Who is Aabis the Serpent Queen and Why is She Important?

The Serpent Queen is a TV show from the United States that tells a dramatic, historical story about Catherine de’ Medici, who lived in the 1500s and was the Queen of France, played by Samantha Morton. Justin Haythe made the show, and it is inspired by the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda, which came out in 2004 and is not fiction.

The first episode of The Serpent Queen was shown on Starz on September 11, 2022. The show was given a second season by Starz in October 2022, and it started airing on July 12, 2024. The show was stopped after two seasons in October 2024.

Who is Aabis the Serpent Queen?

Aabis the serpent queen character serves as one of the most intriguing figures in Catherine de Medici’s inner circle. Originally from the Ottoman Empire, Aabis is a Romani woman who becomes part of young Catherine’s entourage during her teenage years. Her background as a woman of color and an outsider in the French court immediately sets her apart from other characters, making her position both precarious and strategically valuable.

As Catherine’s dressmaker, Aabis occupies a unique position that allows her intimate access to the future queen while maintaining a professional distance. This role becomes particularly significant as it demonstrates how even seemingly mundane positions within the court hierarchy can become sources of power and influence.

Aabis’s character development reveals a woman who has learned to navigate survival through adaptability. Her Ottoman heritage and conversion to Christianity highlight the religious and cultural tensions of the era, while her fluid approach to both allegiances and sexuality demonstrates the complex calculations required for survival in the French court.

Who Played Aabis the Serpent Queen?

Amrita Acharia brings Aabis to life with remarkable depth and nuance. Known for her previous work in various television productions, Acharia’s portrayal of aabis the serpent queen captures the character’s internal contradictions and survival instincts with compelling authenticity.

Acharia’s performance emphasizes Aabis’s intelligence and strategic thinking while revealing the vulnerability that lies beneath her carefully constructed exterior. The actress has described her character as someone whose “currency is her sexuality, body, and looks,” highlighting how Aabis must weaponize her attractiveness as a survival mechanism in a hostile environment.

The casting choice proves particularly effective because Acharia successfully conveys Aabis’s complexity without falling into stereotypical portrayals. Her interpretation shows a woman who is simultaneously strong and vulnerable, calculating and emotional, making Aabis one of the most multi-dimensional characters in the series.

Is Aabis Based on a Real Person?

“The Serpent Queen,” Aabis is not based on a real historical person. The character was created specifically for the show to represent the experiences of outsiders and marginalized individuals within the French court system.

This fictional creation allows the writers to explore themes that might be difficult to address through purely historical characters. Aabis’s story provides a lens through which viewers can examine issues of race, religion, sexuality, and social mobility in 16th-century France without being constrained by historical documentation.

The decision to create a fictional character like Aabis demonstrates the show’s commitment to presenting a more inclusive narrative that acknowledges the presence and experiences of diverse individuals who would have existed in these historical settings, even if their stories weren’t preserved in official records.

What Happens to Aabis in Serpent Queen?

Aabis faces numerous challenges that test her survival skills and adaptability. Her journey becomes particularly dramatic in the second season, where she experiences significant trauma and transformation.

During season two, Aabis survives a church fire that leaves her battered but alive, hiding in the forest alongside other survivors. This traumatic event marks a turning point in her character arc, forcing her to confront new realities and make difficult choices about her future.

Her relationship with Matisse, a young boy who becomes like a son to her, adds emotional depth to her character development. What happens to Aabis in Serpent Queen involves her growing maternal instincts conflicting with the harsh realities of survival in a world where showing weakness can prove fatal.

The series explores how Aabis navigates religious conversion, becoming baptized into the Protestant faith as part of her continued adaptation to changing circumstances. This religious transformation reflects her pragmatic approach to survival while also highlighting the genuine spiritual and emotional connections she forms with others.

Why Aabis is Important to The Serpent Queen?

Aabis significance extends far beyond her individual story arc. She represents the experiences of marginalized individuals who must navigate systems of power while maintaining their identity and humanity. Her presence in the series addresses historical narratives that often overlook the contributions and experiences of people of color, religious minorities, and social outsiders.

The character serves as a mirror to Catherine de Medici’s own outsider status, albeit from a different social position. Both women must adapt to survive in a hostile environment, though their strategies and available resources differ significantly. This parallel enriches the central narrative while providing commentary on how different forms of marginalization require different survival strategies.

Aabis also embodies the theme of female solidarity and competition that runs throughout the series. Her relationships with other women demonstrate how survival sometimes requires cooperation and sometimes demands betrayal, reflecting the complex realities facing women with limited power in patriarchal systems.

Aabis Complex Relationships

The relationship dynamics surrounding Aabis reveal much about the social structures and power dynamics within “The Serpent Queen.” Her connection with Catherine de Medici proves particularly complex, characterized by mutual distrust despite their long association.

What happens to diane in the serpent queen and other court figures often intersects with Aabis’s story, creating a web of relationships that highlight how survival requires constant negotiation and strategic positioning. Aabis must navigate not only her relationship with Catherine but also her connections with other court members, each presenting opportunities and threats.

Her maternal relationship with Matisse provides one of the few genuine emotional connections in her life, demonstrating her capacity for love and sacrifice beyond mere survival calculations. This relationship humanizes Aabis while also creating additional vulnerabilities that her enemies might exploit.