'The Leftovers'
Meet the Guilty Remnant. HBO

“The Leftovers” pilot introduced the central mystery of the Sudden Departure as well as the mysterious group of people dressed all in white known as the Guilty Remnant. While little is known about the group, there are some clues as to what their mission is in Mapleton.

The Guilty Remnant is a group of people who do not speak, although they communicate via written messages, led by Patti. Kevin Garvey’s wife, Laurie, is a member of the Guilty Remnant and she asks to attend the Heroes Day parade in the beginning of “The Leftovers” pilot. Members of the Guilty Remnant live together and smoke constantly.

To the residents of Mapleton, the group is a curiosity although that’s beginning to change. Prior to Heroes Day, the Guilty Remnant showed up at the high school’s homecoming football game. According to Garvey, the group walked onto the field and left. While that demonstration was peaceful, at the Heroes Day event, the residents of Mapleton attacked the Guilty Remnant. The group was holding a sign saying “Don’t hold your breath” during Nora Durst’s speech which led to the violent scene that needed to be controlled by Garvey and his officers.

On Twitter, HBO shared a few messages seen throughout the Guilty Remnant house including, “We are living reminders,” “We won’t let them forget,” “We watch so they remember” and “We don’t smoke for enjoyment, we smoke to proclaim our faith.”

While it may appear the members of the Guilty Remnant are passive observers, the group does appear to have a larger mission and are recruiting new members. Prior to Heroes Day, each member of the group is given potential targets, including Meg and Jill.

In HBO’s “The Leftovers” preview, there appears to be a focus on Laurie but several other members of Guilty Remnant make an appearance. Meg’s transition to a Guilty Remnant member is also featured in the preview. Cameras caught Garvey discovering the body of a Guilty Remnant member who was murdered, reports E! Online.

"The Leftovers," episode 2, "Penguin One, Us Zero," airs on Sunday at 10 p.m. EDT on HBO.

HBO