Abhiroop Das
Netflix’s ‘Untamed’ tells the story of Federal Agent Kyle Turner, who is called in one day to inspect the death of a woman in the middle of Yosemite National Park. What appears to be an open-and-shut case on first glance soon shows its layers, resulting in a complex mystery that travels in and out of the Park, exhuming its buried secrets. The narrative hinges on one central conceit: the wilderness can warp how people think and act. In such a scenario, the character of Naya Vasquez brings a breath of fresh air. Her unique perspective on the case, coupled with her unfamiliarity with the terrain, makes her one of the more relatable characters. However, that’s not all, as she, too, carries a past, one that threatens to catch up and overturn the life that she is carefully building. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Naya Vasquez is a Newbie Eager to Carve Her Own Path
Park Ranger Naya Vasquez is the newest addition to the Yosemite National Park Service and serves under the supervision of Chief Ranger Paul Souter. We are told that she was formerly a Deputy in the Los Angeles Police Department, but had volunteered for a transfer following some incidents back home. Being a complete newbie, both to Yosemite and the job, her character has rough beginnings. This is made worse when she is paired with Federal Agent Kyle Turner for what appears to be her first large-scale case: the Jane Doe’s death. Initially, she tries her best to bond with Kyle, hoping to find common ground over the fact that they both have a son. However, the latter maintains aloofness and instead puts her to the test by asking her to conduct the investigation on horseback. Although it’s a difficult job, she refuses to submit, showing her mettle.
Vasquez’s investigation is defined by an acclimatization to the new world around her. Moving from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles into the scenic, but harsh natural terrain of Yosemite is a big leap, and the deuteragonist slowly grows familiar with her way around the woods. However, there is also a moment in which she grows overconfident and tries to go deep on her own. While she does encounter crucial bits of evidence, it comes at a cost. She loses her footing and falls into an underground passageway, before getting stuck in a narrow cave. When rain begins to fill the hollow with water, she nearly loses her life, but Kyle ultimately calms her down. Notably, it is not the protagonist who rescues her; she herself makes her way back to safety, following his guidance.
The lessons Vasquez learns in the cave inform her journey deeply from then on. While she continues to engage in serious investigative work, occasionally disobeying orders and pushing her limits, she only does so when necessary. Her quick thinking saves Kyle’s life on more than one occasion, and coupled with her detective prowess, is instrumental in solving the Jane Doe case. Notably, she is the one who finds out Jane Doe’s true identity and the existence of a drug gang within the Park, which puts her value to the case on par with the protagonist’s. Kyle understands her potential and, in light of this, passes the torch to her before making his exit from Yosemite. This is exemplified not just by their final conversation about nature, but also by his gifting her his son’s toy box, showing the trust he places in her.
Lily Santiago Brings the Character of Naya Vasquez to Life
In ‘Untamed,’ actor Lily Santiago portrays Naya Vasquez, perfectly capturing her fierce resilience and balancing it with an eagerness to learn and prove herself in a new terrain, amidst new people. In an interview with Geek Girl Authority, she pointed out her character’s resemblance to her real life, stating, “She’s from LA, and I, as Lily, come from New York, and so the character and I were both getting used to the wilderness at the same time.” In the same interview, she continued, describing how important Vasquez is to the larger narrative of the show: “I think of all the characters — and yes, I am biased — she has the biggest arc in this series. As we’ve been discussing, (it’s) because of how much she has to adapt to her new environment and her new surroundings.”
Lily Santiago’s dedication to the role is more than evident in the intricacies she infuses her character with. She began her career as a child actor in ‘Lackawanna Blues,’ where she essays the role of Laura’s daughter. Her breakthrough role came in 2021 with ‘La Brea,’ wherein she steps into the role of Veronica Castillo, one of the characters of the show. Her performance earned her a nomination for the 2023 Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She can also be seen in a number of other television shows and short films, such as in ‘Vineyards’ as Taylor and in ‘Viral.’ Lily Santiago is also a successful theatre artist, with many remarkable titles under her belt, such as ‘Mary Jane’ and ‘Measure for Measure.’
Read More: Does Eric Bana’s Kyle Die in Untamed?
