Amelia Vander

## Personal Background

Amelia Vander is a survivor who is one of founders of the famed Neutral Zone settlement, which is located in the remains of a school building on the edge of the Wild Lands. With her husband Austin Leur, the two established the pacifistic community under the moral that there would be no killing unless absolutely necessary. Before the bombs fell, Amelia was a member of the Armed Forces, and was instrumental during the Israeli Uprising, where she served as a search-and-retrieve scout for isolated families and children. She received numerous commendations and awards for her acts of valor in the face of dangerous odds, many of which she still believes she didn't deserve. Her two years in the military gave her lethal combat experience, but is also what convinced her to adopt a more pacifist nature, as she saw killing as unjustifiable expect in the most extreme of cases of self defense or in defense of an innocent. After two years in the army, Amelia became a teacher at a school for physically and mentally disabled children, where she met her husband Austin Leur, who served as the school's music teacher and social instructor. Once the bombs fell and the world fell into chaos, Amelia and Austin only narrowly survived by taking shelter in a underground bunker, but emerged to find that all the children they worked with had perished in nuclear fire. Devastated, Austin and Amelia established the pacifistic colony in the remains of the school-building, traumatized by the senseless acts of killing that humanity committed on its self.

## Episode Two

Amelia briefly appears in Episode Two, when she urgently contacts Austin through a mobile walkie-talkie, asking for a situation report. She worriedly says that she's been hearing gunshots and needs to know whats happening. Austin, however, is dead, and his killer, Shaun Maher, answers the call. He successfully frames Austin's death on a raider attack and earns Amelia's sympathy by stating he and his partner, Jack Harkin, did what they could to help. After Jack abandons Shaun for his violence and manipulation, Shaun then frames Austin's death on Jack, where he tells Amelia that Jack is the raider responsible for the attack.

Although it is not physically seen in any episode, is it revealed in End of the Line that Shaun used his good standing with Amelia and got himself into the position as the settlement's Bounty Hunter, and made it his mandate to search for Austin's 'killer'. Amelia allows this only one the condition that Shaun does not kill his target, but instead brings him in for questioning. Shaun ignores this command, and instead decides to violently extract vengeance on Jack. Scouts from the Neutral Zone spot a stand-off between Jack, Shaun, and Emily Freeman, and take immediate action when they see Shaun aiming his gun at the pregnant woman. The scouts stun and incapacitate the trio, and proceed to bring them in for questioning.

## Episode Three

Amelia interrogates Jack at gunpoint, convinced that he is the killer of Austin and demands he explains himself. Amelia angrily states that Shaun told her that Austin's killer knew him, much like Jack does; this furthers her belief that Jack is her husbands killer. Jack, however, is innocent. He elaborates in full that Shaun killed Austin, manipulated his death to get a good standing with the settlement, and then used his position to go after Jack as a paid bounty hunter. Amelia is not fully convinced, as she's no stranger to lies by this point. She brings Jack to Shaun, who is now descending into madness and hysteria. It is revealed during a heated interrogation that Shaun is psychopathic, and has been violently manipulating his way through the wasteland ever since the bombs first dropped. Shaun lunges at Jack, his hysteria reaching its peak, and Amelia is forced to fire her gun, wounding him. Shaun taunts Amelia, stating she's just as weak as Austin. Amelia pulls the trigger, killing Shaun. Overcome by remorse, and believing she has betrayed her cause, Amelia drops her gun in shock. Jack comforts Amelia by saying Shaun wasn't worth keeping alive.

Later, after Jack and Emily have reunited, Amelia urgently calls Jack and warns him that the settlement has fallen under attack by Raiders who trailed the colony scouts. Amelia and Jack fight off the invaders, which highlights how Amelia has been pushed past her ethical limit and is now numbed to killing. Jack, in an act of self-sacrifice, locks himself into the entrance corridor with the invading raiders, halting their advance and giving Amelia a chance to escape with Emily. Amelia and Emily watch in dismay as Jack seals himself in, urging them to run while they still can. As Jack is left to a uncertain fate, Amelia escapes with Emily into the Wasteland, and into a unknown future.