The following contains spoilers for The Woman King, now playing in theaters.
One of the most interesting aspects of The Woman King is how it bent the history of the Dahomey kingdom in West Africa. In the 1800s, the king, Ghezo, was a proponent of the slave trade, which meant the film did somewhat sanitize the empire for which Nanisca (Viola Davis) fought. In short, history shows they were actually bloodier and meaner, pillaging and enslaving other innocent villages.
That being said, the film and its creative team haven't hidden behind the fact that they took a lot of creative liberties with a slew of new characters to craft a more heroic story of Nanisca's all-female tribe of warriors, the Agojie -- one of the brighter parts of Dahomey's past. While the end of The Woman King does stick a bit to history and the abolishment of slavery under Ghezo, the fluid nature of the movie allows for a potential sequel.
The Woman King 2 Can Focus on an Evil Ghezo
Actor John Boyega portrayed Ghezo, and as cast-mate Thuso Mbedu told Variety, he had a clever idea for a sequel. Boyega wanted to explore Ghezo's sinister side, as he did reinstate slavery, knowing he made tons of money off it. Thus, a sequel can focus on him betraying the Agojie, opting for human trading rather than the palm oil project Nanisca envisioned.
The seeds of turmoil were already planted when Nanisca betrayed his orders and went to rescue Mbedu's Nawi, as well as the altruistic Izogie. But while they patched things up and Nanisca was named Woman King, this could create a civil war. Nanisca is fictional as well, so the path is there for Ghezo to betray her to ensure business turns a profit. It'd be the ultimate test for the Agojie too, as they never predicted their king would be as greedy as the folks they fought in the past.
The Woman King Sequel Can Have Nawi Succeed Nanisca
Nawi was the film's heart and soul, with the bombshell eventually being dropped that the new trainee was Nanisca's long-lost daughter. According to Mbedu's Variety interview, Davis herself said she'd like Nanisca to die in the opening of the sequel. Thus, the mantle can be passed to Nawi. She'd be a perfect foil if Ghezo got out of line, as she hates slave trading, misogyny and oppressing others.
As she wasn't born in the kingdom, it'd create political conflict with Ghezo's other wives, who hate her as an outsider. They already despise Nanisca, so if that secret came out that Nanisca didn't remain a virgin, it would destroy the Agojie as chastity was a purity pledge they operated on. That said, if Nawi and Ghezo do get along, it'd be intriguing to see her save other villages, honoring Izogie by killing more slavers and battling the French.
Should the Portuguese return as well, it'd allow Nawi to reconnect with Malik and explore if she wants to pursue a romance. It would be tough, however, as the Oyo Empire would want revenge for their loss in the first movie. It's easy to see them partnering with other European slavers to get Dahomey men and women as prizes. Ultimately, Nawi, with all this responsibility, would once more have to choose between love and duty, with the possibility that Ghezo himself may court her, as he did hint she could be his queen someday.
See how a sequel has been set up in The Woman King, now in theaters.