Annie Carbey

**Annie "Bonfire" Carbey** is a Touched woman whose turn allows her to create and manipulate fire.

## Biography

During her childhood she had three younger sisters, she describes them to be annoying, and stubborn. One night in a blizzard Bonfire tried everything in her power to protect her sisters from the cold but failed to do so.

As a child, Annie was known to follow her father around while he collected payments for the Top Hat Lads gang. At least one person who knew her at the time was Declan Orrun.

In 1896, Bonfire, Maladie, and Winemar Kroos attack the opera house and abduct Mary Brighton, who revealed her turn singing a hopeful song that connects with other Touched in the theater. Amalia True follows them and attempts to rescue Mary, though Maladie subdues her and Bonfire sends her running for cover as a fireball comes hurtling in her direction, allowing for them to escape.

Bonfire Annie returns to the hideout and reports to Maladie with Amalia's name and address. However, Maladie needs more, something she can shake at Amalia, such as a "pretty dolly," but it's an impossible task with all of London searching for them, and Annie refuses to risk being apprehended.

Amalia eventually tracks them down and Bonfire leads her towards Maladie, who has arranged for Amalia to chose between saving Mary and Penance Adair. Instead, Amalia shoots herself and then Maladie. When Maladie attempts to kill Amalia, Bonfire Annie sends a fireball her way, causing Maladie to flee.

Bonfire Annie intercepts the Beggar King's shipment. She sets a cart filled with opium on fire and warns that Limehouse now belongs to her. Amalia and Penance intervene. Using her latest invention, Penance manages to temporarily diminish her turn. Unable to defend herself, Annie agrees to a parlay. Amalia seeks to recruit Bonfire, possibly have her join them at the Orphanage. Amalia recalls that Annie saved her back at the warehouse when Maladie attempted to take her life. Bonfire acted purely off instinct. The Touched are dying and they need as much help as they can get. But Bonfire declines Amalia's offer despite admitting that she can still feel Mary's song and knows what a better world can bring.

After hearing Mary's song amplified throughout London, Bonfire Annie turns up outside the Orphanage with dozens of other Touched.

Following Mary's funeral, Annie reports to Horatio that she didn't see Maladie or anyone from the old gang, but a couple of Purists wearing pink rags created a momentary disturbance. Amalia finally arrives and reveals that the man who tried to drown her is named Nicolas Perbal, better known as Odium. She has a possible address for him, which Annie volunteers to investigate.

Bonfire Annie tracks down the Odium's hideout, where she torches a couple of men before crossing paths with a man named Nimble Jack. She attempts to torch him as well, but he deflects the flames with some type of shield, revealing that he is also Touched and that he works with the Beggar King. Nimble knows why she's looking for Odium and assures Annie that the Beggar King didn't order Mary's hit. Jack makes Annie a deal: should she leave then, all will be forgiven regarding the opium she torched.

That evening, Bonfire Annie, Amalia, and Lucy break into Massen's warehouse to burn down his munitions facility, but Amalia discovers that Lucy has been working for Massen and a fight ensues, in which Amalia gains the upper hand. With Lucy's intel and the real location of the munitions, Bonfire Annie blows up the factory.

Bonfire Annie and Nimble Jack train together in the courtyard, with Nimble using his shields to deflect Annie's attacks. Later, when it comes to joining Amalia on her hunt for Galanthi or joining Penance's rescue mission of Maladie, Bonfire joins Amalia.

While drilling for the Galanthi, they are met with resistance, forcing Annie and Amalia to fight off the attacking soldiers while Horatio continues to drill. After Amalia falls into a sinkhole, the others return to the surface, where they reconvene with Amalia shortly after.

## Powers and abilities

**Pyrokinesis:** Annie's turn gives her the power to create and manipulate fire. She can create balls of intense heat which she can hurl and direct in a manner of offensive ways.

## Behind the scenes

* She is portrayed by Rochelle Neil.
* Her official description introduced: "A career criminal who landed the ability to control fire and is happy to hire it out. Came up rough, stayed that way, but she's neither impulsive nor cruel — just looking out for herself. No matter who she works with or for, Annie trusts only Annie, and the fire."
* Bonfire represents the Judgement in *The Nevers* Tarot, a card associated with awakening, decisiveness, and forgiveness.
* Rochelle Neil worked with costume designer Michele Clapton on Bonfire's non-gendered look: "In episode 1, I had my hair out, and when we came back [for episode 2] I said, 'I love the idea of her being a bit more androgynous, and a little bit less gender conforming.' I'm the only female in trousers. So I was like, 'Let's get rid of the hair. Let's put on like a hat or something?' And it just sort of happened organically. Michele picked up a hat that she had, and we put it on and we were like, 'OK, well, we're wearing the hat now.'" Additionally, the bowler hat is tipped to one side because Neil can only cock her left eyebrow.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *The Nevers* — "Touched." HBO, April 11, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 *The Nevers* — "Ignition." HBO, April 25, 2021.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 *The Nevers* — "Exposure." HBO, April 18, 2021.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 *The Nevers* — "Undertaking." HBO, May 2, 2021.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 *The Nevers* — "Hanged." HBO, May 9, 2021.
6. ↑ *The Nevers* — "True." HBO, May 16, 2021.
7. ↑ James Hibberd, "Joss Whedon's HBO sci-fi drama The Nevers casts 12 actors." *EW.com*, July 30, 2019.
8. ↑ "Judgement." *The Tarot Guide*. Retrieved on October 2, 2022.
9. ↑ Ann Donahue, "'The Nevers': Fire Eating, Androgyny, and Jack the Ripper — Just Normal Prep for an HBO Role." *IndieWire*, April 11, 2021.