Mary Brighton

**Mary Brighton** was an actress and a Touched woman whose turn allowed her singing voice to unite those who are Touched.

## Biography

### Before

On the Monday of August 3, 1896, Frank Mundi escorted Mary to the line of a theater audition. She saw as the Galanthi flew over London and emitted a bright-colored exhaust, touching many people, including Mary.

Mary became engaged with Mundi for more than a year. Their wedding day was in the summer, when she left him at the altar.

### 1899

Six months later, in 1899, Mary is one of the performers of Don Florio's Opera Company production of *Faust*. During Maladie's attack at the opera, Mary reveals her power with a hopeful singing that connects with other Touched in the theater. This includes Maladie herself, Bonfire Annie, Winemar Kroos, Amalia True, Penance Adair, and Augustus Bidlow. Maladie then captures her, despite Amalia's attempt to rescue Mary.

Two days later, Maladie holds Mary captive in the Southwark & Vauxhall Water Works, the current hideout of her gang. Maladie asks Mary why did she sing at the opera house, who tells her she knew that Maladie would hear it and hoped it would be a reassurance that she needn't act only from pain. Maladie tells her that she thought God chose her because her agony made her special, but Mary is pleasant and He gifted her with abilities as well. Mary tries to convince her into orchestrating a ransom, so Maladie punches her. Maladie then rambles on about God wanting them to hurt, which Mary disagrees with.

When Amalia arrives to rescue her, Mary is forced to stand on the edge of a platform with a noose around her neck. Maladie tells Amalia to choose between saving Mary or Penance. Instead, Amalia shoots herself and then Maladie. Mundi arrives with the police and rescues them. Mary seeks refuge at St. Romaulda's Orphanage, planning to stay until Maladie is captured. There, Frank asks if the reason she left him waiting at the altar was due to her being Touched, but Mary neglects to answer.

At the Orphanage, Mary plays the piano whilst the other residents sing along. Meanwhile, Penance is in the process of constructing a device that will amplify Mary's voice across the city, reaching more Touched than the first time she sang. She plans on naming it the brightener, in reference to Mary's surname.

Mary reports to Amalia that she's struggling to get her song back. She accuses Amalia of keeping secrets and reveals that she's skeptical of the Orphanage; no one seems to know exactly what its purpose is. Mary admits that maybe the reason she is struggling to sing is that she isn't so sure the Orphanage is the best place for the Touched.

Mary calls Frank over and asks if Maladie has been captured, but he denies it. Mary admits that the Orphanage is strange and that being there has made it difficult for her to find her voice. Frank offers to find her a place, even a room in his home. He tells her that he would never try anything, which she knows to be true, both as a gentleman and due to his secret. Mary grabs Frank's hand and tells him that she will never hate him, especially not in the manner in which he hates himself. He then asks a favor of her: the next time she sings, he'd like to be there, even though only the Touched can hear it.

Mary witnesses Désirée Blodgett using her turn of confession inducement to question the frontwoman of a scheme that has been capturing vulnerable Touched people. The woman describes how she killed her pregnant daughter for being Touched, then refers to the Touched as abominations. Mary restrains Lucy Best when she charges towards the woman. Afterward, Mary reveals that she's ready, and she tells Désirée to inform Inspector Mundi she will be singing in the park.

Many residents of the Orphanage gather in Candlemas Park. Mary sings her song, which is amplified by Penance's device. It catches the attention of Touched present and through the city, making some of them cry and others smile. Suddenly, Winemar Kroos shots Mary several times. Mundi goes after the man and shoots him back, killing him. Amalia rushes over to Mary and holds her dead body. Later, Bonfire Annie leads a crowd of Touched to the Orphanage, made up of people who witnessed Mary's last performance.

After Mary's funeral, Amalia, Penance, and Annie investigate some of the suspects for ordering her murder. Myrtle Haplisch, whose turn allows her to understand any language, identified a message in her last song, which is translate to Amalia: "Amalia, my lonely soldier. I didn't leave you. I went inside the city. I was damaged... incomplete. I had to heal. Soon we will all be ready. But it's dark. There's a darkness. Find me. Let them help, those who will, but come below and find me. Come before the dark, and we can save..." Harriet Kaur realizes those weren't Mary's words, rather someone who talked through her. Amalia then recognizes that this was a message from the Galanthi.

## Behind the scenes

* She is portrayed by Eleanor Tomlinson.
* Her official description introduced: "Gentle but surprisingly resilient, Mary pursued her dream of singing on stage. A disappointing career and a broken engagement, however, haven't diminished her spirit. She's going to be great, and she's going to be very surprised how."
* Mary represents The Star in *The Nevers* Tarot, a card associated with hope, inspiration, and contentment.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 *The Nevers* — "Touched." HBO, April 11, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *The Nevers* — "Exposure." HBO, April 18, 2021.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 *The Nevers* — "Ignition." HBO, April 25, 2021.
4. ↑ *The Nevers* — "Undertaking." HBO, May 2, 2021.
5. ↑ *The Nevers* — "True." HBO, May 16, 2021.
6. ↑ James Hibberd, "Joss Whedon's HBO sci-fi drama The Nevers casts 12 actors." *EW.com*, July 30, 2019.
7. ↑ "The Star." *The Tarot Guide*. Retrieved on October 2, 2022.