Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)

Film and Plot Synopsis

When a peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival. Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors – outsiders, insurgents, peasants, and orphans of war from different worlds who share a common need for redemption and revenge. As the shadow of an entire Realm bears down on the unlikeliest of moons, a battle over the fate of a galaxy is waged, and in the process, a new army of heroes is formed. (Courtesy of Netflix)

‘Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire’ Movie Summary

The film begins with Admiral Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) arriving on the backwater moon of Veldt. The admiral, a sadistic Imperium soldier from the Motherworld, seeks to purchase the village’s surplus grain as he and his men have been tasked with hunting down a band of rebels led by siblings Devra and Darrian Bloodaxe (Cleopatra Coleman and Ray Fisher). The village’s leader, Sindri (Corey Stoll), apologetically rejects Noble’s offer and informs the admiral that the village barely has enough to survive themselves. One of the other farmers, Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), defies Sindri’s prior order to remain silent in front of the Imperium soldiers, and informs Noble that the village might have some surplus. Noble kills Sindri in front of the entire village and then orders Gunnar to prepare grain for all of his troops in ten weeks. The amount Noble orders will leave an inadequate supply for the village.

Noble leaves on his ship but leaves a handful of soldiers and a “Jimmy” robot (voice of Anthony Hopkins) to oversee the harvest by the villagers. Jimmy is harassed by a human Imperium soldier, and as a result, it begins to act independently. One night, one of the villagers, Kora (Sofia Boutella), discovers that the soldiers are holding another young girl from the village hostage and are preparing to rape her. Kora responds by killing the soldiers with the assistance of Jimmy, who has turned against his former masters. Some of the villagers are angry at Kora’s actions, but Kora warns them that Noble will massacre the entire village when he returns unless they mount a defense.

Kora is tasked with finding warriors to help defend the village. She and Gunnar leave for the port town of Providence to find Titus (Djimon Hounsou), a disgraced Imperium general. The duo flies off world to find additional warriors. During the journey, Kora reveals to Gunnar that she once served the Imperium as a solider, having been adopted and renamed Arthelais by Balisarius (Fre Fee), an Imperium commander who had killed Kora’s family and eradicated her entire planet’s population. Once a soldier, Kora became the bodyguard to Motherworld princess Issa (Stella Grace Fitzgerald), who was expected to usher in a new era of peace and put an end to Imperium’s conquests. However, Kora was unable to protect Issa during the young queen’s coronation, when the entire royal family was assassinated. In the aftermath, Balisarius declared himself regent and continued the conquests.

Once on Providence, Kora and Gunnar meet smuggler and mercenary Kai (Charlie Hunnam), who agrees to take them to find Titus. Along the way, Kai takes them to two other warriors – a beast tamer named Tarak (Staz Nair) and a talented swordswoman who is enhanced with cybernetics named Nemesis (Doona Bae). The two warriors decide to join Kora’s quest. Kai takes them all to a gladiator arena on a remote moon where they find Titus in a drunken stupor. Titus initially refuses to join, but reconsiders after Kora suggests that he would have the chance to avenge his fallen soldiers.

Never set foot on the wrong side of history. Kai (Charlie Hunnam)

Afterwards, Gunnar suggests that the group try to recruit the Bloodaxes for their mission. Having had previous dealings with them before, Gunnar directs Kai to the planet Sharaan. Darrian agrees to defend the village and brings several men with him, including Millius (E. Duffy), a non-binary rebel fighter. Devra chooses not to join the mission and leaves Sharaan with her forces. Not long after, Noble arrives on the planet and learns that the inhabitants gave shelter to the Bloodaxes. As a consequence, Noble eradicates the entire population of the planet.

On the return journey, Kai informs Kora that he has been moved by her quest, which has inspired him to give up his life as a smuggler. Kai informs her that he has one last shipment to deliver before he leaves the life behind. Kai takes the entire group to a trading post where Noble and his men lie in wait. All of the village’s warriors are restrained, except for Kai, who is revealed to have betrayed them all for the bounties on their respective heads. Noble identifies Kora and Titus as deserters from the Imperium, Tarak as a criminal and former prince, and Nemesis as the killer of several Imperium officers in revenge for her murdered children. Kai demands that Gunnar paralyze Kora; but the villager frees Kora instead and then kills Kai. Kora unshackles the rest of the other warriors before engaging in a battle with Noble. Darrian is killed during the battle by Imperium forces, but Kora manages to kill Noble. Afterwards, the surviving warriors return to Veldt together. Alone, Jimmy watches the warriors from a distance, his true loyalties as yet to be determined.

Not long after, Noble’s dead body is recovered by Motherworld forces. Balisarius speaks to the dead admiral on an astral plane. The ruthless regent demands that Noble end the insurgency against him and orders the admiral to bring Kora to him alive so that he can execute her himself. As a result of the conversation, Noble is resurrected.