Apple TV+‘sTed Lassohas exceeded fans’ expectations every season, whether turning Rebecca and Sam Obisanya into a couple or emphasizing unlikely characters like Nathan Shelly (Nick Mohammed). Speaking of Nathan, he changed dramatically throughout the series. During the first season, he was just a shy guy who was bullied by Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) and other football players. No one paid attention to Nathan or considered his game ideas beforeTed Lasso (Jason Sudeikis)arrived as a coach for the AFC Richmond club.
Everything changed once Ted and Coach Beard instilled confidence in the Richmond youngsters to transform them into better players. During this time, Ted began considering Nate’s game strategies, eventually making him the team’s assistant coach. Although he deserved the promotion, his insecurity got the best of him, and he ultimately felt left out by Ted, who was preoccupied with his own personal struggles.
Rather than helping him out, Nate disrespects Ted and leaves AFC Richmond after Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head) offers him the coach position at West Ham United FC. So, whether Nate will be redeemedinTed Lasso’s forthcoming seasonhas been hanging in viewers' hearts for quite some time; here’s our perspective on it.
Should Nate Go Through a Redemption Arc?
Nate and Rupert have become the most despised character in the series, and it’s reasonable to ponder whether he deserves to be redeemed. In certain ways, yes! The series gave characters like Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) and Jamie Tartt second chances throughout the past two seasons. For example, Rebecca planned to demolish her own club in hopes of hurting Rupert, but thanks to Ted, she changed her mind.
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On the other hand, Jamie was too egotistical and wasn’t much of a team player. His pride was hurt when he was taken out of the game, andhis relationship with Keely (Juno Temple)ended, which profoundly affected his attitude and perspective. These changes serve as a form of a redemption arc for both characters; however, their actions do not reach Nate’s level. Actions like insulting Ted after everything he’s done and revealing his panic attack to Crimm Trent were both unacceptable, but Ted isn’t the type of person who can keep grudges or hate someone. This is why, while the possibility of it happening remains doubtful, he should have a redemption arc in the third season.
How Will Season Three Tell His Redemption Story?
We’ve considered that Nate deserves a redemption arc, but how will the third season incorporate it into the storyline? As the old adage goes, “what goes around comes around.” The series will most likely set a story in which West Ham United FC loses a game due to Nate’s incompetence, teaching him that arrogance doesn’t get him far in the field, or it may disclose a few things to the fans, giving him the taste of his own medicine as how he revealed Ted’s panic attack.
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On the other hand, he should recognize that not all of Richmond’s victories were due to his efforts alone and that only a portion of his tactics was effective. Thus, hopefully, Nate recognizes that what he did to Ted was morally wrong and that he must atone for his actions in some way before asking Ted for forgiveness. Another alternative would be to compare how everyone treats him at West Ham United to how he was treated at Richmond AFC despite being a selfish coach. While these are our speculations, we can’t be certain of what the writers were thinking. This gets us to the major point: will Nate be redeemed in Season 3?
Will Nate be Redeemed in Season 3?
In an interview with theBBC, Nate’s actor, Nick Mohammed, discussed his character’s villainous turn. Despite his desire to redeem the character, he emphasized how writers could stray from his viewpoint. He stated,
“I genuinely don’t know. I know bits but not the details. We’ll see if Nate manages to find his way back to Richmond. But the thing with Ted Lasso is the audience are possibly expecting a redemption arc for Nate, and I’d like to see one I think because that would be nice. But equally, I could well imagine the writers thinking:' no, we’re going to turn it on its head', because that’s what they did in season two, playing against everyone’s expectations, so he might be the one character they don’t redeem.”
Nevertheless, therecentTed Lassoseason 3 trailerhints a lot about Nate’s future. As revealed in the trailer, Nate is seen unhappy practically all the time, implying that his choice hasn’t made him any happier but instead made him more miserable. Also, despite Nate’s hatred for Ted, the latter can be seen cheering the former on from the stands in the trailer.
It implies that Ted is proud of Nate’s progress from being a quiet person who struggled to gain confidence and that he has already forgiven him. Even if Nathan’s return to Richmond is uncertain, the third season will likely feature a redemption arc for him that may serve as the overarching theme.
