Ruby Is a Guest on 'Fantasy Island' Whose Stay Is Unexpectedly Extended

Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 1 of Fox's Fantasy Island reboot.

The first season of the reboot of Fantasy Island has started airing on Fox, and the inaugural episode brings an entirely new cast of characters to the forefront while paying direct homage to the original.

One of the characters viewers meet in this first episode is Ruby, who initially only comes to the island as a guest — but her stay will be much longer than originally expected.

Viewers meet Ruby when she comes to the island with her husband, Mel. She's 75 and was recently diagnosed with a terminal illness, so she and her husband are looking for an opportunity to reconnect with each other before her time is up.

The pair are transformed back into the bodies of their 20s and enjoy many of the benefits that come with it (especially in the bedroom). While the couple's original goal was to come to terms with Ruby's oncoming death, she ultimately makes a decision to get a tattoo while on the island that secures her as a long-term feature for the getaway.

When Ruby decided to get the tattoo, she ultimately took on the role of Tattoo from the original run of the series and will reportedly serve as Elena Roarke's right-hand woman for much of the season.

“One of the things we wanted to do for this series was to create a whole new mythology,” showrunner Sarah Fain told TVLine. “In our mythology, there is always a Roarke family member who is the custodian of the island, and that person always has a second. That second always has a very particular tattoo — which, yes, we took from the character Tattoo [from the original series]. It signifies their importance. The island chooses the person that’s the right person for that particular Roarke. Ruby is the right person for Elena, and we’ll see their relationship grow over the course of the season in a beautiful way.”

Viewers will continue to see Ruby grow and battle the demons of her past throughout this season — but her decision to stay will also bring about some growth for Elena, who has a past of her own she must confront while on the island.

"The arrival of Ruby is really the inciting incident for Elena to start opening up and developing more relationships on the island," showrunner Elizabeth Craft told the outlet.

Actress Kiara Barnes, who is most well-known for her role as Zoe Buckingham on The Bold and the Beautiful, portrays Ruby on the show. She told TV Insider her character will also continue to work on herself throughout the season, recovering things she's previously repressed.

"She’s 75-years-old but back in her 20-year-old body, and all of a sudden the island’s like, 'Hey, remember this thing that you repressed? Remember this thing that you didn’t want to talk about?'" she said. "You know how people say that you’ll keep getting the same lessons until you sort them out? Things will keep reoccurring? That’s very much the vibe."

Watch the reboot of Fantasy Island on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox.