| “ | 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. A former Wilford loyalist, after the departure of Andre Layton and the Pirate Train, she becomes the leader of the resistance on Snowpiercer.
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 Mr. Wilford's true nature at the time.[1]
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.[2]
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.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5]
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.
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.[6]
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.[7]
After being sent to Compost for refusing to submit to Wilford, Ruth forms an alliance with Layton to go back for Melanie, having lost her faith and devotion in Wilford. The two work together to kill their guard and escape and taken over Big Alice's Engine with Ruth killing one of the Jackboots with a sword. After coordinating their plan with Javier De La Torre and Bennett Knox, Ruth and Layton are smuggled back to Snowpiercer by their allies in the Tail and, having earned Layton's full trust, she joins his inner circle. However, the plan to go back for Melanie fails due to Wilford's intervention and Alex proposes a plan to create a ten car Pirate Train instead. However, Ruth returns to Hospitality first for her teal jacket and is confronted by Kevin with a cattle prod. Ruth manages to overpower Kevin and escape, but the delay prevents her from getting to the front of the train before Josie Wellstead is forced to destroy The Aquarium. At first Ruth is excited before realizing that she's on the wrong side of the separation. Staring at the seperated train, Ruth mutters "oh, shit" as she realizes that she's been left behind.[8]
Six months after the departure of the Pirate Train, Ruth has become the leader of the resistance against Wilford in Layton's absence, assisted by Pike while Wilford appears to be unaware of her continued presence of the train. After her location is given up to Wilford by the Watermaster, Ruth is forced to flee, barely escaping Wilford and the Jackboots. Wilford is shown to be unaware that Ruth is leading the resistance, wondering who is responsible for coordinating the efforts against him. Pike takes Ruth to the First Class Dinning Car which is now abandoned and frozen over due to Wilford decommissioning First Class. Ruth is left disgusted by the state of the car and Kevin McMahon's failure to clean it up before it was shut down. With Pike having diverted limited power to the car, he leaves Ruth to hide out in the Dinning Car for the time being.[9]
Ruth tends to voice the concerns and expectations of First Class, and to think of keeping the rules of order as a necessary priority.[3] After seeing the consequences of her actions first-hand through Winnie, Ruth expresses remorse for what she has done. Following the departure of Andre Layton, she takes over his role as leader of the resistance, coordinating efforts throughout the train and keeping her identity hidden from Wilford while avoiding him, showing a great deal of intelligence and cunning. When faced with having her own arm frozen off, Ruth is openly defiant, even telling Wilford to get on with it and that she wouldn't accept a prosthetic if offered one. Ruth suggests that she might even see it as penance for doing the same to other people.
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 bed and breakfast for a night where Ruth treated Wilford with kindness despite not knowing who he was at the time. 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.
Following the departure of Layton and accidentally being stranded, Ruth becomes the leader of the resistance against Wilford rather than defecting back to his side. Even without knowing the identity of his new foe, Wilford is shown to be impressed by the cunning and intelligence that Ruth displays. After discovering that it's Ruth, Wilford openly admits to being impressed while Ruth is openly defiant and remorseful for her own actions and takes the opportunity to berate Wilford for the things that he has done.
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.
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.
Due to Layton being a Tailie and the leader of a revolution, he and Ruth had an extremely bad relationship at first, particularly after she sided with the Folgers and Nolan Grey. In addition, Ruth's fanatical devotion to Joseph Wilford made Layton openly wary of her, but he reluctantly allowed Ruth to join the Tailies in greeting Wilford when Big Alice clamped onto the Tail.
During the escalating conflict between Snowpiercer and Big Alice, Layton assigned Ruth to manage diplomacy between the trains and Ruth assured him that her loyalty was first and foremost to the passengers of Snowpiercer. After discovering that Zarah Ferami was pregnant, Ruth moved her and Layton up to First Class. However, due to Ruth's fanatical devotion to Wilford, Layton often excluded her from decisions as he was reluctant to trust that Ruth wouldn't betray him, although Melanie Cavill stated that as long as he was honest with Ruth, Layton could and should rely on her. Ruth expressed frustration with this and Zarah joined Hospitality to bridge the gap. After seeing parallels between an angry mob trying to freeze off Layton's arm and what she did to Suzanne, Ruth stepped in to save him and in the process, earned some of Layton's respect and trust.
Following Wilford's takeover of the train, Ruth refused to help him and was sent to Compost to work with Layton. As a result, Ruth earned Layton's full trust and they seemed to form something of a friendship, conspiring with each other and even exchanging a high five as they worked together. Ruth and Layton were able to kill their guard together, escape and take over Big Alice's Engine. After finding Wilford's bathtub, Layton even allowed Ruth to clean up first. Upon their return to Snowpiercer, Ruth, having proven herself loyal to Layton and the train, was one of his trusted inner circle and she agreed to the Pirate Train plan. However, due to a delay from Kevin McMahon, Layton was forced to leave her behind on Snowpiercer when Josie Wellstead had to destroy the Aquarium completely in order to separate the trains.
Despite being accidentally abandoned by Layton, Ruth retains her loyalty and trust in him, believing that he will return and presumably realizing that she wasn't purposefully left behind as she shows no bitterness for what happened. In Layton's absence, Ruth steps into his role as the leader of the resistance against Wilford, using her own cunning and intelligence to continue Layton's work and commanding the trust and loyalty of Layton's most trusted followers.
After Layton retakes the train, he and Ruth warmly greet each other by their first names and share a hug and a drink, expressing the confidence that they had in each other during their time apart. Layton seeks Ruth's advice about his plan and although she's dubious of the vote and warns him about the potential consequences if he loses, Ruth supports his plan and after the vote expresses her further support for Layton's lie about Asha coming from New Eden to help people vote in favor of taking the chance.
Due to the failed insurrection, Ruth attempted to freeze off Winnie's arm before her mother Suzanne took Winnie's place. As a result, Ruth was directly responsible for Suzanne's death from infection and left Winnie deathly afraid of her.
Months later, Ruth was reunited with Winnie who was terrified at the very sight of her and fled while Ruth had no idea who Winnie was until Lights explained. In the midst of the rioting, Ruth risked herself to chase after Winnie and apologized sincerely for her actions, showing genuine remorse for harming Winnie's mother and scaring the little girl. Subsequently, the two became friends with Ruth protecting Winnie from the rioters.
| “ | Mr. Wilford and all of us here at Wilford Industries, bid you good morning, as I just said before... We have a removal request. Mr. Andre Layton, please make yourself known. | ” |
| — Ruth getting Layton out of the Tail. | ||
| “ | Despite your violence yesterday, and grave hand of fate hanging over our heads this very second, Mr. Wilford believes that children deserve an education in skilled or unskilled labor, and so we are proceeding with apprenticeship selection. The names are as follows. Mikala Mwanza...Mia Kaisheck...and the boy they call Miles and Miles. Should your families choose to accept his invitation, you have one hour to get ready for your new lives uptrain. | ” |
| — {{{2}}} | ||
| “ | Order, everyone. We have a message from Mr. Wilford. “In light of the young age of the accused. Mr. Wilford commutes the sentence of Lilah Foldger Junior, and remands her to the custody of her parents.” | ” |
| — Ruth reads LJ's real verdict. | ||
| “ | Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of Mr. Wilford and Wilford Industries, we would like to thank you for your composure and cooperation during this trying time. As we prepare for possible derailment, we ask that you please remember your in-transit safety directive. Brace in place, I repeat, Brace in place. We beg that all passengers remain calm, in the face of this unprecedented emergency. | ” |
| — Ruth through the P.A. system while the Engine Car arrived at the bridge. | ||
| “ | I know it seems like this might be the end, but it's not. It can't be. This is Snowpiercer, for God's sake! We are the last of Earth's survivors and I just...We are going to make it. I just know it. We just will. Mr. Wilford has gotten us out of worse scrapes before. So keep the faith. And you just remember that His Engine always provides. So find someone and hold them close. And, please, try to stay warm. | ” |
| — Ruth through the P.A. system while Snowpiercer is shaking hard and Car 780 is about to be at the bridge. | ||
| “ | You’re pushing him up that ladder a bit too fast, aren’t you, Melanie? Hm? What’s going on? | ” |
| — Ruth to Melanie after she announced Miles' promotion to apprentice engineer. | ||
Well we’re very lucky he found you."
| “ | I believe some folks on this train forget just how generous and wonderful a man Mr. Wilford actually is. Not me. I could never forget. It's Wilford who runs our Sacred Engine. It's Wilford who has His finger on our pulse, who knows exactly what we need… how much food and water, how much heat and space, how much discipline. It's Wilford who saved us from the bitter Cold. He's the only reason we're alive. Yet somehow, on this train we call home, there are passengers who see fit to challenge Him, passengers who think they know better, passengers who take for granted this great miracle that He's given us. (…) One day, I know I'll see Mr. Wilford again. And when I do, I will thank Him, from the bottom of my heart, for everything that He's done. For me. For all of us. These are His revolutions, 1,001 cars long. | ” |
| — Ruth about Wilford, opening dialogue of These Are His Revolutions. | ||
| “ | Look at this, Nolan. Audio files. Old speeches and broadcasts all by Mr. Wilford. That’s how she did the announcements. Look she's got his... his manuals, his journals, his tools. Claims that she saved us from the man. While all this time, she’s been up here, stewing in his juices. Obsessed with him is what she is... obsessed. Is she dead yet Nolan? ‘Cuased I’ll ice her my bloody self. | ” |
| — Ruth finds Melanie's room. | ||
| “ | Utopian twaddle will never hold this train together | ” |
| — Ruth to Roche after the revolution. | ||
| “ | He's back to save us from these bloody rebels! | ” |
| — Ruth sees Big Alice outside. | ||
| “ | We stopped. | ” |
| — Ruth after Big Alice brought Snowpiercer to a stop. | ||
| “ | I'm sorry about you mum. Do you know I lost my mum to when I was little. It was cruel what I did, taking her away from you. I thought I was doing the right thing. I was following the rules. But that wasn't right, was it? It was wrong. It was very, very wrong. I wish I could take it back, Winnie. I wish that I could. | ” |
| — Ruth apologizes to Winnie after she ran away from her in Our Answer for Everything. | ||
| “ | Stop it! Stop! This is barbaric! This man is your leader! You choose him! You want someone else in charge, then call for change. But don't strip him down and mutilate him just because you can. It's not right. Believe me, I know. I've done it. You'll never be the same again once you have. This is not the way! Not anymore. Please. | ” |
| — Ruth defends Layton in Our Answer for Everything. | ||
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Ruth in the aqaurium car
Ruth's Uniform
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