Ruth Wardell

	Female
	Hazel
	Blonde
	Alive
	2nd Class
	Ruthie
	Deputy Head of Hospitality (formerly) Head of Hospitality (formerly)
	Nolan Grey †
	Bojan Boscovic † Alexandra Cavill Melanie Cavill † (friend, then estranged, then thought better of her over time) Javier De La Torre † Zarah Ferami Lilah Folger † Robert Folger † Nolan Grey † Andre Layton (former enemy) Winnie
	Kevin McMahon (former coworker) Joseph Wilford (former employer)
	Alison Wright
	Snowpiercer
	First, the Weather Changed

“	We don't have will. We have order.	”
	— Ruth to Melanie in Justice Never Boarded

Ruth Wardell is a character in TNT's Snowpiercer. She is portrayed by Alison Wright.

She is careful and quiet, but a pragmatic and independent thinker who must come to realize her own strength.

History

Background

Ruth lived originally in Kendal, England where she ran a Bed and Breakfast Hotel, she was recruited by Mr. Wilford himself to work on Snowpiercer after he was impressed with Ruth's attitude and disposition after she took him in for a night, unaware of who Mr. Wilford really was at the time.

Throughout The Series

Dealings with the Tail

Despite being oblivious to certain managerial elements of the train, Ruth is Melanie Cavill's right hand, and announces to the Tail frequently. She takes pride in her work, but does not like to be challenged. When the Tail revolt, and six guards are killed, Ruth demands that six Tailies are killed in return to maintain Mr. Wilford's balance. She eventually settles with freezing Suzanne's arm off, and takes pleasure in watching the arm be smashed to pieces.

The tribunal

Ruth resides over the tribunal to decide LJ Folger's fate following Erik Sotto's death. When Ruth is made aware of the Nightcar's request to re-select the tribunal with representatives from each class, Ruth warns Melanie that First will revolt against them — she later looks on in disgust when Melanie approves the request and elects Walter to the tribunal.

Following on from "Mr. Wilford's" decision, Ruth is defiant and angry at the decision, stating that there must be order and justice aboard the train — it is how they survive. Melanie asks her to stay calm, however, and things will fall into place eventually. When news of a derailment comes from the Engine Room, Ruth alerts the train via the PA system. She tells them to embrace one another, and remarks that she believes they will survive. After news that the hydraulics have been fixed, Ruth publicly thanks Wilford and the Engine Eternal.

Losing faith in Melanie

Following the tribunal, Ruth becomes increasingly worried and confused about Melanie's actions on the train. She learns that her concerns are somewhat shared when Nolan Grey invites her to dinner and it turns out to be an ambush to get her alone with Lilah and Robert Folger; the three explain that they believe Melanie has too much power and is growing out of control, and suggest that they usurp her and replace her with Ruth.

Ruth finds this outrageous, and leaves the date to air her concerns to Melanie, but is dismissed and told to do her job — this furthers Ruth's concern and aligns her motives more with the Folgers, and it seems that she is slipping further and further away from Melanie's ideology for the train.

Ruth later finds herself aligned with Nolan and the Folgers in an effort to take down Melanie. She helps spread the word that Wilford is dead, which usurps Melanie from her position aboard Snowpiercer, who is taken as a prisoner shortly after. Nolan grooms Ruth to take the helm as the new head of the Engine, but there are concerns throughout First that she is too closely aligned with the Folgers.

Confronting Melanie, Ruth rebukes her for lying throughout the years, citing that she believed them to be friends, but her faith was misplaced. Ruth is in agreement when Melanie is sentenced to death for her crimes. Ruth blames her anger on Melanie's successful plan to detach numerous of Snowpiercer's carriages, sending Nolan — and numerous others — to the Freeze.

When Melanie's execution is sabotaged, Ruth worries about Layton gaining power, but must settle when Melanie relinquishes the Train to him and he is crowned the new head of the Engine.

The Return of Mr. Wilford

Hope returns briefly for Ruth when Big Alice docks on Snowpiercer, as Ruth announces to First that Mr. Wilford is alive. Ruth forces her way into the Tail at gunpoint, demanding to be part of the welcoming committee which Layton reluctantly allows. After Wilford brings the train to a stop, Ruth is shocked when the believed-dead Alexandra Cavill emerges.

During the beginning of the Big Alice crisis, Ruth advocates for diplomacy and moves Zarah into a First Class carriage for protection after discovering that she's pregnant. Ruth continues to assist Layton who orders her to figure out which side she's on. Ruth later tells Layton that she's on the side of Snowpiercer and the passengers as she has always been. Ruth is angry when Layton leads a failed invasion of Big Alice without consulting her.

Personality

Ruth tends to voice the concerns and expectations of First Class, and to think of keeping the rules of order as a necessary priority. After seeing the consequences of her actions first-hand through Winnie, Ruth expresses remorse for what she has done.

Relationships

Joseph Wilford

One of Ruth's most defining relationships is with Joseph Wilford whom she has an almost fanatical devotion to at first. As revealed by Ruth, Wilford personally recruited her after staying at her boardinghouse. Ruth is pleased to perform tasks for "Mr. Wilford," in reality Melanie posing as her boss and is devastated by his apparent death. When Wilford returns in Big Alice, Ruth at first sees him as their savior and forces her way into joining the greeting party at the Tail with a gun.

After Big Alice joins with Snowpiercer, Ruth is eager to act as a go-between for the trains and to receive messages from Wilford who remembers her. However, as Wilford's cruelty becomes apparent, Ruth is caught between her loyalty to Wilford and her loyalty to Snowpiercer, although she tells Andre Layton that her loyalty to the passengers of Snowpiercer comes first. Despite this, Ruth's devotion to Wilford causes Layton to distrust and exclude Ruth more often than not. Unlike Miss Audrey, Ruth openly refuses an offer to join Wilford aboard Big Alice and becomes more and more disillusioned as she sees the effects of Wilford's sabotage and the way he set up the class system on Snowpiercer. Wilford eventually offers Ruth the position that she has always wanted at his side if she announces to the train that they are leaving Melanie behind, but offered everything that she has always wanted, Ruth turns her back on the offer, choosing her loyalty to Snowpiercer and Melanie over her now-former devotion to Wilford.

Melanie Cavill

At first, Ruth is Melanie's deputy and friend, although Melanie doesn't trust her enough to reveal the truth about Melanie stealing Snowpiercer. After Melanie begins snapping at her and acting strangely, Ruth, who had been coming to warn her of the Folgers plot to mutiny, chooses to side with them instead. After learning of Melanie's betrayal and Joseph Wilford's supposed death, Ruth turns on Melanie completely and sentences her to death. After the Tailies take control of the train, Ruth ends her friendship with Melanie who is saddened by Ruth's loss.

Following the return of Wilford aboard Big Alice, Melanie urges Andre Layton to trust and rely on Ruth as she did. Melanie expresses remorse for losing Ruth's trust and friendship and urges Layton not to make her mistakes. Before departing, Ruth and Melanie make some amends and Ruth promises to look after Alexandra Cavill if something happens to Melanie. When Melanie loses contact and is believed to have died, Ruth is visibly devastated and it is Wilford asking her to announce that they are leaving Melanie behind that pushes her over the edge to abandoning her loyalty to him completely. Following Javier De La Torre's message stating that Melanie is alive and has made contact, Ruth works side-by-side with Layton to go back for her.

Nolan Grey

At first, Ruth didn't have much interaction with Commander Nolan Grey, but her calming demeanor during the train's near-derailment caught his and the Folgers interest. Grey takes her on a date where they discuss their pasts and genuinely have a good time, before Ruth is hurt when she discovers that Grey is actually trying to recruit her into his and the Folgers building mutiny against Melanie. Despite this, Grey insists that he wasn't just using Ruth and had been genuinely interested in her. After joining forces with Grey and the Folgers, Ruth and Grey begin forming a romantic relationship, kissing and forming a united front against the Folgers as the leaders of their mutiny.

After Grey is killed, Ruth is devastated that she has lost her chance at finding love with him.

Appearances

Season One First, the Weather Changed Prepare to Brace Access Is Power Without Their Maker Justice Never Boarded Trouble Comes Sideways The Universe Is Indifferent These Are His Revolutions The Train Demanded Blood 994 Cars Long

Season Two The Time of Two Engines Smolder to Life A Great Odyssey A Single Trade Keep Hope Alive Our Answer for Everything The Eternal Engineer The Show Must Go On Into the White

Memorable Quotes

“	Do you think I want to be here? Eh? That Mr. Wilford wants me to be doing this? Snowpiercer is all that's left of the world. Each of us has a personal responsibility to the Engine Eternal. You Tailies barely have to do anything. Yeah? Just sit around and don't rebel.	”
	— Ruth to the Tailies

Trivia

• Her character seems similar to Minister Mason as she announces what Mr. Wilford wants to the tail section of the train.
• She is a member of Second.
• Despite working closely with Melanie Cavill, she did not know of the deception regarding Mr. Wilford.
• In "Trouble Comes Sideways" was her first time she spoke to the Train.
• In "The Universe Is Indifferent" its revealed that she was hired by Mr. Wilford himself for her job and has no family on board unlike many of the other passengers.
  • Ruth has tremendous respect for Mr. Wilford, and dreamed of seeing him again one day. This dream was initially shattered when she discovered that Mr Wilford was not on the train, being left on the platform to die by Melanie, until Big Alice arrived.

Gallery

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  Facebook promotional gif

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  Ruth in the aqaurium car

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  Ruth's Uniform

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  Ruth at fight night

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