* Spoilers ahead

Netflix’s The Old Guard is an action-packed, witty, and hard-hitting big budget superhero, comic book film unlike any other. Writer and director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees) created the hottest film of the summer, along with the talented, bad ass Charlize Theron (Atomic Blonde), Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari (Aladdin), Luca Marinelli (Rainbow: A Private Affair), Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk), Matthias Schoenaerts (The Danish Girl), and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Serenity, Doctor Strange).

Based on Image Comic’s series of the same name, The Old Guard is about a team of immortals led by Andromeche or Andy played by Theron. The team, Nicky, Joe, and Booker all died in combat throughout early history to find that they were immortal, Andy, being the oldest immortal from around 4700 BC and Booker being the newest immortal since 1812. That is, until a young U.S. Marine, Nile, dies in combat and becomes the first new immortal in more than 200 years. While Andy has lost her faith in the mission and Booker longs for death, Joe and Nicky welcome immortality because it’s brought them true love.

Joe and Nick

Nicolo played by Marinelli and Yusuf (Joe), played by Kenzari began their immortality during the first bout of The Crusades. They were both fighting on opposite sides, Nicolo for Christianity, Yusuf for Islam. Nicolo was part of an army sent to lay siege to a Muslim stronghold. They killed each other in battle, thus beginning their immortality. They would kill each other each time they would come back to life. But somehow, because of their physical connection, their relationship blossomed into love.

Throughout the film, the deadly duo inseparable, Joe having to make sure Nick wakes up from death twice. Because of their love for each other, they don’t question immortality nor feel the pain of loss as Andy and Booker feel and the loss Nile will feel giving up her family.

When Joe and Nicolo were captured and thrown into the back of the van, Nicolo was dead, but not. Joe was trying to make sure he would wake up as the guards repeatedly told him to shut up. “I need to know he’s okay,” he told him. And one of the guards joked, “What is he, your boyfriend?”

And then he kissed him. And I cried. I cried because of how heartbreakingly beautiful that entire moment was. I cried because I’ve never known love that clear or passionate. I wanted to be Nicolo listening to someone profess their love for me with such surety. It was also amazing to see gay comic book heroes not just having their sexuality explored, but having their love be open, pure, and celebrated.