| “ | But frostbitten fingers hold fast. Deep in the iced-over bowls where Wilford never treads... A spark still lives: the resistance, nurtured and protected by the bravest of the brave. (...) The heart of hope still beats aboard Wilford's Rolling Gulag, 1,023 cars long. | ” |
| — Andre Layton in The Tortoise and the Hare | ||
The Resistance is an organization formed by Ruth Wardell aboard Wilford's Rolling Gulag to fight back against Joseph Wilford's control of the train.
History[]
Following Joseph Wilford's takeover of Snowpiercer, Andre Layton steals the first ten cars of the train, forming a Pirate Train with Bennett Knox, Alexandra Cavill, Bess Till, Josie Wellstead and Miss Audrey and Sykes as prisoners.
Accidentally left behind and with Wilford apparently unaware of her presence onboard the trains, Ruth Wardell forms the resistance with the help of Pike, the Tailies, and Layton's remaining allies. As Snowpiercer and Big Alice become Wilford's Rolling Gulag, a subzero dystopian environment, Ruth and the resistance spend the next six months preparing for the day when the Pirate Train returns to help Layton and his crew overthrow Joseph Wilford and reclaim the trains. The resistance's headquarters is a hideout in the Sub-Train where Ruth resides in hiding.
Throughout the Series[]
In The Tortoise and the Hare, as the resistance continues its work, Kevin McMahon's investigation identifies Watermaster Arnoldo Reyas as an ally of theirs. After discovering the location of The Resistance's Hideout, the Jackboots storm it, forcing Ruth to flee with the help of Pike. Pike sets Ruth up in the 1st Class Dining car which has been decommissioned and is now in subzero temperatures.
In The Last to Go, Ruth witnesses Wilford's forces preparing an EMP to disable the Pirate Train when it returns and she fails to get the help of the traumatized Javi in stopping him. Ruth, Pike, Strong Boy and Lights work together to stop the weapon, ultimately dumping it off of the train when it's accidentally activated. Ruth allows herself to be captured to buy the others time and nearly has her arm frozen off as a punishment. However, the Pirate Train is able to find Wilford's train using the EMP that they had detected and arrive to confront Wilford. Both Wilford's forces and the resistance prepare for battle.
In The First Blow, Strong Boy and a few resistance members are captured by Wilford's forces to be tortured for information. Strong Boy volunteers in order to protect his friends and he is ultimately tortured to death by Kevin. At Ruth's suggestion, Pike launches fireworks from the Hospitality Car, signaling Wilford's Rolling Gulag's location to the Pirate Train during the game of cat-and-mouse between the two trains in an abandoned train yard, allowing the Pirate Train to cut off their escape route. While Wilford is distracted by the two trains reconnecting, thus sending his army to the other end of the train, Layton sneaks onboard Big Alice's Engine with the help of Javi and Josie Wellstead, allowing Layton to subdue Wilford and force him to surrender control of the trains. In order to be on the right side of history, LJ Folger kills Kevin for torturing Strong Boy to death, claiming to have been on the side of the resistance all along.
In The Original Sinners, as Layton and Melanie Cavill prepare to go to war with each other, Ruth returns to the Resistance's Hideout calling out for the resistance. Ruth finds Lights and explains that she had expected Layton to hide out a team there. When Layton and Melanie instead make a deal and team up together to throw Wilford off of the train, Ruth and Lights work together to take down Boki.
Quotes[]
- Pike: "Message for the tippity-top."
- Ruth: "I didn't hear the password, Mr. Pike. I expect more from my second in command."
- Pike: "They picked up sign of Snowpiercer. We turned south back on the mainline."
- Ruth: "Oh, thank god for that. This is the first proof we've had that they are still alive in 32 days. They must... they must have their reasons for all this traipsing about. I mean, if Melanie's aboard... (Pike scoffs.) We don't know."
- Pike: "You ever think Ruth, all alone down here at night, that since Layton bailed on us in the first place, he might never come back?"
- Ruth: "No, I don't. And neither do you, or you wouldn't be in the resistance. So, antibiotics for the seamstresses. They'll need them, all jammed up together in that sweatshop. It's these little things that'll keep us sane, Mr. Pike. The passengers can survive all of this if we can ease their journey. And keep them ready for Mr. Layton's return."
- ― Ruth leads the resistance in Layton's place in The Tortoise and the Hare.
| “ | Long live the Resistance! | ” |
| — LJ Folger pretends to be on the resistance's side in The First Blow | ||