Wilford

Wilford
Biographical Information
Gender	Male
Eye Color	Blue
Status	Deceased
Cause of Death	Caught up in the explosion uptrain
Character Information
Occupation	Owner of the Snowpiercer Businessman Inventor
Language Spoken	English
Relationships
Friends	Gilliam †
Enemies	Curtis Everett † Yona (killer)
Portrayal
Portrayer	Ed Harris
Appears in	Snowpiercer (film)

This article is about Wilford from Snowpiercer (film). You may be looking for Joseph Wilford from TV series.

“	You know everyone has their own preordained role to the system.	”
	— Wilford

Wilford is the main antagonist of Snowpiercer. He was a businessman and inventor who owned and ran the Snowpiercer, a globe-trotting train where the last remnants of humanity reside. The train was built and developed by Wilford Industries, a railroad corporation which he also owned and ran until The Freeze.

He is portrayed by Ed Harris.

History

Background

From a young age, Wilford's love of trains was apparent. He would play with model trains on a railroad layout and dream of living on a train forever when he grew up.

His early dreams were realized when he founded his transportation empire, the Wilford Industries. His great dream was to construct a luxury locomotive cruiseline connecting the railways of the entire world into one.

Prior to the freeze, Wilford knew CW-7 would freeze the world and invented The Sacred Engine. He was criticized for over-engineering and over-equipping Snowpiercer, although he would survive on his train with the precious few who boarded it and leave them to die in the cold.

Throughout the Film

When Curtis and Minsoo arrive at the Machinery Section, Wilford orders Claude to shoot Minsoo and force Curtis to have a meal with him. Curtis and Wilford had a medium rare steak. Wilford told Curtis that the front and the tail are supposed to work together and how he and Gilliam planned "The Great Curtis Revolution" together, although the original plan is that the revolution would end at the Yekaterina Bridge, but Curtis managed to make it farther than he thought.

Wilford also revealed that he had been writing the messages hidden in the Protein bars this whole time. He asked Curtis to be in charge of the train instead of him, as he is old and can't continue the job. After that, Yona ran into the Eternal Engine and discovered that Tim was working under the car. Wilford told Curtis that even though Snowpiercer is perpetual, but the parts isn't. So, they need working humans to keep the train going manually, but since the space is very small so it only allows young children to work. That's why he seeks small children in the first place. Curtis angrily punched Wilford right in the face several times.

When Curtis stopped the Engine with one of his arms, Andy would still keep the engine going without listening to Curtis. Wilford, watching helplessly, told Curtis how every one has their own position. Wilford would witness the last part where Minsoo and Curtis shielded Tim and Yona from the explosion which derailed the train.

Personality

He believes that what he is doing is benevolent. He is the prototypical image of a fascist dictator, a powerful figurehead who is cocooned from the violence and destruction he creates. As a sociopath, he is incapable of empathy and indifferent to the suffering around him.

Skills and Abilities

• Genius-like Intellect - Wilford is a brilliant inventor who designed and created the Eternal Engine - a machine that could run forever without fuel, something that violates the laws of physics and is supposed to be completely impossible to build. This Engine was used to power the train in its entirety, allowing it to run non-stop for seventeen years until it was derailed and destroyed.

Relationship

Gilliam

Gilliam and Wilford are close friends and planned the whole revolution. The both would do "late nights phone chats" together. According to Wilford, Gilliam could go on hours, all with only one arm. However, despite their supposed friendship, Wilford does not seem to care much about Gilliam, as he nonchalantly ordered his execution when the revolution did not go according to plan and caused numerous deaths of front-seat passengers.

Curtis Everett

Wilford thought highly of Curtis, despite him being a mere tail section passenger, for leading the most successful revolution in the Snowpiercer's history. As he intended for Curtis to take his place as the owner of the train, he was very polite to him, inviting him for dinner in the Engine Room as he persuades him to become his successor.

Appearances

The Tail	The Drawers	Protein Block Processing Room	Passing Yekaterina Bridge	Water Supply Section
M	M
Ag-Sec, Aquarium	Classroom	Sauna	The Eternal Engine	Out of the train
M	M		✔/D
✔ = Appeared			M = Mentioned	D = Deceases

Gallery