The Roobillies are a minor nomadic biker gang under the tutelage of Dementus' Biker Horde, who discover the Green Place and subsequently kidnap Furiosa. They appear in the 2024 film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Description[]
The Roobillies are a small group of marauders who serve under the command of Dementus. While lacking in a clear leader they are overseen by Rizzdale Pell, and report back to him. They are dispatched by Dementus on scouting and resource gathering missions and rank low on the totem pole of the horde. The Roobillies are a small gang of only five visible members, and so do not partake in large scale road wars. Instead they wander in search of salvageable artifacts or small groups, taking anything of use along the way. The gang shows skill in butchering meat and possess a large quantity of human bones. Due to the lack of wild game in the wasteland, the Roobillies are almost certainly cannibals who prey on lone wanderers for they're flesh. They are resourceful and prefer to stay on the move, quickly repurposing the equipment of fallen comrades without hesitation or remorse.
History[]
Little to nothing is known about the backstory of the Roobillies. They formed some time after the fall, and survived by hunting down victims for resources. The Roobillie's proclivity for bones, tanned hides and skills cutting meat suggest they most likely cannibalized human bodies for food. After some time wandering the Wasteland, the eventually encountered Dementus and his Biker Horde. Judging by the forced melee he makes Mr. Norton's group fight, its possible the Roobillies were made to do the same. This could explain why we see only five members of the gang. After joining Dementus' forces, the group were considered one of the lowest in the chain of command and were frequently disrespected, or 'scummed' as they called it. They would be dispatched on expeditions to search for resources such as flesh and or slaves, and reported back to Rizzdale Pell.
On one such expedition, the Roobillies were dispatched after the Biker Horde had settled down somewhere in the Sand Dunes. Heading due east across the desert, the Roobillies stumbled upon the Green Place, making them the only known outsiders to do so. They ventured into a grove of eucalyptus trees on the outskirts of the canyon where they encountered a lone Vuvalini horse. Upon killing it they exclaimed excitedly, attracting the attention of a nearby Furiosa and Valkyrie. After cutting the fuel line to one of their bikes, Furiosa was noticed by Vulture and a short chase ensued, being ultimately capture and restrained by Toe Jam. Fearing the arrival of more Vuvalini, the Roobilies quickly loaded up the horse meat and fled into the dunes.
Being pursued into the desert, a lone Roobilly was shot by the Vuvalini General and his bike quickly repurposed by another riding passenger. He was killed shortly after by Mary Jabassa who commandeered the motorcycle to follow the remaining members. She sniped another Roobilly later that day off his Thunderbike, leaving only Toe Jam and Vulture. They rode through the night until on the outskirts of Dementus' camp. Vulture was killed at range by Jabassa but Toe Jam managed to make it to safety where he negotiated with Rizzdale Pell. While on his way to Dementus' inner sanctum, Furiosa managed to snag Toe Jam's whip in his back tire, strangling his neck and severing his carotid arteries. Whether out of defiance or sheer inability, Toe Jam bled to death before being able to divulge the location of the Green Place. Being the only known members of the gang, the Roobillies seemingly cease to exist after this.
Appearance[]
The Roobillies wear a variety of brown and beige garments, created mostly of tanned skins and natural fabrics. Unlike other members of the Biker Horde who wear clothing salvaged from the old world, the Roobillie's attire is almost entirely homemade or heavily worn, reflecting they're low status amongst the group. They appear to cover themselves with tanned animal hides, although human skin is also visible in they're outfits. Owing to they're cannibalistic tendencies, they adorn themselves with human bones such as skulls, jaws and vertebrae. Chains, locks and ropes are draped across they're bodies as well as scraps of metal and leather. One Roobillie is show wearing a heavily worn Ghillie suit, tied across his body with twine. The Roobillies all wear hoods to obscure they're faces or makeshift helmets such as Vulture's. They're bone covered motorcycles are similarly ramshackle, and appear to be amalgamations of BMW bikes with various found items. The only named bike, the Thunderbike, features a horse skull, bull horns and repurposed wheel well atop the back tire.
Behind the Scenes[]
According to concept artist Matt Hatton, the Roobillies were originally created as one of 12 'tribes' apart of Dementus' biker horde, dubbed "The Terrible Twelve". Production designer Colin Gibson envisioned the gang as being 'Felliniesque', taking visual inspiration from carnivals and freak shows. As such, the original incarnation of the Roobillies was much more monstrous and disturbing than the final film. During concepting, the gang was made up entirely of mutants with severe physical deformities such as the ones seen in the Wretched, and had women in they're ranks as well. One such design was for a 'Roobilly Mother' who possessed a cleft lower lip and wore a pig's scalp atop her head. Having suffered a miscarriage, she can be seen carrying the unborn child in a makeshift baby sling across her chest. These ideas for the Roobillies were scrapped early in production, but some elements of the original design survived, such as the group's butcher-like nature and nomadic tendencies. [1]
Known Members[]
References[]
- Hatton, Matt (August 1, 2024) Matt Hatton shares Roobilly concept art on Instagram. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ↑ Hatton, Matt (August 1, 2024) Matt Hatton shares Roobilly concept art on Instagram. Retrieved August 5, 2024.