Myth, Relative Evil, and Anti-Hero in Narcos and Fariña

Abstract

The real events that make up the plot of the first two seasons of Narcos (Dynamo, Netflix, 2015–2016) and Farina (Atresmedia/Bambú, Netflix, 2018)—the establishment of the Medellin Cartel in Antioquia, Colombia, with Pablo Escobar as the main figure and the introduction of cocaine into Europe by the La Ros clan led by the Galician Sito Minanco, respectively—reinforce the cultural character of these two hit TV series. This metaphorical turn can only be understood by the adoption of a myth-based perspective, because, as stated by Eliade:“myth always refers back to realities”(1968, 19). In this case, the criminal nature of these realities represented by myth should not seem strange, as this is part of the history of both regions. Despite how “heinous, instinctive and monstrous” the historical facts may be, they lose that unbearable quality,“to reveal themselves as cultural events”(Eliade 1968, 16).