Remnants (novel series)

Remnants is a series of science fiction books written by K. A. Applegate between July 2001 and September 2003. It is the story of what happens to the survivors of a desperate mission to save a handful of human beings after an asteroid collides with the Earth. Eighty people are placed aboard a converted space shuttle using untested "quack" hibernation technology and fired blindly into space hours before all life on Earth is obliterated by a large asteroid called The Rock. They are then picked up by a large, sentient space craft of monumental proportions known as 'Mother' which is inhabited by various races. 'Mother' can manipulate the physical environment within the craft's limits and often does so. Only a few people placed in stasis actually were alive and capable of being reanimated when they reached 'Mother'.

Characters

Main characters

Jobs: He and his parents and brother are on the Mayflower: only Jobs and his brother survive. Jobs' poetic sense and technical knowledge combined are often useful in understanding Mother, a sentient machine. It is Jobs who discovers the remains of Earth. In the Epilogue in "Begin Again", because unlike Bill Gates or Michael Dell, Steven Jobs created a miniature revolution "...in his garage." Jobs' birth name is Sebastian Andreeson.
He was the son of a prominent scientist, Jennifer Andreeson, head of astrophysics at Stanford, and Tony Andreeson, a software technician with the "kind of job where nobody expects you to show up on time, or at all," and was recruited to go on the Mayflower Project. He was joined by his long-time best friend Mo'Steel. He was briefly romantically involved with a girl named Cordelia before he went aboard the Mayflower project, and the first book of Remnants deals with his longing for her to accompany him on the ship. Cordelia instead comes to be an infamous death when her video link reveals to the world a chunk of The Rock obliterating San Francisco and its inhabitants, with the resulting shockwave shattering the building from which Cordelia witnesses the destruction.
Mo'Steel: Jobs' best friend, Mo'Steel is named for either "Man of Steel" or "More Steel" (Mo cannot remember which), since he has broken 5 of his bones. 4 of them so were broken so badly, they had been replaced with titanium composites. Mo'Steel has a love for adventure and is proud of all his broken bones and scars. Mo marries Noyze in the series' epilogue, and has 1 son Boyd, and Noyze is pregnant with another. Mo'Steel's birth name is Romeo Gonzalez. Mo'Steel is possibly an idiot-savant; however, evidence can only be found in the second book when he converts an insane amount of minutes into years.
2Face: Named after the comic book villain, Two-Face. She is one of 2 players battling for total control of the Remnants. 2Face seems to show feelings for Billy, but upon being stranded on Earth, she becomes paranoid to the point that she is sure Billy orchestrated the entire event. She attempts to kill Billy to stop the re-greening ritual, and Billy is forced to kill her to protect himself, but not before he gives her a vision of her dead mother so that she may die peacefully. It is hinted several times through the series that 2Face herself caused the fire that scarred her, but this is not confirmed.
Yago: The son of the first African-American, and first female President of the United States (Janice Castleman), Yago is 2Face's competition for control. He is highly arrogant and is assured he will eventually rise to power, caring for his own safety above all else. About halfway through the series, Yago is connected to Mother and is "killed" (actually, a projection of his mind is killed). The ordeal leaves Yago believing himself to the be "The One": A being of purity, destined to lead the Chosen (the non-mutant Remnants) and to destroy the Freaks (2Face and the mutated Remnants). Yago's twisted religion turns many Blue Meanies with his newly-discovered mutation "The Touch", a sort of laying-on-hands that several Meanies crave (although it is not known exactly what The Touch really does - only that it does not work on humans). Near the end of his life Yago becomes much more likeable and not arrogant. Yago dies when his mind, inside of Tate, fades away. Yago's birth name is Robert Castleman.
Violet Blake: Violet is a "Jane" (named for Jane Austen), who for the first half of the series, prefers to be called Miss Blake. As a Jane, Violet has a distaste for technology, and a love for all forms of art and literature. Violet suffers an attack of "worms" in the second book, and eventually they become her mutation, enabling her to become a mass of worms that can revive the dead (to an extent). Violet and Jobs have a semi-romantic relationship, but her disgust over her mutation, and Jobs' obsession with Earth, drive them apart. She marries the Marauder Sanchez in the end of the book. Violet's birth name is Dallas, the place of her birth.
Billy Weir: Billy is a true enigma. Originally a Chechnyan orphan, Billy was adopted by a Texan family. He was born Ruslan, but his father, Billy Weir Senior, aka, Big Bill, changed his name to Billy. At times it seems that Billy has infinite power, and has a strong connection with Mother. Early in the series he was carried around the computer generated world by Jobs thereby fusing friendship with Jobs that is persistent throughout the series. Long before the Mayflower, Billy dreamt of events that would unfold over five centuries later. While in hibernation, Billy did not sleep, and was awake for the five hundred year journey. The ordeal twisted his mind, giving him telekinesis, the power to levitate, and many other strange abilities. In the fourth book, he moves Wylson Lefkowitz-Blake's dead body like an oversized marionette, freaking Mo'Steel out big-time. These abilities make Billy a match for Mother, to the point where they assimilate to become one. Billy dies in the re-greening ritual: it is possible he may have survived, but 2Face's attack and the subsequent energy Billy spends to drain her life force may have contributed to his death. He is dubbed "Billy Weird" by many of his enemies (which amounts to anyone seeking control of the ship).
Tate: Tate is one of the teenage survivors of the Mayflower. She is a relatively unimportant character until the seventh book, and most of the thirteenth book is about her. Tate developed a mutation called "the mouth", which causes her head to grow to a monstrous size when she feels threatened, and accidentally eats Yago, Charlie, and Amelia, who continue to live inside Tate until she dies or they die a natural death. In the earlier books Tate shows feelings for Mo'Steel and tells him that he's holding the Remnants together.
Tamara Hoyle: A Marine who was not intended to board the Mayflower shuttle, she was trapped on board when the ship launched, and she was given the berth of a passenger who had been killed before boarding the ship. Tamara was pregnant when she was placed in her berth, and is rejuvenated with the Baby Te at her side. For the first part of the series she is mind-controlled by Te. After Te is defeated, Tamara takes a keen interest in the defense of the Remnants. She is killed by Blue Meanies on the trip back to Earth.
The Troika: Amelia, Duncan Choate, and Charlie Langlow, are a trio of humans living in what is called "The Basement", a dark area that is very much what it sounds: an area below Mother's main deck. All of them "ascend" to become slime-like shapeshifters. Amelia and Charlie are assimilated into Tate, and Duncan is killed.
Kubrick: The fifteen-year-old son of one of the Mayflower's engineers, Kubrick was skinned by Mother to look more like her creators. He is introduced in the fifth book, where he and his father find Billy and Mo'Steel in the "basement". In the series, he shows definite feelings for 2Face. He is killed in the ninth book by Charlie saving 2Face's life.
Echo: An Alpha colony inhabitant, Echo is not genetically pure, and this shows in her blind baby. She is forced to flee the Alpha colony and seek refuge with the Marauders. Her child, Lumina, becomes one of 3 elements in the re-greening of Earth.
Noyze: Born Jessica Polk, Noyze, the daughter of a novelist and an orthopedic surgeon, was mostly deaf until age 12, then received surgery that restored her hearing to its full capacity. Noyze and Dr Cohen were abandoned on the ship by the other Remnants and kidnapped by Blue Meanies. Noyze is the only Remnant who can communicate with the Blue Meanies.
Te: Initially called "The Baby", Te appears first as the young child of Tamara Hoyle,who was born on the 500-year journey. After some time, however, it becomes clear that the Baby is not human, and is furthermore controlling Tamara's mind. After absorbing the energy of several Blue Meanies, Te transforms into a Shipwright and attempts to seize control of Mother. However, Billy defeats him by joining with Mother. Te is notably the only Shipwright to appear.
Mother: Both a computer and a ship, Mother is so highly-advanced that she is self-aware, or at least is able to give the impression that she is, and experiences loneliness after her creators, the Shipwrights, abandoned her and left her alone for a six hundred years. The long years alone in space have damaged her system: she must have maintenance every 200 cycles, and has been alone for 600 (although it is not specified exactly how long a cycle is). The long years of no new input drove Mother mad, and when the Mayflower is found, she eagerly awakes the Remnants to absorb new information. Mother eventually merges with Billy. When Billy and she are disconnected, she suffers a computer virus from the Troika, and is degraded into Daughter, a simplified form of herself. Mother the Ship crashes on Earth, and becomes known as the Source to the Marauders.

List of humans

During the escape from earth, eighty humans were on board the Mayflower. However, some diverged into other species. Of the Eighty that set out, only eight survived. 22 died on board the Mayflower, one was killed before the Mayflower set off, the two "pilots" were killed before the hibernation happened, and 27 died of other causes.

Name	Age	Occupation and hometown	Gender	Status
Jasper Willett		Mayflower captain	Male	Deceased; suicide. Couldn't live without his family.
Tony Andreeson	43	Software aestheticist, Monterey	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Jennifer Andreeson	40	Astrophysics professor, Monterey	Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Sebastian "Jobs" Andreeson	14	Student, Monterey	Male	Alive
Edward Andreeson	6	Student, Monterey	Male	Alive
Mr. Gonzalez	39	Monterey	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Olga Gonzalez	30	Biologist, Monterey	Female	Alive
Romeo "Mo'Steel" Gonzalez	14	Student, Monterey	Male	Alive
Shy Hwang	42	Producer for ABC, Miami	Male	Deceased; killed aboard the Constitution by Blue Meanies in battle
Dawn Schultz-Hwang	40	Miami	Female	Deceased; one of the missing five who was absorbed by Billy.
Essence "2Face" Hwang	15	Student, Miami	Female	Deceased; killed by Billy because she attempted to kill him
William "Big Bill" Weir	56	CEO, Austin	Male	Deceased; killed by Billy when Bill was infected with worm-like parasites
Jessica Weir	37		Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Ruslan "Billy" Weir	14	Student, Austin	Male	Deceased; killed indirectly by 2Face, she weakened him, making him unable to survive the regreening ritual
Mr. Blake	40	Monterey	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower via worms
Wylson Lefkowitz-Blake	38	CEO of Wyllco Inc., Monterey	Female	Deceased; drowned
Dallas "Violet" Blake	14	Student, Monterey	Female	Alive
Mr. Huerta			Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Connie Huerta		Obstetrician	Female	Deceased; killed by Tamara and the Baby when she cut the connection between the baby and the mother
Robert "Yago" Castleman	15	Student (President's son), Washington, D.C.	Male	Deceased; Tate firstly ate him and then he died inside her out of old age
Daniel Burroway		Astrophysicist	Male	Deceased; burned in flame pillar on earth
Mrs. Burroway			Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Ms. Burroway		Student	Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Mr. Burroway		Student	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Errol Smith		Rocket scientist	Male	Deceased; killed by a Rider in battle
Mrs. Smith			Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Ms. Smith		Student	Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Alberto DiSalvo	38	Engineer	Male	Deceased; driven insane and eventually killed by Mother
Mrs. DiSalvo	41		Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Kubrick DiSalvo	15	Student	Male	Deceased; killed by porcupine-Charlie while saving 2Face (and Billy)
Mr. Dodger			Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Mrs. Dodger			Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Roger Dodger	10	Student	Male	Alive
Tate's Father		L.A.	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Tate's Mother		L.A.	Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Tate	14	Student, L.A.	Female	Deceased; crashed Mother on earth
Anamull's father			Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Anamull's mother			Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Anamull	16	Student	Male	Deceased; killed by wormy D-Caf on earth. D-Caf was just trying to scare him.
Tathagata "T.R." Rajagopalachari		Psychiatrist	Male	Deceased; killed in battle by Blue Meanies who were searching for Yago.
Mrs. Rajagopalachari			Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Alan Carrington		Immunologist	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Angelique Cohen		Immunologist	Female	Deceased; killed by Blue Meanies in battle
Mr. Polk		Orthopedic surgeon	Male	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Mrs. Polk		Novelist	Female	Deceased; died on board the Mayflower
Jessica "Noyze" Polk		Student	Female	Alive
Amelia		Chicago	Female	Deceased; killed by Tate's suicide mission
Charles "Charlie" Langlow		Reporter	Male	Deceased; driven insane and killed by Tate, Yago, and Amelia
Duncan Choate		Bio-engineering student	Male	Deceased; released into the vacuum of space by Tate with Daughter's help
Tom			Male	Deceased; accidentally shot by D-Caf on the Mayflower
Mark Melman			Male	Deceased; shot while hiding on the Mayflower
Harlin "D-Caf" Melman	15	Student	Male	Unknown; presumed alive.
Tamara Hoyle	22	Marine, Tennessee	Female	Deceased; killed by Riders while returning to Earth
Te Hoyle		None (baby)	Male	Deceased; defeated by Billy

List of Marauders

Name	Age	Gender	Status
Hawk		Male	Deceased; killed by Mo'Steel
Rexer		Male	Deceased
Newton		Male	Unknown; presumably dead
Claw		Male	Alive
Snipe		Male	Alive
Balder		Male	Alive
Berg	40	Male	Deceased; died due to a lack of food
Aga	35	Female	Deceased; died in the "new world" on Earth
Eel		Male	Alive
Curia		Female	Alive
Tackie	2	Female	Deceased; killed by slizers
Nesia		Female	Alive
Walbert	5	Male	Alive
Micron	5	Male	Alive
Sanchez		Male	Alive
Rattler		Male	Alive
Cocker		Male	Alive
Badger		Male	Alive
Croce	10	Male	Alive
Grost		Female	Alive
Yorka		Female	Alive
Prota	7	Female	Alive

List of Alphas

There are 40 Alphas; this list is incomplete.

Name	Age	Occupation	Gender	Status
Woody		Leader	Male	Deceased
Borlaug		Elder	Male	deceased
Trinny		Elder	Female	Unknown
Shipper		Elder	Male	Unknown
Ali Kosh		Elder	Male	Unknown
Westie		Elder	Female	Unknown
Nile		Elder	Female	Unknown
Deena		Elder	Female	Unknown
Echo	16		Female	Alive
Lumina		Echo's daughter	Female	Alive
Mattock			Male	Alive
Lyric			Female	Alive
Marina			Female	Unknown
India	3		Female	Unknown
Frank			Male	Deceased
Rainer	67		Male	Deceased
Park			Male	Unknown
Hidge			Male	Unknown

List of books

The Mayflower Project (July 2001)
Destination Unknown (September 2001)
Them (November 2001)
Nowhere Land (January 2002)
Mutation (March 2002)
Breakdown (May 2002)
Isolation (July 2002)
Mother, May I? (September 2002)
No Place Like Home (November 2002)
Lost and Found (January 2003)
Dream Storm (March 2003)
Aftermath (May 2003)
Survival (July 2003)
Begin Again (September 2003)

Notes and Plot Holes

Although there are numerous references to "The Ancient Enemy", it is never specified what The Ancient Enemy is: a being, a place, or something else. Several points of evidence (including Te identifying him as such) point to Billy as being The Ancient Enemy. However, at one point the Troika chant "We are The Ancient Enemy". Furthermore, it is not known who or what The Ancient Enemy is the enemy of.
The sources of the various mutations are not known. Most are described as being a result of exposure to radiation; however, even some of the characters note that this is not an adequate explanation: some are subtle, while some are extreme (compare the Troika to a lesser mutation like Edward's chameleon-like power to change the color of his skin). Some only become apparent after a time: Tate's mutation "The Mouth" is only discovered over halfway through the series. Also, some of the characters seem to have unusual traits unrelated to the others—examples include Kubrick, whose see-through skin is caused by Mother, and Billy, whose strange abilities (also unexplained) existed before the main events of the stories.
The bodies of all the corpses of the Mayflower passengers vanish with no explanation. Eight "Missings" are unaccounted for. Three become the Troika, and the others, called "The Missing Five" are later revealed to be, somehow, alive within Billy.
Although the Moon, or any of the three parts it breaks into never impact Earth (Jobs and Mo watch the devastation unfold from orbit after manually releasing the Mayflower's solar sails), the Earth that the Remnants return to has the Moon embedded in its side.
The book series has a few references to The Beatles, with one book being called Nowhere Land, a reference to The Beatles' song "Nowhere Man", and the villains of The Beatles film Yellow Submarine are called Blue Meanies.
In the summary for Nowhere Land, the Remnants are described finding a power node, a green cone buzzing with electricity, when in fact this does not happen in the book.
Although it is hinted at in No Place Like Home, the origin of the fire that burned 2Face is never revealed.
In No Place Like Home, both Rodger Dodger and Edward tell of having strange nightmares while being dead, but neither nightmares are ever revealed.
In Aftermath, the 'Savagers' that the Marauders are afraid of turn out to be Riders. This is inconsistent, because the Marauders suggest that the Savagers have always been there, but the Riders only came to Earth at the same time the Remnants did.

External links