AMC’s Nautilus Season 1 Character Guide

Nautilus is not a textbook adaptation of the Jules Verne classic that it refers to—it is rather a reimagining with fantasy elements filling its ten-episode story arc, with characters that are written ever so realistically according to the time period that it is representing. The story takes place around 1857, starting at Kalpani and ending at the end of the world, beyond the Arctic. With Captain Nemo, an Indian prince who is seeking justice for the murder of his wife and daughter at the hands of the British, the Nautilus has a crew full of characters from all over the globe. While the crew band together for justice, planning an uprising, the colonizers chase them with the Dreadnought. While the series revolves around Nemo’s quest, the shared goal of justice gives all his crew a shared arc, making the win quite democratic! With fantastical creatures and even more textured characters, let’s take a brief glance at the major ones.

Captain Nemo

Captain Nemo, or Dakar by birth, is an Indian prince who was enslaved and imprisoned at Kalpani, the British penal colony in India. His father lost his estate and land to the British, and Nemo’s wife and daughter died at the hands of the colonizers. Nemo’s regret is that he was not there to save them. The marker of his personality is a deep grief, which fuels his thirst for revenge that propels him to drive the submersible around the world across impossible, dangerous terrain. Benoit, a French engineer, and Nemo orchestrate the uprising at the colony and leave with trusted crewmates.Captain Nemo looks goal-bound, stoic and indifferent to the state of the crew in the beginning. His grief had probably made him shut down, but as Nautilus’ journey progresses, we see Nemo’s character transform. Whether by the company of Ranbir, Suyin, Beniface, or Blaster or whether touched by the gentleness from Humility, Nemo becomes a people’s leader despite starting out as a one-man captain out to get his revenge. Nemo also has history with Millais, one of the Dreadnought’s captains, who he went to school with. 

Humility Lucas

Humility Lucas is a blazing, exceptional protagonist, surpassing gender roles even in a historical fantasy fiction. Humility is no damsel in distress or merely Nemo’s romantic interest, but an integral part of the Nautilus’ technological support crew. Humility was to be married off to Lord Pitt, waiting for her at Bombay, but she had different dreams. Humility wants to become an engineer. Previously, she would dress up a male student and attend classes at the Ecole Polytechnique. Her dream is to go to college in the US, where a “New World” lies ahead. 

While Humility provides an emotional tethering for the crew on the ship, she is also fiercely talented and solves difficult life-saving equations to drive the Nautilus onwards. While everyone was overcome with hallucinations and grief while passing the Ring of Fire, it is Humility who ventured out of the submersible and saved the crew. She saved the Nautilus two more times by suggesting manually breathing into its tanks and showed courage by protecting Nemo at every step, even when escaping would be easier. She could have easily been the right partner for the next journey; however, Nemo leaves her in London for her to pursue her own life, which honestly suits her.

Gustave Benoit

Gustave Benoit is a French engineer. He was the one with the vision of building the Nautilus for the people; however, he did not know that the purpose of the Nautilus was to carry weapons and exploit people. Along with Nemo, it was Benoit’s idea to escape into the open seas with Nautilus. Benoit is an adorable French man who grows quite fond of Humility, and the two share a friendship on board. However, Benoit had a secret dream—visiting the lost city of Atlantis. In fact, while Nemo was determined to head towards the Pillars of Halvar, it was Benoit who requested him to change the Nautilus’ course and visit Atlantis first. The team did get to Atlantis, but Benoit was lost in the waves as strange creatures started to coil around him. He left a stone in Nemo’s hand, which by the end of the season would become significant in the search for him again.

Loti

Initially appointed by Humility’s mother to guard Humility and take her to Lord Pitt, Loti becomes a fierce supporter of Humility and her silent confidante. She is an independent soul with independent dreams of opening a private bar by the beach—pretty courageous for the century! Loti is skillful with knives and weapons and calm in the face of difficult situations.

The Crew: Boniface, Kai, Blaster, Suyin, Ranbir, Jagadish, and Jiacomo Captain Youngblood

Captain Youngblood is a decorated officer of the British Navy and a relentless pursuer of the Nautilus. Disciplined, calculating, and guided by a deep-rooted belief in imperial order, Youngblood serves as the captain of the Dreadnought. Though he is driven by duty, beneath the polished uniform and stoic demeanor lies his human, moral self; as the chase for Nemo intensifies, brief moments reveal a buried struggle between his conscience and the obligations imposed on him by the empire. Youngblood is not a villain in the cartoonish sense; in fact, he tries to become someone who is ‘good’ by the end of the season, as he says to Humility. 

Director Crawley

Director Crawley represents the colonial arrogance and ruthlessness. As the top official in the East India Mercantile Company, Crawley is less interested in justice than he is in chasing down Nemo. He views Captain Nemo not merely as a fugitive, but as a threat to the hierarchical order that secures his own power and wealth. He embodies the ‘evil’ in one person in the series, and the Nautilus fights to dethrone him.

With a diverse cast hailing from across continents, the series brings together characters who carry with them loss, longing, and dreams too bold for their time. From the scientific brilliance of Humility Lucas to the idealism of Ranbir, the quiet strength of Boniface, and the conflicted pursuit of Youngblood, every thread weaves into the grand tapestry of liberation.

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