The Amazon Prime supernatural horror Romancero, is primarily centered around two youngsters who escape from their horrific realities on a hellish night. Often transcending reality, the series delves into social issues through supernatural elements. Unfolding in Andalusia, Romancero largely concentrates on marginalized communities and their sufferings. We are introduced to a young boy named Jordan hiding away from a raging crowd with a girl named Cornelia. It is evident that they barely know each other, and circumstances brought them together. They could not return home and could only trust each other. Who were they running from? Why was Jordan hurt? And why did Cornelia have blood dripping down her face? The first few minutes of Romancero left us with several questions.
Spoiler Alert
What were Jordan and Cornelia running from?
Jordan’s father was an abusive man, and he used to torture his son on a daily basis. Jordan was unlike the other kids in the neighborhood. With no scope for growth, the youths chose crime and drugs over education. Jordan’s friends were petty criminals and addicts. He wanted to fit in, but he was too good-natured to give in to all that his friends indulged in. That morning, he went to the shopping mall with his friends, and they instructed him to steal mobile phones. While his friends kept the salesman busy, Jordan swiftly filled his pockets with the phones. The salesman soon realized what had gone down and instructed the mall security to grab hold of the kids. Jordan ultimately got caught, but the security man at the mall was kind enough to let him go without involving his parents. He warned Jordan to stay away from the bad influence of his friends.
Jordan ran for his life and returned home to help his mother. His father, Josue, was a local thug with a terrible reputation and mostly returned home drunk. As the eldest son, Jordan tried his best to be there for his young siblings and his mother. Assumably, Josue found out about the mess Jordan got into at the mall, and he punished his son for trying to be the man of the house. Jordan’s mother, Carmen, did her best to stop her husband, but he was beyond control. He pulled Jordan out of the house and was about to hit him when suddenly, a monstrous-looking girl appeared. With her fast movement, she attacked Josue and left him to die. By the time Carmen stepped out of the house, her husband was taking his last breath. She saw the little girl run away, and she could not comprehend what had transpired. Carmen watched her son follow the strange girl. Josue’s gang members hunted for Jordan and Cornelia.
What was Cornelia’s past?
From the very beginning of Romancero, it is evident that Cornelia is no ordinary girl. She was a blood-drinking creature (almost like a vampire), and hunger turned her into a monstrous being. But Cornelia was not born a blood-sucking monster; she was just another little girl who had an interest in English literature, and her face was mostly buried in one book or another. We can assume Cornelia was an orphan or was born to parents who could not afford to pay her expenses. The stranger who had brought her to the homeless camp appeared to be a nice man at first, but Cornelia decided not to talk to him. But gradually, his intentions became clear to Cornelia. In exchange for the shelter and the food, Cornelia was expected to sexually satisfy the workers at the mine. She was in immense pain the first night, and it kept getting worse with time. It was at the camp that Cornelia met Tabata and remembered her as the woman who always fed the stray dogs. Tabata figured out what Cornelia was going through, and she taught her how important it was to protect herself, especially from selfish men.
One morning, when Cornelia woke up, she found herself in Tabata’s room. Cornelia was in pain, and Tabata took care of her like her mother. Tabata knew that men would make it impossible for Cornelia to survive, and so she offered her own blood for Cornelia to consume. Cornelia did not know what was going on, but she trusted Tabata. After consuming Tabata’s blood, Cornelia felt deeply connected to her, and in a strange way, their souls united. The monster within Cornelia was created to protect herself, and maybe the same happened with Tabata in the past. It acted as a shield from men who were worse than the monsters they became. Cornelia was still recovering from the process of conversion when Tabata asked her to leave. There were people searching for her, and if they found Cornelia with her, they would kill her as well. Cornelia has been on her own since that morning. She attacked men and animals to cater to her hunger, and Jordan’s father was one of her many victims. Even though Cornelia was far away when Tabata was killed by the serpent-worshiping enlightened woman Caterina Izara, she could visualize what Tabata went through as a result of their connection.
Did Jordan die?
Jordan and Cornelia were chased by policemen Teodoro and Sorroche. Cornelia tried her best to divert the attention of the policemen and the security staff, but Jordan decided to prioritize the safety of Cornelia over himself. Even though they had known each other only for a few hours, Cornelia showed more compassion than anyone in Jordan’s life. By killing his father, she helped him escape from his cruel reality. In a way, Jordan perhaps felt he owed his life to Cornelia, and he wanted to make sure that she survived. Sorroche’s plan was to arrest Jordan, but Teodoro seemed to be out on vengeance. Even though he was aware that their suspects were children, he did not think twice before shooting at them.
After being shot, Jordan showed Cornelia the secret exit passage, and as she escaped, he kept the police distracted. The pain from the bullet wound became impossible to endure, and Jordan collapsed on the floor. By the time Sorroche walked up to him, he had already passed away. Sorroche blamed Teo for shooting at him, but he repeatedly stated that he was not thinking straight, and he pulled the trigger out of reflex. Teo tried to convince Sorroche that it was an accident, but the ill-tempered cop did not buy into the story. That night, Carmen lost both her son and her husband. She requested to see their bodies, but she was denied access. It was while conversing with Carmen that Sorroche found out that Jordan was Teo’s son. Carmen and Teo used to be together, but according to Carmen, he was never right in his head. Teo despised Jordan, perhaps because he always reminded him of his past mistakes.
What happened to Sorroche, Jordan, Cornelia, and Teo?
Diego Sorroche was a racist cop, and the minority community living on the outskirts of the town had enough of him. That morning, Sorroche arrested a Black man for no reason and assaulted him in a deserted area. People from the community gathered outside the station to protest against police brutality, and Diego struggled to keep his sanity. He had been hallucinating and suffering with his mental health for quite some time. Maybe he struggled to deal with his conscience, and deep within, he knew that he was not better than the criminals he punished. Diego’s life could have been different had he been a better person. He perhaps could have been there to watch his son grow, but instead, he was now the victim of a raging crowd. Diego picked up his weapon to stop the furious mob, but this time, he was outnumbered. He tried to escape from the monster in his head, but at the end of the series, he was forced to confront it. Two kids who were part of the angry mob shot Diego in the head. Diego died at the hands of immigrant children, which goes on to show how the impressionable minds of children function in a violent environment.
As the clash between the police and the mob escalated, Teo helped Carmen escape from the police station. He begged Carmen to believe that Jordan’s death was an accident. He also apologized for ruining her life for the mistakes he made years ago. Teo assumed that Carmen had forgiven him and proceeded to kiss her, only to realize that she had been waiting to seek her revenge. Carmen had a piece of glass in her hands, and she stabbed Teo with it. At the end of Romancero, Teo dies at the hands of his ex-lover. Carmen could never forgive him, especially after he shot Jordan.
Jordan’s body was kept at the station, and Cornelia walked up to it. She fed her blood to the corpse, but she was interrupted by Caterina. Caterina was also a supernatural being (maybe a witch), but her kind was not fond of the blood-sucking creatures. She was creating her own army by influencing ordinary people, and she wanted to do away with creatures capable of fighting her. Caterina was on the verge of ripping out Cornelia’s heart when suddenly, someone slashed her throat with the dagger she carried.
Romancero‘s ending revealed that Cornelia had successfully revived Jordan, and it was he who helped Cornelia defeat Caterina. Blood oozed out of Caterina’s throat as her body collapsed to the ground. Finally, Jordan and Cornelia successfully escaped from the town by dawn. Romancero ends with the end of the treacherous night. As a mother, Carmen figured out that her son was alive and well, and she breathed an air of relief. Jordan and Cornelia embarked on a new journey. They had both become blood-drinking creatures now, and they were completely new to the experience. But at least they had each other to learn from, and it is evident that no matter what, they will always try to protect one another. While the threat of Caterina is over, are there other monstrous beings who might be after the pair? Well, for now, life finally seems to be free and promising for Jordan and Cornelia.
