Snowpiercer's Leadership Council is a council formed by Andre Layton to help him to lead the train.
History[]
The council was formed by Andre Layton to help him lead Snowpiercer in the wake of the First Snowpiecer War and the arrival of Joseph Wilford on Big Alice. It originally consisted of Layton, Miss Audrey, Sam Roche, Bennett Knox and Ruth Wardell. The council represented the various parts of the train: Audrey for the passengers and her experience with Wilford, Roche for the Brakemen and the train's security, Bennett for the Engineers, and Ruth for Hospitality. However, due to Ruth's past actions, Layton was reluctant to trust her at first. Later, Audrey betrayed Snowpiercer and joined Wilford.
Depending on the situation, other trusted passengers of importance attended the meetings, although they didn't appear to be official members of the council.
After the defeat of Wilford, the council was reformed, this time with Layton, Bennett, Ruth, Bess Till, Josie Wellstead, and Alexandra Cavill. Due to her actions, Audrey was exiled to Third and Roche, having just lost his wife, was in no state to help lead the train.
Throughout The Series[]
Season 2[]
In A Single Trade, the council meets in the Nightcar to discuss their plans to give Wilford and some of his crew a night out on Snowpiercer in exchange for Wilford helping to treat their frostbite patients. Roche promises to take the list of people coming to the Notary for any information that she might have on them while Bennett reports on how they will be making first contact with Melanie Cavill that night which Ruth states is a hopeful message to share with their guests. Bennett tells the council that by celebrating the mission's first step, they will make this endeavor undeniable to them and Wilford's cooperation has to be inescapable. Roche worries about the possibility of bringing Wilford onboard and then not hearing from Melanie, but Bennett and Layton tell him that she has to make contact as this is going to be their leap of faith. They want to make inroads with Big Alice's crew and show them what freedom looks like so that they can't be demonized by Wilford.
Audrey warns the council that Wilford will attempt to seduce Snowpiercer's crew too and that he will try to turn the council to his side. Anyone who knew Wilford before and who was hired by him personally is susceptible, which is everyone but Layton who had never met Wilford before his arrival on Big Alice. Layton tells the council that they must all trust each other and they have to give Wilford the greatest night that he has ever had aboard Snowpiercer which Ruth promises to do.
In Keep Hope Alive, the council -- minus Audrey who is preparing to go to Big Alice on Wilford's invitation and joined by Javier De La Torre, Zarah Ferami and Bess Till -- meets in Layton's carriage to discuss the recent developments, particularly Melanie's ongoing mission and indications that Wilford's Cold Man might be up to something. However, rather than carrying through with her mission, Audrey defects to Wilford's side, although Ruth refuses an invitation to join him due to her greater loyalty to Snowpiercer.
In The Eternal Engineer, the remaining council members, joined by Zarah and Lights, meet to discuss the Engine Crisis and the need to let Wilford aboard the train in order to fix the Engine which had been sabotaged by Icy Bob. None of the council is happy with the plan, but realize that they have no other option and decide to try to keep news of Wilford's presence on Snowpiercer from spreading. Layton promises Lights that if things go badly, he'll send up a flare so that everyone still on his side will know about it.
Season 3[]
In The First Blow, after Wilford's defeat and the vote to go to New Eden, a new council convenes consisting of Layton, Bennett, Ruth, Bess Till, Josie Wellstead, and Alexandra Cavill. The council discusses Layton's gamble in having Asha lie that she's from New Eden and how it carried the vote in favor of going. The council compares it to the previous dangerous lies and gambles that have paid off and agree to go forward with the plan to go to New Eden.