Nancy Callahan

Nancy Callahan is a fictional character from the graphic novel series Sin City, created by Frank Miller. She first appeared in The Hard Goodbye before becoming a more prominent character in later stories, most notably That Yellow Bastard. She is a good friend of John Hartigan and Marv, two men she sees as father figures and guardian angels.

Nancy is an exotic dancer working at Kadie's Bar, a popular Basin City tavern populated by several key characters. She is depicted as a sensitive, caring woman who occassionally becomes involved in the town's violent activities. Her full history is explained in That Yellow Bastard, in which she is rescued from Roark Junior by Hartigan and begins to mature as a woman. She is portrayed by Jessica Alba in the film adaptation, and is currently intended to appear in future sequels.

History

Nancy Callahan was born and raised in Basin City, where she lived with her two parents. At the age of eleven, she was kidnapped by Roark Junior, the demented son of Senator Roark; a sadistic child molester, Junior had already murdered three girls prior to kidnapping Nancy. However, the police department, wary of Senator Roark's political power, was wary of capturing Junior. Hartigan, a middle-aged police officer facing retirement, decided to defy his partner, Bob, and pursue Junior.

Hartigan successfully defeated Junior's bodyguards before pursuing him to the town docks, where he shot Junior in the ear, hand and genitals. Suddenly, Bob appeared and shot Hartigan several times in the back, moments before the police arrived; during this time, Nancy comforted Hartigan and subsequently visited him in the hospital. Unfortunately, Senator Roark blackmailed Hartigan, threatening to murder his friends and family should he expose Junior to the media. As a result, Hartigan warned a very grateful Nancy to stay away, although she promised to write him weekly letters.

Hartigan is arrested and imprisoned for eight years, but Nancy remains true to her promise, writing him one letter per week. Over the years, Nancy matures into a young woman, attempting to fall in love but unable to deny her true feelings for Hartigan, who she may love out of gratitude. She is eventually hired at Kadie's Bar, where she works as a stripper and exotic dancer. Hartigan, believing Nancy has been captured by Senator Roark, confesses to Junior's crimes and is immediately set free. Hartigan then discovers Nancy at Kadie's Bar, only to realize Junior, seriously deformed following years of plastic surgery, has followed him. Nancy forces herself onto Hartigan, repeatedly kissing him until he warns her of Junior's presence.

They flee to a local motel, but Junior appears and attempts to shoot them. Hartigan defeats him, however, believing him to be dead. Upon arriving at Mimi's Motel, Nancy confesses her love to Hartigan and continues kissing him, although he strongly disapproves of her actions. Junior, having been merely wounded in the incident, reappears; he strips and binds Hartigan, leaving him to die from hanging. He plans to take Nancy to the Roark family farmhouse, where he will finally achieve revenge by raping and killing her.

Junior departs with Nancy, taking her to the farm; although they are briefly delayed by engine trouble, they nevertheless arrive well before Hartigan, who has, unbeknowst to them, escaped his bindings and is currently nearing the farm. Once there, Junior begins whipping Nancy (Claiming his actions are foreplay), but Nancy refuses to obey his commands. Hartigan arrives, defeats Junior's bodyguards and corners Junior, who momentarily appears to gain the upper hand; however, Hartigan stabs him in the chest, castrates him once again, and finally beats him to death.

Following Junior's death, Hartigan informs Nancy of his plans to arrest Senator Roark, although this is revealed to be false, as Hartigan commits suicide to protect Nancy from the Senator's wrath.

Nancy briefly appears in a number of other Sin City stories, usually as a background character in Kadie's Bar. She appears twice in The Hard Goodbye, once performing her exotic dance and again towards the novel's conclusion; Marv asks her to drive Old Town prostitute Wendy to the local airport. She also appears dancing in A Dame to Kill For, and again in Just Another Saturday Night, where she appears with Hartigan in a flashback to That Yellow Bastard.