Penance Adair/Amalia True
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Penance Adair/Amalia True |
| Alternative name(s): | Truedair, Trudair, Truepenance |
| Gender category: | F/F, femslash |
| Fandom: | The Nevers |
| Canonical?: | Non-canon |
| Prevalence: | Popular (within the small fandom) |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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Penance Adair/Amalia True (also referred to by the portmanteau Truedair) is a non-canon femslash pairing in The Nevers fandom.
Canon
In the canon of The Nevers, Penance Adair and Amalia True are partners in running St Romaulda's Orphanage; they seek out, protect, and at times rescue other people with turns and offer them safe haven at the orphanage. They have a close relationship, with flashbacks revealing that Penance was one of the first people to join Amalia at St Romaulda's.
Ann Skelly: I love Penance and Amalia’s relationship, I love exploring all the potentials and the fact that the friendship can just go deeper and deeper and deeper and expand further off that.[1]
There are some aspects of canon which fans suggest indicate a more intimate relationship, often forming the basis for fanworks. The two most pertinent of these are:
- After Penance and Amalia split up to carry out their respective missions in Episodes 5 and 6, when Amalia is venting her anger at the Galanthi for not reacting to her, she says, "I left my heart to come talk to you." This is in reference to Penance.
- In Amalia's original timeline (as Zephyr), telling someone your name is considered a deeply intimate and personal thing, so much so that Amalia was married to two people and did not tell either of them her name. In Episode 6, she tells Penance her name, and this is called back to as an act of great significance in Episode 11.
There is no confirmation that these indicate a romantic or queerplatonic relationship between Amalia and Penance in canon, but they are important aspects of Amalia's relationship, however people choose to interpret it, with Penance.
Fandom
From the very first episode, fans were drawn to the chemistry between Amalia and Penance:
alright so i started the nevers and amalia and penance are definitely a couple[2]
Amalia even refers to Penance as her “Heart” when talking to the Gahlanthi. She never refers to anyone else that way. TruDair is true love! ❤️❤️ and I REALLY hope the show takes it that way!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️[3]
The show also gave fans plenty to work with, opening with what would become a much referenced back-and-forth between the two characters both in canon and in fanworks:
Penance: (greeting) Mrs True.
Amalia: Miss Adair.
Penance: You look very fine today.
Amalia: I think so, too.
Within the first few episodes, Penance's life had already been in danger because their enemy knew she was Amalia's weak spot, and Amalia had been seriously injured saving her life. This culminated in an emotional reunion with a side of cuddling and on the bed after Amalia's injuries had been treated. Other, familiar tropes would also arise, like the playful bickering and banter between the characters; a scene where, under the influence of a burning opium cart, Penance lovingly caresses Amalia's face as she talks nonsensical sentences; Amalia's protectiveness which would see her sending someone she trusted to protect Penance even when their missions put them at odds; and Penance soothing Amalia's anxiety and being acutely aware of the growing indications of Amalia's trauma worsening.
would pay actual real human dollars for a fanfic that is just the continuation we deserve of Penance being high and adorable and fully unable to stop herself from being way too gay at Amalia who is fond ugh can you tell this is my favorite trope????[4]
All of these canonical elements would feature in various fanworks: fiction, vids, and GIF sets. Many fanworks focused on the canon of the show, either in canon divergence or with scenes that could slot in between or expand on canonical events, particularly the aftermath of some of the events described above or more tragic events during the show.
Common Tropes in Fanworks
- Injuries or being in danger as hurt/comfort - Canonically, this happens multiple times, so it is no surprise it translates to fanworks. Amalia getting injured or Penance being at risk of being harmed both crop up, and GIF works and fan vids often include the scenes from canon where Amalia is injured and Penance is in danger.
- The Grumpy One and the Sunshine One - This one is fairly canonical as well, with Amalia True's gruff and trouble soldier playing the foil to Penance Adair's optimistic and sunny outlook; these characterisations features heavily in fanworks.
- Queerplatonic - Given the way the relationship is portrayed in canon, this crosses over into fanworks, with a number of works focusing on a relationship that is not easily defined as romantic or platonic and is left to the reader's interpretation.
Example Fanworks
Fanfic
- The Last Wall of a Lonely Soldier by DawnTreader2016. An exploration of Amalia's feelings for Penance.
- Opium Cloud by emery3022. A scene continuation fic, following the canonical events where Penance and Amalia inhale opium from a cart set alright.
- Two Victorian Wives by jove17. After Mary Brighton's death and Amalia drowns her sorrows, Penance takes care of her.
- there's no need for argument (there's no argument at all) by fireandfolds. Domestic fluff, bickering, and Penance and Amalia's queerplatonic relationship.
Fan Art
- penance and amalia by emaginenations
Fanvids
- Dynasty by wanderlust. Musical fan vid of Penance and Amalia throughout Season 1 and the melancholy tone the relationship was ended on.
- Someone to Stay by softjenhardings
GIF Sets
- amalia x penance by i-heart-scully
- I'll hold you in my heart for as long as it's beating by ghorbanis
Archives and Communities