WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Griselda.

Summary

• Griselda, the new Netflix miniseries, purposely keeps the world of Griselda Blanco separate from Pablo Escobar's in order to highlight her character and story.
• The opening quote of the first episode, made by Escobar, shows his respect for Griselda and emphasizes her significance in the cartel drug trade.
• Escobar and Griselda had a complex relationship, with Griselda working under Escobar at one point and rumors of a romantic involvement. Their similar ruthlessness and mastery of the drug trade made them a potentially perfect match.

The overlapping timelines and themes between Griselda stars Sofia Vergara in a transformative performance of real-life cartel queenpin Griselda Blanco.

Blanco was widely known as "The Godmother of Cocaine" and "The Black Widow" during her reign during the late 1970s and 1980s in Miami and Colombia. She was a rarity in the male-dominated underworld of the Medellín cartel, which was infamously led by Pablo Escobar, the protagonist of Narcos portrayed by Wagner Moura. Griselda is also directed by Narcos alumnus Andrés Baiz, who directed 12 of the 30 episodes of Narcos. The Netflix miniseries tells the true story of Griselda Blanco and her infamous reign.

Pablo Escobar Does Not Appear Directly In Netflix's Griselda

The new Netflix series makes a point to keep the world of Griselda separate from Escobar's in order to highlight her character and not be overshadowed by the notorious allure of the drug kingpin. The show is meant to be about her character specifically, rather than the political landscape of the cartel at large as in Narcos, so it makes sense to leave Escobar out of it altogether. During the production of Narcos, the creators contemplated putting Griselda into the series but refrained, believing that her story was best told with a more intentional focus as seen in Griselda.

Pablo Escobar's Quote At The Beginning Of Netflix's Griselda Explained

The one connection that Griselda does make to Pablo Escobar is the opening quote at the very beginning of the first episode, which reads "The only man I was ever afraid of was a woman named Griselda Blanco." This direct quote made by Escobar aligns with Vergara's portrayal of the terrifying real-life Griselda Blanco, who was one of the most feared people in the history of Miami during the 1970s and 1980s. Escobar and Griselda were very aware of each other despite no official evidence linking the two drug lords together, but the quote proves Escobar's respect for her.

What Was Pablo Escobar's Relationship To Griselda Blanco Like In Real-Life?

Escobar's quote about her as seen in the Netflix series proves how much of a real-life threat he considered her to be. Griselda worked under Escobar for some time and their relationship might have soured after Griselda allegedly had one of Escobar's men killed. The two are even rumored to have been romantically involved at some point. Escobar and Griselda might have been a perfect match considering their similar ruthlessness and mastery of their drug trade. Naturally, there are plenty of legends and myths surrounding the queenpin, but Netflix's Griselda tells a straight story.