Gwen Hayes (Eden Rising)

Gwen Hayes, born Gwendolyn, is a former city planner who was once in charge of the post-apocalyptic metropolis New Venice.

Pre-series
After the outbreak hit, the city of Cincinnati, Ohio managed to keep things running. They flooded the city and created a high-rise paradise to protect themselves from zombies. Gwen's father was in charge of this operation, and as a city planner herself before the 'end of the world', she was very active in the city's efforts of rebirth. When her father fell ill, Gwen took over the reigns as the city's leader. Gwen was raped by a mysterious assailant at a party she attended with her best friend Kitty Drake. The rape turned Gwen into a darker person, with an intense need to overcome the males in her life. The rapist was caught and hung in a public trial, giving Gwen some source of closure but she still fought to retain some sort of dignity in her life and she succeeded in overcoming the rape, not letting it define her as a person.

Season 1
Gwen is introduced in the series as a diplomat from New Venice, arriving to one of the large metropolis's "sister cities", the small town of Glenley, in order to present her own plan of order once hearing of the arrival of a mysterious stranger. Gwen finds herself the target of The General, who wants to murder her and take over New Venice by luring her to Glenley, which he and his regime plan on burning down with her inside. Gwen escapes with a ragtag group of survivors led by Tom Snyder, one of Glenley's most well-respected sheriffs. When New Venice is taken and Gwen is left broken, she joins the small group of survivors on their journey to the potential paradise that is Eden. It takes her a long time to open up to her fellow survivors, although when she finally comes out of her shell and her fall from grace, Gwen begins to take charge and challenge Tom's leadership.