as long as I can remember, I've longed to explore the distant lands. The ones you only read about. Perhaps, one day, we will.
    Prince Henry: Perhaps.
    Dragon: [As Elodie points her sword at her eye] That won't kill me, but it will make me angry.
    Elodie: Good. I'm angry too. We have both been lied to. They said you set upon their village. That the king came only to defend his people.
    Dragon: He came unprovoked.
    Elodie: I know what they did. I know they killed your children.
    Dragon: "They"?! You! Your kind. Your blood.
    Elodie: No!
    Dragon: My daughters were the last of my line. So, I will take their daughters until the last of my breath.
    Elodie: Except you haven't. We are not their daughters.
    Dragon: More lies! [Spews fire forcing Elodie to fall over ledge and into water pool]
    Elodie: They fooled you. You've been killing innocent daughters just like they did.
    Dragon: Then end it.
    Elodie: No, I'm through doing I'm told.
    Elodie: You're the only person I trust to look after our people, mother.
    Floria: Can I help too?
    Elodie: Floria, I'm counting on it.
    Dragon: [Forcing Elodie against a Speleothemic column] El... o... die... Accept your fate, as I have mine. We are to die alone.
    Elodie: No. I have an army with me. Every innocent woman whose life was stolen down here.
    Dragon: Your kind was never innocent.
    Elodie: Then go ahead. Show me your fire. Well? What are you waiting for? Burn me. Burn me! [Dragon spews fire only to have it ricocheted on herself and Elodie walks up to her holding up hand] My sister had this too. All of us did. That is how they make us royal. That is the blood you smell. They fooled you. You've been killing innocent daughters just like they did.
    Dragon: Then end it.
    Elodie: [Raises sword to finish dragon, only to stick it beside dragon's head] No. I'm through being told what to do. [Walks away]
    Prince Henry: [Elodie appears at his wedding] Elodie. You must believe me. I haven't slept a moment since-
    Elodie: Since you tried to kill my sister?
    Prince Henry: I had no choice!
    Queen Isabelle: Don't you dare explain yourself to this- this commoner!
    Elodie: [Walking up to Prince Henry's bride] Is she to be the third? Princess number three.
    Prince Henry: She's the last. Then I'll be free to marry whoever...
    Queen Isabelle: That's enough, Henry! * [To Elodie] You know nothing of what we've endured. You know nothing of our story.
    Elodie: [Puts hand on Prince Henry's bride's cheek] Take your family, and run.
    Prince Henry's bride's family members: Come. Let's go. [They run away]
    Elodie: [To Isabelle's family] I will offer you all one last chance to do the same. No?
    Queen Isabelle: You insolent creature. You think we ought to fear you now? Why? Because you somehow managed to escape the dragon?
    Elodie: Its not me you should fear. This is the end of your story. [Dragon shows up and burns them all]

## Cast

* Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie
* Ray Winstone as Lord Bayford
* Angela Bassett as Lady Bayford
* Brooke Carter as Floria
* Nick Robinson as Prince Henry
* Robin Wright as Queen Isabelle
* Milo Twomey as King Roderick
* Nicole Joseph as Princess Victoria
* Patrice Naiambana as Chamberlain
* Ulli Ackermann as Knight
* Mens-Sana Tamakloe as Knight
* Ezra Faroque Khan as Local Guide
* Tasha Lim as Prince Henry's Bride
* Brogan Mcfarlane as Princess (as Brogan McFarlane)
* Sonya Nisa as Princess
* Esther Odumade as Princess
* Margarita Ren as Princess
* Taylor Eloise Shephard Taylor as Princess
* Szofia Sallia as Princess
* Matt Slack as King
* Manon Stieglitz as Red Priestess
* António Craveiro as Bishop (as Antonio Craveiro)
* Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dragon (voice)

## External links

* Damsel quotes at the Internet Movie Database