What disease does Sam have in A Quiet Place: Day One? Details explored

Samira or Sam, is portrayed by the Black Panther fame Lupita Nyong'o in A Quiet Place: Day One, who is suffering from a terminal illness. The film begins with her and her cat Frodo living in a New York hospice, which already gives the viewers a gist that she might have a disease.

She suffers from terminal cancer, which interestingly is the reason she decides to stay in New York. In the film, she isn't simply a survivor but someone who eventually becomes a savior of the survivors she becomes a part of later.

Despite her health appearing to be deteriorating, she is presented as one optimistic individual navigating through life alongside her sidekick Frodo. She also makes a friend, namely Eric (Joseph Quinn), who is a law student. Both develop an unlikely bond with each other as the story further advances.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for A Quite Place; Day One. Reader discretion is advised.

What kind of cancer Sam has in A Quiet Place: Day One

It was never revealed what kind of cancer the character has but fans must have noticed that Sam uses fentanyl to soothe her pain due to the disease. Though all types of cancers are painful, and pain is treatable here, pancreatic cancer, an analysis indicates, is the most painful of all.

Talking about mortality rate, some treatments may help cure certain cancers in their initial stages so we can say Sam's has gone past a certain stage in A Quiet Place: Day One.

However, the problem that lies here is that there is no visible cue that we can use to determine what specific kind of disease Lupita Nyong'o's character suffers from.

It was therapeutic for Lupita after Chadwick Boseman's demise

Chadwick Boseman's demise in August 2020 was shocking not just for the Marvel fans but for the world. He succumbed to colon cancer, which was revealed following his departure from the world.

Lupita Nyong'o worked alongside Boseman in Black Panther, in which she played Nakia, a Wakandan spy and T'Challa's former lover. In one interview, she explained that Sam's character was therapeutic for her after seeing a close friend go. She said in an interview with People Magazine that,

"In the end, it was actually very therapeutic because I had just experienced not too many years ago the death of Chadwick Boseman, which shook me to my core."

She also added how this event reminded her of human mortality and how we can take people or things for granted.

What happens to Sam in A Quiet Place: Day One?

Sam's illness in A Quiet Place: Day One might have caused her to get closer to death by inch. But the death angels' invasion in New York turns out to be a game changer for her. She becomes more selfless throughout the film and accepts her death for good.

She becomes a savior for all the survivors in the end. When Eric is trying to save Frodo, she becomes a distraction for death angels so Eric and Frodo can reach safety, which they do. In the final moments of the film, Sam is finally seen living her life.

Though we won't spoil the end entirely here, you can see the ending's explanation in the story below.

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Also Read: A Quiet Place: Day One ending explained- What happens to Sam and will there be a sequel? Details explored