I'm your Publicity Officer. I'm here to help guide you through your apology tour.— Willks to John LaMarr[1]
Willks is a Publicity Officer from Sargus 4 who instructs John LaMarr through his apology tour.
History
After John LaMarr is arrested by the Department of Corrections for receiving over one million downvotes, Willks is assigned as his Publicity Officer.
In a Department station, Willks reviews LaMarr's case and surprised to learn that he is unfamiliar with Sargun law. Willks explains to LaMarr that he received enough downvotes to have committed a crime against the State, and must go on an apology tour in order to avoid Social Correction, a drastic neurological procedure similar to a frontal lobotomy where the brain is permanently altered.
Willks starts LaMarr's tour with interviews on the television shows like The Chat, and unsuccessfully attempts to educate LaMarr on Sargun culture. While on The Chat, LaMarr is eviscerated for not knowing the historical person of Mella Giffendon. Willks realizes he made a fatal error by failing to educate LaMarr on the history of Sargus 4.
Production
From a narrative perspective, Willks serves as shepherd for John LaMarr, a fish-out-of-water on Sargus 4, and for television audiences. As Willks guides LaMarr through his apology tour, he guides the audience through the story as well.