Elizabeth Kublek (World Beyond)

This article is about the World Beyond character. For other pages with the same name, see: Elizabeth

"We have energy, water, medicine, transport, the Council, the courts, the schools -- culture, currency, an economy -- agriculture, manufacturing... law. We are the last light of the world. We are the last hope. And we, us... we enable this population -- of over 200,000 souls, to live... to create the future."

—Elizabeth to Barca.^[src]

Elizabeth Emily Kublek is a main character and an antagonist, as well as a survivor of the outbreak in AMC's The Walking Dead: World Beyond. She was the lieutenant colonel of the Civic Republic Military, and the mother of Jennifer. After the fall of the Civic Republic Research Facility, Kublek is arrested and imprisoned to stand trial for treason by Jadis. She served as the primary antagonist of Season 1, but has also been present as a recurring antagonist of Season 2.

Overview

Elizabeth is a powerful figure in the post-apocalyptic world, being part of a large organization, and exudes a high degree of charisma as a result. Elizabeth firmly believes in the Civic Republic's cause, and has gone to great lengths to ensure that its goals are carried out, even considering the high amount of risks involved.

Despite this however, Elizabeth has shown genuine regret and remorse for the brutal actions that she has taken on behalf of the Civic Republic, most notably the complete annihilation of the Campus Colony. Elizabeth justified those measures by stating that the brutality of their actions ensures that those under the Civic Republic's auspices can remain safe, as well as helping ensure humanity's survival, showing that she at least has a skewed moral compass.

Elizabeth cares deeply for her daughter, Jennifer Mallick, who she has placed great trust in as a spy for the Civic Republic within the Campus Colony, as well as ensuring that Hope Bennett survives her journey to the Civic Republic Research Facility.

While fighting with Jadis, Jennifer states that her mother had lost her way and that she wasn't truly evil. Indeed, following the defeat of the plan to destroy Portland and Jennifer's death, Elizabeth expresses remorse for her actions and wonders if it was all really worth it in the end.

Pre-Apocalypse

England, United Kingdom

Not much is known about Elizabeth's early life, but she was born and grew up in England.

Albany, New York

At some point, Elizabeth moved to the United States to work as an attaché for the UK Ministry of Defense, in Albany, New York. She also married Mr. Mallick and had a daughter with him, Jennifer. Her husband eventually divorced her and left his family.

Post-Apocalypse

New York

Nothing is known about Elizabeth as the outbreak began. At some point, Elizabeth reunited with her daughter, and eventually became the lieutenant colonel of a large organization known as the Civic Republic Military.

Season 1

"Brave"

A helicopter lands. Soldiers get out and lieutenant colonel Elizabeth Kublek gets out with them. She greets Felix Carlucci. He welcomes her as the head of the security at the Campus Colony of Omaha. Huck simply says her name is Huck, hinting at a story behind it. Elizabeth says that there were some government officials lined up to come but they could only spare one helicopter for the trip. She tells Felix that she is honored to join them for Feast Day as she looks over to see Hope flipping her off, and Felix says she must be tired after her trip from "wherever she's from", suggesting they have no idea where the Civic Republic is based either. A group of empties approaches and Huck and Felix prepare to take them out but Elizabeth has her soldiers do it in one efficient shot. She says they fire disruption charges to distract the empties from the noise. They're good at this, she says smugly. She sees the sign Iris is holding, which now reads "The Civic Republic Us" and Iris explains that the Civic Republic represents everyone including the Portland, Omaha, and the Campus Colony. Elizabeth agrees that they're all in this together.

The next day, Elizabeth is touring the campus grounds, followed by two of her bodyguards. Hope sees her and implores to Iris to leave, but Elizabeth catches up to them. Elizabeth confirms that they are Hope and Iris Bennett, because she knows who they are and thanks them for sacrificing their time away from their father. Elizabeth implores that this first "science exchange" is critical for the Alliance, as well as the future of the planet. She notes that Iris is studying biochemistry and immunology like her father and offers praise for Hope's distillery, but Hope has had enough of the niceties and walks off.

When Hope and Iris are arguing outside, Elizabeth walks up to them and wants to know how the Civic Republic, one of their Alliance partners, is "bad". Iris says they don't tell anyone where they are from and no one can go in or out. Elizabeth reveals that she has a daughter who is a soldier in the CRM, so she rarely gets to see her, but it makes her "brave" knowing that her daughter is trying to help bring the world back to what it was. Elizabeth wants them to trust her, so she reveals that their father is in New York teaching at a CRM research facility. She gives them a coded map that reveals where he is without revealing exactly where the facility is in New York. She also states that she’s been drinking their booze and is tipsy, having been given Hope's alcohol as a "generous" gift from the Campus Colony. She praises them for being their father's daughters for being brave. After she leaves, the girls head to their father's office to drink some of his booze.

On Monument Day, Elizabeth delivers a message for the CRM about solidarity about how they stand with Portland and Omaha, and how Dr. Leo Bennett will help lead a team to bring the world back. She praises his daughters and introduces Iris, who is almost catatonic. Iris starts her speech, but she falters. Hope looks on knowingly. Iris starts talking about her dreams and how Dr. K told her to talk about it. Felix looks on in wonder, Hope doesn't look surprised. Iris' speech focuses on "now" and the "truth" and she says that she doesn't trust CRM. Elizabeth assures her that she will trust her and her father will show that to her, too. Iris says someone told her she was brave (Elizabeth's prior words the night before), so she is going to keep working in the now to show them that they can rebuild the future.

Later at the Campus Colony, the CRM soldiers have massacred the Campus Colony, with soldiers going around putting down empties, and piling up bodies. Elizabeth stabs a blue-painted empty in the head. Barca informs her that her soldiers have searched around the campus, as well as the surrounding areas, and that they can't find "her". Elizabeth says "Good."

"The Tyger and the Lamb"

Elizabeth is in her apartment when Barca knocks on her door. She invites him in where he explains that he is having second thoughts and is trouble coping with what they did in Campus Colony, referring to the massacre they carried out. Elizabeth proceeds to turn on every single appliance in her apartment and reminds Barca all of the accomplishments the Civic Republic managed to secure in the post-apocalyptic world. She then orders the upset Barca to sit down at the kitchen table and they proceed to eat soup in silence. When a knock is heard at the door, she instructs him to open it. Two of her bodyguards step into her apartment and take Barca into custody, where Elizabeth informs him that he is being relieved of his military duties and sent to the the CRM Health and Welfare Complex for help before being reinstated in a civilian role. After he is taken away, she returns to her kitchen table and drinks from a glass of wine before breaking down into tears.

"Shadow Puppets"

Lyla Belshaw is working in her lab when she receives a call from Elizabeth who asks whether Dr. Bennett or his security detail will be a problem as his daughters continue their journey to the New York State research facility. Lyla confirms that there will be no problem and thanks Elizabeth before hanging up.

"The Sky Is a Graveyard"

In a flashback, Elizabeth waits in an abandoned office with Lieutenant Frank Newton. Elizabeth gets a radio message from one of her soldiers that they have eyes on the person that Elizabeth is waiting for and she orders her brought in. Frank complains that the person is late, but she had made it. Elizabeth is pleased that the person had made it "this far at least" while Frank warns her that things will only get harder on this side of the Mississippi River. However, Elizabeth is aware and so is the person that they are waiting for. Frank wonders if there isn't a better way, but Elizabeth is sure that there isn't which they know because this person is the one on the ground "watching and listening and doing the very hard thing of becoming someone else to find out there isn't." Elizabeth reassures Frank that "she" knows how dangerous it is and that they could both die. However, she's out here risking everything because there isn't an easier way.

On Elizabeth's nod, Frank exits the office and Huck is let in. Huck tells Elizabeth that she was only able to get away for about 48 hours and if she isn't back soon, the Endlings will come looking. Huck reassures Elizabeth that "the asset" is safe and Elizabeth asks after Huck's safety. Huck promises that she's fine too and Elizabeth orders her daughter to clean up before they debrief. Elizabeth gives her daughter her husband's watch so that next time she won't be late.

"The Deepest Cut"

In a flashback, Elizabeth provides her daughter with a sandwich in the abandoned office, impressing Huck that Elizabeth had remembered not to put lettuce on it. Huck reveals that while things are going good with "the asset", she is not yet ready for integration. Elizabeth warns Huck that the timeline can't and shouldn't drag on and that the longer that she takes, the more Huck is exposed to potential scrutiny, however minor the expenditure it entails. Huck orders her mother to remind anyone that doubts her about what she did to her own face and arm and the days that she had spent on the raft to earn trust in Omaha. Huck insists that she can make it work and that she just needs more time with "the girl."

Huck tells Elizabeth that they have others with them and that it was unavoidable. Elizabeth states that nothing is unavoidable and that getting the asset alone and isolating her from the others is critical which Huck is annoyed by as she already knows this. Elizabeth orders Huck to do whatever it takes to make that happen and warns her that if Huck can't, the CRM will. Huck is surprised by this as Elizabeth had told her that the CRM hadn't wanted to put any more resources into this, but Elizabeth tells her that while the CRM and Elizabeth doesn't, she wants this and Huck to succeed. To this end, Elizabeth had given Hope and Iris the map so as to "keep things on course."

Fed up, Huck promises that they are and turns away from her mother. Elizabeth accepts this and asks her daughter to get a good night's rest and to take her father's watch before she goes. Huck questions this, stating that Mr. Mallick had left them and Elizabeth, getting slightly emotional, tells Huck that he had left the watch for them and it had brought the two women back together safe and sound despite everything. Elizabeth suggests that it might again in the future.

In another flashback, when Will Campbell tells Huck that she will be undergoing a battery of psychological tests, Huck asks if she can't "just blame everything on my mother and be done with it?"

"In This Life"

Hope and Huck walk into a field where a CRM helicopter lands with Elizabeth and two soldiers emerging. Hope realizes from Elizabeth's presence and Huck's earlier comment about how mothers can be complicated too that Elizabeth is Huck's mother. Elizabeth greets Hope warmly and has her men take Hope's belongings from her.

Elizabeth privately congratulates Huck, noting that although they will need a bit more work with Hope, she's not fighting it at least. Huck reassures her mother that Hope won't as she knows what's at stake. Elizabeth asks about the loose ends, specifically the CRM truck and the others still out there. Having heard Elton's transmission, Elizabeth wonders what the Endlings know. Huck reassures her mother that the others that are still out there are not a threat, but Elizabeth states that she's taking care of them and the CRM has caught one of them and they'll get the rest. Huck is less than pleased, having wanted to ensure that the rest of her friends get back to the Campus Colony. Elizabeth tells her daughter that she didn't want to step in, but the incident back home before Huck left for Omaha has put her judgment into question, at least in the eyes of others. Elizabeth had to see that Huck bringing the asset to them was an unmitigated success with no loose ends, so she did and she is. Elizabeth states that they'll have to talk about the Campus Colony because a lot's happened since Huck left. Elizabeth leads Hope to the helicopter, stating that she's excited to have Hope at the facility and that the Bennett's are going to accomplish great things together, something that Hope agrees with.