Rebel Moon's Spider Woman: The Tale of Harmada and Nemesis

The Vast Interplanetary Landscape of Rebel Moon

The sci-fi epic Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire introduces a massive universe filled with a variety of sentient species, including a type of spider-like creature native to the caves of Daggus. The vast interplanetary landscape is integral to Rebel Moon's story, which aims to document the stand taken against the prepotent empire known as the Motherworld and its military faction, the Imperium, by the epic's leading protagonist, Kora (Sofia Boutella). The Motherworld's reach envelops the galaxy, and as such, it rules over not just human-inhabited worlds, but planets occupied by fantastical species of creatures, all of whom are affected differently by the Motherworld's subjugation.

Jena Malone's Harmada snarling in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire

As Kora travels through the galaxy to rally constituents for her cause, she encounters many of Rebel Moon's cast of characters and eventually recruits an expert sword wielder called Nemesis (Bae Doona) on the planet, Daggus. Nemesis does not immediately pledge herself to Kora's insurgency though, because she is committed to stopping the onslaught of Harmada, a spider woman who has been terrorizing a mining town on Daggus. Harmada is the only member of her species who is shown in the Rebel Moon movie, and as a result, much of what audiences can deduce about her kind is established from her conflict with Nemesis.

Harmada holding a child while looking down on Nemesis in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire

Harmada's Enigmatic Appearance and Species

Harmada's appearance is so otherworldly that it is hard to discern that well-known actress Jena Malone plays the spider woman. Malone is perhaps best recognized for her role in The Hunger Games film franchise as District 7 victor, Johanna Mason, but the actress also performed in a myriad of noteworthy roles throughout her career. Malone can be recognized as Young Ellie in Contact, Gretchen Ross in Donnie Darko, Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, Jenet Klyburn in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Ruby in The Neon Demon, among countless other roles.

Jena Malone's Harmada in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire-1

In Rebel Moon, Malone is hidden under a combination of practical and digital effects, including prosthetic devices and layered CGI, to attain her characteristic spider appearance. Visual effects supervisor Marcus Taormina elaborates on the process of creating Harmada in an interview with befores & afters, confirming the use of all sorts of innovative equipment: "So what we did was, special effects made this swivel rig. And we had five or six stunt performers moving the rig, but also with pool noodles to interact as the Spider's leg with Doona. So when Doona blocks, she's blocking a pool noodle, which becomes a leg, so on and so forth. Then it's just this cohesive marriage of stunts, special effects, Jenna's performance, Doona's performance, and just all of that timed out perfectly. The complicated process turns out to be a triumphant complement to Rebel Moon's sci-fi premise, as Harmada's gargantuan and chilling appearance makes her one of the film's most notable inhuman species.

Bae Doona as Nemesis looking up at Harmada in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire

Harmada's character arc, though short, is also a notable aspect of Rebel Moon, because it is complex and quite heartbreaking as well. Harmada comes from a spider-like alien species known as the ogumo, who are characterized by large spider-like lower halves, upper torsos that are humanoid in nature, and exoskeletons meant to endure the harsh conditions of Daggus. As is the case for Harmada, the ogumo are said to be native to the caves of Daggus, which are also prime locations for the Motherworld's mining initiatives.

Bae Doona as Nemesis in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire

The Tragic Tale of Harmada and Nemesis

The mining operations in Daggus' caves left the environment toxic and heavily polluted, and Harmada confirms that the deleterious conditions have weakened her body during her confrontation with Nemesis. Harmada also verifies that the toxic environment of the caves stunted the maturation of her eggs, making it impossible for her to hatch offspring. Harmada is not only devastated by her inability to reproduce, but distressed by her inability to maintain her species that has become doomed to true extinction.

Harmada leaping with a dagger at Nemesis in Rebel Moon - Part 1_ A Child of Fire

While heartbreaking, Harmada's life story is what leads her to enact a revenge plot against the miners of Daggus, and she attempts to kidnap the children of mining families to force her pain upon their mothers. Her desperation is acknowledged by Nemesis, yet still, the swordmaster makes it a mission to end her onslaught of terror on the mining town and recover a child that Harmada has already kidnapped. By the conclusion of their confrontation, Nemesis successfully thwarts Harmada, but is deeply aggrieved by the circumstances of the kill.

Nemesis trains and cuts up a straw man in the Rebel Moon 2 trailer

The Impact on Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver

The confrontation between Nemesis and Harmada may have been short in the grand scheme of Rebel Moon's story, but the event could be an indicator of what could occur for Nemesis in the upcoming Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver. While unlikely to transpire for Harmada, resurrection has become a big aspect of Rebel Moon's canon and could come to be a facet of Harmada's storyline. With the extinction of her species to motivate her, Harmada could come to blows with Nemesis again in the sequel.

Rebel Moon Nemesis Bae Doona Swords

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver is set for release on April 19, 2024. However, because Harmada is presumably dead, Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver will probably become a measure of Nemesis' character growth and motivations. Much of Nemesis' disposition is demonstrated after the murder of Harmada - Nemesis expresses deep remorse for the spider woman, as she was simply a victim of the Motherworld's agenda who fell prey to her desire for revenge. This pivotal event in Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire could mean that Nemesis becomes a moral compass for Kora's group of insurgents, a staunch proponent of the rebellion against the Motherworld, or even a lone swordmaster with her own agenda in the events of the upcoming sequel.