History Characters / Snowpiercer2020

Characters from the TV series ''Series/Snowpiercer2020'', which ran from 2020 to 2023.

[[WMG:[[center:[-''Series/{{Snowpiercer}}'' '''Main Character Index'''\\
[[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Engine The Engine]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020First First Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Second Second Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Third Third Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Tail The Tail]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Staff Staff of Snowpiercer]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020BigAlice Big Alice]] -]]]]]

* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Engine The Engine]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020First First Class]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Second Second Class]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Third Third Class]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Tail The Tail]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Staff Staff of Snowpiercer]]
* [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020BigAlice Big Alice]]

[[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Engine The Engine]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020First First Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Second Second Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Third Third Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Tail The Tail]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Staff Staff of Snowpiercer]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020BigAlice Big Alice]] |-]]]]]

[[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Engine The Engine]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020First First Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Second Second Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Third Third Class]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Tail The Tail]] | [[Characters/Snowpiercer2020Staff Staff of Snowpiercer]] |-]]]]]

[[foldercontrol]]

!Main

[[folder:Melanie]]
!!Melanie Cavill
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2_jennifer_connelly_copy.jpg]]
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/JenniferConnelly

Snowpiercer's head of Hospitality and the Voice of the Train, who makes the PA system's daily announcements and relays Mr. Wilford's wishes to the populace. Though many of her peers are dismissive of the lower-class passengers, Melanie is curiously fascinated by them as she secretly is Mr. Wilford[[spoiler:'s impersonator]].
----
* AmbiguousSituation: It's unclear what exactly happened to Mr. Wilford. Wilford seemingly is or at least was a real person, since Roche met him before the train started its journey and Melanie is seen editing pieces of his voice to maintain the illusion. However, we don't know how Melanie came to impersonate him. Did he ever board the train? How did Melanie end up impersonating him? Questions, questions. [[spoiler:Melanie claims to Ruth that she designed the train to save humanity, only for Wilford to convert it into a luxury train and start selling tickets so he could live the good life just a little bit longer. Melanie left him stranded in the ice when the train departed and was forced to carry on with the twisted vision he made the train into.]]
* BeingEvilSucks: She had hoped to gradually wean the train off of its fanatical worship of Mr. Wilford, but found that the First-Class passengers were far more loyal to him than she anticipated, and thus she was forced to keep many of his cruel policies in place. As the first season goes on, she gets increasingly disillusioned with the things she's forced to do to keep control of the train.
* BreadAndCircuses: She believes in keeping the populace distracted from their real problems with hedonistic entertainment.
* ButHeSoundsHandsome: She talks to Layton about the sheer work, effort and 21-hour days that Wilford puts in just to keep them all safe. Her getting a bit emotional about it is one of the things that clues him into her secret.
* TheChainsOfCommanding: While she wants to help humanity survive the new Ice Age and would prefer to treat everyone more equally by slowly integrating the tail into the rest of the population, her position forces her to maintain the rigid class society.
* ColdBloodedTorture: She freezes and shatters one of Josie's fingers when the latter proves unwilling to snitch on the Tail's plans. That said, she has to leave the room and vomit before she can go for a second, so it's clearly not something she's used to doing.
* CultOfPersonality: Encourages the populace to buy into the idea of an all-powerful Wilford doing his best to maintain the Engine in order to give them something to believe in. Come back to bite her when [[spoiler:Layton and L.J. expose her, as the ones like Ruth that really bought into it turn irrevocably against her.]]
* EasilyForgiven: Played with: Layton lets her exile herself to the Engine after the revolution to show he's serious about doing things a different way, but Ruth remains implacably furious at her.
* FirstEpisodeTwist: It's revealed at the end of the first episode that Melanie is in fact Mr. Wilford, the creator of the titular train.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:With her ruse exposed and First trying to take over, Melanie allies herself with the rebels because they're more likely to administer the train in a way that keeps it running and humanity alive, whereas those in First would bring the whole thing down in a year out of stupidity.]]
* ALighterShadeOfBlack: She's undoubtedly ruthless, maintains the grim class system and even [[spoiler:kills Josie in trying to find Layton]] - but compared to the lengths [[spoiler:Grey, the Folgers and Ruth go to in the final episodes]] she's practically a saint.
* MouthOfSauron: In her public persona, she's known as the voice of the train. A unique example in which she's both the mouth and Sauron himself.
* NeverMyFault: When Josie asks why she's doing things she must know are immoral, Melanie insists she's only perpetuating a system she inherited and wouldn't have designed it that way were she in charge from the beginning. When the disbelieving Tailie notes that as the one in charge she can change things, she counters that as leader she's beholden to everyone. Subverted after the revolution, when she admits her many failings to the train and lets Layton take over.
* NoOneSeesTheBoss: Subverted. Everybody does see Melanie day-to-day - but with the fiction Wilford is constantly working on the Engine, only a few select people are aware that they're one and the same.
* OutlivingOnesOffspring: Her daughter died in the freeze, having failed to make it to the train in time. [[spoiler:Or so she thinks; the first-season finale reveals that Alexandra is alive.]]
* PoorCommunicationKills: She might have been under a lot of stress due to [[spoiler:Layton's disappearance from the Drawers, followed by killing Josie]], but assuming Ruth was going to tell her about the Folger's elitist whingeing and brushing her off when Ruth was actually telling her about their planned rebellion leads to spiralling disaster down the line.
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: She isn't just a calming figure and secretly the leader, but a talented engineer who personally repairs the train when it's under threat of derailing.
* ScyllaAndCharybdis: From [[spoiler:LJ's trial]] onwards she's continually caught between the needs of First Class - who are increasingly unhappy with her for giving too much heed to the lower classes - and Third, who are equally pissed off with her for continually overlooking their rights compared to the wealthy Firsties. Really gets prominent during the twin Layton/First revolutions, where both sides want her dead.
* StepfordSmiler: Her gracious Hospitality persona and hard-edged ruler of the train personas both mask a woman deeply traumatized by the sacrifices she's had to make to allow the train's society to work - [[spoiler:particularly leaving her daughter Alexandra behind when the train left]].
* TwoAliasesOneCharacter: She is both Melanie Cavill and Mr. Wilford.
* VillainousBreakdown: She's caught unprepared with being exposed to First Class, and visibly cracks when L.J. confronts her with a photo of her [[spoiler:thought]]-dead daughter.
* VillainousFriendship: Melanie might be the quietly authoritarian ruler of the train, but she has numerous friendly relationships with Bennett, Ruth Wardell and Jinju.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: She seems to genuinely believe that everything she does, no matter how cruel or ruthless, is essential to the continued survival of humanity. [[spoiler:After things fall apart in the final few episodes, she seems to have grown past this, admitting to the train she made major mistakes as leader, and voluntarily ensuring peaceful transition of power to Layton]].
* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: Chats with Bennett about missing fresh air during one of her lower moments.
* WouldHurtAChild: A grey area considering the various beliefs and laws regarding when exactly a fetus becomes a child, but she's perfectly willing to threaten to abort Zarah's pregancy to force her to cooperate finding Layton. Later, she appoints Miles as an engineer as least partly as a hostage against Layton.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Andre]]
!!Andre Layton
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tv_series_snowpiercer_daveed_diggs_black_wool_coat.jpg]]
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/DaveedDiggs

The leader of the Tail and main protagonist. Thoughtful and intelligent, Layton has managed to lead the Tail through Snowpiercer's journey. But it's his former life as a homicide detective that sees him exposed to the outside Train for the first time - a journey that has serious consequences for Snowpiercer.
----
* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:Outs Melanie's secret to L.J. Folger, knowing it'll distract First with their revolt as the Tail's own gets going]].
* TheChainsOfCommanding: [[spoiler:He's in charge of the train following the defeat of Grey and the Folgers - and judging by episode 10, isn't finding it any easier than Melanie did]].
* DidntThinkThisThrough:
** His plan to distract Melanie and First [[spoiler:by outing her as Wilford]] end with the Folgers starting their own revolution. While he's able to defeat Nolan in the Night Car, he didn't expect Nolan to be ruthless enough to resort to gassing the rest of the train, and ends up [[spoiler:reluctantly teaming with Melanie to get rid of him and the Folgers for good]].
** He also seems to have failed to anticipate that after years of starving in the Tail, many of his people would go on the rampage, looting the vital food cars Snowpiercer needs to stay alive.
* DreadlockWarrior: While he may not be the Tail's best fighter, he can hold his own in a fight.
* EnemyMine: [[spoiler:Very reluctantly ends up teaming with Melanie to get rid of Grey and the Folgers]].
* NotSoDifferent: Despite his mantra of change over order, is stuck telling Roche to keep order after his own Tailies and Third start looting First and the greenhouse cars. Lampshaded by a frustrated Roche when he sarcastically asks where they've all heard that before.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: [[spoiler:To the extent where Melanie recognises his leadership after her own so catastrophically failed, knowing that he'll at least be fair towards everyone.]]
* RebelLeader: He is pretty much in charge of the Tail and is planning the rebellion against Mr. Wilford. [[spoiler:Eventually succeeds after a lot of twists and turns, and is in charge by episode 10]].
* RedOniBlueOni: The quiet, thoughtful blue to Pike's red.
* SadisticChoice: He reluctantly [[spoiler:sacrifices a car full of prisoners]] to ensure the success of the rebellion.
* TeethClenchedTeamwork: While he loathes Melanie over [[spoiler:Josie's death]], he works with her to ensure the defeat of Grey and the Folgers, knowing their rule would be far worse than anything Melanie could do.
* TurnTheOtherCheek: While he's got a lot to be angry about, he realizes that change over order has to be real, consequently forgiving both Melanie and Zarah for their roles in [[spoiler:Josie's death]] and ensuring no reprisals are taken after the revolution.
* WideEyedIdealist: Zigzagged. Pike says he's this, but his actions during and after the Night Car battle directly defy this. It's not until Grey and the Folgers start threatening to gas the entire train - something everyone thinks is mad due to the slaughter of Snowpiercer's work force - that he folds. Melanie also sees it as a flaw - [[spoiler:neglecting to tell him of the prisoners in the classroom cars when he disconnects the Folgers in case he jeopardises their plan by trying to save everyone. But he does do it, much as he hates himself for it]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Till]]
!!Bess Till
->'''Portrayed By:''' Mickey Sumner

A thoughtful, empathetic, and savvy brakeman who is part of the train's security force. She finds herself at the center of a mystery that rocks the train's uneasy status quo.
----
* ButchLesbian: Even when out of uniform, she dresses very conservatively compared to the more glamourous Jinju.
* CategoryTraitor: Sides with the Tail after seeing Melanie's brutality first-hand.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: She was a rookie cop during the year that the freeze became inevitable and was there for a lot of the riots and breakdowns.
* DidNotGetTheGirl: Chooses her principles over her lover Jinju when she supports Layton. [[spoiler:It tanks their relationship in the final episode]].
* HeelFaceTurn: Gradually comes round to Layton's side after seeing Layton's fundamental decency - and then seeing him get stuck in the drawers by Melanie. By the last few episodes she's one of Layton's main lieutenants.
* TheLancer: She is by Layton's side when the revolution happens.
* OldCopYoungCop: The "young cop" to Layton during the mystery arc.
* RedOniBlueOni: As Layton's lieutenant, she's the Red to Audrey's Blue. She's notably more aggressive, favouring hitting the Jackboots before they regroup after the Night Car battle, where Audrey favours fortifying the cars they've taken.
* TheWatson: Plays this role to the more experienced Layton as they work together to find the SerialKiller. Different from the norm in that while Till eventually warms up to him, Layton doesn't trust her until she joins his cause wholeheartedly after [[spoiler:helping him escape from the Drawers]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Zarah]]
!!Zarah Ferami
->'''Portrayed By:''' Sheila Vand

* CategoryTraitor: Many of the Tailies view her this way, as someone who gave up on the revolution for a slightly more comfortable life.
* OldFlame: Layton's pre-Freeze romantic partner. The two separated when she had enough of the hand-to-mouth Tail existence, but she turns to him after becoming a suspect in Sean Wise's murder, with a hot-and-cold relationship that eventually culminates in her getting pregant.
* SadisticChoice: Melanie threatens to terminate her pregnancy if she doesn't give up information on Layton. [[spoiler:She sells out Josie since she doesn't know where Layton is]].
[[/folder]]


!The Engine

[[folder:Bennett]]
!!Bennett Knox
->'''Portrayed By:''' Iddo Goldberg

One of the original engineers who helped design the train, making him one of the few passengers who knows the deepest secrets of the train. He's also Melanie's lover and staunchest ally.
----
* TheNeedsOfTheMany: He seems to favor some level of rights for The Tail (or at least not killing them if they have to ditch the last cars of the train) but also assists in Melanie's deceptions and seems to feel that there is a need to let First Class have the most privileges in order to preserve the train. [[spoiler:After the revolution he also risks the new system by slowing the train to link up with the pursuing prototype to gain access to whatever supplies it has]].
* SecretKeeper: He is aware of and assists in Melanie's deception. [[spoiler:But at the end it turns out he's been keeping the secret of Big Alice's survival from even her]].
* SoleSurvivingScientist: He supposedly helped build the train and is the one to keep it running and update Melanie on its workings. His scenes indicate he has more to do with the train's engineering needs.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:Keeps the return of Big Alice - and by extension Wilford - a secret from Melanie because in the wake of the revolution the need for its supplies is so great he's willing to chance Wilford getting back in control]].
* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: He admits to missing the sound of rain.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Javi]]
!!Javi
->'''Portrayed By:''' Roberto Urbina

One of the Engineers of the train. He's the outsider in the Engineer trio of himself, Melanie and Bennett, which makes him more inclined to point out the problems in Melanie's plans.
----
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:He rescues Melanie as she's seconds from execution by the Jackboots]].
* GoodWithNumbers: He uses mathematical algorithms to calculate weather conditions outside of the train.
* IgnoredExpert: He warns Melanie they should slow the train before hitting some debris. She refuses as the resulting power outages would worsen the mounting social discontent. As a result a breach wipes out the cattle car and socially things get even worse.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm: With Layton on the lose and aware of their secret, he suggests just confessing to the train that there is no Mr. Wilford, but Melanie and Bennett shoot down the idea. During the revolt when Gray tries to breach the door to the engine car, Avi surrenders to him and reveals the truth about Wilford. Bennett shoves him out of the control room and seals it to keep Gray from taking over completely.
* OnlySaneMan:
** In addition to the events mentioned in the IgnoredExpert entry, he's also the only one to recognise how disastrously Melanie's decision to [[spoiler:commute L.J.'s sentence]] will play out, only to be be overruled by Beckett.
** When the Engine car goes into lockdown a few days after Miles' arrival he's quick to suspect (rightfully) the connection between the two events.
** When he points out that gassing the rest of the train will kill the workforce they need to keep Snowpiercer running, he's horrified when [[StupidEvil Lilah]] callously says they'll just more - something blatantly impossible given the limited population aboard the train. The stupidity of this is what causes him to [[spoiler:go rescue Melanie]].
* SmartPeopleWearGlasses: A talented, somewhat insightful bespectacled engineer.
* SoleSurvivingScientist: Most of his scenes have him dealing with the computer side of running Snowpiercer.
* ThirdWheel: To his fellow engineers Melanie and Bennett, who are lovers.
[[/folder]]

!First
[[folder:Lilah]]
!!Lilah Folger
->'''Portrayed By:''' Kerry [=O'Malley=]

A former corporate lawyer from old money who is fiercely protective of her own, particularly her daughter LJ and the rest of first class with whom she shares a vested interest in maintaining their security and privilege.
----
* AbusiveParents: Not physically, but it's suggested her coldness was part of the reason LJ turned out like she did.
* AristocratsAreEvil: She's the face of First Class and a very selfish, elitist and unscrupulous character.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: For all her many faults, she does seem to sincerely love her daughter. [[spoiler:Her first thought when they're separated from the train proper is that LJ is now all alone]].
* EvilIsPetty: Insists she has photos with Layton waving a white flag at the Tailies' surrender, just so people can see she was the winner. Even Layton, [[spoiler:whose entire plan hinges on them coming in person to said surrender so they can be detached from the rest of the train]], has a "Jesus, really?" facial expression as she poses.
* EvilMatriarch: Of the Folgers, being far more assertive than her husband. It's strongly implied she knows L.J. is off her rocker - but she's a Folger and her daughter, so [[spoiler:she'll upend the entire social order of the car just to protect her]].
* JerkassHasAPoint: She's terrified any sort of uprising based on fairer power-sharing will pose a threat to their status and particularly to L.J. [[spoiler:Come the success of the Tail revolution, their carriage is ransacked by an opportunistic Pike and the janitors, and L.J. is thrown out into the wider train to survive on her own (and a deleted scene which aired in a promo for the finale had Pike directly threatening a terrified L.J. with a shiv)]].
* MamaBear: Played with; she does love L.J., but her conversations with Melanie around the trial make it clear she's less concerned with L.J. as a human being and more with her bloodline and image being tarnished.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: She's a major classist, believing there should be strict segregation between the train cars.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: She believes that the fact that her family was wealthy enough to buy tickets for the train entitles her to more rights than anyone else.
* SmallNameBigEgo: When she hears about the killings, offers her services to Melanie as a lawyer with 25 years' experience - to which [[DeadpanSnarker LJ]] points out her firm didn't do murders.
* SmugSnake: Classist, elitist and even more openly entitled than the rest of First, among whom there are at least a few good eggs.
* TheStarscream: She slowly turns into this towards Melanie.
* StupidEvil:
** [[spoiler:She was prepared to completely upend a status quo on the train that heavily favoured her and those like her because Melanie dared to try and discipline her psychopathic daughter.]]
** [[spoiler: Not only that, when it's pointed out that Grey's gassing the populace will kill the workforce the train needs to survive, she blithely replies they'll train more - something extremely unlikely with a population as small as Snowpiercer's and First's incredibly limited knowledge of how the train actually works.]]
* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:She, her husband, Gray and many others are detached from the train and left to freeze, but WordOfGod teases that they might not all be dead]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Robert]]
!!Robert Folger
->'''Portrayed By:''' Vincent Gale

Lilah's husband.
----
* DotingParent: To L.J., despite everything - unlike Lilah he's seen to play games with her and show her actual affection.
* ExtremeDoormat: He'll do anything his wife and daughter want, to a fault.
* GlassEye: One of his eyes is made of glass. [[spoiler:Because his EnfantTerrible daughter stabbed the real one when she was ''seven'']].
* HenpeckedHusband: Tends to be dominated by his wife rather easily.
* PapaWolf: He's willing to do anything to protect his daughter and ensure her happiness, especially after Lilah convinces him that any instance of Third getting uppity will have dire consequences for their daughter.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:L.J.]]
!!L.J. Folger
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/AnnaliseBasso

The isolated teenage daughter of Lilah and Robert Folger.
----
* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:When Pike kicks her out of her own home just as she's grieving her parents, it'd garner sympathy for anyone else in her shoes. A sociopath like L.J. on the other hand? Not so much. Terrence and his fellow janitors even toast her fall with her parents' own champagne]].
* AxCrazy: [[spoiler:Killed two people with her lover just to feel something for the first time in her life, and later helps upend the social order that protects and shelters her just ForTheEvulz.]]
* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:When the trial isn't going her way, she takes the stand and, in the midst of a contrite speech begging for forgiveness, hints that she knows the secrets of the Drawers and what they're actually for. While she's found unanimously guilty, this rattles Melanie enough that she (as Wilford) commutes her sentence and leaves her in care of her parents. When Melanie tries to figure out exactly how much she knows in the aftermath, LJ drives it home that it's between her and Wilford only - which leaves Melanie stuck, given that she's been posing as him the whole time.]]
* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler:In the first season finale, she loses her parents and home in quick succession, and is forced to live with nothing to her name among the Third Class that openly hates her.]]
* BuyThemOff: [[spoiler:She tries and fails to do this with Layton, offering to arm the tail if he lets Erik take the blame for everything.]]
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Doesn't act like it most of the time, but [[spoiler:her breakdown in the last episode shows she loved her parents enough to be utterly distraught by their deaths]].
* EvilRedhead: [[spoiler:A redhead, and the culprit behind the serial killings on Snowpiercer.]]
* FilleFatale: Despite being a teenager, she has a seductive edge and sexual experience.
* ForTheEvulz: [[spoiler:She is the one behind the murders, just for the heck of it. Layton exploits this later on by showing her Melanie's secret, knowing L.J. would reveal it to First for no other reason than to watch the chaos unfold.]]
* GoMadFromTheIsolation: By all accounts she was already [[spoiler:showing sociopathic tendencies before getting on the train]], but [[https://www.awardsdaily.com/2020/08/07/annalise-basso-interview/ her actress has suggested]] that the isolated environment of Snowpiercer, lack of any people her own age and coldness of her parents certainly didn't help.
* HiddenDepths: She's visibly very emotional listening to one of Miss Audrey's performances, indicating her claims to feel nothing might be exaggerated.
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: After the trial's conclusion, she doesn't even try to hide how blatantly unhinged she is any more.
* KickTheDog: [[spoiler:When she reveals she's the witness to Wilford's non-existence, spitefully waves a photo of Melanie's disappeared daughter in her face - the only thing that causes Melanie to openly crack all season]].
* LaserGuidedKarma:
** [[spoiler:She outs Melanie's being the real Mr. Wilford to First ForTheEvulz, directly causing the revolution that sees her parents killed and her exiled to Third where everyone hates her]].
** [[spoiler:Even more painfully, she's the one who suggests her parents witness the surrender personally to show leadership, leading directly to their deaths]].
* OddFriendship: Ends up bonding with Oz of all people [[spoiler: after she loses her parents and privileges]], based almost solely on the fact they're both universally hated.
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections: She displays an air of cockiness and untouchability in the fourth episode, not only because of her elite First status, but [[spoiler:because she knows the secrets of the drawers]]. [[spoiler:It's telling that when she loses her parents' protection and Pike kicks her out of her own home, she can only sob hysterically]].
* SerialKiller: [[spoiler:She and her accomplice Erik are the ones who've been killing and mutilating passengers.]]
* SmugSnake: Arrogant and entitled, genuinely seems to believe she can get away with anything. She doesn't seem to get her position isn't as untouchable as she thinks it is until [[spoiler:the death of her parents and Pike evicting her from her home leaves her with nothing]].
* StrawNihilist: Her opening narration in episode 7 indicates this, showing she thinks the universe is totally indifferent to all their hopes, dreams and schemes.
* TeensAreMonsters: [[spoiler:She's sixteen at the show's opening - and swiftly shows she's been a murderous, unrepentant sociopath since before the train ever left.]]
* UngratefulBastard: [[spoiler:Despite Wilford (actually Melanie) commuting her sentence at the trial, still reveals Melanie's posing as him ForTheEvulz]].
* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler:Revealed Melanie's secret exactly as Layton wanted, inspiring Grey and her parents to act against Melanie while he got his own revolution going.]]
* UpperClassTwit: Oz is astonished when she turns out to have no clue how to peel an egg.
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler:Whenever her [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections family's influence fails her]]. Variously freaks out when Layton outs her as the serial killer, when she's found guilty at the ensuing trial and when she's kicked out of her own home by the rampaging Taillies and made homeless.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: The fourth episode makes it pretty much impossible to discuss her without giving away the big reveal.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Erik]]
!!Erik
-> '''Played By:''' Matt Murray

The Folgers' bodyguard, who seems to have a bond with L.J.
----
* TheDragon: [[spoiler:He's the killer in the initial mystery arc but is only doing so under orders from L.J., his employer and lover]].
* {{Ephebophile}}: Implied to have been in a relationship with L.J., which her parents turned a blind eye to.
* ALighterShadeOfBlack: He'll do anything for LJ, but doesn't seem to share [[spoiler:her sociopathic tendencies]]. During his final escape attempt, he avoids hurting anyone - even his hostage, Jinju.
* ParentalSubstitute: Practically raised LJ, as her mother of all people readily admits.
* PetTheDog: He saved a cat from the freeze.
* TheScapegoat: [[spoiler:The Folgers, particularly L.J., try to pin all the blame for the murders on him despite LJ being the instigator.]]
* SuicideByCop: [[spoiler: Chooses to die at the hands of the jackboots rather than be taken alive and implicate L.J.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Martin]]
!!Martin Colvin
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Stephen Lobo
A 1st Class citizen and ally of Melanie.
----
* TheInformant: He's one of Melanie's spies throughout the train, although considering that the people he spies on are mainly the Folgers and Grey, this behavior gets treated sympathetically.
* TokenGoodTeammate: To the recurring First passengers. He may be as privileged as them but he recognises [[spoiler:L.J. for the psycho she is in the aftermath of the trial]], is the most willing to give Melanie a chance to explain when [[spoiler:her posing as Wilford]] gets out (unfortunately for them all, she can't), supplies the Tail rebellion with a gun as things go sour and reacts with horror when Grey tells them it's certain [[spoiler:gassing the rest of the train will cause a lot of innocents to die]].
* UpperClassTwit: He's nicer than most of his First contemporaries, but can still be seen laughing his ass off at Fight Night, as the contenders beat each other to a pulp.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:York Lam]]
!!York Lam
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Yee Jee Tso
Martin's husband and another first class passenger.
----
* HiddenDepths: In a sense, given that he's indicated to be part of the train's black market chain, implied to have somehow acquired a gun for Miss Gillies.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Rajiv]]
!!Rajiv Sharma
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Manoj Sood
The leader of the first class committee.
----
* UpperClassTwit: The man rivals the Folgers in entitlement, pettiness and short-sightedness, with Lilah easily bullying him into speaking out against Melanie.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Edith]]
!!Edith Gusterfield
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Donna Christie
An older first class woman.
----
* InterClassFriendship: A literal example. She works well enough with Walter and Ms. Gillies during L.J.'s trial.
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: At least in the matter of L.J.'s trial, where she doesn't close ranks with her fellow Firstie, sharing the evidence and delivering a conviction.
[[/folder]]

!!!Staff
[[folder:Ruth]]
!!Ruth Wardell
->'''Portrayed By:''' Alison Wright

Melanie's ruthless assistant, who oversees taking people form the Tail or delivering demands to them, activities she seems to feel are beneath her.
----
* BrokenPedestal: A double one when it turns out Melanie has been lying to her the whole time and also claims that Mr. Wilford was a fraud.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: He may or may not have been manipulating her into joining the revolution, but she's devastated by [[spoiler:Grey's death]] and repeatedly brings it up in the final episode.
* {{Expy}}: To Minister Mason from the ''Film/{{Snowpiercer}}'' film: both are Wilford loyalists with strong Yorkshire accents who wear furs when they visit the Tail and contemptuously keep the Tailies in line with violence.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: A former bed and breakfast owner before meeting Mr. Wilford and being hired by the train, and now one of the main figures behind its tyranny.
* JerkassHasAPoint:
** A lot of her other rantings are dubious at best, but she's dead right that Melanie gets to escape any consequences for her actions as she becomes an (official) engineer, while the rest of them have to deal with the fallout of her actions.
** Probably not intentionally, but when she shows up to welcome back [[spoiler:Mr Wilford]], Layton concedes that having her try diplomacy first is a good idea.
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: [[spoiler:Already a borderline religious fanatic towards Wilford, she turns into an AxCrazy counter-revolutionary after learning that Wilford is not on the train.]]
* LawfulEvil: She's obsessed with the train's order, feeling that order (specifically Wilford's order) is all they have left on the train - as such she's capable of great cruelty when enforcing said order.
* ALighterShadeOfBlack: To the Folgers and Grey during their revolution - she at least wants to follow Wilford's rules in transitioning power, while they rapidly slip into dictatorship.
* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: When Grey and the Folgers suggest she join their coup and replace Melanie, she instead tries to reveal the plot to Melanie. She changes her mind when a stressed out Melanie lashes out at her over what she assumes is Ruth simply being the messenger for entitled griping by first class.
* OopNorth: Ruth has a prominent Yorkshire accent.
* SanitySlippage: A combination of finding out [[spoiler:her idol has been dead for years, her best friend has been lying to her, her lover has been killed and being excluded from Layton's new governing council]] has her beginning to show serious cracks in the last episode.
* UndyingLoyalty: She's utterly devoted to Mr. Wilford and sees him as the savior of humanity. The truth breaks her. [[spoiler:When it turns out he is still alive and on another train, she desperately tries to get him back in charge.]]
* VillainousFriendship: She seems to sincerely be good pals with Melanie. [[spoiler:That, of course, all goes out the window after TheReveal that Mr. Wilford has never been on the train and Melanie is posing as him.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Grey]]
!!Commander Nolan Grey
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/TimothyVMurphy

A brilliant tactician, hardened leader, and former Special Forces, British SAS who commanded men before the Freeze. He relishes keeping things in order and getting his hands dirty in combat.
----
* ArchEnemy: To Layton. They remember each other very well from the night Layton boarded; Grey was the one shoving people off the train.
* BloodKnight: Very obviously - is clearly having the time of his life hacking and maiming his way through the Night Car.
* DeathGlare: As befits someone with his grim personality.
-->'''Martin:''' He mostly just stared at us coldly, which, I won't lie, is very effective.
* GeniusBruiser: He's an incredibly formidable hand to hand fighter and plots out the Jackboots battle strategies.
* HiddenDepths: Grey might be a sadistic animal, but he's far from a fool. He doesn't fall in line to kiss Wilford's ass, slyly pointing out that Wilford's speech "paraphrased" Winston Churchill. Later, he shows a softer aspect of his personality when flirting with Ruth Wardell.
* IcyBlueEyes: He has very sharp, focused blue eyes that highlight his cold-hearted personality.
* InformedAttribute: Supposedly he's a good tactician, but his approach to the Tailies' homemade ballista calls that into question. While flanking around behind is a good plan, he essentially throws his men directly at the weapon in the meantime to serve as a distraction. Keep in mind that this weapon has no capability to fire anywhere that isn't directly in front of it and the hall has ample cover along the walls.
* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler:The man who relished throwing people off the train to freeze to death is himself detached from the train and [[UncertainDoom presumably]] freezes to death]].
* TheStarscream: Tells Ruth they'll get rid of the Folgers after Layton is dead.
* WeHaveReserves: He has his men continue to charge the makeshift ballista the Tailies have set up in the maintenance tunnels while he takes a squad to circle above and flank them, even though it takes several failed charges for the Jackboots to finally outlast their ammunition supply.
[[/folder]]

!Second
[[folder:Jinju]]
!!Jinju Seong
->'''Portrayed By:''' Susan Park

The finest chef at the train's finest restaurant, and a member of the train's elite. She oversees the agricultural and aquarium cars, frequently taking dives in the latter to harvest ingredients personally.
----
* AlmightyJanitor: She's one of Melanie's main advisors and confidants despite being a mere cook in Second. That said, certain scenes imply she's key in the train's agricultural sections, likely explaining her prominence.
* FriendOrIdolDecision: She really doesn't want to have to choose between Till and Melanie, implicitly because she'd choose the latter. Till simply tells her to stay in her room and stay safe instead of forcing her to a side.
* LipstickLesbian: She's beautiful and feminine, and in a passionate relationship with Till.
* SecretKeeper: She's one of the few people who know [[spoiler:that Melanie is impersonating Mr. Wilford]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Klimpt]]
!!Dr. Henry Klimpt
->'''Portrayed By:''' Happy Anderson

A research scientist-turned-doctor, who oversees those unfortunate enough to be sentenced to the coffin-like Drawers.
----
* AmbiguouslyEvil: Klimpt is doubtlessly creepy, due to being the jailor of Snowpiercer's troublemakers, who he's disturbingly seen doting over in a way that hints at possible abuses of power. However, he's yet to be seen doing anything genuinely ''evil''; he breaks the law, but according to him, it's only so he can keep his charges properly looked after. His other creepy mannerisms might be due to poor social skills. [[spoiler:He eventually seems to support Layton's revolution, or at least [[KnowWhenToFoldEm decides not to resist it]], releasing Tailie prisoners from the Drawers]].
* HiddenDepths: At first glance, Klimpt seems like a generically creepy scientist-turned-jailor, but he has insightful thoughts about the nature of life on Snowpiercer. He also trades in kronole not to increase his own standing, but to provide the comforts for the inhabitants of the Drawers that Wilford never thought to invest in.
* SoleSurvivingScientist: He's a former research scientist, and qualified scientists generally are in short supply on Snowpiercer. More specifically, Melanie claims that his work on the Drawers is designed to master the science behind {{Human Popsicle}}s to save people in the event that the train someday breaks down.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Miss Gillies]]
!!Mary Elizabeth Gillies
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/FionaVroom

The train's schoolteacher.
----
* CoolTeacher: She seems to be encouraging towards the class, capable of independent thought (as opposed to The Teacher from the movie), concerned for her students during a near disaster and has Bojan as a guest speaker at one point.
* InterclassFriendship: A literal example. When serving on the Tribunal for [[spoiler:LJ Folger]] she gets along well with the other two jurors, one from first class and one from third.
* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Her middle and last names are likely a reference to the actress and singer Creator/ElizabethGillies.
* ObfuscatingStupidity: [[spoiler:Uses a syrupy voice and empty patter to distract Bennett so Josie can speak to Miles while he's being treated, and later to cover her own conspiring with Martin Colvin against the Folger's.]]
* ReverseMole: She seems to be an ally of the Tailies, helping Josie visit Miles against Melanie's orders and also working with a supporter of Melanie during [[spoiler:The Folger revolt]] in a way that suggests an EnemyMine scenario.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Dr. Pelton]]
!!Dr. Pelton
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/KarinKonoval

A doctor onboard the train who sometimes works with Layton and the Brakemen.
----
* ClosestThingWeGot: Of all the doctors on the train she has the most experience with dead bodies, but she isn't a medical examiner by trade.
* CombatMedic: She was an army medic in the Middle East before the Freeze.
* TheCoroner: She's the one who analyzes what was done to the murder victims.
* InternalReformist: She seems to hold some sympathy towards the Tail and Layton, and testifies firmly for the prosecution in the killer's trial.
* WrongGenreSavvy: She knows that Melanie has a list of people to put in the Drawers, including her, and suspects it's a list of dissidents to serve as UnwittingTestSubject's for one thing or another. [[spoiler:Melanie claims it's actually a list of important people to save if the train suffers a crisis]].
[[/folder]]

!Third
!!!Brakemen
[[folder:Roche]]
!!Roche
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/MikeOMalley

The lead brakeman and somewhat of an enforcer. He was employed by the real Mr. Wilford before the Freeze.
----
* ByTheBookCop: Follows the rules of Snowpiercer rigidly - he's furious when he catches Till and Oz beating up Layton, and later suspends Oz when he finds out he's being smuggling drugs to the Tail.
* DaChief: As the lead brakeman, he's essentially the equivalent of a police chief.
* EveryoneHasStandards: Roche is an unsympathetic hardass, but he's still infuriated to discover that Oz has been dealing in drugs and sexual extortion. He's also the only one objecting to the Folgers and the Jackboots variously humiliating Layton when [[spoiler:the surrender happens]].
* HappilyMarried: His wife also survived the Freeze on the train (although not all of their children did) and he tells Layton in the first episode he would rather be spending time with her than wasting it on him.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Initially seems quite callously indifferent to the Tail's plight, and really doesn't get on with Layton at first. However, he's repeatedly shown to do the right thing throughout the series, [[spoiler:standing with Layton to get rid of Grey even at the cost of a serious beating]], and is much more open to [[spoiler:Layton's democratic way of leading]] compared to Ruth.
* KnowWhenToFoldEm: Layton convinces him to stand down when the real fighting breaks out, appealing to the loss of life that will happen and the train's need for surviving people who can provide order in the aftermath, no matter who wins.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As it becomes apparent Jinju and Till's argument about supplying food is about to escalate into a nasty lover's argument, he immediately makes himself scarce.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Oz]]
!!John "Oz" Osweiller
->'''Portrayed By:''' Sam Otto

A young brakeman and police-type figure of the train.
----
* AbusiveParents: Implies when he gets honest just after the train almost derails that his mother beat him badly when drunk - and was even worse sober.
* {{Blackmail}}: Towards Till when he [[spoiler:catches her releasing Layton]].
* DirtyCop: He's a brakeman, and corrupt to the core, moonlighting for Terence.
* DirtyCoward: The only brakeman to abandon Roche's blockade against the Taillies. While the others are openly relieved when Roche stands them down, none of them abandon their post the way Oz does.
* EvilBrit: One of the show's most unambiguously rotten characters, and retains his actor's natural British accent.
* ForTheEvulz: One of the few characters to prefer his new life on Snowpiercer over his pre-Freeze existence, he loves the power being a brakeman gives him. When he's extorting Till for [[spoiler:knocking him out to get Layton out the drawers]], his demands are basically "let me do whatever the hell I want and don't stop me".
* HiddenDepths: Shows a bit of fear and mutual comfort with Till when it looks like the train might be doomed.
* {{Jerkass}}: A smug asshole who abuses his power at every turn and is only out for himself.
* OddFriendship: In the finale ends up bonding with [[spoiler:L.J.]] of all people over the fact they're both universally hated.
* PetTheDog [[spoiler:Takes L.J. under his wing in the final episode, even being remarkably cool with her punching him in the face]].
* PoliceBrutality: A frequent practitioner, beating the shit out of Layton early on and later performing a GroinAttack on Walter to determine where the strike leaflets are coming from.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Is the first to abandon the Brakeman line when Layton and his army come calling, leading to their position being rendered untenable.
* SexualExtortion: He accepts blowjobs as payment for kronol.
* SportsHeroBackstory: Used to be a football midfielder before the Freeze. Even directly compares his beating up Layton to taking penalty kicks.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fuller]]
!!Fuller
-> '''Played By:''' Benjamin Charles Fuller.
One of the Younger Brakemen-.
----
* PunchClockVillain: Fuller -like many of the other minor Brakemen- largely comes across as just looking to Roche for guidance and being a bit confused and uneasy throughout the trains powers struggles.
[[/folder]]

!!! The Nightcar

[[folder:Miss Audrey]]
!!Miss Audrey
->'''Portrayed By:''' Lena Hall

The proprietor of the Nightcar, a third class den of (mostly) PlatonicProstitution.
----
* TheCastShowoff: Gets quite a few scenes showcasing her actress's outstanding singing voice.
* RebelLeader: She seems to be the leader of the disaffected Third Class passengers. [[spoiler:When Layton's revolution kicks off, she becomes one of his main lieutenants]].
* RedOniBlueOni: As Layton's lieutenant, she's the Blue to Till's Red. She's notably more defense-orientated, favouring fortifying their barricades and consolidating the cars they've already taken in the aftermath of the Night Car battle, where Till favours attacking uptrain and hitting the Jackboots before regrouping.
* ShameIfSomethingHappened: She forces Melanie to include a Third in the murder trial jury with a forceful reminder that everything on the train only stays running because of the labor Third provides.
* SurvivorGuilt: Alleviating this is the Night Car's reason for being - instead of the brothel Wilford saw it as, Audrey convinced Melanie to turn it into a place where all the train's inhabitants could go to quietly grieve and seek comfort for the world they left behind.
* TurnTheOtherCheeks: Despite her issues with Melanie, when she comes to her after the revolution, Audrey offers the same therapeutic solace as she would any other person - allowing Melanie to [[spoiler:finally confront the grief of leaving her daughter behind]].
* WideEyedIdealist: She hopes that strikes can force Wilford to concede rather than stoop to violence.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Clay]]
!!Clay
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Tom Kirk.
Audrey's bartender and aide.
----
* TheBartender: He serves drinks in the Nightcar.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler:Among those Layton dooms to death when the Folgers' cars are detached in episode 9]].
* NumberTwo: To Audrey, among the dissatisfied Third Class citizens.
* WholesomeCrossDresser: He wears woman's clothes at times and its never portrayed as disturbing or sinister.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Nikki]]
!!Nicolette "Nikki" Genet
-> '''Played By:''' Madeline Arthur
A Nightcar worker whose been confined to the Drawers over some of the past murders.
----
* FrameUp: [[spoiler:Erik and L.J. drug her and set her up to take the fall for their first murder.]]
* [[LikeASonToMe Like a Daughter to Me]]: Audrey strongly implies she saw her this way.
* TheScapegoat: For the first murder. Audrey indicates she was tried and convicted based on her profession and proximity to the body, not on any evidence produced by the brakemen.
* TraumaCongaLine: She's falsely accused of murder and locked in the Drawers, is suffering severe mental trauma when she gets out, and then is killed because [[HeKnowsTooMuch of what she knows.]]
[[/folder]]


!!!Others

[[folder:Boscovic]]
!!Bojan Boscovic
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/AleksPaunovic

A large and fearsome-looking Breachworker, one of the most dangerous jobs on the train, with frostbite scars and stumped ears who is used to the cold and jokes about the hazards of the job.
----
* AlliterativeName: '''B'''ojan '''B'''oscovic.
* BravingTheBlizzard: His entire job involves exposing himself to the deadly elements, and he has the scars to show for it.
* EarAche: Constant exposure to the hazardous outside has worn down his ears to stumps.
* FriendToAllChildren: He's warm and cheerful around kids when he's presented to the primary school children after performing some vital work on the train.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Terence]]
!!Terence
->'''Portrayed By:''' Shaun Toub

A charming, conniving, and ultimately dangerous janitor-turned-gangster who rules the Black Market with an enigmatic power, inspiring fierce loyalty in his army of minions.
----
* AffablyEvil: Time will tell just how genuine he is, but he certainly comes across as polite and reasonable, albeit utterly ruthless.
* AlmightyJanitor: A very literal example. Terence was a janitor at a corporate office bailing before Snowpiercer, and now he's Snowpiercer's head janitor, which is an instrumental position in such a closed ecosystem. He also runs the black market, making him even more immensely powerful.
* AlwaysABiggerFish: While he's secure in his power much of it comes from the fact the powers-that-be uptrain have other things to worry about. When a very angry Melanie has him brought in for a chat in the aftermath of [[spoiler:Layton escaping the drawers]], he's visibly squirming and later refuses to help Layton and the other rebels to avoid pissing her off even more.
* BigDamnHeroes: Helps Josie rescue Layton from the Drawers. Subverted in that he turns out to be more interested in stealing the suspension drug to make more kronole, and abandons Josie almost immediately on getting it, leaving her to be found by the Brakemen. Only Till's intervention saves her.
* TheDon: He runs the black market on Snowpiercer, and as such his tentacles extend pretty much everywhere. Most people work for him whether they know it or not.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: Before boarding Snowpiercer, he was an innocuous janitor. Now? He runs a thriving criminal underworld, and those who know about him know not to cross him.
* OptOut: He doesn't show much enthusiasm about Layton's attempts to recruit him and his men to full scale insurrection, especially with Melanie's eye already on him after Layton's escape.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: When characters visit him in the Chains he's always relaxing, shaving or getting a massage. When Melanie confronts him to figure out Layton's whereabouts she notes his hands aren't very calloused for a hard-working janitor, to his visible discomfort.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Astrid]]
!!Astrid
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/JaneMcGregor

A former Tailie who got a third class apprenticeship some time ago.
----
* ReverseMole: She retains loyalties to the Tail and acts as a spy and messenger for them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Walter Fleming]]
!!Walter Fleming
->'''Portrayed By:''' Gary Hetherington.
A papermaker in third class.
----
* CoolOldGuy: Walter is in his 60's to 70's, seems fair and intelligent while serving as a juror during the trial of [[spoiler:L.J. Folger]] and is a member of the Third Class rebels.
* MakeAnExampleOfThem: [[spoiler:Falls victim to this when he's captured along with some other rebels and then executed]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Jakes Carter]]
!!Jakes Carter
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Brent Stait
A tunnel man who works on maintaining vital systems in the train cars. He is the one to find the body of [[spoiler:L.J.'s]] most recent murder victim.
----
* MrFixit: He conducts duties like electrical repairs that help keep the train operational.
[[/folder]]

!The Tail

[[folder:Miles]]
!!Miles
->'''Portrayed By:''' Jaylin Fletcher

One of the few children in the tail end of the train. Whip smart and talented, he has the intelligence to potentially move up the train if he can get a coveted apprenticeship.
----
* TheMole: Melanie lets him into the Engine as a unwitting hostage to use against Layton, but Miles knows the score and uses his position to further Layton's plans.
* OrphansOrdeal: His dad and sibling were unable to make onto the train in time and his mother was thrown off. [[spoiler:Loses his surrogate mother Josie as well before the series is out]].
* TeenGenius: Despite being a kid he's incredibly adept at mathematics and technical problem-solving - so much so that Melanie's making him an Engineer seems as much motivated by genuine abiity as it is using him against Layton.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Pike]]
!!Pike
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snowpiercer_8.jpg]]
->'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/StevenOgg

A hardened and battle-scarred leader in the Tail and a warrior of his people. He was a career convict, serving time in Cook County Jail for armed robbery at the time of the Freeze, but escaped.
----
* AmbiguousSituation: He's taken from the drawers by Grey and gives him information on Layton in exchange for the luxuries of First, but it's unclear if he is truly a turncoat or is simply stringing Grey along. The former seems to be the case when he admits to loving the joys of proper food for the first time in years.
* BadassBeard: Thickly bearded, physically imposing, and the only survivor of his own attempted rebellion.
* DefectorFromDecadence: Inverted: when a staggered Layton asks why he [[spoiler:is now helping Grey and the Folgers]], he replies honestly; clean sheets and actual good food after years living on scraps in terrible conditions in the Tail. After the revolution ends he helps himself to the Folgers' luxuries, much to L.J.'s horror.
* HeroicBSOD: Breaks down when he realises so many of his followers have been killed in the episode 1 rebellion for the gain of only a single train car.
* HotBlooded: Pike is someone who tends to act without thinking of the consequences. The first episode rebellion happens mainly because Layton wasn't around to restrain him after Old Ivan's death.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: He's a resolute asshole, but he has genuinely noble intentions, is a true believer in rebellion against his oppressors, and isn't afraid to fight alongside those he would put in danger. Subverted later when the promise of good food and clean living after years of the Tail prompts him to [[spoiler: help Grey and the Folgers - even knowing it'll end in Layton's execution]].
* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Sells out Layton to Grey and gives him information on how to blunt Layton's strategies, yet not only survives Grey's defeat but manages to set himself up in the Folgers' old carriage afterwards. L.J. even lampshades how he sold out all the people now adulating him just before he throws her out her home]].
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Gives teen sociopath L.J. a nasty speech about how she no longer matters as she has no friends, shortly before kicking her out her own home to survive alone in the lower classes. To be fair, his expression immediately afterwards indicates he didn't enjoy it.]]
* PutOnABus: He and two other Tail section rebels, Z-Wreck and Strong Boy, are consigned to the Drawers after the rebellion in the first episode.
** TheBusCameBack: [[spoiler:Grey reawakens him to provide information on how Layton thinks in episode 8]].
* RedOniBlueOni: The brash, aggressive red to Layton's blue.
* TheStarscream: [[spoiler:Grey awakens him from the drawers to provide information on Layton during the rebellion]].
* WeAreStrugglingTogether: Pike and Layton do ''not'' get along, with the aggressive Pike clashing with the more cereberal Layton. Yet, they're still allies and understand that they need to work together. [[spoiler:Layton even talks him into surrendering.]]
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fergus]]
!!Fergus [=McConnell=]
->'''Portrayed By:''' Benjamin Haigh

A passenger who lives in the back of the train amongst poverty. He helps his mother care for his sick father, and does his best to contribute to the daily struggles of life in this part of the train.
----
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Josie]]
!!Josie Wellstead
->'''Portrayed By:''' Kate [=McGuiness=]

A strong, no-nonsense woman who lives in poverty at the tail of the train. She cares for her sick husband as well as their precocious son and would do anything for her family.
----
* DeliberateInjuryGambit: [[spoiler:Shatters her own hand to escape her restraints and attack Melanie]].
* {{Fingore}}: Loses a finger to Melanie's icy torture when she proves unwilling to rat out the Tail's plans.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Knowing Melanie will kill her for what she knows and will use Miles to make her talk, she gives her life in an attempt to kill Melanie. Even though she doesn't succeed, it denies Melanie any leverage her life might have]].
* TheLeader: In the absence of both Layton and Pike she emerges as the Tail's leader.
* MamaBear: She'll do anything to protect Miles.
* NumberTwo: Generally Layton's right-hand woman.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Last Australian]]
!!The Last Australian
->'''Portrayed By:''' Aaron Glenane

A scrappy Tailie charmer from Perth with an intense desire to survive because, as far as he knows, he is the last Australian.
----
* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:Leads Strong Boy and Z-Wreck to save Layton and Roche from Grey and the Jackboots literally seconds before Layton's execution]].
* LastOfHisKind: It's right there in the name: he's the Last Australian left alive, at least as far as he knows.
* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Everybody, even Layton, always refers to him as the Last Australian. He's gobsmacked when Miss Audrey turns out to know his real name - Murray.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Big John]]
!!Big John
->'''Portrayed By:''' Jonathan Lloyd Walker

A tail section passenger sometimes drafted to perform harsh labor up train.
----
* {{Courier}}: Layton slips him a message to take back to Josie and the others at one point.
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Dies giving the other revolutionaries time to get away once the ammo for their ballista runs out]].
* HoldTheLine: During the Rebellion in episode 8 he's assigned to barricade the tail and fight back any brakemen and jackboots trying to get through.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Patterson]]
!!Patterson
->'''Portrayed By:''' Dylan Schmid

A tail section young man living with his mother and sister.
----
* MauveShirt: A constant presence throughout the season before dying in the Rebellion near the end of it.
* SexualExtortion: He's a victim of this, forced to service Oz to help his family.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Strong Boy]]
!!Strong Boy
->'''Portrayed By:''' Kurt Ostlund

One of the Tail's primary fighters.
----
* TheBigGuy: The largest and most physically imposing of the Tail's inhabitants. Justified in that many of the other Taillies give up their rations to keep him well fed in case they need him in combat.
* SuddenlyVoiced: He's the epitome of the strong, silent type - until being woken up from the Drawers when he's suddenly yelling in Mandarin, [[ParanoiaFuel a language he apparently hadn't known beforehand]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Santiago]]
!!Santiago
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Michael Issa Rubio
A tailie rebel living with his grandmother.
----
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler:Calmly takes in the success of the Rebellion and comforts a fellow prisoner while facing near-certain death from the cold]].
* FireForgedFriends: Melanie has been an enemy of him and the tail for a long time but they talk while prisoners together. Melanie confirms there's an ocean uptrain to comfort him, and he in turn offers to say a prayer for her as she's taken to be executed.
* NiceHat: He wears a baseball cap on backwards.
* PermaStubble: He has a somewhat scraggly, unshaven face.
* UncertainDoom: [[spoiler:While a prisoner of the First Class he's in a car detached from the tail and almost certainly freezes to death afterwards]].
* TheWorldIsJustAwesome: He shows interest in seeing an ocean.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Winnie]]
!!Winnie
->'''Portrayed By:''' Emma Oliver
Patterson's younger sister.
----
* TheBabyOfTheBunch: She's one of the youngest Tail Section characters.
* GirlishPigtails: She has a braided pigtail on either side of her head.
* LittleMissBadass: She tries to help out during Pike's rebellion by grabbing a severed hand and racing to the door to use it as a BorrowedBiometricBypass.
* OhCrap: Understandably freezes in terror when she opens the door to the next car with a Jackboot's severed hand - only to find Grey and a mass of fully armed soldiers on the other side.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Z-Wreck]]
!!Z-Wreck
-> '''Played By:''' Kwassi Thomas
Another of the Tail's fighters.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mia]]
!!Mia Kaicheck
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Carolyn Yu
Another tail section child who is given an apprenticeship at the same time Miles is.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Suzanne]]
!!Suzanne
-> '''Played By:''' Sarah Stranger
The mother of Patterson and Winnie.
----
* DoomedHurtGuy: After her arm is shattered she lasts for several episodes as the others care for her, but eventually dies.
* MamaBear: She takes a shattered arm for Winnie and is concerned about the implications that Patterson is giving sexual services for her medicine.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Old Ivan]]
!!Old Ivan
-> '''Portrayed By:''' Mark Margolis
An 84 year-old former piano tuner and leader of the Tail.
----
* CoolOldGuy: Ivan is one of the oldest, if not the oldest people in the Tail. He lost an arm for taking part in a prior rebellion and is one of the more insightful members of the faction.
* DrivenToSuicide: He hangs himself on his birthday after a bout of depression in the pilot.
* ThePromisedLand: He saw the front section once when brought there to perform some work and is an advocate of the tail pushing forward.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Mama Grande]]
!!Mama Grande
-> '''Played By:''' Renee Victor
Santiago's grandmother.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lights]]
!!Lights
-> '''Played By:''' Miranda Edwards
One of the tail section spokesmen and fighters.
[[/folder]]

![[spoiler:''Big Alice'']]

[[folder: [[spoiler:Mr. Wilford]] ]]
!![[spoiler:Mr. Wilford]]
->[[spoiler:'''Portrayed By:''' Sean Bean]]

[[spoiler:The former head of Wilford Industries and the one in charge aboard ''Big Alice''.]]
----
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: He doesn't even appear in season 1, but his [[spoiler:sending Alexandra aboard with a threat to freeze everyone on board if they don't surrender - whether rebels like Layton or fervent loyalist like Ruth - without even trying to negotiate is very telling as to his true nature.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: Of Season 1, as it was his decision to convert the ''Snowpiercer'' from a train meant to help humanity survive into a luxury train that wound up causing problem after problem for everyone aboard.
* TheGhost: Even though his name is on the train and he is played up to be the leader of ''Snowpiercer'', who keeps it running unseen by everybody, he is not actually aboard, as Melanie left him behind in Chicago to freeze to death. [[spoiler:Even in the Season 1 finale, when ''Big Alice'' catches up to ''Snowpiercer'', he still remains unseen.]]
* OopNorth: Retains Sean Bean's natural accent.
* TheRealRemingtonSteele: [[spoiler:Melanie reveals early on in the series that the society of Snowpiercer, hellish as it is, is the result of Wilford changing it from TheArk it was meant to be for the sake of profit -- which is why she left him behind to die and has been masquerading as him to try to prevent things from getting worse. TheReveal that he's still alive, probably unhappy, and is coming with a train full of [[CultOfPersonality probably brainwashed]] subjects is one of the few times this trope can be safely said is being PlayedForHorror.]]
* SharpDressedMan: [[spoiler:Even after seven years, the trailers indicate he's still impeccably dressed in a sharp suit and fur coat as he returns to Snowpiercer.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:His survival spoils much of the Season 1 finale.]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: [[spoiler:Alexandra Cavill]] ]]
!![[spoiler:Alexandra Cavill]]
->[[spoiler:'''Portrayed By:''' Creator/RowanBlanchard]]

[[spoiler:A self-assured 17-year-old, wise beyond her years, with mysterious connections to the history of ''Snowpiercer''. She debuts in the Season 1 finale "994 Cars Long."]]
----
* MouthOfSauron: [[spoiler:Serves as one for the real Mr. Wilford after ''Big Alice'' catches up with ''Snowpiercer'']].
* TroublingUnchildlikeBehaviour: [[spoiler:Doesn't even bat an eye when making Wilford's threat to freeze everyone aboard - humanity's last survivors - if they don't surrender.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: [[spoiler:It is impossible to talk too much about her without giving away her role in the Season 1 finale, her ties to Melanie, and her survival.]]
[[/folder]]

* OnlySaneMan: In addition to the events mentioned in the IgnoredExpert entry, he's also the only one to recognise how disastrously Melanie's decision to [[spoiler:commute L.J.'s sentence]] will play out, only to be be overruled by Melanie and Beckett. And when the Engine car goes into lockdown a few days after Miles' arrival he's quick to suspect (rightfully) the connection between the two events.

* EveryoneHasStandards: Roche is an unsympathetic hardass, but he's still infuriated to discover that Oz has been dealing in drugs and sexual extortion.

One of the original engineers who helped design the train, making him one of the few passengers who knows the deepest secrets of the train.

One of the Engineers of the train.

* ButtMonkey: She's falsely accused of murder and locked in the Drawers, is suffering severe mental trauma when she gets out, and then is killed because [[HeKnowsTooMuch of what she knows.]]

* HiddenDepths: In a sense, given that he's indicated to be part of the trains black market chain.

A leader of first class.

* TheLeader: In the absence of both Layton and Pike emerges as the Tail's leader.

* DoomedHurtGuy: After har arm is shattered she lasts for several episodess as the others care for her but eventually dies.

* CoolOldGuy: Ivan is one of the oldest, if not the oldest people in the Tail, lot an arm for taking part in a prior rebellion and is one of the more insightful members of the faction.

* TheWorldIsAwesome: Chats with Bennett about missing fresh air during one of her lower moments.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: She seems to genuinely believe that everything she does, no matter how cruel or ruthless, is essential to the continued survival of humanity.

* LawfulEvil: She's capable of great cruelty and is obsessed with the train's order, seemingly feeling it is for a greater purpose.

* HotBlooded: Pike is someone who tends to act without thinking of the consequences. The first episode rebelion happens mainly because Layton wasn't around to restrain him after Old Ivan's death.

* IgnoredExpert: He warns Melanie they should slow the train before hitting some debris. She refuses as the resulting power outages would worsen the ounting social discontent. As a result a breach wipes out the cattle car and socially things get even worse.

!!!The Folgers

* JerkassHasAPoint: She's terrified any sort of uprising based on fairer power-sharing will pose a threat to their status and particularly to L.J. [[spoiler:Come the success of the Tail revolution, their carriage is ransacked by an opportunistic Pike and the janitors, and L.J. is thrown out into the wider train to survive on her own (and a deleted scene which aired in a promo for the finale had Pike directly threatening a terrified L.J. with a shiv]].

** [[spoiler:She was prepared to completely a status quo on the train that heavily favoured her and those like her because Melanie dared to try and discipline her spoiled daughter.]]

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:When Pike kicks her out of her own home just as she's grieving her parents, it'd garner sympathy for anyone else in her shoes. A sociopath like L.J. on the other hand? Not so much]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Before boarding Snowpiercer, he was an innocuous janitor. Now? He runs a thriving criminal underworld and those who know about him, know not to cross him.
* OptOut: He doesn't show much enthusiasm about Layton's attempts to recruit him and his men to full scale insurrection, especially with Melanie's eye already on him after Layton's escape.

* IgnoredExpert: He warned Melanie they should slow the train before hitting some debris but she wouldn't and as a result a breach wipes out the cattle car.

* RebelLeader: She seems to be the leader of the disaffected Third Class passengers.

* WideEyedIdealist: She hopes that strikes can force Wilford to concede rather than stop to violence.

* AffablyEvil: Time will tell just how genuine he is, but he certainly comes across as polite and, albeit utterly ruthless.

* NoOneSeesTheBoss: Subverted. Everybody does see Melanie day-to-day - but nobody ''thinks'' they see Wilford with the fiction he's constantly working on the Engine, with only a few select people aware that they're one and the same.

* UpperClassTwit: The man rivals the Folgers in entitlement, pettiness and short-sightedness.

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: At least in the matter of L.J.'s trial, were she doesn't close ranks with her fellow Firstie, sharing the evidence and delivering a conviction.

* HiddenDepths: At first glance, Klimpt seems like a generically creepy scientist-turned-jailor, but he has insightful thoughts about the nature of life on Snowpiercer.

* InternalReformist: She seems to hold some sympathy towards the Tail and Layton, and testifies firmly for the prosecution in the killers trial.

* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: As it becomes apparent Jinju and Till's argument about supplying food is bout to escalate in a nasty lover's argument, he immediately makes himself scarce.

* DirtyCoward: The only brakeman to abandon Roche's blockade against the Taillies. While the others are open relieved when Roche stands them down, none of them abandon their post the way Oz does.

* SportsHeroBackstory: Used to be a football midfielder before the Freeze.

* TheInformant: He's one of Melanie's spies throughout the train, although considering that the people she spies on are mainly the Folgers and Grey, he gets treated sympathetically.

A first-class passenger and the Voice of the Train, who makes the PA system's daily announcements. Though many of her peers are dismissive of the lower-class passengers, Melanie is curiously fascinated by them as she secretly is Mr. Wilford[[spoiler:'s impersonator]].

The leader of the Tail and main protagonist. Thoughtful and intelligent, Layton has managed to lead the Tail through Snowpiercer's journey. But it's his former ife as a homicide detective that sees him exposed to the outside Train for the first time - a journey that has serious consequences for Snowpiercer.