WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for A Boy Called Christmas, now streaming on Netflix.
In Netflix's A Boy Called Christmas, young Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) embarks upon a magical journey in the Finnish forest to find Elfhelm and save his dad, Joel (Michiel Huisman). However, after tragedy takes his father away, Nikolas realizes he's got a bigger quest to tend to: saving the Elven village in what turns out to be the origin story as he becomes Santa Claus. However, while the finale pushes him into this role by giving him a partner, it's the absolutely wrong person that acts as the catalyst.
Who Helps Nikolas Save Christmas?
Nikolas is given the nickname "Father Christmas" as he leaves Elfhelm to deliver gifts to kids back in his village, looking to inspire hope. With his magical sleigh, though, his first stop is at the King's (Jim Broadbent) castle where he asks the man to partner with him.
The king agrees, becoming more loving towards his loyal subjects as he was a douche prior to this who didn't take care of his people. As Nikolas departs, the King then states this needs to be a yearly thing, convincing Nikolas that he'll decree this day as Christmas so they can keep wowing kids the morning of with toys and such.
Who Should Have Been Nikolas' Partner?
The partner, though, should have been his aunt Carlotta, who he and the King ended up visiting. They dropped chocolates off to her, and as the wicked woman sees them flying off, Nikolas makes it clear magic does exist and she should believe in it after finally seeing it after all these years.
Carlotta bites in and somehow becomes caring too, moving away from the sinister caretaker that neglected him, and cooked the turnip doll his dead mom, Lumi, left for the poor kid. However, there's a big reason why she'd have been a better partner than the king and it has to do with their family dynamic.
What Makes Carlotta A Better Partner?
Carlotta promised her brother, Joel, she'd take care of Nikolas but she was totally cruel, bullying him and such. Given how much she hated Lumi as well, there was clearly jealousy, so had Nikolas healed her by visiting her first and showing her how the power of family can help the world, this would have provided her redemption in an organic way.
She'd have seen how forgiving and compassionate her nephew was, remembering the empathy that Lumi had in her, and also gotten a chance to mourn the loss of Joel. Oddly, Nikolas doesn't even tell her about this so all this hurt could have helped her want to be someone better. This face turn would have proven to Nikolas that he held the power to change lives, moving on to the kids and lastly, the King.
As it stands, the King doesn't really have reason to become a good guy as he's barely in the story, mistreating everyone in the beginning in cliched fashion. But Carlotta's a focal point to repair the family rift and as an assistant, it'd have been a unique spin on the Mrs. Claus angle, giving Nikolas the last of his kin to carry out this powerful mission. It would have also fit how Mother Vodol gained redemption to help Nikolas in Elfhelm, with Carlotta finding that same humanity and being impressed how Nikolas wants to change the world despite all the loss in his life.
See how Aunt Carlotta should have been Nikolas' partner in A Boy Called Christmas, now streaming on Netflix.