Désirée Blodgett

**Désirée Blodgett** is a Touched woman whose turn compels others to reveal their secrets in her presence. She and her son Nigel become residents of the St. Romaulda's Orphanage for the Touched once she discovers one of her clients plans to kill her.

## Biography

Désirée is a renowned whore, Diva of Desire. Over the years, she's cultivated an impressive clientele of men of stature, who often divulge their secrets and feelings to her. However, she's discovered that one of her regulars plans to have her killed, as he told her himself during their last exchange.

Désirée arrives at the Orphanage with her son Nigel seeking a place to stay until it's safe. Amalia True asks who sent her. Désirée claims that one of her clients informed her about the Orphanage, but she refuses to give a name. Amalia suspects that Désirée is after something and begins to ramble on about the Beggar King and Maladie, realizing that this is Désirée's turn — forcing people who are worked up to inadvertently reveal what's on their mind.

Amalia takes Désirée to the police station to use her turn against Inspector Frank Mundi, who reveals that he was engaged to Mary Brighton before she left him standing at the altar.

With other residents of the Orphanage, Désirée uses her turn to interrogate the frontwoman of a scheme to collect vulnerable Touched people in an address posing as the Orphanage. She questions the woman on the identity of who she's working for, but she doesn't know much. Désirée asks what do they do to the girls, but the woman goes on to describe the story of how she killed her pregnant daughter for being Touched, which shocks Désirée and all present. When the woman begins ranting and raving about the Touched being abominations, Harriet Kaur uses the electroshock umbrella to knock the woman out and suggests calling the police. Désirée doubts the police would trust the word of the Touched, so Myrtle suggests Mundi.

Mary reveals that she's ready to use her turn and tells Désirée to inform Inspector Mundi that she will be singing in the Candlemas Park. Désirée takes Nigel and accompany others from the Orphanage in the debut of Penance's brightener to amplify Mary's song for the Touched through the city. They witness Mary being shot and Désirée hides behind a tree with Nigel.

Désirée and Nigel attend Mary's funeral. Afterward, when she informs Horatio that he's needed downstairs in the Orphanage, Désirée describes that she's hanging in there and keeping her chin up helps, though it is tiring dealing with the newcomers.

Désirée screens Nimble Jack before allowing him to stay at the Orphanage. Afterward, she joins Penance's crusade to save Maladie from a public execution. Désirée distracts one of the officers while Penance sneaks past. However, their plan goes awry when Maladie executes herself and takes a number of innocent Londoners with her. Désirée and Harriet Kaur flee out the way they came, but Harriet gets trapped inside after Désirée makes it through as the door is too heavy to budge on her own. The running crowd then rush towards the Harriet's newly created glass door, breaking through and trampling over her. Maladie, disguised as Effie Boyle, appears and pulls Harriet to safety, laying her beside Désirée. Later, they return to the Orphanage and find that Amalia's mission was about as unsuccessful as their own.

## Behind the scenes

* She is portrayed by Ella Smith.
* Her official description introduced: "A whore, and an increasingly popular one: her power makes men tell her everything on their minds, and they come away relieved in more than one sense. Unfortunately, what she's heard may get her killed, even though she honestly doesn't listen to most of it. She's devoted to her six year old son, who, bless him, never speaks."
* Désirée represents the Justice in *The Nevers* Tarot, a card associated with honesty, consequences, and life lessons.
* Although she was first announced as "Desirée," the official website for the series has her name accentuated as "Désirée," as in the original French word for "desired."

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 *The Nevers* — "Exposure." HBO, April 18, 2021.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *The Nevers* — "Ignition." HBO, April 25, 2021.
3. ↑ *The Nevers* — "Undertaking." HBO, May 2, 2021.
4. ↑ *The Nevers* — "Hanged." HBO, May 9, 2021.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Denise Petski, "'The Nevers': Joss Whedon's HBO Sci-Fi Drama Series Adds 6 To Cast." *Deadline*, August 15, 2019.
6. ↑ "Justice." *The Tarot Guide*. Retrieved on October 2, 2022.
7. ↑ "Désireé Blodgett played by Ella Smith on The Nevers." *HBO*. Retrieved on April 20, 2021.