Bakta is the driver of the Grand Rapids Runner Bus which got trapped in the Township. As the driver, she takes her responsibility to get her passengers safely to their destination seriously.
Biography[]
Background[]
Bakta had a job as a bus driver which she was using to pay off her student loan debt. She was not supposed to be driving the bus the day it got trapped, but decided to take an extra shift to save up money to treat herself.[1]
Season 2[]
As Bakta drives the bus, one of the passengers, Elgin, listens to music before noticing his surroundings, which frightens him. He begins panicking, and says they have to turn around. He stands up and tries to convince the driver, but another passenger, Randall, tries to restrain him. As the driver, Bakta, orders them to their seats, Elgin vomits on Randall, who asks for the bus to stop. Bakta then pulls over in front of the Diner.
While the rest of the passengers wait outside, Bakta tries to clean up the vomit and Marielle tends to Elgin. Brick asks Mari if she is a doctor, and she says she is a pediatric nurse. Mari asks if he knows where he is, and he asks her the same question. Brick asks him why he was screaming, and Elgin answers that he had a bad dream. Randall comes aboard and begins scolding Elgin, who apologizes. Randall calls him a freak, and Mari tells him to back off. Randall grabs his bag, and complains about how bad it smells. Mari offers to sit with Elgin until he is ready.
Ellis and Tom approach the bus passengers and tell them that more people will be down to help them and unlock the Diner. Bakta replies that they aren’t making a pit stop, and she simply needs a mop. After Julie Matthews informs them that her mother is trapped in the basement of their house, Tom asks for volunteers to help get Tabitha out. Brick and Randall volunteer, but Bakta says that they need to stay with the bus and that emergency services will handle it, prompting Randall to sarcastically call her a peach. The three go to help Tabitha. Donna and Kenny then arrive, and Kenny apologizes for their inconvenience and allows them into the Diner. Donna approaches Bakta and tries to explain the situation.
Donna finishes explaining the laws and customs of the township to Bakta, who is in disbelief. Donna says she understands why Bakta does not believe her but the bus driver refuses to listen. In the Matthews’ house, the group makes progress on emptying the hole. Jim realizes that there is a chamber beneath it, but the floor above begins collapsing. Outside, Marielle helps a dizzy Elgin to the Diner, but he collapses and begins seizing. Kenny and Julie rush to his aid. Meanwhile, the Matthews’ house begins rapidly collapsing. Julie and the others watch as the house completely implodes, and she runs to the scene. Inside, Jim and Tom are alive, but pinned, along with Brick, who they cannot tell if he is alive. Jim tells Julie to stay with Donna and do whatever she says. Randall emerges unscathed from the rubble and is examined by Kristi.
Bakta tries to get the passengers back on the bus, promising to send emergency services when they reach the next town. Donna tasks Matthias with watching her while they move debris, but Jim tells them to stop. He explains that they everything is resting on something else, so they need to be slow and deliberate if they want to get everyone out alive. Donna then notices Bakta starting up the bus, and warns Kenny. Bakta tries to get everyone back on the bus, while Donna tells her to stop. Donna tells everyone that if they are outside when the sun goes down, they will all die. Donna warns that they will die if they are outside when night falls, and she is happy to explain further if they get in the Diner. As Ellis, Fatima and Kenny try to explain to the disbelieving bus passengers, Donna gets a shotgun from the van and shoots out the bus’s tires. Several passengers run away, and Fatima tries to run after them. Kenny fires his pistol into the air, and herds many of the passengers into the Diner.[2]
Donna cocks her shotgun to try and get the crowd under control. Bakta tries to get her to let them go, but Donna tells her that she has no idea what is waiting for them outside, and orders them to sit down. Donna says she understands they are scared, but promises that they are not the enemy, which is outside. Randall scoffs, and Tillie says that is an odd thing to say. Donna begins to explain their situation, beginning with the Fallen Tree.
Later that night, Randall makes a run for the door but Kenny stops him, pointing out the screams and howls they are hearing. Randall says they cannot leave the people outside to their deaths and points out that they have guns, which Donna says are useless. As they are distracted by a scream, Randall gets ahold of Kenny’s gun and aims at Kenny, leading to a standoff between him, Donna and Matthias. Randall demands they open the door, but Donna refuses, saying doing so would put everyone in danger. Randall tries to rally the other passengers, reminding them that Donna shot out their tires. Donna says that they are all scared, but Randall refuses to listen, threatening to shoot Kenny, but Donna says he will have to shoot Kenny, and she will have to shoot him. Randall then gets distracted by a knock at the door, and Kenny regains control of his weapon while Donna whacks Randall in the face with the butt of her gun.
In the Diner, the tabletop jukeboxes begin playing Leonard Cohen’s “Who by Fire” as the sun comes up. Julie notices the light from the window and rushes outside to check on her father. They find Tom’s corpse that got dragged outside the rubble. Julie calls out to her father, who responds, and Donna rallies everyone to help remove rubble. Bakta goes to check on the bus, and finds the corpses of the elderly couple, and runs outside in horror.[3]
Tillie, Elgin, Bakta, Randall and the rest of the passengers unpack their belongings. After Boyd confiscates Randall's rifle, Donna leads them to Colony House, where they settle in.[4]
Feeling upset and guilty, Bakta goes to the Bar to drink alone, but Jade bursts in. Jade complains about how he can’t find anywhere to be alone before realizing that she is the bus driver, apologizing before sitting down. Bakta says that Elgin begged her to turn around and she didn’t listen, blaming herself for their predicament. Jade asks if he asked before or after they saw the Fallen Tree. Bakta answers after, and Jade tells her that they were already trapped then, so she shouldn’t blame herself for that. Bakta explains that the passengers got on her bus and it was her job to get them to their destination safely. Jade mocks her for being self-pitying, telling her that is not her fault and she is free to feel bad, but should not carry any extra guilt over things out of her control. Jade then jokes that the people were on a bus, so things could not have been that great for them. Bakta laughs after giving him a look, and reveals that she was not even supposed to be driving that day. She took the job to pay for her degree, and had just paid off her tuition but decided to stay on the job for a few more weeks so she could treat herself with the extra money. She had thought that she deserved a reward, and then asks if this is what she deserves. Jade replies that he had just sold his company, which he had worked for his whole life, before arriving in Town. The two then toast to getting what they deserve. Later that day, Donna and Randall find Bakta moving the bus to the side of the road, and she explains that she didn't want people to have to stare at it while they were eating. Donna then tells Randall that he will live in the bus as punishment for beating one of the Colony House residents.[1]
The arrival of the bus passengers causes the food supply to be stretched thin, causing tensions. Dale accuses Elgin of sneaking food out of the pantry. Elgin denies this and says he was taking extra food out of his backpack. Ellis arrives and asks what is going on, and Dale repeats his accusation, adding that it is bad enough that the storm wiped out their crops. Ellis denies this, but Dale says he saw what they loaded on the truck. Dale continues to complain about how the radio tower didn’t work, they have so many people they’re running out of food, and Ellis, Fatima and Donna are concealing the fact to prevent panic. Fatima tries to reply but Dale rudely tells her to shut up, angering Ellis. Dale says that they can’t have new people stealing their limited food supply, and insists that they leave. Dale then brandishes the knife he was using to chop vegetables at Elgin and Bakta. Ellis tries to restrain him, but as Dale turns he accidentally stabs Ellis in the side. Fatima and Bakta help him to a couch, while Clara fetches them towels and they attempt to put pressure on the wound.
Fatima and Bakta tend to Ellis, and Fatima says they will take him by van to the Clinic. Ellis says it is too dangerous, but Fatima says they have lookouts in all the windows and Clara reports that it looks like they’re all clear. Ellis says they can wait until morning, but Bakta gives Fatima a look indicating otherwise. Fatima then calls Elgin over for help, and he helps Fatima get Ellis up and they walk to the door, but Matthias reports that a Creature is coming up the hill and is about 50 yards away. Ellis says he can’t run, and Elgin leaves and tells them to meet him at the steps. Elgin makes a run for the van, and is spotted by two Creatures. After finding the keys, he drives to the front of Colony House and ushers Fatima and Ellis inside as Creatures begin to surround them and drives off.[5]
The next day, after Dale has been locked in his room, Bakta confronts Donna and asks what happens next. Donna answers that they will see how Ellis is doing, but Bakta wants to know how they expect her and the bus passengers to live in the house with someone who just tried to kill all of them. Bakta explains that he wanted to kick them all out in the middle of the night. Matthias then informs them that Ellis and Fatima have returned. Donna promises Bakta that she and her people are safe in Colony House and they take care of their own.[6]
Reggie arrives at Colony House in search of Donn and explains to everyone what happened to Paula. Fatima says that she isn’t inside, and Kristi adds that she last saw her at the Clinic hours ago, and she was supposed to go to the house after. Reggie worries that they are all going to die, and Fatima steps up and tells him to relay Boyd’s instructions. Reggie says that no one can go to sleep, and Fatima steps up and says they will focus on following instructions while Boyd and Donna get themselves sorted. Fatima takes Reggie to change his clothes and tells everyone to partner up to make sure they don’t fall asleep. Bakta asks how long, and Fatima answers that they will figure that out later. When Boyd and Donna return, everyone crowds around them with questions. Bakta asks how long they will have to stay awake, and Meredith asks why this is happening. Donna tells everyone to calm down and that they know they are scared but are trying to figure it out. In the meantime, they should listen to Boyd’s instructions. Jim tries to sneak past the distracted door guard and leave to get back to his family. Boyd tells him that opening the door puts everyone at risk but Jim says they are always at risk. Jim continues to struggle with the guard until both he and Boyd draw their guns on Jim. Kristi then calls for help, and Boyd leaves to help her while Donna pushes the crowd back.[7] Ultimately, everyone is saved when Boyd destroys the music box.[8]
Season 3[]
Bakta goes to the Diner looking for a large pot and finds Ethan Matthews cleaning and storing the dishes, and she joins him. When Boyd arrives, Ethan explains that they are doing so because Tian-Chen would want the Diner to be put together. Bakta tells Boyd that she feels bad for Ethan. Boyd asks how she is doing, and she says that she is still processing everything, and does not really know before asking Boyd how he is. Boyd admits that it’s been a rough stretch, but they will win and go home. Ethan asks if there is a way home, and says Boyd simply hopes there is one, reminding him of Tian-Chen and his mother. Boyd says they are not giving up on Tabitha, but Ethan says that maybe they should.[9]
After a crow flies through the window and slams into a wall before dying, Nicky and Bakta argue over who will clean up the remains of the crow that flew through the window. Bakta refuses to touch the dead bird, and scolds Tillie for trying to do tarot readings in the Township. Donna breaks up the fight and checks on Elgin, who insists that he is fine. That night, after Nicky is accidentally shot by the newly arrived Officer Acosta, Bakta, Ellis and Fatima aid Mari in removing the bullet from Nicky’s torso. Boyd arrives in the ambulance, and with the Matthews helps Henry get inside Colony House. Everyone is shocked to see Tabitha again, and she admonishes Acosta for not listening. Donna takes them to a room upstairs. Later that night, , Nicky begins crying out and coughing up blood before dying. Mari tries to administer CPR, to no use. Her death shocks Bakta and everyone else present. Boyd then spots Acosta nearby and excoriates her for firing wildly in a panic. As Boyd begins to grab her, Donna escorts him upstairs.[10]
The next day, the residents of Town and Colony House gather in the Diner. Boyd begins by telling them that they have no easy explanations, and to be mindful of the fact that Tabitha has been through a lot. Dale leads the others in demanding that Tabitha speak, but Donna calms them down. Bakta asks Henry why he was in the ambulance, and as he begins to explain, Tabitha arrives, with Jim. Dale immediately asks if she went through a tree. Tabitha begins explaining her story.
Tabitha concludes her story for the people in the Diner. Fatima asks if she tried reaching out to the police, and Tabitha says she wanted to, prompting anger. Tabitha justifies herself, saying they would not have believed her, and Henry tries to back her up, pointing out that he didn’t believe her at first, and that his circumstances are different than the average person’s. Acosta agrees, noting that she and the EMTs thought Tabitha hysterical, but this only angers people further, who point out that she killed Nicky. Clara admonishes Tabitha for wasting her opportunity in the outside world to get help. Jim asks the crowd what they would have done. Fatima also criticizes Tabitha, who apologizes for not finding answers and leaves.
Boyd reminds the crowd that Tabitha escaped, and they should have hope now that it is possible. Dale then demands to go to the Bottle Tree, riling up the crowd. Boyd begs them to think, but Bakta agrees that the equation seems simple: Tabitha went through the tree and escaped. Boyd warns that they cannot just run into the Forest, but Fatima says that they should head to the tree, and Ellis agrees. Boyd warns them that the trees are not simply a magic door, reminding them that he almost died after going through one. Kenny agrees with Boyd, reminding the crowd that it was the Lighthouse that allowed her to escape. Dale says he is going to the Lighthouse, declaring himself done with Boyd and his rules before leaving.
Afterwards, Bakta cleans up in the Diner and notices Boyd outside eyeing the bus. Inside, Boyd looks at Randall’s belongings, and Bakta asks what he is doing. Boyd admits that he is trying to assuage his guilt. Bakta tells him it was not his fault, and apologizes for not being more supportive at the meeting. Boyd acknowledges they have a right to ask questions, and he is tired of not having answers. Bakta is amused, noting that he reminds her of his sister, who always tried to make things right, but ended up feeling like she was in the wrong. Bakta notes that Boyd is just trying to keep them from doing something stupid, and promises to have his back next time.
As they leave the bus, Boyd and Bakta notice screaming coming from the pool as a crowd gathers. They find Dale, who has been teleported into the concrete wall of the pool, and is slowly being crushed and suffocated to death. Boyd apologizes to Dale, preparing to shoot him to end his misery. However, Dale dies before he can shoot. Boyd turns on the crowd and asks them if they still want to go through the tree. Boyd reminds them that he is trying to keep them all alive, but cannot help them if they do not let him. Donna arrives, and is shocked by the site of Dale’s body.[11]
Bakta enters the Diner just as Officer Acosta is leaving, with the latter rudely pushing past her as she does so. Bakta then tells Kenny Liu that she wants to try and reopen the Diner.[12]
The Matthews arrive at the Diner, now up and running again thanks to Bakta. Bakta praises Ethan for helping with the cleaning and organizing, telling him that he is welcome to help out anytime. Bakta explains that Kenny was very supportive, and she felt like people needed a place to feel normal after Tillie’s death. Shortly afterwards, Boyd and Donna assemble everyone outside the Diner. Donna acknowledges that everyone is scared and wants answers about what happened to Tillie. Boyd then reveals that Fatima is missing, and they ask everyone to help with the search. One person asks if the same thing that took her is what killed Tillie. Boyd admits he does not know, and only knows that she is close. When asked how he knows this, Boyd says it is because something wants them to know she is close, is alone, afraid, and it believes they do not have what it takes to find her. Boyd says he cannot order them to do anything, but reminds them that they did not always have the Talismans and used to live day to day. The Talismans allowed them to prove that the Township would not break them. The Township is trying to break them again, and Boyd says they have the choice of laying down and dying, or fighting back. They have proven themselves able before, and he asks for their help again, although there is no shame in refusing. Batka asks how they will do this, and Boyd says they will pair up in groups of two and cover every inch.[13]
Trivia[]
- Bakta and Tillie are the only current main cast members to not receive a character profile that revealed their surname on Amazon Prime in advance of Season 3's release.
- Despite still being part of the main cast, Angela Moore' is only credited for the episode in which she appears for Season 3.
Appearances[]
Season 2[]
- Strangers in a Strange Land
- The Kindness of Strangers
- Tether
- This Way Gone
- Pas de Deux
- Belly of the Beast
- Ball of Magic Fire
- Once Upon a Time?