Commander Nolan Grey is a recurring character on TNT's Snowpiercer and is portrayed by Timothy V. Murphy. He was a brilliant tactician, hardened leader, and former Special Force SAS officer who commanded men before the Freeze. By the time of the events of Snowpiercer, he had become the Commander of the Jackboots. As Mr. Wilford's right-hand man, Grey relished keeping things in order and didn't mind getting his hands dirty.
History[]
Grey was a widower whose wife passed two years ago. Prior to The Freeze, he served in the British Special Air Service (SAS) and at some point before Snowpiercer's departure was made commander of the Jackboots, most likely due to his military experience.
Throughout The Series[]
We were introduced to Commander Grey when the Tailies revolted in the first episode. On Melanie's order, he took Jackboots to stop the Tail.[1] In the following day, Melanie assured the first class passengers that Commander Grey had it controlled in minutes.[2]
Playing Ruth[]
Nolan initially portrays himself as the obedient soldier committed to service. Eventually, he became wary of Melanie Cavill and the amount of power she held on Snowpiercer.
In an effort to displace Melanie, he grew closer with Ruth and asked her out on a date. When they begin the date, they are ambushed by Lilah and Robert Folger, and it is revealed to be a set up by Nolan to get an audience with Ruth. Nolan — along with Lilah and Robert — suggest usurping Melanie and replacing her with Ruth; Ruth is flabbergasted by the idea and leaves at once to alert Melanie.[3]
Revolution and Death[]
After LJ Folger learns from Andre Layton and Miles that Melanie Cavill has been posing as Mr. Wilford, she reveals the truth to her parents and Nolan joins First Class in demanding the truth. Nolan and Ruth storm the Engine where Javi is locked out by Bennett Knox and reveals that Melanie had abandoned Wilford to die on boarding. Melanie is imprisoned as Layton's own revolution begins.
Nolan leads the Jackboots against the Tailies and Third Class passengers, fighting alongside his men in the Nightcar and cutting off a woman's hand. Suffering heavy casualties in the battle, Nolan takes a hostage to escape before slitting her throat. After the revolutionaries are driven out of the Nightcar, a bloodied Grey meets with the Folgers and Pike who states that with enough pressure, Layton's rebellion will crumble.[4]
Nolan later plans to gas the rest of the train, uncaring if civilians die along with the revolutionary army if Layton refuses the offer to surrender in exchange for everyone else being spared. Nolan shares a passionate kiss with Ruth and plans for the two of them to lead Snowpiercer once Layton's revolution has been fully crushed. However, the Folgers come to the same conclusion and decide to lead the surrender ceremony in the schoolroom to cement their own power.
After Layton arrives with Roche to surrender, Nolan takes him forward to make an official announcement, only to be ambushed by Roche in the sub-train due to Roche siding with the rebellion. A brawl breaks out between Layton, Roche, Nolan, and the Jackboots before The Last Australian arrives with Strong Boy who jumps Nolan and beats him unconscious. Running out of time, Layton stops the others from killing Nolan and sends them uptrain for safety. Minutes later, Layton, Melanie, Bennett, and Miles disconnect seven cars containing the Folgers, Nolan, and their army, sending them off on the Fremont Junction to perish in the cold without the rest of the train.[5]
Killed Victims[]
- Several revolutionaries (battle in the Nightcar)
- Fiona (throat slit by Nolan Grey)
Personality[]
Nolan was very assertive and demanded change aboard Snowpiercer. As a trusted lieutenant of Joseph Wilford, Grey and his men acted as the train's muscle, responsible for maintaining order and putting down any threat against Snowpiercer. Grey's overconfidence in his men proved to be his undoing, and lost many jackboots during the Tailie revolt as a result.
Relationships[]
Ruth Wardell[]
Grey first put across his interest in Ruth when he asked her out on a date during her day off. Ruth agreed, and during the date the two talked about each other and slightly touch on Nolan's late wife. Ruth eventually found out that Nolan used the date to set her up, but he admits that everything he said was true and he does have feelings for her.[3]
Appearances[]
| Appearance | EP1 | EP2 | EP3 | EP4 | EP5 | EP6 | EP7 | EP8 | EP9 | EP10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | ✔ | M | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | M | |
| Season 2 | F | |||||||||
| Season 3 | ||||||||||
| Season 4 | ||||||||||
| Appeared | Did Not Appear | H = Hallucinations | ||||||||
| V = Voiced | M = Mentioned | F = Flashback | ||||||||
Memorable Quotes[]
- Grey: "Call all available units!"
- Melanie: "Commander, you can't! We need those units downtrain."
- Grey: "I don't take orders from you anymore."
- ― Grey after finding out Melanie's secret in These Are His Revolutions.
- Grey: "So, there’s no way to open this Engine door?"
- Javi: "Bennette will hold out as long as he can. He’s loyal to Melanie."
- Grey: "You need to get control of those systems, Mr. De la Torre."
- Javi: "Look, maybe Layton will surrender. Maybe we won't have to use the gas at all."
- Grey: "And maybe I'll slaughter every last one of them."
- Javi: "I'll tap in downtrain, override the master controls."
- ― Javi and Grey can't get into the Engine Car in The Train Demanded Blood.
- Grey: "You know the soul of this Train. I have the army. That's a potent combination."
- Ruth: "Well what about the Folgers?"
- Grey: "Useful in a crisis. They have influence in First. But once order is restored, natural power exerts itself. You and me, Ruthie."
- ― Grey planing to take control with Ruth in The Train Demanded Blood.
Trivia[]
- Nolan was among many who believed Melanie Cavill had too much power aboard Snowpiercer and conspired to get rid of her.
- Nolan had a scar on his left cheek that he received from a Tailie at boarding, when he and the Jackboots locked the Tailies in the Cargo Cars.
- If Grey had access to the Engine, he could have turned off the life systems and froze the rebel army and Third Class to death, instead of the plan to gas them.
- When Snowpiercer was brought to a stop and Alexandra Cavill boarded, she told Snowpiercer they have 13 minutes to surrender before the cold overcomes and they all freeze to death. Which means Nolan Grey and his Jackboots, in the 7 separated cars, froze to death in 13 minutes after separation. Most of the power in the Utility Cars was drained out before separation.
Gallery[]
