Rene Villiers

Rene Villiers was an agent at Camp X and former leader of the team.

Earlier life
Canadian freelance journalist based in Paris. Villiers was an active and founding member of the earliest Resistance movement inside occupied France. Early victories for Villiers include arming and training a small group of Resistance fighters alongside Aurora Luft whom he led in the destruction of a German rail supply line in 1941 and the organization of an influential cell in Paris operating out of the Café De L’Azur run by Michel located in the 9th arrondissement. Theirs were primarily propaganda and morale operations, writing and distributing underground pamphlets drawn from news sources banned by the enemy. Except for Villiers and Luft, all seventeen other cell members were arrested in a raid. Villiers and Luft only evaded capture by being late to the meeting when they over slept after a night of drinking. After this, the couple was forced to go underground. The fate of those who were captured is unknown.

When London gave the order to increase the number of active teams on the ground in France, he was vetted and approved for further field training. As a result, he was assigned to the X Company. Through the cell, Villiers was instrumental in recruiting Aurora in Paris and brought her to the attention of recruiters at the Camp along with himself.

Field Experience
Villiers’ experience leading members of the French Resistance and organizing effective covert campaigns against occupying forces makes him a key operative to have on the ground in France. His natural ability to forge connections with people from many backgrounds (e.g. intellectuals, manual workers, students, radicals) has played a large part in the movement’s early successes.

Specialization
Recruitment, leadership, and hand to hand combat.

Villiers has an active and wide network of Resistance contacts that are highly valuable to allied intelligence operations.

Relationships
Aurora Luft

Aurora and Rene are old friends who became lovers from before the war. They were in the same group of the French Resistance fighters and the only two to evade capture when the cell was betrayed to the Nazis. They took their work underground until both were recruited for the X Company. Rene was the sergeant until his assumed death in season 1 episode 1. At this point, Aurora is promoted despite her heartbreak over his death. When Rene is found to be alive, Aurora is first shocked and breathless when he steps from the convoy in season 2 episode 2. In season 2 episode 3, they have a moment of passion and afterwards discuss the time Rene spent under the Nazis' control. Rene admits to Aurora that he broke and divulged many secrets which he couldn't remember to the Germans. Aurora is angry, but puts it aside when they are alerted that the Nazis are on to their location. When Rene is shot as they are trying to flee, it becomes clear that he will not be able to outrun the enemy. He begs Aurora to not let them take him. She says she promises that she wont and stabs him out of kindness. As he dies in her arms, she tells him, "I'm right here with you. I love you."

Brigitte

The woman who nursed Rene back to life after he jumped from the bridge in season 1 episode 1. When the Germans came and took him, they took her too. When he would not divulge secrets, the Nazis brought in Brigitte to be tortured as incentive for Rene to give up information. They promised she would live if Rene gave in, so he broke down and "talked until [he] couldn't talk anymore." It is assumed that she did not survive.