The five “wives“of main villain Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) are central to the plot of Mad Max: Fury Roadwhich follows Furiosa (Charlize Theron) helping women escape captivity, picking up Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) along the way. THE Mad Max The legacy sequel received an unprecedented reception, quickly becoming considered one of the best action films of all time and creating its own legacy in the genre. Elevating the thrilling chase sequences is an impactful story, particularly about these women and their lives in the Wasteland.
Wives as a group were originally conceptualized with each woman defined by a central characteristic – “funny, intelligent, fragile, seductive and leader” (through lithub.com) – allowing writers and actors to develop them later. The final product of Fury Road doesn’t give wives much time to show their personalities, but fleeting moments and well-planned dialogue still allow their characters to cross paths. Together, they stand alongside Furiosa and Max as a kaleidoscope of different approaches to survival in this scenario.
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The Splendid Angharad (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley)
Angharad is a leader, alongside Furiosa
The woman known as the Splendid Angharad is the absolute leader of the group, who is mentioned by the other women as having convinced them to escape with Furiosa’s help. Her name, with Angharad meaning “a very loved one”, alludes to her being considered a prize for Immortan Joe, as she is also considered his favorite. She is kind, courageous, and inspiring, which allows her to be an effective leader.
Angharad is pregnant at the time of the escape and makes himself visible to Immortan Joe during the chase to protect everyone, knowing that he will not damage the War Rig and risk harming the baby. However, she is thrown off the platform and trampled by the vehicle’s wheels, killing her and her son. THE Mad Max the tie-in comics detail more about the brutality Angharad faced during her time on the Citadel and the alliance between her and Furiosa that developed before they attempted an escape.
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Toast to Knowledge (Zoë Kravitz)
Toast is the brains of Operation Fury Road
Toast the Knowing is the brains of the group, as evidenced by their title “Knowing”. Its more informal name, “Toast”, is an in-joke among the cast and crew, named after Fury Road visual effects data organizer Shyam “Toast” Yadav (via IndieWire). Toast is seen managing supplies during Fury Road and spent some time traveling alone before the events of the film, fostering a compendium of practical skills.
With the rest of the surviving cast, Toast helps kill Immortan Joe and take the Citadel Mad Max: Fury Roadis ending. Presumably, she stays there to help Furiosa and the others establish a new regime with a fairer distribution of supplies. Given your personality, it wouldn’t be surprising if Toast stayed closer to Furiosa than the others and learned more about driving and weaponry, to help defend the Citadel in the future.
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Able (Riley Keough)
Capable has a somewhat romantic presence in Fury Road
Able began as the “seductive“one of Immortan Joe’s wives, which is too vague a description for the role she plays in the story, although her name might seem more fitting for a character like Toast. However, it could also be interpreted that she is “capable” of forming trusting relationships in a way that many people in the Wasteland cannot, where it is often kill or be killed. Capable discovers that Nux (Nicholas Hoult) has hidden aboard the War Rig and forms an affectionate relationship with him.
Capable and Nux’s interactions are not necessarily romantic, but they are physically comfortable with each other, and Capable’s words inspire Nux to help them, perhaps making their eventual victory possible. Capable also returns to the Citadel at the end of Fury Roadwhile Nux is killed during the final battle. Given his temperament, Capable may attempt to encourage friendlier relationships among those residing in the Citadel.
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Cheedo the Fragile (Courtney Eaton)
Cheedo shows fear and surprising strength in Fury Road
Cheedo’s defining quality is in his name/title, making it clear what his role is and how his character began. In other words, Cheedo has more reservations about running away from Immortan Joe and needs to be protected by others. After the death of Angharad Cheedo wants to return to the Citadel and beg for Joe’s forgiveness for at least they will not be killed by fighting or exposure there, but he is convinced that this is not possible for the others.
By the standards of much of today’s media, Cheedo is the character audiences probably least like because she is not as fearless as Angharad or Toast. However, his moment of despair is important to the story, showing that the supplies provided at the Citadel are no small thing in this world and the true doubt that can arise from grief. Despite these things, Cheedo continues with the others and eventually helps fight back, before returning to the Citadel.
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The Dag (Abbey Lee)
The Dag has a subtle but clear presence while on Fury Road
The “funny“can be a useful narrative tool for gritty stories, breaking up the intensity with some dark humor. However, the Dag doesn’t get many funny jokes during his on-screen appearances in Fury Road. A “dag” is also Australian slang for an eccentric person, matching his prescribed personality. Dag is also pregnant during the women’s escape to freedom and makes some sarcastic comments about whether she’s having a boy or a girl while talking to one of the Many Mothers.
She subtly provides a strong presence among the main characters of Mad Max: Fury Road and also returns to the Citadel, where she will presumably later give birth. The central characteristics that were the initial ideas of the wives in this film have been transformed into personalities that contrast and complement each other. From their perilous journey to their discovery of peace and relative safety, the women’s different skills and personalities prove invaluable.
Source: lithub.com, IndieWire