Heather Nill

Heather Nill is the main character in Amazon Prime’s original series ***Panic***.

Heather is a talented writer, but she knows that in real life, you can’t imagine yourself to a happy ending. A self-proclaimed pragmatist, she intends to go through her accounting certification, in the hopes of building a stable life as soon as possible.

## Physical Appearance

Heather has dirty blonde wavy hair and blue eyes. She has a relatively thin figure. She often mixes up her hairstyles, sometimes leaving her hair down, putting it in a bun, a ponytail, or even having having it half up and half down.

## Throughout Panic

Heather had no interest in playing the annual summer game panic, and even told Natalie she should not participate either. However, after coming home and finding out her mother, Sherri, stole all of Heather's college money (summing over $5,000), Heather decided to meet her friends at the first challenge and entered as the final participant. She was contestant #23 and jumps from the Devil's Drop, which gave her an extra 50 points and immunity on one round of her choice during the game. This immunity is granted after Heather missed an event because she had to go see if her younger sister, Lily, was alright after Sherri's boyfriend, Bo, yelled at Lily for throwing away his cigarettes. Heather misses her individual event after this incident because Lily went missing during a sleepover and Heather set out to find her.

### Education

At the start of the show, we see Heather and her class graduating from Samuel Maverick High School in Carp, Texas. From Heather's resume, it stated that Heather was Vice President of the debate club during her junior year of high school. She was also a member of the school's journalism workshop.

Heather initially wanted to attend Longhorn State to get her associates degree in accounting. However, with the lack of money and needing to take care of her sister Lily, Heather withdrew her admission to Longhorn State.

### Work Experience

From Heather's resume, we learned that Heather worked at St. Mary's Community Soup Kitchen.

In the first episode of the series, Heather was working at Mainstreet Wireless where she sold phones to customers, but was fired.

After talking to a local shop owner to see if they were hiring, Heather spots Anne McCarthy needing help to put her groceries in her car. Anne's dog escapes from the car and Anne points out that her dog is usually unfriendly with strangers and is surprised Heather was able to be near him with no trouble. Anne offers Heather a job working on her farm.

## Relationships

### Lily Nill

*Main article: Heather and Lily*
Heather has a very strong relationship with her younger sister Lily. Lily is her number one priority and she always puts her first. She supports Lily's Heather plans on applying for guardianship as soon as she turn 18, and Lily often confides in her about anything that troubles her, whether it be about camp, other kids making fun of them, or their mother. After their mother's boyfriend yelled at Lily for throwing away her cigarettes, Heather took Lily and ran away from home, eventually seeking refuge at the Home Away Inn. Heather later tells Lily of Anne's offer to live with them, and she promises they will go visit before making the decision. Heather also had to save Lily when she was tricked by Sherrif Cortez into going into the tiger cage which Anne specifically told Heather must be kept locked at all times. When Heather finds out it was the sheriff that put her sister's life in danger, she sets out to compete in joust using Ray's car, determined to end Panic once and for all.

### Ray Hall

*Main article: Heather and Ray*
Heather has known Ray since they were kids, but had very few interactions before the start of Panic. Heather has had a disdain for Ray seemingly since he spread a rumor that she was pregnant after throwing up on an eight grade class trip. Ray really started to notice Heather after she made the jump off of Pilot's Point, and seems intrigued by her. He helps her in the Walk the Plank challenge, and offered to help her on Spurlock's farm but she declined harshly. He confronted her at the Player's Ball, while also flirting with her, and she once again tried to dodge him. He ended up finding her sitting alone on Dodge's car in the parking lot. They opened up to each other about their fears which led to them kissing. It was interrupted by a sound of something falling. They soon separate and didn't see each other until the day of the next challenge, where Heather accompanied him and his friends on a boat ride, they talked about their parents, and later hooked up. However, while at the Graybill house they miscommunication and seem to go their separate ways. A fire began to rage at the house and unbeknownst to Heather, Ray went back in to try and save her. They didn't talk to each other much after that until Heather went to his house to ask him if he told the judges about their fling. Ray later accuses her of rigging the game after she gets back in, and she accuses him of helping her Luke with gambling on players. Heather realizes later that it was Cortez that Ray's brother was working for, and visits him in the hospital to tell him. Ray promises her that he won't compete due to it being too risky, though Heather ends up taking his truck and going head to head with Cortez. She ended up winning Panic, and Natalie showed her Ray's video at the train bridge, where he confessed his genuine feelings for her. She invites him to meet her at the clearing, where she admits to watching the video, and they kiss, starting a relationship.

### Natalie Williams

*Main article: Heather and Natalie*
Heather and Natalie have been best friends since the first grade. Their friendship seemed to remain strong all throughout school. When Ray spread a rumor that Heather was pregnant after throwing up on a school field trip, she spread a rumor about him having chlamydia in retaliation. She, along with Bishop, applaud loudly when she gets called on stage to accept her diploma. At the senior graduate party, they are seen with Bishop, and Natalie burns her diploma, claiming she doesn't need it when she goes to California to purse her dream of acting. She then invites Heather and Bishop to dance with her. They are later seen walking around turn, talking about Panic. Natalie insists that she's going to win. Heather says she will not come to kick-off of the game, which upsets Natalie. Later on in the night, Natalie sees Heather does in fact show up, and gets angry realizing that Heather is going to play Panic. Heather, not able to explain in detail why she decided to play, their relationship becomes strained. It is not until Bishop stages an intervention do they reconcile and decide to team up to insure at least one of them makes it to the finals and wins.

### Sherri Nill

Heather has a very strained relationship with her mother. Although she loves her mother, they often butt heads due to her impulsive and reckless decision making, alcohol and drug use, as well as her choice of men. Sherri steals money Heather was saving up for a college program in the pilot, which causes a rift, and gives Heather the motivation to play *Panic*. Later on, Sherri does end up paying her back and apologizing, but in episode 6 when she catches her getting high with her boyfriend Bo, who yelled at Lily causing her to flee and call Heather for help, she decides enough is enough and runs away from home with Lily. Sherri tracks them down days later at Anne's house, with Heather confessing that she doesn't think Sherri is a bad person, just not very good at being a mom. Sherri is clearly hurt by this, but seems to understand where Heather is coming from.

### Bishop Moore

*Main article: Heather and Bishop*
Heather and Bishop have been friends since childhood, and presumable began developing feelings for each other during the last years oh high school. However, both seem to be too scared to admit it to one another. He is seen shortly after graduation moving a strand of hair out of Heather's face and calling her ''beautiful", to which Heather blushes at. Later at the graduate party, they are seen sitting together with Natalie, discussing what they will and won't miss about high school. Soon after, they dance, sharing a moment, but it gets cuts short when Ray and his friends start setting off fireworks. Later, Bishop sees Heather participating in Panic, and seems worried about her. He even voices her concerns about it the next day, though it sounds as though he doesn't believe Heather can win, which she takes offense to. He does try and support her during Panic, cheering her on during Walk the Plank, and also in regular life, like helping her drop Lily off at camp.

### Anne McCarthy

Heather met Anne by chance, helping Anne catch her runaway dog while she was out looking for a summer job. Anne was so grateful that she offered Heather a job t her farm, saying it wasn't much but she did pay cash. Heather quickly accepted and thanked her. She got started and quickly bonded with Anne, enjoying seeing someone live a life in financial stability.

### Diggins

It is hinted at that Heather and Diggins have a causal friendship, given how he let Heather and her sister crash at his parent's motel essentially for free after they run away from home. He genuinely seemed remorseful when he was forced to show Natalie's confession to her, saying it's a part of the game.

### Dodge Mason

Heather and Dodge become friends by association with Nat. More than once they are seen hanging out together, despite Heather not knowing that Natalie had made separate pacts with her and Dodge. They barely interact until Heather finds out he trains horses for Anne, and she lets it slip that he used to be a bull-riding champion.

## Notes and Trivia

* Heather Nill's narration in season one is one way the show demonstrates her talent as an aspiring writer.
* Her reasons to play Panic in the show differ from the novel. In the book, she does it to prove to her ex that she isn't boring, whereas in the show, it is a last resort to get money for a college program after her mother uses it for her vehicle.

## Gallery

* Promotional
* Season 1 Screencaps