Warren Godby

## Personality

Warren is described as a nervous person by Gordon when they first meet, and while this does hold some truth, Warren is also a very sarcastic individual who uses his sarcasm and quips as a defense mechanism. He is prone to petty arguments, always needing to get in the last word.

Towards the latter half of the series, specifically season 2 and onward, Warren's mental state begins to deteriorate, which in turn brings forward certain traits of his, such as his inability to gauge why and what someone is asking of him, his blunt responses, and his sarcasm. He barrels on in conversations when others have moved on or when they've dropped the topic completely, simply thinking out loud, rather than to anyone in particular.

## History

### Pre-Series

Warren's childhood was deeply traumatic, which is a fact many characters know and reference. His father, William Godby, was a domestic abuser, sex-offender, and paedophile, who was caught and convicted several years prior to the series. While Warren was growing up, his father purchased multiple consoles and material things in order to "validate rampant domestic abuse".

Following his father's release from prison and his mother's death to an aneurysm, Warren fled his hometown. It is implied that Warren's father died of natural health related issues after being released from prison, and that Warren did not return to aid his sister, Emily Godby, with their father's failing health. Because of this, Emily resents Warren and does not allow him to visit their father's memorial in season 1.

Sometime in the year and change before the beginning of the series, Warren was arrested and sentenced to a maximum security prison in Norfolk for the murder of an unknown man. During his sentence, he was approached by Overhead employees, which presumably included Bryony Halbech and Aubrey Wood, and consented to be part of a cohort for cryonic research. Warren was skipped over for the initial experiment, what would come to be known as "Teddy Bear's Picnic", but was accepted into the second round of cohorts, of which he was the only survivor. Warren spent a month in hypersleep, the longest period of time anyone had spent in hypersleep at that point, but awoke having forgotten the past year or so of his life.

Dr. Halbech released Warren into the open world, to continue her studies into what made Warren survive when all the others died before him, and posed as his wife, Karen Godby, to keep a close eye on him. This continued for six months until Warren was hired by Doug Holder, at the request of Dr. Halbech, to be an accountant for Overhead. For 3 months, Warren continued with his life as a normal accountant for an enormous company. Then, Warren was handed the Red Valley account to look into and investigate, which is the inciting incident for the series.

### Season 1

Season 1 starts by dropping us directly into Warren's life. At this point, he is only three months into his job with Overhead Industries as an accountant. He has no idea what he's doing. His wife, Karen, is the one that got him the job in the first place, using her friendship with Warren's boss, Doug Holder, in order to secure his place. Regardless, Warren is immensely grateful for the opportunity to start anew and expresses his gratitude several times to Doug as he attempts to find the 'Red Valley Seed Vault' account, a task Doug gave him. In his search for the account, Warren comes across several departments which all turn out to be a bust. No one has even heard of the 'Red Valley Seed Vault' before Warren inquired about it.

Eventually, Warren decides to approach the archives department of Overhead as a last resort. There, he meets Gordon Porlock, head archivist for Overhead. Warren asks about the Red Valley Seed Vault and is surprised when Gordon admits that he was directly involved with the development of the facility. From here on, Gordon acts as Warren's primary source of information regarding the nature of Red Valley, which is revealed to not be a seed vault at all, but rather a front for cryonics research executed by Overhead Industries. Gordon shares several tapes with Warren, which all include first-hand audio logs from Aubrey Wood, an assistant researcher at Red Valley. These tapes are graphic in nature, with disturbing noises and content.

Warren, overcome with emotion from listening to the tapes, flees to his hometown where he meets his sister, Emily, at their father's memorial. They have a brief argument where Emily tells him to leave and not come back. Warren honours her wishes and leaves after visiting his favourite store and being shunned because of his father's reputation. Gordon calls him during this period of time and expresses his reluctance to continue with their investigation into Red Valley, due to new information he has received from Clive Schill regarding Warren's mental health. Warren disregards Gordon's concern and instead tells Gordon to prepare: They're going to Red Valley.

Gordon, despite his worry, goes along with Warren's plan. They embark on a road-trip, complete with snacks, stops at roadside diners, and meaningful conversations regarding who is the worst friend in *Friends*. Whilst on the road-trip, Gordon plays audio-book cassette tapes he has collected over the years regarding cryonics. One of these tapes, an advert for a cryonic cruise, contains the interview held between an Overhead employee and Aubrey Wood interspersed within the rest of the tape. This tape, unbeknownst to Gordon, contains an old Godby family saying, which audibly startles Warren upon hearing it. He is beginning to realise that he is directly connected to Red Valley, in some unknown way. Warren does not mention this, however, and Gordon continues on the road.

Gordon and Warren stop at a hut located relatively close to Red Valley and begin to make preparations to settle in for the night. Gordon takes the responsibility of obtaining the keys for the hut from the farmer who is renting it out to them, and Warren remains in the car. He replays the interview tape, skipping over to the Godby family saying, before starting the car and driving it to Red Valley, leaving Gordon to fend for himself.

Warren is then found by Gordon in the beginning of the season finale episode, staring at the Red Valley facility vacantly. Neither Gordon or Warren know how he was able to find the facility, seeing as how he's never been. While this does raise some questions, neither of them want to be the one to ask them. Gordon remains by Warren's side as they break into the building and begin to explore the seemingly abandoned facility. It is at this point that Clive Schill makes himself known to them, revealing that Warren is the first person to survive cryonic preservation, or hypersleep as it tends to be called within the series. His wife, Karen, is revealed to be the head researcher for the cryonic experiments being done at Red Valley, Dr. Bryony Halbech. Most of Warren's life, for the past year or so, has been an elaborate lie planned out by Dr. Halbech and the cryonic research team in order to collect more data on what exactly allowed Warren to survive when so many before him died during the same process.

The season concludes with Warren accepting his new reality and going back into hypersleep at the research team's request.

Following this is a brief epilogue where a computerised version of Gordon and Dr. Aubrey Wood are beginning the process of bringing Warren out of hypersleep in the year 2064, nearly forty years after the events of the series.

### "While You Were Hypersleeping"

We do not hear from Warren directly during the mini-series, as it is intended to act as an audio diary completed by Gordon for Warren while he is hypersleeping. However, we do learn more about Warren via recordings of his own audio logs from his first visit to Red Valley that Gordon discovers and subsequently listens to.

In the recordings, Warren expresses his gratitude towards Overhead for selecting him to be apart of the cryonic research and giving him the opportunity to participate firsthand in their scientific advancements, despite his crime and his status as a prisoner, which he believes he deserves. Additionally, the Warren from a year prior becomes deeply distraught when he learns that there is no security available, which becomes evident after a prisoner fatally wounds another prisoner without consequences, for the three researchers despite there being six dangerous convicts to handle. Warren includes himself in these six.

The final recording Gordon listens to is Warren's Christmas Eve recording which includes Warren's complaints about Red Valley's lack of good Christmas movies, his thoughts on the experiments, his first memory problems, and his contemplation on what comes next for him. Gordon and the audience realise that this is the last tape from Warren for a reason: Overhead put him into hypersleep shortly after the recording and it succeeded.

### Season 2

After spending three months in hypersleep, Warren is woken up and taken to the interview room to be debriefed, where Grace, Pamela, and Gordon are waiting behind the glass.

Grace begins to deliver a memory test. He asks routine questions at first, such as Warren's full name, and date of birth before diverting to more personal questions, such as asking Warren why he kept his name, given his father's reputation as a domestic abuser and sex offender, which confuses Warren, and aggravates both Pamela and Gordon.

Pamela and Gordon begin to argue with Grace over the nature of the questions. Warren and the audience cannot hear a majority of the dialogue being said, as the microphone cuts off frequently. Eventually, Grace dismisses Warren, who is then greeted by Gordon at the door.

They decide to go and get some fresh air. While outside, Gordon begins to explain what he's been doing in the three months that Warren has been hypersleeping. He asks Warren if he remembers any of the features of Red Valley, such as the mess and situation room. Warren quickly tells Gordon that he doesn't remember anything about his initial stay at Red Valley. Gordon admits that he really only wants to talk about what he's seen, having been isolated for the past few weeks with no one he trusts enough to have a conversation with. They express their shared desire to truly belong somewhere where they do not have to overthink their actions, and how Red Valley, while still being their prison, seems to fulfil this desire. Warren learns that Gordon still hasn't looked into what crime Warren committed. They are the only two who don't know what Warren did.

Their conversation begins to end. Warren asks for a moment alone before going back inside the facility. Gordon gives him the comm device the research team has been using, and instructs him to use channel 6 as their private channel. While Gordon goes back inside, Warren decides to wander the woods surrounding the facility, which sends the Red Valley team into a panic. Gordon calls for Warren on the comm device and pleads with him to come back. Warren is, however, distracted by a pair of headlights belonging to a Mazda Bongo Friendee that is parked on a hill. Warren decides to confront the person who is climbing out of the van, who is revealed to be Dr. Aubrey Wood, the former researcher who was feeding Gordon information for months before.

She asks Warren about the state of Red Valley now, how the experiments are going on, who is working at Red Valley, and is extremely shocked to find out that Warren has survived hypersleep. She begins to blame herself for Warren being caught up in the experiments in the first place and assumes responsibility for the deaths she directly caused while on the research team. Warren reassures her that she is not a bad person, despite what she has done.

Aubrey decides to give Warren his file, which she stole shortly before leaving Red Valley. She offers to make an escape plan for them, but Warren tells her he's okay with staying for now. He leaves after givng Aubrey the comm device Gordon gave him, and instructing her to use channel 6. Aubrey in return gives him a recording of their conversation on a USB stick to prove that it was real, just in case Warren starts to doubt his experience. She reminds Warren that he has survived hypersleep twice now, and is therefore Overhead's highest commodity.

Upon returning to the facility, Warren is greeted by the research team and Gordon, who immediately start to coddle him, believing him to be mentally unstable. During this frenzy, Warren subtly slips Gordon his gloves, which contain the USB stick Aubrey gave him. Bryony instructs the researchers to prepare the cryopod for another round of hypersleep.

Warren tries to get the researcher's attention, but fails continually as they ignore him in favour of setting up the different equipment for his return to hypersleep. Losing his cool, Warren bangs on the trolley next to him and declares a hostage situation, but not against the researchers. He holds up a scalpel to his hand and plunges it straight through. Now that he *does* have everyone's attention, and their shock, he explains that he is happy to return to hypersleep, but also has a list of demands he wants to make. This includes better treatment for Gordon, sweets, pizza, and a tortoise for Gordon to look after and have as company. After he receives the team's agreement to follow these demands, Warren pulls out the scalpel, revealing a gaping wound in his hand. Rather than caring for the wound properly, Bryony instructs the team to simply bandage it.

Episode 5, "A Thousand Tonnes of Rock", begins shortly after Warren has been brought out of hypersleep for a third time. Warren's health is beginning to deteriorate. He has shortness of breath and a deep cough that affects his voice. Despite his failing health, he seems to be enjoying the time he spends with Gordon when outside of the cryopod. They play several video games together, observe Waffles, Gordon's new tortoise, as she waddles around, and play "Would You Rather?" games to pass the time. The audience learns that Bryony has been shortening down the amount of time Warren spends outside the cryopod, going from several weeks out to less than a week. Gordon asks Warren if he's okay with the experiments, and Warren defends his choice to stay by saying he's aware he doesn't have to continue; he only enjoys being good at something.

The latter-half of the episode picks up after Warren has been awoken again. Gordon has asked him to follow him into the tunnels, where he will leave Aubrey Wood a storage device with the Red Valley data he has been archiving for Bryony. As they begin to walk back, Warren has a coughing fit and begins to cough up blood. His health is not getting any better. Gordon says they need to talk about what Warren has been through, seeing as how he is clearly suffering after all the experiments, but Warren doesn't want to talk about it at all. Their conversation quickly spirals into an intense argument, that has likely been building up until now. Warren argues that Gordon is so interested in the research being done at Red Valley, enough that he could've just as easily shown Warren's information to a different person in pursuit of Red Valley. Warren admits that he enjoys being in the cryopod because any thoughts or ruminations cease to be, and he is simply not. He secretly wishes to wake up a different person, and every time he wakes up the same as before, he feels great disappointment. Gordon storms off at Warren's instruction, and when they make it out of the tunnel, Bryony is waiting for them. She puts Warren back into hypersleep for a fifth time.

Warren's next appearance in episode 6, "Once More Unto the Breach", begins with him on the roof of the facility, smashing tiles with a golf club, and singing 'Morior Invictus', the song by Gordon's power metal band. During the episode, we learn that Warren has been emotionally unstable. He is extremely happy one moment, and extremely angry the next. He is also beginning to have a passive aggressive relationship with Bryony, where he allows her to do whatever she wants to him out of pure spite and a general disregard for his own health. After seven rounds of hypersleep, Warren has fallen into a dangerous routine where he is constantly belittled and demeaned by Bryony, but refuses to stand up for himself, believing that this is the only thing he can do well.

The episode then follows up with Warren entering Gordon's room late at night. He can't sleep, so he asks Gordon if he can stay in his room for the night, which Gordon agrees to. Warren apologises for their fight, admitting that he does appreciate that Gordon's interest in cryonics ensured he would have someone by his side, and that Gordon is "extremely useful" when it comes to helping him. He does not want to do any more experiments; he wants them both to get out. This is the first time Warren ever vocalises wanting something better for himself.

As he and Gordon eat breakfast, Grace interrupts them and instructs Warren to make several calls to different services, such as his gym, his broadband provider, occupational therapist, etc. His last call, however, is to his sister, Emily, who has been trying to reach him ever since he visited his father's memorial months ago. Unbeknownst to Warren, this is all a play from Byrony to further traumatise him. Bryony has figured out that Warren's PTSD from his childhood and recent events is what's keeping him alive throughout the treatments, and is utilising trauma and fear to push Warren further so she can gain more data from him as he makes frequent trips into hypersleep. They begin to argue, with Warren wrongfully assuming that he is the key to the research being done at Red Valley and he can stop at any time, which Bryony corrects. She calls him a seed, a resource to use, not the answer to cryonic preservation, and tells him that "no one will miss Warren Godby". This angers Warren, and he immediately jumps out of his seat to glare at Bryony. Byrony has one more card to play, though. She reveals that Warren murdered a man and that is what led to his stay in prison. Warren falls back into his chair at this reveal, and goes quiet.

Bryony instructs Grace and Pamela to set up the equipment necessary for Warren's return to hypersleep, but they are interrupted by Clive, who bursts in and demands that they stop all preparations. Warren needs to be brought to Glasgow, where he will meet with Malcolm Landry, Senior Chairman of Overhead Industries, and Francesca Jones, Head Director of Research & Development. They are seeking a check-in of sorts, on the state of the Red Valley experiments. Warren, as he is shuffled along to the helicopter and then to the bar where they will be meeting these people, stays quiet. He has not yet processed what Bryony revealed to him, and is clearly still in shock. When asked what he wants during the meeting, Warren states that he "wants to go back into the pod."

The meeting concludes with Bryony fired and Clive the new head of Red Valley after Hester, Malcolm's PA, played a recording of Warren's makeshift hostage situation, which acted as a direct testament of Warren's mental instability, and the result of months of physical and mental torture at the hands of Dr. Halbech. They return to Red Valley where Grace and Pamela have begun preparations for Warren's return to hypersleep once more. Bryony and Warren walk down to the basement where she expresses her anger, which Warren has never seen before, at having her work completely disregarded in favour of a cleaner look. Warren is still in shock and has no meaningful words to offer her, which angers her further.

She stops at the Records Room, where they find Gordon, who has finished collecting her data on several hard drives. He and Warren begin to discuss the day. Gordon wants to hang out, which is really just an excuse to get Warren away from the facility, as Aubrey Wood is minutes away from storming in to set up explosives, but Warren insists that he's tired and wants to relax.

Suddenly, Byrony pulls out a gun from a safe and shoots Gordon in the stomach. Aubrey Wood finds them after hearing the gunshot and running to the sound, with Warren hunched over Gordon's body, pleading quietly for Gordon to breathe. This is perhaps the most frantic and nervous Warren has been since the start of the season.

Aubrey gives Warren instructions as to how to help her and Grace as they try to save Gordon's life, but his body is beginning to fail completely. He drops to the floor, begins to bleed from his nose and ears, haemorrhaging, and begs Aubrey to put him back in the cryopod.

This is the last time we hear Warren's voice, at least until the small epilogue at the end of the season finale.

The epilogue at the end of episode 8 takes place in the year 2064, where Warren is waking up for the 13th time. Since he's been asleep for so long, it's taking him more time to fully wake with a functioning memory. He does not remember the previous times he has woken up. He does, however, remember Gordon, and immediately calls out for him. Gord, the BlueSky unit who has Gordon's voice, answers him. Warren is scared as he cannot see despite his eyes being wide open, and is also confused at the sound of Gord's voice, which lacks the natural energy Gordon has. Aubrey then comes in and reassures him that his eyesight will return, explains why his body is covered with gauze and feels so sore, and brings Warren up to speed with what happened to Gordon and himself after they were put into hypersleep. 3 days have passed since Warren Kontinued, with 13 attempts at a successful re-emergence where Warren can process what's happening. Aubrey explains why they're waking them up now, after all this time.

It's been 44 years, and Red Valley is ending.

## Physical Description

In the first episode, "Tortoise", Warren is described by Gordon Porlock as having "little toddler hands" and some sort of a beard, which he describes as "pubey".. He is described as being a "white guy" by his wife, Karen, in episode 5: "Morior Invictus", and notes himself as "pale" in part two of the miniseries: "While You Were Hypersleeping". In the same episode, he refers to himself as a ginger.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 [1] Transcript for S1E5: "Morior Invictus".
2. ↑ [2] Transcript for S1E1: "Tortoise".