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.
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 occasionally becomes involved in the town's criminal underworld. Her full history is explained in That Yellow Bastard, in which she is rescued from Roark Junior by John Hartigan and begins to mature as a woman.
Background
Makenzie Vega as Nancy at 11
Nancy Callahan is born and raised in Basin City, where she lives with her parents. At the age of 11, she is kidnapped by Roark Junior, a sadistic child molester who has already murdered three girls. Hartigan, a police officer one day from retirement, defies his corrupt partner, Bob, and pursues Junior.
Hartigan successfully defeats Junior's bodyguards before pursuing him to the town docks, where he shoots Junior in the ear, hand, and genitals, sending him into a coma. Suddenly, Bob appears and shoots Hartigan several times in the back, moments before the police arrive; during this time, Nancy comforts Hartigan and subsequently visits him in the hospital. Unfortunately, Junior's father, a powerful senator, blackmails Hartigan, threatening to murder his friends and family should he expose Junior to the media. As a result, Hartigan warns Nancy to stay away, although she promises 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. She is eventually hired at Kadie's Bar, where she works as an exotic dancer while attending law school. 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, hideously deformed after being revived by treatments outside of modern medicine, 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's farmhouse, where he will finally achieve revenge by torturing, 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 escaped his bindings and is currently nearing the farm. Once there, Junior begins whipping Nancy, who refuses to obey his commands. As Junior flies into a rage, Nancy realizes that he is impotent unless his victims are screaming in fear. She mocks him, making him even angrier. Just then, 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. After she leaves, however, Hartigan commits suicide to protect Nancy from the Senator's wrath.
Cameo Appearances
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; local misfit Marv asks her to drive Wendy, an Old Town prostitute, 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.
In other media
Nancy is portrayed by Jessica Alba in the 2005 film adaptation, and is currently intended to appear in future sequels. As a child, she is portrayed by Makenzie Vega.
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