Diana is a 29-year-old associate specialist at Sotheby's with a meticulous life plan and a natural talent for art. With her doctor boyfriend required to stay behind in New York, she travels alone to the Galapagos just as borders close indefinitely. Stranded on Isabela without her luggage or reliable cell service, the ambitious New Yorker is forced to adapt to a vastly different, slower-paced environment.

Finn is a resident doctor in surgery at a New York-Presbyterian hospital who finds himself suddenly thrust onto the frontlines of the pandemic. Like Diana, he is driven and highly focused on their shared future plans. His chaotic and grueling reality in New York stands in sharp contrast to Diana's isolated experience on the island.

Gabriel is a native Galapagueño in his early thirties who works on a farm after closing his tour guide business. He is a devoted single father with a fierce love for his family and a strong sense of personal duty. Though he and Diana initially clash over misunderstandings, he becomes a crucial figure in helping her settle into island life.

Beatriz is Gabriel's 14-year-old daughter who normally attends a magnet school off the island in Santa Cruz. Highly intelligent and precocious, she struggles with feelings of isolation and abandonment since her mother left years ago. She grapples with keeping personal secrets while desperately seeking connection.

Hannah is Diana's mother and a once-famous, fiercely dedicated photographer. She now lives in a care facility after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Her intense focus on her career meant she was frequently absent during Diana's childhood, resulting in a strained relationship in the present day.

Rodney is Diana's best friend and colleague at Sotheby's. He is a supportive constant in her New York life who intimately understands her professional ambitions. When the crisis hits, he serves as a loyal sounding board for her fears and uncertainties.

Kitomi is the widow of famous musician Sam Pride. She is a prominent client of Sotheby's who possesses a rare and historically significant painting. Her enduring grief and deep love for her late husband provide a mirror for how people process long-term devotion and loss.

Abuela is Gabriel's grandmother and a resourceful local worker on the island of Isabela. When the borders close and businesses shut down, she generously takes Diana in, providing her with shelter and a vital link to the island's barter economy.

Ana Maria is the host sister of the family Beatriz stays with while attending school in Santa Cruz. Her dynamic with Beatriz becomes a source of significant emotional turmoil for the teenager, prompting Beatriz's desperate desire to flee back to Isabela.

Rayanne is Rodney's sister, known within her family for having "the sight." She offers alternative, mystical perspectives on the profound events people endure, acting as an unconventional guide for processing strange occurrences.

Eric is a man who connects with Diana online to discuss shared medical traumas and vivid, life-altering experiences. He serves as a confidant for processing the disorienting aftermath of severe health crises.

Athena is an ICU nurse working the grueling shifts alongside Finn. She represents the shared trauma and camaraderie developed among healthcare workers on the pandemic's front lines.