The "nasty" or "lousy" deal in the title refers to the transactional nature of human desperation. The film delves into several heavy themes:
It sounds like you’re referring to the famous newspaper headline from the First World War era: 18 female war lousy deal best
The peace treaty on the table was a —a surrender disguised as a compromise that would trade her people’s land for a fragile, hollow quiet. Her advisors urged her to sign, to take the path of least resistance. But Elara knew that settling for a bad hand wasn't the same as winning. The "nasty" or "lousy" deal in the title