Wait, what happened to Helen’s parents? Her backstory in Black Doves, explained

The good news is that all six episodes of Black Doves season two are now on Netflix. The bad news is that means we have to remember what actually happened in the first one. Erm, something to do with a Christmas party?!

In season two, an MI5 officer interrogates the Keira Knightley character (Helen Webb) about her parents and her childhood. We did learn about pieces of Helen’s real backstory in season one, but that was ages ago. To help you out, here’s everything we do actually know about Helen’s parents from Black Doves.

Helen’s father remains an enigma

This is called ‘lying’
(Image via Netflix)

So, Helen told that MI5 agent in season two episode three that she lived in Kenya between 1998 and 2004, and her parents died in some tragic accident when she was 14. Obviously, that’s made-up.

We know precisely two words about Helen’s actual father: “Whereabouts unknown”. Although, it’s implied Helen’s original name isn’t Helen.

Her mother died when Helen was 18

We don’t get much info about what Helen’s mother was like, beyond the fact that she owned this lighter and Helen is sentimental about it.

Ta-da
(Image via Netflix)

We do know what became of her, though. Helen’s mother married the father of a teenager called Bonnie Weir.

Apparently, Keira Knightley and a director of season one did work out more details about Helen’s childhood than we’ve seen on-screen. Keira Knightley told Tudum: “Alex Gabassi, who directed episodes [one to three] and I worked on it quite a lot between us to create her. We worked a lot on what that childhood might’ve been like and what that mother would’ve been like and all of the rest of it, in order to create the idea of the damage that has caused [her to become] the kind of person that she is.”

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She did elaborate more on Helen’s childhood to the Los Angeles Times. “She’s definitely an enigma,” she said, “what I could create was an idea of what childhood might have been like for somebody to make the choices that she’s made. That is interesting to think about: somebody who has to feel that they have the power over people at all times, and that by betraying them, they have control. Where do you come from if you need that kind of control? If you need to betray them before they betray you?”

During the job interview in season one episode two, Helen is called “an exceptional student”. Apparently, the University of Cambridge offered her a place with a scholarship.

After three years, Helen’s mother died. Her stepfather becomes increasingly abusive towards Helen and Bonnie.

Yup, Helen shot her stepfather

In 2004, Helen was 18 years old. She killed her stepfather (or at least, that’s what she told Alex in the season one finale). Helen turned down her Cambridge offer, and left the UK. Bonnie Weir is sent to prison for killing her father (even though Helen actually did it).

Helen in 2014
(Image via Netflix)

Helen seems to have spent time in several countries, as she leans to speak French, German and Russian fluently. Another throwaway line in season one suggested Helen worked in bars.

She returns to the UK aged 28, using the name Daisy Bradshaw, and attempts to get a job as a translator. The Black Doves catch wind of all this, and figure she might be a good fit for their organisation. She changed her name again, this time to Helen Dawson.

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Featured image via Netflix.