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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 10: Let’s Go Make Coup!

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e10: Into the White. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

It’s Alex’s turn to monologue this episode. In her opening line, she directly contradicts what Melanie said in the departure flashback - Alex was ten when the world became a train, not eight. I already need a break.

In the next part of the monologue, Alex calls Wilford “daddy Dubs”. If the fandom appropriates that for their Wilford thirst I’m gonna scream! Alex was lonely on Big Alice, and after seeing Layton lead by listening to others (lol what? He’s still got a lot of work to do on his listening skills!) how she’s now on Melanie and Layton’s side.

In the monologue breaks, Wilford visits the oubliette brig to drop a Labyrinth reference on Alex, and Layton and Ruth work on a dance routine in The Swamp.

Ruth tells Layton they’re going to have to be ruthless, and he doesn’t point out the pun! Unforgivable! Layton tells Ruth that Wilford’s complete disregard for the lives of the people of Snowpiercer means that, to beat him, they don’t need to question whether they can sink to Wilford’s level - they need to question whether they’re willing to risk everything. Ruth is.

Alex finishes up her monologue by trashing the brig and saying that, one day, she’ll break the cycle and walk away from Snowpiercer, with its people.

After the opening credits, Ruth is doing all the work while Layton’s on a break. The guard asks for their lunch tray to be returned, and Ruth takes the opportunity to show the guard her Oliver Twist impression. But it’s a trap! The guard puts their hand through the window to retrieve the tray, and Layton tightens a trap around the guard’s wrist. They have a little tug of war, until Layton finally yanks the guard into the door. Layton stabs the guard with the shard of glass he stashed away last episode, and Ruth delivers a blow to the guard’s face with the shovel handle. Then they steal the keys, unlock the door from the inside (which feels like a big design flaw!!), and head out to find Javi.

They sneak around the train, and run into Alex in the brig. Ruth tells Alex that her mum is still alive, and Layton tells Alex that they’re going to steal Big Alice and pick Melanie up. I’m not sure how they were planning to disconnect the trains given that they’re supposed to be locked together forever now? Chopping off the tail, maybe? Anyway, Alex tells them that the train needs both engines to get over the Rocky Mountain Test Track, so they’re going to have to steal the whole train anyway. She also tells them about a secret entrance to Wilford’s bedroom! Layton wants to reward her for that by breaking her out of the brig, but Alex thinks it’s a better idea for her to stay - she’s going to pretend to be sorry to Wilford and keep him distracted.

Up in the First Class Dining room, Wilford is using the table as a desk, while Audrey is using the dining room sofa as a bed. He’s annoyed that Audrey isn’t awake yet, but pleased that his new advisor is an early riser. Till, however, does not look pleased to be there. There’s a W pin on her detective coat, and she points out that she’s not an advisor if he never takes her advice.

Kevin enters the scene to tell Wilford that Zarah threatened him with a fork when he delivered today’s dinner invitation. I would’ve liked to see that! Wilford suggests offering her a promotion to convince her, but Till and her detective coat advise him that Zarah isn’t going to be bought while Layton is locked away. Kevin offers to slap Zarah, so Wilford very vioently punches Kevin.

Wilford then asks Till why he just punched Kevin. She sasses him, suggesting it’s because of poor impulse control. But then offers a real answer: it’s because pregnancy comes with privilege on Snowpiercer. Wilford and Kevin then say the most disgusting lines in the whole show, and in the interest of our collective mental health I won’t repeat it here. If you know, you know.

Finally, Wilford orders Audrey to get up and visit Zarah.

The next scene is just straight-up comedy (and a little bit of killing). Layton and Ruth bicker as they sneak into Wilford’s bedroom, then quietly head out to the engine room. Conveniently they’re right next to all the swords! They select weapons and spy on the guards through the curtain. Then, it turns out that ruthless Ruth ruths just as hard as regular Ruth: she runs into action too early, screaming. Luckily, Ruth and Layton still manage to take out a Jackboot each.

With the guards both dead, Javi and Ruth both immediately freak out.

Javi hugs Layton (the first hug of many this episode!), then tells him he smells like crap. Ruth gets everyone a nerve-steadying drink. Layton accidentally sits on the sofa next to a corpse, then awkwardly shuffles away. It’s gold. They catch us up on what’s happening with the train: they have two hours before they reach the curve, and need to somehow communicate their plan to Bennett. (But not Melanie? Why aren’t they radioing her with an update!? The guards are dead now!)

Ruth explores the weird shit in the room while Javi paces out his stress and Layton tries to mask how frustrated he is with his new allies. Ruth ruths hard again, and Layton comes running to her aid - but she’s just excited about the fancy bathroom. Ruth’s expression is pure joy as she runs the water.

In the Big Alice lab, Icy Josie is learning to use her new hand, and chatting to a new character. Josie was scared when she nearly froze to death (fair enough!), but she’s not scared about going outside now - she wants to see what she can do. She, more than anyone, deserves to fuck some shit up!

Next, we catch up with Alex. She’s apologising to Wilford, and telling him everything he wants to hear. For some reason, Wilford is still trusting Till and her detective coat? This feels like a plothole, but fine!

Till clearly doesn’t believe a word out of Alex’s lying little mouth, but nevertheless, she advises Wilford that Alex seems to be telling the truth. Alex then takes her ass-kissing even further - she’s also going to apologise to Audrey and LJ. While LJ gives Mr. Wilford some breakfast, Alex whispers to Till that Layton escaped and he’s going to seize the engine.

Back in Big Alice, Layton and Ruth have both had a bath, and stolen some of Wilford’s clothes - a shirt for Ruth, and a t-shirt and leather jacket for Layton. Javi comes up with a secret code to communicate with Bennett, and calls in with some coordinates of fake track obstructions. Bennett checks them up, then confirms in his own code that got the message. This is all going far too smoothly! Javi bids Layton and Ruth goodbye, and he and Ruth share hug #2 before Javi locks himself into the cockpit. On their way out, Layton grabs a handy conversation facilitation tool from the Jackboot he killed earlier.

At the border, Lights and ZWreck receive a very circus-y looking delivery. They take it up to car 272, where Boki is waiting. Does he just hang out at the abandoned carnival in his downtime? Is that where Jinju, Klimpt, Zarah’s partners from s1e1 and Miles have been this whole time?

Boki opens up the box to reveal Ruth and Layton squished inside, and ZWreck looks at Boki as though he wants to be just like him one day.

I really enjoy how much this episode leans into the ridiculousness of the characters and sets, and just sort of lets them all run wild.

Layton hugs ZWreck and Lights (bringing the hug count to 4!), while Boki marvels at the fact that he’s now allied with the Tail due to “son-of-a-bitch Wilford”. Layton agrees, then gets briefly distracted by the fact that he’s just stepped out of a box and into a fucking carnival.

Ruth updates Boki on the plan, and he confirms that he can set up a coldlock mid-train. It’s perfect! They’ll grab Melanie and bring her back to the carnival car, so that she can use the phone there to make a public address. Boki agrees with yet another stunning quote: “Okey-dokey! Let’s go make coup!”

Up in the Layton-Ferami First Class Living/Meeting Room, Audrey pours herself a drink and chats away to Zarah without any self-awareness. After a while, she softens a bit and explains that she’s trying to help Zarah - Zarah doesn’t actually have the leverage that she thinks she does. Wilford doesn’t need Zarah, just her womb (yikes!!!!!!!!) - the Headwoods can take Zarah right out of the equation.

Zarah pretty much ignores Audrey’s warning, and Audrey impatiently insists that they are the same as they’ve always been: survive, survive, survive! Before Audrey can try converting Zarah to the Wilford cult, their conversation is interrupted by a knock at the door. It’s Till and her detective coat! She’s back on room service duty! But she’s not delivering bug bar breakfast this time - she’s delivering a fist, directly into Audrey’s nose.

Zarah briefly panics at the sight of Audrey dramatically falling to the floor, then relaxes when she realises that it’s just her kind-of-sister-in-law compensating for the fact that she hasn’t committed any acts of physical violence for a few episodes. Till relays Alex’s message to Zarah, and they drag Audrey into a small room together.

Up in the engine, Sykes is making the most of Snowpiercer’s snacks while babysitting Bennett. He pretends that he needs to fetch some maps, but Sykes smells that bullshit instantly and tells him to use the satellite. Bennett carries on, claiming that the satellite reception is degraded, then makes a quick move on the Jackboot to shove them out of the engine and close the door.

Sykes casually eats one more piece of tangerine, puts the rest of the fruit down, and slowly walks towards Bennett. Bennett gets ready for a fight and says he doesn’t want to hurt Sykes, which is very cute of him!

Bennett obviously gets his ass absolutely handed to him, because Sykes is a fucking badass. One of the many times that Bennett is crashed up against a desk during the fight, he manages to enter the command to switch the track. When the train changes direction, the unexpected movement throws Sykes off balance for long enough that Bennett is able to smash a laptop into Sykes’ head - which is how to knock someone immediately unconscious on TV! He radios Javi to tell him that they’ve successfully switched the track.

Next, Layton calls Bennett in the engine. They’re only about ten minutes from the station. Sykes is tied up on the floor, and warns Bennett that Wilford will notice that they’ve turned onto the rough test track. But Bennett hates receiving criticism about his driving, and tells Sykes to shut up.

Sykes was right, though: downtrain, Wilford notices the bumpy track. He gets Alex to check what’s happening. Alex calls Bennett and pretends it’s just avalanche debris. Wilford seems ready to accept her explanation, until LJ rats her out. He looks out of the window, then heads to Big Alice with Jackboot reinforcements. It’s a good thing it’s only a five minute journey to the border! A Jackboot is ordered to bring Alex, too. Somehow, they don’t notice Alex swipe a razorblade from Wilford’s tile and hide it in her mouth.

Alarms alert Layton and Boki to the fact that Wilford must already know that the train has switched tracks. Meanwhile, Bennett and Javi have a nervous chat over the comms while Jackboots hammer at their respective engine doors. Javi tries to make up for that time Alex called him the fifth engineer, and Bennett lets him have it in case Jackboots murder him within the next few minutes. Javi begins to play music and pray to the hula dancer figurine.

Wilford soon arrives in the engine room, banishes Alex from his sight, then gives orders to a Jackboot. He wants them to bring a cutter to the door, and to fetch his dog.

Uptrain, Bennett and Layton are on the phone again. Bennett is worried that he didn’t catch sight of Melanie from the engine. I still don’t know why they didn’t radio her as soon as Layton and Ruth killed the Jackboots near the start of the episode! Anyway, Bennett has slowed down, and he’ll slow even more when Boki’s cold lock reaches the pickup point. Layton and Boki peer out of a window together, hoping to see Melanie. And, not long later, they do!

Meanwhile, on Big Alice, Jackboots have finished cutting through Javi’s door. They throw him away from the helm and start to beat him up, while Jupiter barks in the background. Javi repeats what Bennett told him last episode: Wilford can’t afford to kill engineers. But, unfortunately, the engine bros forgot that Wilford is the same guy who was literally going to murder them all at the push of a button in episode one! Wilford is not very logical when he’s angry. He sets Jupiter on Javi, then accelerates Big Alice as hard as he can.

Bennett desperately pushes the breaks, and contacts Big Alice to tell Javi to slow down. But it’s Wilford who replies. He tells Bennett that his breaking won’t matter, because Big Alice has more torque. In the background, Jackboots drag Javi away. Alex screams at Wilford to stop because the breaks will overheat, and Bennett panics that Wilford will derail them. Wilford doesn’t give a fuck about either of those very urgent problems, though! His number one priority is to make sure that Melanie gets left behind.

Alex cries out for Melanie at the back window, showing the other perspective of the final scene from episode six. She tries to plead with Wilford to turn the train around - for Melanie and the science. Wilford insists that the warming Earth theory is a fantasy - he thinks that Melanie couldn’t accept that he saved the lives of everyone on the trains. If that’s what he genuinely believes is happening, even after seeing all the data, then he needs some serious professional help to get him connected to reality!

Wilford then briefly calms down his anger, and tries to manipulate Alex instead. He tells her that it breaks his heart that she’s more like Melanie than him. Alex insists that she’s like both of them, but he doesn’t agree. He then tells Alex that he was just using her to get to Melanie, he has no more use for her, and that she can join Melanie trackside. Alex hurts him back, by telling him that he could never be the leader Melanie is! He retaliates by slapping her, and she fights back by slicing his neck with her razor blade.

Alex runs away while Jackboots rush Wilford to the Headwoods. The doctors patch him up quickly, and Icy Josie spies on them. Meanwhile, Alex sneaks through the train until she runs into Layton and Boki. They’re on their way to ask Ruth what to do next, but Alex has a plan for how they could still save Melanie.

In car 272, Layton, Ruth, Boki and Alex discuss the plan. They can disconnect some cars, quickly pop back for Melanie, and then reconnect again. Big Alice’s engine can run the train while they’re gone. There’s only one car that can be decoupled in a lockdown, though: the aquarium.

Back in the lab, Wilford is stitched up but still a bit weak. He orders the Jackboots to the border, then tells Josie it’s her big day! She has to go all the way to Snowpiercer’s engine (which only takes about five minutes, if you run inside the train!), and breach it to freeze Bennett. The Headwoods protest that Josie isn’t anywhere near ready to go that far, but Wilford yells at them to do it anyway.

Up in the Layton-Ferami First Class Living/Meeting Room, Layton is updating Zarah, Till and Till’s detective coat on the situation. He thinks that they have to go ASAP, otherwise Wilford will take over forever. Neither Till nor Zarah are thrilled with the plan.

Layton calls back to his opening chat with Ruth - he’s willing to risk everything to beat Wilford. Till reluctantly agrees to join him, but Zarah still won’t. Till senses another argument brewing, and makes an excuse to get the fuck out of there. Layton and Zarah disagree about what’s safest: Layton wants them to stay together, but Zarah believes that all of Wilford’s creepiness about the baby will keep her safe. They decide to stay on separate trains, and hug (that’s hug #5!) goodbye. All these hugs, and still none for Till!

On Big Alice, the Headwoods take Icy Josie to the coldlock and remind her of her training. I really don’t get why they’re all going along with this, given that the Headwoods don’t think Josie is ready, and Josie is one of the least likely characters on the whole show to join Wilford. I guess she must just reeeeeeeeeally want to get outside and see what she can do! The doctors give Icy Josie a weapon, quickly demonstrate how to use it, and promise to patch her up when she returns. Then, Icy Josie goes outside.

The open coldlock sends an alert to Bennett. Sykes freely offers up the information that the coldlock alert must mean that Wilford’s coldwoman is heading outside. Uh, is Sykes concussed? Why is Wilford’s head of security just handing out information about Wilford’s plans? Anyway, Bennett realises that Wilford’s coldwoman must be Josie. Does Bennett know of Josie from that time his girlfriend tortured her, or that time he threatened to dismember her kid?

Sykes then continues to leak more information! Wilford likely sent Josie to breach the engine, which will kill them both. Maybe that’s why Sykes is telling Bennett everything: self-preservation. It’s not exactly the best quality for a security guard, but I like Sykes a lot more than Wilford so I’m not complaining!

Bennett is confident that Josie wouldn’t breach the engine, and contacts her via the radio. After a brief introduction, a polite discussion about the weather, and a chat about last night’s episode of Eastenders, Bennett asks for Josie’s help to disconnect the engine.

Up in a First class corridor, Wilford and Layton meet. Layton tells Wilford that he’s not there to fight.

There are so many iconic quotes in this episode!

There’s a quick scene showing Boki unlocking the overrides and updating Bennett. Then, we cut to Ruth. She’s running through the train, for an unknown reason. Boki is already at the aquarium car, and he and Ruth left car 272 at the same time! Why didn’t they travel together? Did Ruth have a side mission that got cut? Anyway, she gets lured into a trap: an open Hospitality door and a very tempting teal jacket.

Ruth runs in to grab the teals, and Kevin shuts the door with a single finger while menacingly zapping his cattle prod. It’s ridiculous, and I love it. Kevin demands that Ruth hands the teals back, or threatens that they’ll do it the hard way. Ruth agrees, gives her teals one last sniff, and approaches Kevin to hand over the jacket. But she’s ruthless today! As soon as Ruth gets close enough, she knees Kevin in the balls and steals his cattle prod. She then zaps him until he squeals, snatches the jacket, and runs off with the stolen cattle prod and her precious teals.

Uptrain, Layton has lured Wilford to the aquarium car. He tells Wilford to be nice to everyone while the train pirates are gone. To ensure that he does, Till brings out a bound, gagged, bloody Audrey. Wilford is appalled to see his paramour in such a state. Till whispers to Layton that Ruth hasn’t arrived yet, missing yet another pun opportunity! They are literally Ruth-less right now! Come on!

But Layton doesn’t include Ruth in his bargain: Audrey is their guarantee of Zarah’s safety. Poor Ruth!

Wilford asks Layton who’s doing the manual disconnect, and then the scene cuts to Jackboots running through the tunnels, towards Boki. He loses contact with Bennett while he fights all six of them himself! What a guy! Above, Wilford gloats that he’d never let anyone uncouple his engine, and begins to walk through the aquarium car. Layton grabs Audrey and threatens to kill her with his conversation axe if Wilford doesn’t move back behind the link.

Wilford calls Layton’s bluff, much to Audrey’s distress.

She cries and begs Wilford for her life, but Wilford insists that he knows that Layton wouldn’t kill her. Some tense music plays while Layton presses the axe blade to Audrey’s throat, contemplating whether to prove Wilford wrong and kill one of his fellow revolutionaries.

But Icy Josie arrives just in time to prevent Layton from having to make a difficult decision! Bennett (having lost contact with Boki) has instructed Josie to smash the aquarium car. Josie breaks a window, and the water and sea creatures rapidly begin to freeze. As the glass begins to crack inside, everyone realises how fucked they’ll be if they don’t immediately run.

Wilford jumps behind the J-link just in time, and we have no idea whether Boki managed to do the same. Meanwhile, Ruth watches on from many cars away. She’s happy for a moment, before it dawns on her that all her friends just left her with Wilford. How ruthless!

The end of the episode shows Layton and Alex out for a little stroll in the snow. They banter via radio with Bennett and Till, who are sweating away in the engine room. When Alex and Layton reach the research station, Alex calls out to Melanie/Mom. There are increasingly positive signs as they move through the station, until finally they find a tent! But when they open it up, they only find Melanie’s data.

Alex picks up Melanie’s notebook and begins to read her mother’s goodbye letter, while Layton tries to find Gina’s cousins in the geothermal vent. When he returns, Alex and Layton pack up the equipment and walk back to the pirate train while Melanie does a voiceover reading out parts of her letter. She says that Alex is her hope, and tells her to learn to love their allies.

Finally, Bennett plugs in the climate data and the screens display some warm spots. Yay! The coup wasn’t completely useless! They all look to Layton for what to do next, and he suggests the obvious course of action (but in a suitably badass way)

And that’s it! Season three comes out tonight/tomorrow. Who else is Very Concerned?

#snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer s2e10 #snowpiercer 2.10 #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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What would you wear to the post-apocalyptic queer prom?

#posting this outside of the recap too #the outfits in this episode make me weak #snowpiercer #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer s2e9 #snowpiercer 2.09

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 9: Wilford Wonka

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e9: The Show Must Go On. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

This was a difficult recap to write, because I kept getting distracted by everyone’s outfits. So, before we get started, let’s just take a moment to revel in all of this:

The costume department of this show are queer heroes, and I hope they know it.

Ruth monologues this episode. The very first word is hope, so I guess we’re back on that theme! She reflects on the different ways that Melanie and Layton have used hope to unite the people, whereas Mr. Wilford has turned hope into fear. The monologue plays over scenes of Ruth getting dressed in her teals and travelling through the train, overseeing workers: things are running smoothly since Wilford took control. It also plays over a scene showing Jackboots stealing patient records from Dr. Pelton, while Ruth talks about keeping her own hope hidden in the people who can rekindle it.

Then, there’s a monologue break. Ruth, Till and Till’s detective coat have a sneaky conversation in the doorway of the Brakemen’s lockup - which is conspicuously free from any signs of Eugenia or Logan! We learn that Ruth and Till don’t know what’s happened to the Roche family, and that Wilford has sent for Till. Uh oh. Ruth heads inside.

Zarah tells Ruth that Layton is in The Swamp (Big Alice’s compost). Then, Ruth promises to try to find out why Wilford sent for Till. But she’s very busy at the moment, planning a dinner party and/or circus for Wilford. Zarah suspects that Audrey has told Wilford a lot about them, and Till and her detective coat are very stressed out. The others try to comfort her.

It’s been a month since their simultaneous breakup, so why not?

After the opening credits, Ruth and Kevin are accompanying Mr. Wilford to a suit fitting in First Class Dining - where else!? Mr. Wilford asks Ruth and Kevin to run a full census, so that they can split the classes up again.

Up in Snowpiercer’s engine, Javi and Bennett aren’t happy that Wilford is dividing them. Javi is worried about being sent to The Swamp. Bennett tries to cheer Javi up by giving him an old iPod from 2004 and reminding him that Wilford is very unlikely to kill either of them, because there aren’t enough trained engineers. Then, they give us some timeline info: they’re a week away from picking Melanie up, they’re running a day late, and they haven’t had contact with her in over a week. Finally, Javi collects his bag and his hula dancer figurine, gives Bennett one of the most unnatural fist bumps I’ve ever seen, and leaves for Big Alice.

In the corridors, Ruth is pressing Kevin for information on the big surprise, but he’s not telling! They chip into the non-torturey Hospitality room to discover a very pissed off Dr. Pelton, the Notary, and stacks of boxes of files. Ruth is outraged to discover that the files are medical records, not passenger files, and further outraged to discover that the age categories are children, adolescents, 18-39 and…

The Notary shows Ruth a sample questionnaire, which contains some very concerning questions designed to identify Tailies and rebels. Ruth is, once again, outraged. Kevin says he’ll snitch on her, and Ruth tells him that she’ll “have [her] own conversations with Mr. Wilford, thank you very much!” Ruth and Kevin bickering is very fun to watch. I just wish it was about something less awful!

In Big Alice’s engine, Javi is getting creeped out by the artwork. Alex calls him the fifth engineer (ouch!), then instructs him to sit down and not touch anything. Javi asks whether one of the panels is new, and Alex tells him that she just upgraded its interface on the second Revolution. So… she did the upgrade when she was either eight, nine, ten or eleven years old (depending on when her birthday is, and who’s right about her age at departure)!? I know she’s talented, but it’s still fucking wild that an eight year old was casually upgrading parts of the train that was keeping everyone alive!

Javi cracks out the figurine and passive-aggressively places it on the helm. Alex passive-aggressively reminds him not to touch anything. Javi then tries to explain the story behind the figurine - it’s a joke of Melanie’s. But Alex sees right through him and verbally cuts him down. When Alex feels the train, Javi tries to flatter her - Melanie said she has The Touch. But Alex doesn’t fall for bonding attempt #2, either, and shuts Javi in the cockpit with a Jackboot while she heads uptrain.

On Snowpiercer, Sykes takes Till and her detective coat to meet Wilford at a new exhibition in the art gallery. I’m going to resist the temptation to write an entire paragraph about those two walking around together in their beautifully queer outfits, and focus on the plot: Wilford shows Till and her detective coat his favourite painting.

Mr. Wilford, it is creepy to demand a meeting with someone you don’t know and immediately start asking them about porny paintings! Stop!

Till and her detective coat challenge Mr. Wilford about the disappearing passengers - especially her big brother, her dad, and his other family. Wilford responds by being creepy again! He calls Till a curious creature and says he doesn’t know what to do with her. Yuck! Till is feeling gutsy today, so she suggests that she should continue looking for the breach workers’ killers. Wilford complains that he never needed a detective before, because there wasn’t any crime on his train. Till counters that she doesn’t think he’s that naive, to which he (creepily, again) replies that he doesn’t think she’s that innocent.

After a quick Britney Spears lipsync battle, Wilford relaxes a bit and tells Till that the Roches have been drawered. They’ll be undrawered when everything settles down again. Till warns Wilford that Roche’s drawering won’t go down well, but Wilford has a nice distraction planned! He orders Sykes to take Till on a date to car 272.

Back on Snowpiercer, Kevin is excited to finally tell Ruth about the surprise: Mr. Wilford is opening car 272! And, even better, he’s putting Kevin in charge! Kevin and Ruth semi-kidnap Winnie and take her into Willy’s World. Yep, they seriously called it that! LJ and Alex are enjoying the rides, and Kevin tries to get them to stop. Bennett and his hair gel and Till and her detective coat are standing around at the side, being edgy together. When they see Ruth, they head over and Till tells her that the Roches have been drawered. But then, it’s time for the tech rehearsal! A picture speaks a thousand words so, uh, Wilford does this:

Next, we briefly catch up with Layton in The Swamp. He’s covered in shit and eating bug bars again, and that’s all we see before the next scene.

Josie wants to know what the Headwoods have done to her body without her consent! She didn’t sign up to be the next Icy Bob! The Headwoods calm her down, and suggest that they find out what Josie can do. Josie’s inner nerd wins out, and they all go off to do some experiments.

I hate it and I love it and it’s creepy but it’s great! (Sidenote: if Alex, Bennett and Wilford are all here, is Javi controlling both engines?)

When he’s finished making his grand entrance, Mr. Wilford announces the puppet show. This genuinely might be worse than the mangolingus scene? Alex is offended by the Alex puppet, so she does what she does best and storms off. Wilford mimes along to the words while the puppeteer does a pretty decent Sean Bean impression. When it’s over, LJ, Kevin and Wilford give the show a standing ovation. The others quietly seethe.

Wilford doesn’t understand what’s wrong with them all! Winnie calls him a liar and storms off Alex-style. Bennett calls the show pathetic, and Alex doesn’t think they have time for all this - they’re already a day late to pick up Melanie. Wilford suggests that Alex didn’t pay enough attention to the end of the show (where the Melanie puppet dies). Then, he drops the bomb that he knows the final launch data was faked: Ben lost contact with Melanie ten days ago.

Bennett admits it’s true, and Sykes escorts Bennett back to the engine before he has a chance to tell Alex much more - except not to give up on Melanie. With Ruth, Bennett and Sykes gone, Till has yet another poor anger management moment and decides to antagonise Wilford. In response, Wilford gets Kevin to start handing out tickets out to the dinner party. Wilford himself hands a ticket to Till, and tells her to “dress [her] next advice in eveningwear.”

Next, there’s a brief scene of Ruth Ruthing around before cutting to Zarah, uptrain. She’s giving Winnie a message for Josie, but Kevin interrupts them. After making sure Winnie is hidden, Zarah greets Kevin with a very Audrey-esque, “What do you want?” He wants to give Zarah some candyfloss! She snatches the snack and smashes his hand in the door. Zarah is getting more brutal by the day and I love that for her! Kevin shoves the dinner invitation under the door and leaves, clutching his hand.

The dinner means Wilford will be busy tonight - it’s a perfect opportunity for Josie to sneak around Big Alice to find Layton! Zarah checks in with Winnie again, hands her the candyfloss, and sends her on yet another ten mile run.

Meanwhile, on Big Alice, Josie and the Headwoods are testing her new superpowers. She makes some interesting noises in the cold chamber, and I hope my neighbours can’t hear this scene!

Down in The Swamp, Layton finds a shard of broken glass in the waste, and adds it to his secret stash of shitty stuff. Wilford comes along to bask in the eerie green swamp light. Wilford wonders whether Layton believes that his ideals make any difference in the end. Layton thinks they do, and Wilford doesn’t understand it.

He’s right, and he should say it!

Layton continues, saying that it was fragile, powerful men like Wilford that froze Earth in the first place. After all of his engine lessons, Detective Layton apparently isn’t suspecting that Wilford caused the freeze himself? Okay! As Layton and Wilford continue verbally sparring, The Swamp’s guard crochets a W coaster. I don’t think it ever becomes especially relevant, but it’s an enjoyable detail!

Layton finally rattles Wilford a bit when he says most people on Snowpiercer will never love him like he wants them to. Wilford finally rattles Layton a bit by telling him about the party later, with the last of Layton’s friends. Including Zarah. At that, Layton tries to hit Wilford in the face with his shitty shovel. Unfortunately, Wilford sees the attack coming a mile off, and drops the hatch.

Next, it’s the dinner party scene! I know this whole shitshow is divisive within the fandom, but personally I really enjoy it! Zarah, Alex and Till are all so bitter and dry and it’s GREAT.

Ruth excitedly announces to the waiters that the guests have arrived! But her face immediately falls when LJ is the first to enter. Osweiller follows behind her, and turns down the free drink he’s offered. Alex enters the room behind him, and definitely does not deny an opportunity for underage drinking. From the other side of the dining car, Till descends the stairs with Zarah on her arm. Where are those fanfic writers?

Ruth finally realises how unrandom the guest selection was, and quietly discusses it with Till and Zarah. Zarah has literally been locked up all day in First. Till promises that if Mr. Wilford threatens Zarah’s baby, she’ll kill him with her butterknife. Zarah’s kind of into it, but Ruth tells Till to take it easy.

The guests sit on sofas and anxiously discuss the evening. Osweiller is “a fish out of water”, and asks his big sister for help. LJ is super excited! Alex thinks they’re all screwed! Wilford and Audrey make a loud, drunken entrance before we hear any more opinions. Audrey is dripping in jewels and drinking directly from a bottle, and it’d be very fun to watch if it wasn’t so sad! She asks “Willy” to “tickle the ivories” for them. Yuck! Audrey and Wilford sing a duet, and argue about the lyrics. Meanwhile, Till asks Zarah whether Audrey is wearing a “freaking tiara”, and Ruth threatens Kevin to back off - this is her room!

Over dinner, Wilford shares that he knows that Osweiller and Till used to work together. It’s tense. Then, he introduces Alex and 'Zarah, from Hospitality'. Zarah immediately adds that she’s also Layton’s partner. Wilford corrects her: ex-wife, wasn’t it? Audrey backs him up. So, Zarah was right earlier - Audrey definitely has been telling Wilford information.

Zarah starts to have a go at Audrey, and Audrey casually shrugs it off. Then, Zarah calls Audrey a whore. WTF!? It’s a weird thing for her character to say, but I’m enjoying mean Zarah enough that I don't mind. Wilford chastises Zarah, and reminds her that they’re One Train, now! In response, Alex proposes a toast.

Wilford changes the subject to the puppet show, which LJ loved! Osweiller and Ruth quickly try to shut LJ up when she mentions Melanie, but Alex would love to hear more lies about her mother! LJ fills Alex in on a few details, and in the process accidentally outs herself as Snowpiercer’s resident dick chopper. Wilford enquires whether LJ was guilty, and she stutters out a denial. He clarifies, “So, you did not cut off those men’s penises?” because, of course that’s a line in this fucking show!

Alex asks whether it’s true, and Osweiller jumps to LJ’s defence. Wilford teases Osweiller about being quiet, tells him to be careful dating LJ, and then asks why he should keep him. In response, Osweiller asks to use the piano. Wilford is intrigued, and LJ is worried. Zarah asks Till whether he plays, but Till has no idea. It turns out that Brakeman Blowie sings like an absolute fucking angel! Most of the characters get a bit emotional listening to him. As ever, some of the song’s lyrics are very on-the-nose:

The storm is coming soon

They say that things just cannot grow/beneath the winter snow/or so I have been told

I still believe in summer days

Life will find a way

Impeccable!

Meanwhile, on Big Alice, Josie has received Winnie’s message and sneaked out to find Layton in The Swamp. She sends away the crocheting guard, and Layton comes to the window to make a nice parallel to s1e3. He’s glad to see that Josie is looking better, but Josie quickly gets down to business: Zarah has sent a message to tell Layton that they haven’t given up. They need to know the next move. Layton has a little sit down and a cry, but they don’t really have time for that! Josie tells him to remember what they’re fighting for, and offers to try to get him out.

Between the s1e5 recap jokes about rescuing princess Layton from the tower drawer, the fact that this place is literally called The Swamp, the weird green lighting, and Layton’s pink outfit… you all knew that was coming, and I will not apologise for it.

In case Layton missed the parallel to their post-Fight Night meeting, Josie explicitly points it out. Josie asks Layton whether there’s still hope? Layton replies that they’ll both find their moment, they have to keep faith in the others, and they’re still together. When their time’s up, Layton asks Josie to get a message to their people on Snowpiercer: they’ll finish what they started.

Back at the dinner party, Wilford sparks up and tells Audrey she has competition from Osweiller. Audrey is very bad at hiding her jealousy, and sarcastically asks whether anyone else would like to sing? Zarah? Zarah is enjoying seeing Audrey rattled, and smugly replies that she’s done singing for her supper. Audrey assures Wilford that Zarah will sing - she’s a survivor.

Now that dinner is pretty much over, Wilford invites Ruth to join them. Alex warns Ruth not to trust him - he’s trying to turn the train against going back for Melanie. Wilford scoffs out an exasperated apology for the puppet show, but then openly admits that he won’t risk taking two trains over that section of track again. Alex asks Ruth whether she’s figured out what the census is for yet. Ruth has not. Alex then informs the room that, to save resources, Wilford culled half the population of Big Alice - “Men, women, children…”

Alex has previously confirmed that she’s Big Alice’s youngest crew member. So, did Wilford kill every child except Alex? That’s a lot, even for him. Zarah seriously needs to watch out! Wilford pretends to be upset about the genocide, and sends Alex to the brig. On her way out, Alex warns Ruth that Wilford is coming for her.

Wilford then invites Ruth to sit again, but she politely declines. He’s been playing games! The setting was intended for her, all along. Apparently, today has been all about Ruth! Till and Zarah exchange a concerned glance, and Ruth tentatively sits between them. Wilford then calls to Kevin:

He’s really gross this episode!

Wilford thanks Ruth and Kevin for their work this evening, then pits them against each other for the Head of Hospitality position. The job is Ruths - on the condition that she joins his side and addresses the train to tell the passengers that they aren’t going back for Melanie. Ruth rapidly goes through all five stages of grief, then begins to silently cry as she tells Wilford that she can’t do that. She won’t do it. She’s rejecting his offer. Wilford makes her take off her teals, and she cries more.

Jackboots escort the de-tealed Ruth through the train, and passengers gawk at her from doorways. In the third class mess hall, people even throw stuff at her! She tries to keep a brave face through the humiliation. This feels like it’s going to become very relevant next season, and I’m so worried for her!

Meanwhile, Wilford leads Till through a different part of the train. He offers her a job, too: his new advisor. When Till replies that she’s not sure she’s the right person for the job, but he tries to convince her - she thinks for herself, and she grew a moral compass last season! He’s severely lacking one, and would like to borrow hers occasionally. Also, he’s resolved that case she wanted to work on - the breach workers’ murderers are in the car, lined up against the wall, with masks on their faces. (Sidenote: how many execution chambers does this train have??) Till advises him not to execute the hired killers, and he toys with her for a moment before pulling the lever anyway.

Next, we get a few quick scenes catching up with multiple characters. Ruth joins Layton in The Swamp. Wilford saunters through an orgy in Big Alice’s engine, and settles in a throne to watch. Audrey is having a lovely time with a couple of people at said orgy, while Javi is looking nervously over his shoulder at it. And Alex is all alone in the brig.

In The Swamp, Ruth is covered in shit and sitting around being depressed while Layton does all the hard work. She’s worried that Wilford will tell everyone that contact has been lost with Melanie, and leave her at the station. To die. Just like they’re going to die in The Swamp. She spirals quickly! Layton tries to cheer Ruth up by telling her that all Wilford has is fear, whereas they have friends!

Back at the orgy, Mr. Wilford is looking exhausted. The timeline is confusing me again here: either Ruth rolled around in a pile of shit the moment she arrived at the swamp, or Audrey has been getting head on that couch for hours! Either way: good for her!

Javi receives a staticy radio message from Melanie, and quickly hits the mute button just before Wilford hears it. Wilford has a break from his orgy observation to drunkenly tell Javi he’s better than Bennett, that there’s “only one thing left to acquire” now that money doesn’t exist, and that they can only depend on the train. Javi doesn’t want to listen to Wilford’s drunken bollocks, so politely asks to use the restroom.

Inside the restroom, Javi uses eyeliner to write a note saying that Melanie just contacted him, shoves it into a lipstick tube, and flushes it off to The Swamp.

Down in The Swamp, Ruth notices something shiny land in the new pile of shit. She takes a break from her break to investigate. It’s the lipstick tube! She opens it up, finds the note, and calls Andre over to take a look.

Yes! Please go somewhere with better lighting!

#snowpiercer s2e9 #snowpiercer 2.09 #snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer rewatch

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 8: The God Complex Module

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e8: The Eternal Engineer. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

It’s Roche’s turn to monologue this episode. Snowpiercer's people are now more afraid of each other than of food insecurity or disease. He’s just trying to keep people together. We also get a look inside Roche’s locker, which is full of pictures of his family - including his two dead children.

Meanwhile, Boki places W tokens on the wrapped-up bodies of the murdered breach workers. People all over the train stand to attention with their hands over their hearts for the funeral. Some of the people begin to hold up three fingers in the W salute, rather than holding their hearts. In the final scene before the opening credits, Boki starts to throw the bodies of his colleagues out of the train. What happened to not wasting resources? That's a lot of fabric and rope and useful carbon!

After the opening credits, Till, Layton, Roche and Till’s detective coat are sitting with Boki in the Nightcar. With Clay dead, Zarah working in Hospitality and Audrey on Big Alice, the place is almost creepily deserted. The cops are trying to convince Boki that Pastor Logan organised the murders of his friends. But Boki still thinks it was tailies - he’s spent thirty years risking his life for Wilford, and he can’t believe Wilford would kill Breachmen. Roche tries to appeal to Boki to help them keep the peace, but Boki pulls an Alex and storms off.

In the Big Alice engine car, Wilford enters the cockpit to have a little catchup with Alex while Audrey sings from the murder bathtub.

Alex is passive-aggressive about how untidy her new stepmom is, then presses Wilford for information about his secret plans. He’s still not telling her, though. Alex noticed an intentional breach this morning - not just Snowpiercer dropping the bodies, but also one on Big Alice. Wilford denies all knowledge, but Alex isn’t convinced.

In the Layton-Ferami First Class Living/Meeting Room, Layton is talking about how unsafe the train feels. Lights says that the Tailies can’t move freely at all, and I’m left wondering how she’s made it all the way up in First, then? Next, Till and her detective coat confirm that the Tunnelmen are lost, even though two murder suspects are already behind bars. Uhh, Till, sweetie, that’s not the flex you think it is! Pastor Logan and Eugenia are a good start, but there are still at least another seven other murderers at large! Of course people aren’t relaxing yet! (Sidenote: I’d LOVE a scene of Eugenia in jail!)

Dr. Pelton gives the next update. She confirms that most of Second are still with Layton, in typical Pelton style:

She’s so great!

Finally, Roche tries to get everyone to relax. The Brakemen are all on Layton’s side! But Layton isn’t so sure - some of them were doing the W salute at the funeral. Roche explains that it’s just a tradition, for the Breachmen.

Roche heads home after the meeting. Carly (aka Fireball) isn’t happy that she’s being moved uptrain - but it’s just for a short while, so that she doesn’t have to walk to school through the riots and armed mobs. The Roches say their goodbyes and “I love you”s, and Carly is escorted uptrain to the Paolis’ by a Brakeman. Then, Roche - shit, they’re all Roche! I'm gonna have to call him Sam! Sam tells Anne how bad it is: they’re one dirty look away from a civil war.

They get into some backstory: Sam lost his faith on the train, but Anne still believes. She and Snowpiercer’s other Christians are struggling to come to terms with the idea that their Pastor ordered the deaths of eight people. But luckily the tension is broken when their kitchen tap explodes everywhere!

Uptrain, the engine bros are alerted to the water pressure issues. Javi isn’t pleased that he can’t just stick the train on autopilot all day, and heads down to check out the problem.

Meanwhile, Ruth has got her welly boots on to wade through the puddles. She asks Anne what’s happening. Anne tells Ruth that the cabins are flooding. Uh, yeah? In the background, LJ is panicking that Ruth is on the way. Osweiller gives her a little pep talk, and it appears to work too well. LJ responds with “Let’s janitor this bitch!” … Sure, LJ.

Brakeman Blowie and Train Psycho give Ruth a quick update: the cabins are under control now, but the subtrain has started leaking. Osweiller takes Ruth down to show her, just in time for a pressure surge! They all get soaked.

On Big Alice, we finally catch up with Josie again! Wilford is visiting, and it’s disconcerting to watch him being nice. She wasn’t in the last episode because she was unconscious, having another goop bath. Josie wants to know why Wilford has healed her, but he ignores the question and jumps right into a nice breach of doctor-patient confidentiality: he’s heard about her phantom pain. He’s a bit creepy as he begins to do the fake hand trick. He mansplains the treatment to her (an actual medical professional!) After a while, it starts to work. Wilford then delivers some of the most concerning lines of the episode:

As Wilford leaves, he informs Josie that her door won’t be locked any more and welcomes her to Big Alice. I know she’s got important spying to do, but I want her to run home right now!

In Snowpiercer’s engine, Bennett explains the water pressure issue to Layton, Roche, Till, and her detective coat. It doesn’t make sense to me that all three of them are required in the engine for this, but hey! The port intake won’t close, so they’re taking in too much snow. Layton doesn’t understand Difficult Engine Things, so asks Bennett for a 1-10 rating of how bad the problem is. Bennett states that it would usually be a three, because it would be easy to send a couple of breach workers out to fix it. But given that most of the breach workers were just murdered, it’s at least a six. Layton rounds the six up to a ten. Relatable.

In Big Alice’s engine, Audrey interrupts Alex’s train feeling time. Alex and her stepmom have a quick standoff to establish that Wilford is still keeping Alex in the dark about something, and then Audrey tells Alex to look out of the window. Icy Bob is staggering towards them, on top of the train.

Alex rushes down to the lab just in time to see Bob fall through the door. The Headwoods try to warm him up, and Bob reaches out a hand. Wilford grabs a W token, like the one Boki placed on one of his murdered colleagues, and gives it to Bob. Alex asks why Bob was sent out, but no one answers her.

In the Big Alice canteen, Audrey blasts into the room in a shiny gold dress, waits for the whole room to look at her, and then walks over to sit with Josie. She can’t believe that Josie was homeschooled! Audrey tells Josie that she can’t wear a tank top two days in a row, that she can only wear her hair in a ponytail once per week, and that on Wednesdays they wear pink!

Josie knows who Audrey is, and asks why she’s on Big Alice. Audrey ignores her, and instead tells Josie that, with a little more effort, she could be beautiful again. Sweary Josie returns!

WTF, Audrey?

Josie asks Audrey for information on Snowpiercer. Audrey plays with the mush on Josie’s, and tells her that Layton is struggling to keep power. Josie quickly pieces together that Audrey has defected. But Audrey corrects her: she’s returned. Audrey proceeds to give a little speech about how both she and Josie were leaders on Snowpiercer, and says that she’s sleeping much better on Big Alice, now that the weight of the responsibility of leadership has been lifted. She offers Josie to join them. Fuck. I really miss season one Audrey!

In Snowpiercer’s queer gym, Boki is boxing away his grief. He knew that Layton, Till and her detective coat would be visiting to ask him to sort out the water issue. They’re respectfully humble as they ask, and Boki toys with them for a bit - what if he doesn’t go out? Eventually, though, he heads out to suit up and save the train.

Back in the Big Alice lab, Josie visits Icy Bob. He’s covered in frostbite and struggling to talk. She asks him what meds he’s on, but he just replies, “I’m ready. I’ve served my purpose.” Josie insists that he’s got a far greater purpose than just being Wilford’s weapon, and Mrs. Dr. Headwood enters the room just in time to agree. She laments that, after all their hard work, they’ll never discover his full potential. She gives him a pill, and tells Josie that they need her to rest - now, more than ever. Josie is confused and worried by the statement, and so am I!

Instead of asking questions or safely seeking out more information, Josie decides to sneak downstairs and stick her hand through the fucking coldlock. She only has one hand left! And she wanted to risk freezing it off based on one little hint!? Josie’s brain should definitely be defrosted by now, but there’s clearly a need for a bit of goop on her prefrontal cortex. Luckily, her hand is fine. But it was still a very fucking stupid idea! I miss season one Josie almost as much as I miss season one Audrey.

From Big Alice’s Big Window, Alex notices that Snowpiercer is venting water and slowing down. She’s trying to figure out what’s happening, but her questions annoy Wilford and he tells her to just ask Bennett what’s going on.

Meanwhile, the engine bros are updating Layton on the situation: they’ve had to slow down to sort out the intake issue, which means they’re going to be late to pick up Melanie - who they still haven’t regained contact with. Alex calls and demands to know what’s happening, but Layton shakes his head at Bennett. Bennett lies that they’re just taking advantage of the straight track to do some maintenance, and Wilford pounces on the opportunity to gloat.

Boki heads outside, and finds the issue: a rail spike has been jammed into the intake! And when he can’t reach it, he doesn’t just struggle for half an episode like Melanie did in s1e6 - he uses his axe! What a guy!

When he’s back inside, Boki shows Layton, Bennett and Javi the number ten Wilford spike. He also tells them that ice had been broken off the access ladder - someone else had used it recently. The intake block definitely wasn’t an accident.

Bennett and Javi quickly whisper an excuse to escape the scene before they have to witness any emotion. Then, Boki explains the significance of his W token (it symbolises Wilford pledging his life for his breach workers), hands the token to Layton, and defects from Wilford’s side in style:

Well, Layton does have a history of sticking small objects in assholes!

Downtrain, LJ is giving Ruth another update. Ruth praises her for trying hard. With Josie and Audrey on Big Alice, is Ruth the Train Mum now? LJ ruins it, because of course she does - she’s trying hard for Wilford’s train. Ruth stays positive, tells LJ to keep up the good work, and then adds that her parents would be proud. LJ doesn’t think that’s true - she has callouses now!

As Ruth walks away, Anne Roche calls her over. Anne has been asked whether Sam stands with or against Wilford, and she wants to know whether Ruth has been asked the same question. Ruth explains that Hospitality has to remain neutral, and Anne retorts that the Brakemen do, too. Does Ruth think that Sam is remaining neutral? Ruth dodges the question, which pretty much confirms that he is not.

Talking of Sam, he’s busy sending Breachmen all over the train. One of his employees informs him of a rumour that the surviving Jackboots have reformed, but before they can address the issue Anne pops in with sandwiches for everyone, and they all filter out. Anne says that there are now more people for Wilford than against him. Sam doesn’t quite agree, but concedes that it’s a close call. Then, it’s time for another vague, concerning line:

Is Anne implying that Wilford and/or his supporters caused their kids’ deaths? It doesn’t seem like she’s just referring to the freeze, right? Yikes!

Anne preferred life on the train before the revolution. She thinks Wilford and his rules will sort out all the issues they’re currently experiencing. But Sam doesn’t agree. He points out that Wilford literally designed the train to have arm-freezing ports! Anne wants Sam to put his family first, and Sam insists that he is! Layton is a good guy, who is trying to create a better world, and that’s what Sam wants for his family. Layton and Zarah are gonna be able to argue this well, one day.

In Terrence-Never-Terry’s former office, LJ tells Osweiller that she’s “covered in shit and cooking [him] dinner.” She said it! Dinner is hard boiled eggs, which I guess is supposed to be cute but I can’t bring myself to like either of these characters at all. LJ thinks she’s a working class action hero, and yeah, sure, LJ. Osweiller thinks LJ is the only person who likes him, and LJ asks what Till? Osweiller explains that big sisters don’t count as friends unless they like you. Then he says that LJ is his favourite, before quickly getting defensive in case LJ makes fun of him. But he’s her favourite, too. And then they kiss. I think I genuinely preferred the Ruth/Grey scenes to this!? STOPPPPPPP!

In the engine server room, Javi and Bennett introduce Layton to the engine’s brain - the Wilford Industries Digital Automation System. It’s kinda disappointing that Wilford didn’t want to come up with a more entertaining acronym! Do they at least pronounce WIDAS “wide ass”? The hydrogen input signal keeps fluctuating, and the engine bros are concerned.

In Big Alice’s engine, Audrey and Wilford are lounging about and reading while Kevin waits on them and Alex is still trying to resolve the mystery. She’s half way there! She’s figured out that Icy Bob did something to the intake. Wilford praises Alex for working it out, and Audrey derides her for being too slow.

The engine bros have figured out why the signal is poor: the sensor is in the intake, so it was probably damaged. I’m not sure why they didn’t think of that first? I guess Melanie was always the smartest engineer! The broken sensor has fried the God Module - the thing that basically runs the engine. This feels like a fucking huge design flaw! Why can one dodgy sensor do that so easily? Anyway, they need to replace the part, fast. But they don’t have a replacement.

Alex tries to determine why Wilford just wanted to do a little easy-to-fix damage to the intake while Kevin pours water for Jupiter like he’s working at the Ritz.

Then, Bennett calls in to answer Alex’s questions. There’s an emergency on Snowpiercer. Wilford is thrilled!

Next, Layton and Bennett update Ruth, Roche, Zarah, Lights, Till and her detective coat on the situation. Wilford sabotaged the engine, and he has a replacement part - but he’s insisting on bringing it himself. Wilford has to visit the engine, or they’ll all be dead within hours. But Wilford’s supporters can’t see him travelling through the train to save them - it would be disastrous. Lights asks what will happen “if it all goes to shit?” Fair question! Layton will send up a flare.

Lights and Till both hug themselves throughout this entire scene, and Zarah is as exasperated as I am that they don’t just hug each other.

At the border, Layton, Ruth and Roche meet Mr. Wilford. Wilford thinks he must be very popular, if they don’t want people to see him! They travel up to the engine quietly - even Ruth and Roche don’t engage with Wilford. Tunnelman Jakes spots Wilford on the subtrain as they travel. Uh oh.

Uptrain, Wilford enjoys seeing his engine car for the first time in seven years! Bennett chips him in, and Wilford greets him by accusing him of ruining the moment. They glare at each other for a bit. Do you hear that? It’s the sound of one very specific lesbian writing a very niche set of fanfic.

Ruth and Roche say goodbye to Wilford, and Wilford says he hopes that Roche continues to hold the balance of power wisely. Uh oh. Then, Wilford heads down to the engine server room. He greets Javi, and asks whether it’s true he was in the bathroom when Melanie and Bennett stole the train. It was! So, there’s Javi’s whole backstory! Wilford won’t give Bennett the spare part, because he prefers Javi. The music gets tense as they get to work.

Meanwhile in Third, Jakes and the uninformed Jackboots are making a plan to keep Wilford in the engine.

Wilford is flexing his saviour complex again, and Layton is tired of his shit: Wilford risked all their lives for a publicity stunt. Wilford admits that he’s hoping people will realise he’s there, ready to give him credit for saving the day. Wilford then gives Bennett an unnecessary instruction, and Layton tells Wilford that the engine bros have got it under control.

I don’t like Wilford, but he’s right! Layton has absolutely no idea what’s happening!

The replacement God Module works for a few seconds, but then starts sparking and smoking like all computer science in a TV show. Wilford hates surprises! This wasn’t what he planned, and he quickly flies into action to save his beloved engine. It turns out that Melanie did a little fix years ago, and it’s fucked the whole thing up - the God Module can’t override the system. They discuss the issues and quickly come up with a plan - they’ll have to do a manual restart.

Bennett announces an emergency, and the Tunnelmen jump straight into action. Ruth and Roche catch up with Zarah and Till, and they’re all very worried about what’s happening. Alex receives a call from Wilford, and she’s even more worried than the others! She asks if it’s part of Wilford’s plan, and he angrily yells “No!” before giving her instructions for what to do when Snowpiercer shuts down.

Bennett gives the command, and the Tunnelmen shut everything down. There are eerie, quiet shots of people all over the train. Wilford takes over from Javi to sort everything out in the server room, and takes another opportunity to remind Layton that he doesn’t know anything about engineering. Then, Wilford announces to the train. So much for keeping his visit quiet. They finish up, and Wilford makes another announcement to restart the systems. Wilford teases Layton as he works. When the lights come back on, the people of Snowpiercer cheer, and chant Wilford’s name. Fuck.

Sad music plays over sad, slow shots of the anti-Wilford task force. Bennett squeezes Layton’s shoulder. And then Layton sets off that red flare he mentioned earlier, to formally announce that it’s all gone to shit.

The next day, Layton is cuffed to the torturey hospitality room table. Roche chips in to inform Layton that he’s going to be taken to Big Alice. Layton is worried about the Tail, and Roche promises to do what he can to help them. Layton tells Roche he just wants to see his kid be born, and cries. Roche uncuffs Layton and lets Zarah into the room. They hug and cry and apologise. Zarah reminds him that they don’t give up!

That Brakeman from earlier was right about the Jackboots: at least six of them are outside, waiting to take Layton away. Six!! Roche and Layton wish each other luck, and Roche is instructed to report to Big Alice. Audrey escorts him to a small drawer room. The Headwoods greet him warmly, and Roche sees his wife and daughter, already suspended in open drawers. Fuck.

In the final scene, Wilford saunters into Snowpiercer’s engine to take over from Bennett. Bennett is clearly regretting that time three(ish) weeks ago that he lied to his colleagues and slowed the train down on the off chance of picking up a few new hex nuts! He dejectedly tells Mr. Wilford, “You have the train,” and Wilford grins infuriatingly as he sits in the driver’s seat.

They should just kill him while he doesn’t have security, and pretend he's running the train for the next seven years!

#snowpiercer s2e8 #snowpiercer 2.08 #snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer rewatch #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer #snowpiercer season 2

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Season 2, episode 7: A Little Less Sixteen Hundred Candles

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e7: Our Answer for Everything. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

This episode opens in the MOOЯ AƎT, with some quiet clips of various religious and Wilfordite objects and pictures. Till and her detective coat begin a monologue about the difficulties of coping with murder as she walks along a line of uniformed breach worker corpses. It’s completely fair to struggle with the brutality of murder, no judgment there! However, perhaps homicide detective wasn’t the smartest career choice in that case?

The colouring drains away for a flashback to Till and her detective coat AND her detective flashlight finding murdered breach worker Cherry. The trio also find a clue: a W button. In the present, Till hugs herself while some Brakemen bring in another body. In her monologue, she says “I want just one night where I close my eyes and I’m not afraid of what’s on the other side. One night where I don’t feel so alone.”

ANDRÉ LAYTON, HUG YOUR LITTLE SISTER RIGHT NOW!

After the opening credits (which I think sound normal again?), we’re treated to another gorgeous outside shot.

Pastor Logan is praying for the murdered breach workers, and Boki is crying on the floor. Till, her detective coat and Layton watch on and discuss the fact that this attack clearly indicates that Wilford has people working for him on Snowpiercer. Till (correctly) worries that the tailies are going to get the blame.

Roche enters to update us on the situation: the border is locked down, and Brakemen are all over the train in case something kicks off. Layton tries to talk to Boki, but Boki is too upset and tells Layton to get away from his fallen colleagues. Pastor Logan gives Boki a St. Christopher charm from his never-ending supply, then tells Till to leave - the pastor will take care of Boki. MHM.

Till and her detective coat visit her little brother and his new girlfriend, who are bossing another janitor around. LJ suggests Till should just pin the crime on some tailies, like she used to! Osweiller is having a rare moment of not being a dick, and comes to his sister’s defence. Till shows them the vintage, old-style W button that she found at the scene of the crime. LJ’s a little shit, but Osweiller knows someone who might be able to help. They’re going to visit Kayta!

Uptrain, Ruth is getting Layton, Roche and Zarah up to speed on Miss Audrey: she chose to stay, and Ruth isn’t sure why. She hasn’t completed her mission yet, so hopefully she’s just staying to get the job finished. But she may have defected - and that’s how it’ll look to the passengers.

Talking of Audrey, she’s having a nice soak in the murder bathtub. Wilford is chuckling away to himself while ignoring Bennett’s attempts to get him to pick up the radio.

I don’t like Bennett, and I don’t like Wilford, but I like it when they’re mean to each other!

The train will reach the Himalaya roundabout tonight, and they’ll head back for Melanie. Layton wants to speak with Audrey, and Wilford calls out to her. Instead of responding, she submerges herself. Relatable. Wilford then innocently asks about the alarms last night. Layton replies that there was some unrest, and not-very-subtly accuses Wilford of causing it. Audrey shows up, “fetching but grumpy” in a very fancy gown. One of Wilford’s, perhaps? She didn’t bring much luggage with her.

Layton checks in with Audrey, and offers to open the border for her. She replies, “not yet”. Wilford angrily disconnects the comms and tells Audrey, “Not good enough.” We should all be very concerned for her.

Bennett, Ruth and Layton dissect the call. Ruth, because she’s Ruth, suggests that Audrey might be “freshly shagged and bathing in rosewater.” Incredible! They agree to assume that Audrey has been compromised.

In the Big Alice canteen, Emilia asks Alex for updates on Snowpiercer: no one on Big Alice knows what the alarms are about, and Emilia is worried about a potential attack. Alex has been shut out of the engine, but notices Sykes walking by. She tries to find out more information, but Sykes won’t give Alex any answers.

In the tail, Pike is using a bong made out of a baby bottle while Z-Wreck, Murray, Strong Boy and Astrid discuss how dangerous the train feels today: Third think tailies killed the breach workers. Astrid tells us that Lights and Winnie moved to the Market this morning, which is very surprising given that Lights was the first person who said that it wasn’t safe for tailies uptrain! I’m glad she’s recovering fast.

Z-Wreck and Murray want to go and collect the tailies from uptrain, and bring them back to the tail where it’s safe. But they don’t make it far before running into Boki.

Wasn’t Pastor Logan supposed to be Boki-sitting?

Ruth and Roche take Boki to the lockup, and have a cute little bonding moment together. Ruth asks Roche how worried he is, and confides in him that Wilford invited her to Big Alice. She admits she wasn’t sure what to do - she has doubts. Wilford’s rules (though enforced by Melanie) provided order for seven years! Roche bluntly replies by asking Ruth if she wants to go back to taking arms. She clearly doesn’t. Then, she plays with his buttons in a move that I still cannot make sense of (?????), and then they head off.

Elsewhere, Osweiller, Till and her detective coat wander through the corridors and have a little catch-up. Osweiller has cuffed his shirt sleeves, just like his big sister. Awwww. He bumps into the pictures on the walls, and Till effortlessly catches them and straightens them again - y'know, big sibling stuff. Then, they enter Katya’s Antique Boutique.

This scene is fun! Katya is everything you could ever want from an elderly Russian antique dealer. She alternates between smoking and using an oxygen mask while her grandchild translates. Stunning. Till is all business, whereas Osweiller tries on an incredible hat pretty much as soon as he walks in.

Icons, both of them.

We learn that Katya was Wilford’s neighbour in Sheffield. Wilford was like her nephew - she used to take him to the park and the chapel, where he would light a red candle in the window. Ah. She has photos of him everywhere, in addition to a shit ton of Wilford-branded stuff and a load of little red lanterns. Her grandchild tells Till that they give the lanterns to customers, to light as a vigil for Wilford until his return. It doesn’t take Till long to figure out where the button came from: a jacket that was traded last week to a fancy, very tall woman. Lilah Folger’s ghost???

Next, Layton addresses the train. He tries to convince people that tailies didn’t murder the breach workers, and that their real enemy is Wilford. But he goes far too hard, and with far too little evidence. As the speech plays out, Lights, Winnie and some other tailies pack up to move back to the tail. Roche rolls his eyes. Jakes gets a Wilford chant started. When Layton steps out of the booth, Ruth warns him that the passengers probably won’t take his speech as it was intended - he practically just asked them to pick sides (yeah, it’s all about choosing rather than hope this episode). Zarah defends Layton, and Ruth strops off.

In Big Alice’s engine, Audrey and Wilford still aren’t getting along. He’s sad that she’s not with him yet, and she tells him that she needs to know what he’s up to before she joins him. He reveals that he went through her things when she was in the bath, and found her screwdriver. He asks what it’s for, and she replies he already knows. He does. He asks whether she did it. She didn’t. He follows up to ask whether she stayed to complete the mission. She denies it - she stayed because she feels a pull towards him, even after everything he’s done to her…

Wilford snaps and grabs Audrey’s wrist, which scares her. He doesn’t believe her. He tells her to get dressed, then he drags her by the hand through the train. She’s going to have to prove herself, like everyone else. Sykes opens a room marked “MEDICAL STORAGE”. Inside, Kevin is strapped to a chair, distressed, and telling Wilford to leave him alone. Sykes shoves Audrey into the room. Wilford makes a quick introduction, “This is Kevin. I need you to fix him,” and then shuts Audrey into the room. I hate this so much.

Back on Snowpiercer, Jakes and JAnnietor are riling up the crowd against tailies. LJ is loving the chaos! Layton checks in on Pike. He’s high as fuck, and has his hand in a hollowed-out loaf of bread?

Pike insists that he’s good. He likes the fact that Layton now owes him. Layton tries to encourage Pike to leave Third, but Pike is convinced that no one recognises him now that he’s shaved off his hair and beard. He makes a cryptic threat to Layton, then leaves.

Back in Big Alice’s engine, Alex wants to know where Wilford was, and what Audrey’s doing. He won’t answer. Alex accuses him of shutting her out, because he just wants to “mess around with [his] whore.” Alex!!! Don’t talk about your new stepmom like that! Wilford likes Alex’s nerve, but warns her against making this personal. Alex is feeling left out, and Wilford is feeling unappreciated. But instead of discussing it - perhaps with the help of the therapist that they just semi-kidnapped? - they argue!

Wilford knows that Alex showed Melanie to her bunk. He suspects they “had some lovely hugs.” What a weird thing to say! Alex doesn’t want to choose between Wilford and Melanie, but Wilford insists that she has to. He cracks out that saviour complex again! He thinks Alex should thank him every day for saving her from the freeze. If she wants to be included in his plans, she’ll have to remind him why he brought her along. (Why did he bring her? What does that mean? I’m very worried for Alex!)

In the medical supply/cult conversion room, Kevin is weeping and drooling and Audrey is trying to softly talk to him. I hate this scene, so here are the quick details: they briefly discuss the murder bath, and it breaks Audrey. She starts to talk about how Wilford saved Kevin (her), how Kevin (she) wants to be Wilford’s again, and how Kevin (she) was nothing before Wilford. Then, she starts to do a version of her Nightcar thing, helping Kevin to reconnect with what he’s lost - but this time, it’s to brainwash him back into the Wilford cult. FUCK.

Up in First Class Dining, Eugenia is enjoying a fancy dish of jelly cubes (?) until she’s interrupted by Till and her detective coat. Till’s dad and big brother are there to back her up, too. She confronts Eugenia about the lost button, then…

Honestly, under better circumstances, I could ship it! I’m also kinda impressed that Eugenia was able to take out Breachman Cherry? I didn’t think most Firsties seemed like good fighters, but clearly I was wrong!

Till asks who is calling the shots, and Eugenia hides her St. Christopher necklace as she tells Till that she can’t see what’s right in front of her. Then, she stands up and leans in. Layton and Roche rush over to prevent a fight/kiss/whatever. But there isn’t one - Eugenia just gets in Till’s face and tells her that she’s two steps behind.

When Eugenia is handcuffed, she has to let go of her necklace. She says that the train needs a new shepherd, and that the revolution is starting. Has Till finally figured it out yet?

Downtrain, there’s pro-Wilford and anti-Tail graffiti all over the corridors. Armed Thirdies are roaming around, on the hunt for Tailies. Dr. Pelton hides a group of escaping Tailies, just in time. Ruth and Zarah walk through the same corridor soon after, and encounter an angry group of Thirdies. Dr. Pelton lets Ruth and Zarah into the clinic, too.

Zarah uses the clinic phone to contact Tristan, while Ruth tries to make friends with the other people seeking refuge - such as Winnie. Winnie doesn’t yet know that Ruth is getting a redemption arc today, so she screams and runs to Lights when Ruth tries to talk to her. Ruth and Zarah can’t figure out why Winnie is so scared, until Lights reminds Ruth that she tried to take Winnie’s arm. She adds, “it wasn’t that long ago,” and it’s comforting to know that Lights has also given up on trying to accurately track the timeline!

Lights also tells Ruth and Zarah that Suzanne died following the de-arming, and Ruth doesn’t know what to say. Zarah tries to lighten things up by asking about Winnie’s brother, but he died in the revolution.

Lights stares Ruth down, and Ruth is very uncomfortable (as she should be).

Tristan knocks on the window for Ruth, and informs her that Tailies aren’t safe outside. When Ruth turns back to the room, she realises that Winnie is missing. How didn’t anyone notice the door opening!? Anyway, Lights immediately makes for the door, but Ruth stops her - Lights won’t be safe out there, so Ruth will go. She leaves Zarah in charge (as if Dr. Pelton isn’t obviously the person in charge in that room?), and heads out into the chaos.

Meanwhile, Winnie has found Pike! He’s high again, and calls her a dude which is a cute vibe for them. But JAnnietor and Jakes come around the corner, and they know that Pike is a Tailie! Winnie runs away while the Thirdies attack Pike and begin to carry him through the corridor. To hide, Winnie chips herself into the nearest door - the observatory!

Next, we catch up with the detectives. They’re walking through a different corridor, showing off their detective coats. Till is explaining to Layton that her number one suspect is now Pastor Logan. She calls Eugenia “First Class Bitch”, and I think it’s intended as an insult but I suspect it would probably get taken as a compliment or flirting? Layton wonders if the Pastor let Boki attack tailies on purpose, but he’s interrupted by Brakemen on their way to rioting Wilford mobs.

Back in the other unspecified Snowpiercer corridor, Ruth finds Winnie. She’s crying and remembering her mom. Ruth tries to take Winnie back to her friends, but Winnie won’t move. Ruth softens further - she apologises for being cruel and taking Suzanne away from Winnie, and gives us a little more backstory: Ruth also lost her mum when she was little. She continues to explain that she thought she was doing the right thing, by following the rules. But now she realises it was wrong, and wishes she could take it back.

Winnie is five fucking years old, so she doesn’t need to hear Ruth’s moral epiphany! She tells Ruth she’s hiding from the bad men, and Ruth changes tactics again: she tells Winnie that she’s clever, but that she doesn’t need to hide any more because Ruth can keep her safe. Winnie conceded, climbs out of her hiding place, and offers Ruth some well-timed redemption.

The next scene is a load of upsetting stuff with Audrey, Kevin and their murder bath flashbacks. So let’s skip that! When they’re done, Audrey and Kevin both thank Mr. Wilford for everything, and Kevin starts following Audrey’s commands like a dog - which is a different kind of upsetting! They enter the engine room, and Wilford immediately notices that Audrey looks “reinvigorated”. Audrey then makes Kevin lick Wilford’s slipper. I hate this whole thing of course, but credit where credit’s due: Kevin fucking commits to that slipperlingus!

Uptrain, there are more disturbing scenes! Some Thirdies are trying to de-arm Pike! Ruth drops Winnie off with Lights, then follows Layton on his way to help Pike.

Meanwhile, Till and her detective coat have returned to Pastor Logan’s Office for Converting Depressed Lesbians. He calls her Bess again, and it still feels weird. She asks who he was talking to before she barged in, but he has a great excuse lined up: God! Pastor Logan starts brewing tea, and Till confronts him: he’s the one working for Wilford, isn’t he? He tries to convert her again, and tells her that murdering eight breach workers is a small price to pay for peace.

Talking of peace - ha! Nope! Layton and Ruth arrive to a car full of shouting and struggling, where Pike’s de-arming is about to take place. Layton volunteers himself in Pike’s place, which is a thoroughly ridiculous move! Layton is the most hated of all the Tailies right now! Pike and Ruth try to talk him down (she even calls him Andre, and it's almost as weird as when the Pastor calls Till Bess), but the Thirdies are happy to take his offer!

Meanwhile, Ruth has been having flashbacks to Suzanne’s de-arming. Before Layton’s arm goes through the wall, Ruth starts yelling at everyone in such an angry teacher tone that they actually stop and listen to her.

Ruth reminds the people that de-arming is barbaric. If they don’t like the way the train is being run, then they should call for change. Ummmmm I think they’re still under martial law so… would that really work? No one challenges Ruth’s logic, though, so she continues her speech. De-arming people isn’t right. These people will never be the same again, after they’ve de-armed Layton. She knows, because she’s done it.

Ruth’s speech may or may not have changed their minds, but luckily it bought Layton enough time for the Brakemen to arrive. The Thirdies scatter, and Layton collapses against the wall, relieved that he didn’t actually just lose an arm to save Pike.

Back in the Pastor’s Office for Converting Depressed Lesbians, Pastor Logan is still trying to convert Till and her detective coat! I’m not sure why she hasn’t arrested him already, given that he just admitted to ordering multiple murders? Anyway, he blabbers on about stability and order and how suffering is temporary. She quotes one of his boxing lines back to him, and he seems impressed for a second - before she smacks him in the throat. Till really needs to stop attacking the people she’s supposed to be protecting!

Pastor Logan tries to hit Till back, but he misses. She punches him in the face, and he punches her right back. This is relevant because, when Till proceeds to throw Logan over her shoulder like Josie throws Layton onto beds, I can almost convince myself that it’s self-defence rather than police brutality and allow myself to enjoy it. The follow-up punches to his face definitely aren’t self-defence, though. Bastard cops!

Till isn’t going to kill the Pastor, because people need to learn the truth. Unfortunately, Pastor Logan has an accomplice who immediately tries to strangle Till. While Till and the accomplice wrestle in the MOOЯ AƎT, Pastor Logan runs back to his office and cracks out his Wilford Industries Emergency Suicide Kit. He’s already half-frozen his head by the time Till makes it into the office and yanks the bag off.

Next, we get a beautiful shot of the roundabout to demonstrate that the people of Snowpiercer are choosing sides. Red lanterns have been lit in some of the windows, indicating votes for Wilford. Wilford fetches Alex, and they look out of the window together with Audrey. Anne Roche asks whether they should light their lantern, but her husband isn’t sure yet. Zarah alerts Layton to the sight from the window, and they look out together. The train has chosen Wilford. He gives Sykes the order to tell the Headwoods to prep Icy Bob. And Alex still doesn’t like her new stepmom.

#snowpiercer s1e7 #snowpiercer 1.07 #snowpiercer #snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer rewatch

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 6: Breslauer Hallucination Station

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e6: Many Miles from Snowpiercer. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

Melanie does the opening monologue today, discussing how she’s worried that Wilford will crush the people’s hope for a warmer planet. She zooms through snow on the volt sled, until she hits something and the engine gives out. She’s not far from the station, so she walks the rest of the way there with just one bag of supplies. When she begins to clear the way to the research station door, she uncovers a dead body with a bullet wound in its head. This is probably my least favourite episode of the whole show.

The opening credits sound slightly different, again! Have they all been different? I’m starting to wonder if I’ve missed some? Anyway, we open on Melanie inside the research station, getting the place all set up. She wanders around in the dark, and my screen doesn’t get bright enough to show most of what’s going on. Also, @train-pirate gets a cameo!

Melanie finds whatever machine that she’s been looking for, then finds another frozen corpse. It sends her into…

Flashback#1: baby Alex

It’s just a couple of seconds of them in their old house, nothing exciting.

Melanie logs her initial findings - namely the dead bodies - then makes plans her next day: she’ll get the solar panels working, then go back to fetch the luggage that she left on the volt sled.

… or not!

She was able to sort out the solar panels (and discovered a third corpse next to one of them - missing an arm), so she’s got plenty of power. But unfortunately there was a bit of an avalanche, so her volt sled and remaining supplies - including most of her food - are gone. Uh oh.

Next, there’s a mid-episode monologue! There are some pretty shots of Chicago while Melanie reminisces about pre-freeze life, and what it was like to have aspirations and dreams about the future. It brings us to...

Flashback #2: pre-freeze Snowpiercer

We’ve previously heard Melanie claim that she built the train (Wilford just sold tickets), and Wilford claim that Snowpiercer is his creation. But it seems like the reality is somewhere in between:

After that, we discover that the engine eternal isn’t actually eternal. But they don’t dwell on it, because Melanie is excited to drive the train!

Back in the present, Melanie counts out the few rations that made it to the station. There’s nowhere near enough. She raids the cupboards, but comes up empty, which leads to...

Flashbacks #3 & 4: more baby Alex

Again, they’re just short flashbacks of the two of them in their old house. Alex says she’s hungry.

When Melanie finishes checking the cupboards, she tries the fridge. She discovers the missing arm from the body outside, which triggers...

Hallucination #1: Wilford (1)

He’s smoking a joint (because, of course he is!) and teasing her about her lack of food. He thinks she should eat the arm, but she doesn’t want to.

Melanie draws a calendar on the dry-erase board. Those pens usually can’t survive three days in an average classroom, so I don’t know how the fuck she managed to find one that’s still working after the apocalypse!

After some more shuffling around the research station, Melanie boots up one of the computers. It displays a picture of the dead scientist’s family, which sets off...

Hallucination #2: Wilford (2)

Hallucination!Wilford taunts Melanie about the dead scientists, and their dead child. She tries to ignore him, so instead of engaging with him she explains her data collection process to the viewers. Hallucination!Wilford then belittles Ben and “That Spaniard.”

Does Javi use they/he pronouns? Cool!

Hallucination!Wilford then tells Melanie that jousting together is nice, because it keeps her mind off how hungry she is. She eats part of a biscuit, then connects to the first balloon! Yay!

A while later, Melanie is staring at an empty plate. The biscuit is gone. She didn’t eat it. She knows she didn’t But she must have? Hallucination!Wilford suggests that Melanie is cracking up, and she plunges into…

Flashback #5: pre-freeze Nightcar

Melanie is annoyed that Wilford is working on his brothel. He corrects her - it’s a Nightcar. Melanie insists that the train is now an ark, not for Wilford’s personal indulgences. Wilford thinks it can be both, and explains that the Nightcar is a release valve, to keep everyone under control. Melanie points out that the resources being used for the Nightcar could sustain twenty more people, and then asks Wilford why half of her geneticists were removed from the passenger list. Is it for more security? Wilford doesn’t need security, because there won’t be any guns on the train. But the Jackboots are needed to keep order - three thousand people aren’t going to get along the entire time.

Melanie fires back that if they’re going to save humankind, they need people who know how to save humankind! Wilford and Melanie haggle for places for geneticists and Jackboots for a while, until Wilford finally says the most Wilford thing possible.

He then threatens that if Melanie won’t accept that Snowpiercer runs on his order, then her family will lose their tickets.

Next, there’s another mid-episode monologue. Melanie tells us that she’s been at the station for ten days, and she’s pretty much out of food. She hopes she can survive for long enough to get the climate model finished. She clears the snow from the solar panels, then heads back inside to lick her ration packets, which makes her see…

Hallucination #3: Layton (1)

HalluciLayton is enjoying the fact that Melanie is getting a taste (intentional pun?) of what she put the tail through. He tries to encourage her to eat the frozen bodies, but she’s intent on surviving without them.

I’m really questioning Melanie’s ethics and priorities now. She’ll torture and murder, but can’t handle a bit of survival cannibalism? It doesn’t make sense!

The hallucination is interrupted by a noise, and then Melanie sees a rat! She pops outside to hack off a bit of arm meat to set a trap, and then…

Hallucination #4: Layton (2)

While Melanie engineers a rat trap, HalluciLayton reminds her that nothing should still be alive after seven years. She knows it’s crazy, but also she totally saw a rat, and her biscuit disappeared that time! The trap seems to work, and Melanie tries to high-five HalluciLayton - but he doesn’t exist.

After a bit more snow clearing and hanging around, Melanie conjures up another hallucination to entertain herself…

Hallucination #5: Wilford (3)

Hallucination!Wilford is speculating over the details of how the previous scientists died.

After that, it’s straight on to…

Flashback #6: departure day (1)

Melanie and Bennett are listening to calls for reinforcements. Bennett wonders how people found out departure time, and Melanie doesn’t think they necessarily did - where else would they go, near the end? Melanie then receives a call from whoever is transporting her family. She wants to know as soon as they arrive.

Wilford enters the engine, angry about the chaos downtrain. He told Melanie and Bennett that he needed more security! Melanie gets Grey a quick cameo, and Wilford tells Grey to unleash hell, and use all necessary force to prevent people sneaking onto the train. Melanie and Bennett share a concerned glance, but don’t speak up. Wilford wants to get moving, but Melanie’s family haven’t arrived yet. Bennett adds that they need thirty minutes to finish cycling up the engine, and Melanie’s expression suggests that he’s lying. Then, they’re interrupted by commotion outside - Jackboots are facing off with a small group of ticketed scientists.

Back in the present, Melanie has caught a rat! It’s real! And it brings on…

Hallucination #6: Layton (3)

HalluciLayton plays with the rat and suggests a recipe - but Melanie has a better idea!

Melanie paints the rat. No, really!

It’s not because she’s completely lost it, living all alone on the brink of starvation. Melanie painst the rat so that she can follow its painty little pawprints to figure out where it lives, and eat its whole family! She follows the rat until it disappears, and then breaks through the highly insulated wall without putting on her coldsuit (WTF?) and finds…

Hallucination #7: Alex (1)

Hallucination!Alex tells Melanie that she’s found a geothermal vent. Melanie thinks it’s a miracle. She roasts up a rat, and Hallucination!Alex says encouraging things about the warm vent and rats increasing Melanie’s chances. Then she asks how Melanie is going to get back, without the voltsled. Melanie has a plan: she’s going to walk! If she takes a battery with her, she has enough power to make it there and back if she has to (hmmmm… I wonder why she would need to tell us that?)

Hallucination!Alex then tells Melanie that she understands why Melanie left her. Yep - Melanie is hallucinating her daughter’s forgiveness. I can’t even try to unpack that, and apparently neither can Melanie because it sends her into…

Flashback #7: departure day (2)

The flashback continues where the previous one left off - Jackboots and scientists facing off outside the engine. The scientists have chips! In their hands, I assume? Or is Jackboot Tyson just really excited about snacks?

Melanie reveals that the scientists are “her geneticists”. Wilford needs six Jackboots more than he needs six geneticists. Melanie says they don’t have time to discuss it, so they should just let everyone on! Wilford agrees that there’s no time, then orders “terminate them.” Melanie watches the scientists get shot down, while Wilford tells her to never forget that the train runs on his order.

Wilford then asks for an update on their estimated departure time, to which Bennett stoically replies “28 minutes.” Wilford wants more blood, so he heads downtrain in his Jeep to open fire on the main gate. Melanie looks horrified.

In the present, Melanie is waiting for the twelfth balloon to ping. But, outside, a storm breaks the signal tower. It crashes down into a skylight, which Melanie quickly seals up (without gloves - WTF!) She heads outside to assess the damage, then comes back inside to hallucinate again...

Hallucination #8: Wilford (4)

Hallucination!Wilford tells Melanie that all the data has been lost. Why the fuck hasn’t she got a backup? She should have multiple backups! This shit is important! Anyway, because Melanie loves to hallucinate really rough shit, Hallucination!Wilford teases her about suicide. I don’t wanna write about that, so instead I’ll just say that the highlight of this scene is this:

Hallucination!Wilford doesn’t think Melanie is much better than him, and wants some gratitude for saving Alex. Melanie throws her mug at him, and it hits the wall because he doesn’t exist (when is she gonna learn??)

Next, Melanie stops hallucinating for a while to pop outside and fix the tower. When it goes wrong and she falls over, she makes a snow angel for a while and has yet another flashback!

Flashback #8: departure day (3)

Melanie is desperately trying to find out whether her family are on board. Her daughter is eight (lol)! Melanie loses communication with whoever she was talking to, then laments to Bennett that she doesn’t think her family have arrived yet. Wilford radios in to say he’s lost communication with Grey, and he’s going to drive back up to the engine. Bennett tells him they’ll be ready to leave in six minutes.

But they can actually leave within one minute. Melanie tries to head outside, to look for Alex. But Bennett stops her - she needs to make the call to leave. He doesn’t want to leave her outside. And, most importantly:

Melanie cries while she announces the departure, sets the train rolling, and asks nothing in particular for forgiveness.

In the present, Melanie gets up off the floor and continues to fix the tower. When she finishes, her data gets restored. She even connects to the twelfth balloon! Now, PLEASE BACK THE DATA UP!!!!!!

Melanie continues to eat rats, cross off days, and clear the solar panels. When it reaches the final day, Melanie is unable to communicate with Snowpiercer. Another two days go by without contact. So we know something is going to go wrong in the next few episodes! When Melanie still can’t contact the train, she hallucinates Alex again…

Hallucination #9: Alex (2)

Hallucination!Alex basically just exists for Melanie to try to forgive herself! They hug for a while (ish - Alex is still a hallucination), and Melanie cries.

Then, the room starts to rattle. Melanie touches the floor, and she can immediately sense that Snowpiercer is coming! She heads outside, dragging her sled. When she sees the train, she tries radioing to them again. They need to slow down! She reaches the tracks, but the train is zooming past way too fast. Alex makes it to the back window of Big Alice just in time for them to briefly see each other, and then the train is gone.

Melanie falls to her knees in despair. It’s a good job she brought enough batteries to make it back to the station! I can’t wait to get back to normal episodes.

#snowpiercer 2.06 #snowpiercer s2e6 #snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 5: Blueberries Taste Best

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e5: Keep Hope Alive. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

The episode simply starts with this:

And I agree!

Josie takes care of the opening monologue this episode. She lets us know that she’s just as depressed and lonely as Till! She also makes the episode’s first reference to prayer, which is a recurring theme. While she monologues, Josie is lifted from a vat of a thick liquid. Either the Headwoods have rapidly made a lot more Goop, or we finally know what happened to the barrel of lube from episode one!

There’s a montage of frostbite treatments, Icy Bob undergoing more horrible cold training, and espionage. We see Josie write messages, then send them via Emilia, border workers, Pike and Winnie all the way up to Layton in First. Terrence-Never-Terry watches Winnie’s journey with suspicion. Layton reveals that Josie’s most recent message says “COLDMAN PREPARING. WILFORD MAKING A MOVE”

The opening credits music is back to normal, and hold up - is Wilford lying on a fucking COFFIN infront of the cockpit? Is it just unusual furniture? I think it’s a coffin! He’s listening to one of his Miss Audrey records, and playing it to all the passengers. Alex and Emilia discuss the fact that Wilford is pining for Audrey while they prepare for Big Alice Book Club. This month, the book club are making use of the copy of Rebecca that was on Wilford’s shopping list in episode one.

In the Nightcar, Zarah catches up with Audrey. Zarah gently touches Audrey’s shoulder and says that Audrey saved her. Audrey replies “You knew how to save yourself.” The Audrey/Zarah shippers spontaneously combust. Audrey then insists:

Rewatching scenes like one this hurts.

Back on Big Alice, Wilford is greeting the Big Alice Book Club members by name (“Dr. Headwood, Dr. Headwood” is a solid dad joke and I appreciate it). He dismisses Sykes and I briefly get my hopes up that someone might attack him, but no such luck! They just talk about the book, as a thinly-veiled way to talk about Wilford and Audrey’s relationship. It’s not long before Sykes returns to inform Wilford that their “friend uptrain” lit a lantern, and Wilford asks Sykes to send an invitation to Audrey. They have phones now! Why are they still using so many communiqués!?

Anyway, Ruth delivers the invitation.

The enchanting Miss Audrey is hereby cordially invited to dine together with me, as we pass the Forbidden City in Lhasa. A place rich in memory and steeped with loyalty…

Ruth is incredibly jealous of Audrey, but tries to hide it.

Audrey discusses the invitation with Layton, Bennett and Javi in the engine. Javi’s worried that Audrey won’t be allowed to leave, but Audrey is confident that Wilford wouldn’t keep anyone against their will. She insists that she can do the mission. The engine bros talk Audrey through the plan: Audrey needs to sabotage Wilford’s comms box so that Snowpiercer can listen in to everything he says in the Big Alice engine. Sounds easy!

In the next scene, the Headwoods are treating Josie and squabbling over who gets to PULL JOSIE’S SKIN OFF. She’s right fucking there, guys! Josie nervously asks if her injuries will heal, but Sykes interrupts the doctors before they can answer her question. In the background, Sykes tells the doctors that “It’s happening tonight,” and Mrs. Dr. Headwood argues back, “That wasn’t what we agreed on!” Meanwhile, Josie plunges into a panic attack. Luckily, Icy Bob is an expert in those!

This show is secretly a comedy, right?

When she’s slightly calmer, Josie asks Bob what’s happening tonight. Bob doesn’t answer, but he warns Josie “They’re not people you want to cross,” and it seems like he’s talking about the Headwoods? Interesting! When they return, the doctors tell Josie that they’ll need to anaesthetise her for the debridement on her shoulder. The shot lingers on Josie for long enough that we know she’s planning something.

In the Layton-Ferami First Class Living/Meeting Room, Javi is updating Layton, Ruth, Roche and Zarah on the balloons. Till and her detective coat arrive late, to remind us that she’s struggling with her mental health right now. Layton wants to know which train cars are vulnerable to outside attack, because there are “indications” that Wilford’s coldman is up to something. Till demonstrates her new detective skills, and asks her big brother two very valid questions: what indications, and why is he still trading at the border if they’re worried about an attack? Layton ignores her and continues asking for more information about potential weak points, while Ruth eyes him suspiciously.

Layton then dismisses everyone but the cops, and tells his dad and sister everything: Josie is spying on Big Alice and sending messages via the trade. After quickly checking Josie is okay, Till and her detective coat turn the cop conversation to the Wilfordite problems on Snowpiercer. She also updates us on the timeline: it’s been two weeks since Lights was attacked (the day before episode 2). Till is very frustrated that she doesn’t have a suspect yet, and her big brother and her dad finally do something to help her our a bit: they tell her to take the rest of the day off.

Down the corridor, Ruth is ranting to Zarah about feeling left out at the meeting. She’s worried for Audrey, too. Ruth wasn’t born yesterday! Zarah agrees, “No ma’am”, and lesbian fanfic writers everywhere snap to a confused attention. In the non-torturey Hospitality room, Ruth is pleased to inform Tristan that he is fired from the address service. He thanks God, to add another religious reference to the episode. Ruth gives the address job to Zarah. Zarah accepts the job, heads on into the booth, sits down at the mic, then immediately vomits.

Because Snowpiercer is secretly a comedy, Zarah accidentally presses the on button. Luckily, she spent seven long years working on her Melanie impression for the Nightcar open mic night, so she absolutely smashes the announcement. Ruth is very impressed.

Next, the show completely gives up on the secret part of secret comedy! Because I Got High plays over some shots of Pike’s weed shenanigans - until LJ knocks him out with a pipe and literally squeals with excitement. Osweiller smiles at her, proudly. This fucking show! LJ and Osweiller then take the unconscious Pike to Terrence-Never-Terry, who wakes him up and threatens to kill him for selling weed in Third.

Pike returns to the Tail to get his head wound fixed by… Layton? Layton definitely has more important things to be doing, and there are probably far more qualified medics around, but… Sure? Layton uses a fucking staple gun to close the wound while they talk about the weed trade - without it, they can’t feed the tail or make friends on Big Alice. Pike tells Layton that it’s not LJ or Osweiller that are getting in the way of his weed dealing: it’s Terrence-Never-Terry.

In Big Alice’s engine, Wilford is deciding what to wear for his date and listening to a Miss Audrey/Lena Hall cover of Street Spirit.

The song plays throughout the scene, and once again the lyrics are painfully pertinent:

This machine will not communicate/these thoughts and the strain I am under

I can feel death, can see its beady eyes

All these things we’ll one day swallow whole

Fade out again

Immerse your soul in love

FUCK!

Alex wants to know more about Wilford and Sykes’ plan, but he won’t tell her. Instead, he asks for Alex’s opinion on his outfit - “A young woman should have a firm aesthetic opinion!” Alex calls him sexist. She’s right and she should say it! And then, Alex says this accidentally gay thing:

If we ignore how fucked up Wilford and Audrey’s relationship is, and also ignore how fucked up LJ is, it’s kinda cute!

Meanwhile, Miss Audrey walks through the tail alone (Layton? Zarah? Anyone? Where are you!?). Sykes greets Audrey at the border and takes her through to Big Alice. In the engine, Alex and Wilford continue to discuss Audrey’s visit. How does Audrey help them take Snowpiercer? Wilford tells Alex to watch the mystery unfold. He has a secret plan, and I hate it.

On Snowpiercer, Layton bypasses Train Psycho and Brakeman Blowie to pay a visit to Terrence-Never-Terry in the head office of the mopping mafia. (Sidenote: why is that a real sentence that I just wrote?) They discuss the weed trade, and Layton threatens Terrence-Never-Terry with a partly-falsified police file: if Terrence-Never-Terry doesn’t allow Layton and his friends to deal weed, then Layton will lock him up. But Terrence-Never-Terry isn’t too shaken, and fires back his own threat: he’s noticed that Winnie goes on a ten mile run every time weed comes through. What Wilford would do to a spy? Uh oh.

When he’s finished threatening, Layton heads to the clinic to accompany Zarah for another baby scan. For anyone still tracking the timeline, Zarah was “5w5d” pregnant before the war, making her at least 8 weeks pregnant now. Zarah is shocked to learn that Josie is spying, and Layton adds that Terrence-Never-Terry is using the knowledge to threaten him. They stop talking when Dr. Pelton arrives to do the scan. All is good - the child is apparently roughly the size of a blueberry.

Zarah and Layton then celebrate listening to their baby’s heartbeat together for the first time by… planning an assassination. Zarah (who, as far as we know, is one of the few characters that hasn’t yet killed someone) tells Layton to tell someone to kill Terrence-Never-Terry. I like this ruthless, removed vibe for her!

On Big Alice, Sykes shows Miss Audrey to the engine then leaves her alone with Alex. Ha! I see you, Sykes, pranking them both! Alex instantly hates her new stepmom, and Audrey is not great with teenagers. Audrey tries to tell Alex that she and Melanie are friends which… I’m not convinced that we saw much evidence of that? But okay! Alex points out that Wilford and Melanie are enemies, so what does that make Audrey? Neutral, darling.

Not to get too sad, but do we think Audrey has ever been in love? Did Wilford ruin that for her, too?

Wilford enters the room, creepily charms Audrey by calling their relationship an “abyss” (yikes!), and they descend into a strange flirting ritual. Alex realises it’s been a little while since she stormed off anywhere, so she flips the autopilot switch and stomps out of the engine. I would like to do the same.

On Snowpiercer, the engine bros are stressed. Melanie has missed today’s uplink. Something must be wrong, and they’re going to have to tell the others.

Meanwhile, in First, the Primary school children are showing off a lovely mural that they’ve created about their hope for the future. It's not the most flattering or accurate portrait I’ve ever seen, but the sentiment is cute. The children call out, “thank you, Melanie” and “we love you, Melanie!” and not all of the Firsties are impressed. Ruth overhears Eugenia complaining about, “More reputation rehabilitation for Melanie Cavill.” So, in true British fashion, Ruth handles the situation by being as passive-aggressive as possible: she announces that she’ll hang the mural for everyone to see, while shooting Eugenia a very smug look.

Next, Ruth, Zarah, Layton and Roche convene in the engine to hear the bad news: Melanie still hasn’t made contact. She might be dead. Ruth tries to comfort Bennett - she can feel that Melanie is alive! The others don’t really acknowledge Ruth’s comments, and yeah, I wouldn’t trust that kind of hippie bullshit either.

The train is due to begin returning for Melanie tomorrow, so they all agree that Wilford can’t be told about the issue. They don’t want to upset Snowpiercer’s passengers, either, so they’re going to tell them a lie, for hope.

Down in the market, Till and her detective coat are using their day off to get drunk with Osweiller. Neither of them like the state of things right now, and Osweiller misses his big sister (aww). She asks him for info on the case, but he hasn’t heard anything solid. When Osweiller leaves, the bartender hands Till a drink from Boki and the breach workers. Boki and some of his friends head over, and tease Till with a toast to their great engineer.

Till is just the right amount of drunk, depressed and pissed off to do something reckless. She gets Boki’s attention, echoes the toast, then pours the drink on the floor. Before Till gets her ass handed to her by five breachworkers, Pastor Logan intervenes. He warns her that she’s going to cause trouble, and she replies, “Yeah, I’m hoping!” The cops are being such bastards this episode!

Logan, Till and her detective coat head to the Pastor’s Boxing Gym for Converting Depressed Lesbians. The coat comes off, and they begin to spar. Till starts out cocky, but Logan throws her off her game with some emotional punches. Then, when she’s distracted, the Pastor continues to spout harsh truths while repeatedly hitting her in the face. No, really - that happens!

Genuine screenshots and dialogue!!

Pastor Logan proceeds to hit Till to the floor and take another three swings at her head while telling her “You can’t get to joy, to relief, without hurting. Sometimes yourself, sometimes others.” This dude is MEAN!

When the pastor finally finishes his speech, Till seems to come back to herself. She launches herself off the floor and smacks him into the wall with a few strong hits, then carries on using him as a human punching bag for a while until they both smile at each other with bloody lips. No! Don’t make friends! This is how they get you, Till! Don’t join the cult!

Uptrain, Zarah and Ruth are doing some Hospitality Stuff in Ruth and Melanie’s old flirting ground. Ruth is thinking about Melanie, and teaching Zarah the new job is making her feel nostalgic. Then, the scene rapidly gets very emotional!

Ruth tells Zarah that she’s not naive - she knows that leaders lie. She admits that she’s done things she’s ashamed of, in Hospitality. Ruth is already close to tears by the time Zarah assures her that lying about Melanie for the sake of the train isn’t something to be ashamed of. Zarah then adds that Ruth is a leader, and that her choices make a difference. Ruth flicks through about fifty different types of sadness as she replies that she really hopes they do. Ruth, Till, Audrey and Josie are all having such a rough time this episode, and so am I!

After that, we get a really nice shot of outside:

It’s sad, but it’s pretty!

In the Big Alice cockpit, Wilford and Audrey are reminiscing about the last time they were in Lhasa together. Audrey flatters Wilford for a bit, and he flatters her back, and she asks him to get her a drink to extend their date. When he’s gone, she slips a screwdriver from her skirt, and in the first shot it looks like she’s tightening the screw? In the next shot she’s loosening it, but it takes too long and she has to give up before Wilford returns.

As Audrey and Wilford begin to drink, Bennett interrupts over the comms with the lie that the uplink was successful. Wilford berates Ben a bit, then hangs up to get back to his date. Audrey wanders off in search of dessert (relatable), and Wilford notices the comms box screw is loose. Uh oh.

In the Layton-Ferami First Class Living/Meeting Room, we’re getting a bit of Pike backstory: he was in the cannibal cult, and the tailies wanted to hang him. But Layton saved him. After that, Pike vowed to be a better man, and to never kill again (outside of combat). Layton insists that Terrence-Never-Terry is using Josie to blackmail Layton, which means that Josie isn’t safe. They can’t lose the information she’s gathering, either. Layton concludes with “She’s our sister, Pike” and uh maybe he shouldn’t be using that word to describe their relationship given what they did in Dr. Pelton’s Airbnb a few weeks ago??? Pike doesn’t bring that up though - he just reluctantly agrees to carry out the hit.

Next, we head back to Pastor Logan’s Boxing Gym for Converting Depressed Lesbians. Logan and Till are sharing a drink and getting deep. She points out that his philosophies about hurting each other aren’t very Christ-like, and he retorts that the evidence of hurt is all around them. Till agrees, and says, “It’s depressing, to think that, at the end of the world, we can’t just find a way to be good to one another.” WHY HAS NO-ONE BUT TILL HUGGED TILL?

The Pastor then segues into shitting on Layton’s leadership, using bible verses about lost sheep and ineffective shepherding that practically out him as a Wilfordite. Till doesn’t exactly disagree about Layton’s poor leadership, but she wants to give him time. She raises a good point - Layton’s barely had the job for two weeks and has had to deal with a major unprecedented situation, so it’s fair enough that he hasn’t made good on all his revolution promises just yet. He’s on thin ice, though.

As the detective and the pastor speak, Pike shows off his train tracks tattoo and makes a weapon. Layton walks through the train and gets Terrence-Never-Terry’s security - LJ and Osweiller - to leave. Pike heads uptrain, scares off a Brakeman, then climbs up to the mopping mafia head office. Pike doesn’t strike sneakily: he gives Terrence-Never-Terry a knife, so that the fight feels fair.

Yeah, it sounded like bullshit to me, too!

Terrence-Never-Terry calls to Osweiller, but he’s gone. He tries to back up, and take Layton’s earlier offer for a 60:40 split. He won’t say a thing about Layton’s girl on Big Alice! But it’s too late. They have a brief, scrappy knife fight, until Pike pins Terrence-Never-Terry down and eventually kills him by filling his face with some kind of expanding foam. Ouch! Pike cries, and then we cut to Zarah telling Layton that she’s proud of him for ordering the hit. She’d make a cool villain! I’m into it!

Ruth announces the fake uplink to the passengers and leads them in a prayer (another one!) for Melanie, while Pike shaves his hair and beard off.

In the Headwoods’ lab, it’s time for Josie’s anaesthetic. Josie pretends to take the pills, then spits them out and hides them in her bandages. She’s going to remain awake for the hour-long procedure, so that she can spy on them. SHE’S SO FUCKING BADASS! She doesn’t notice Bob in the window, though. He saw her hide the pills.

While they operate, the Headwoods complain that Sykes only brings them bad news, and that Wilford pushes too hard. But Wilford won’t lose. It’s starting tonight - Wilford is using the breachmen so early! They’re disappointed that they’ll lose some good subjects too soon. Josie listens to their chatter and makes mental lists to stop herself screaming while they LITERALLY BURN OFF HER SKIN. Her list is a bit repetitive, if I’m honest. “Blood, blood, blood…” I’ve thankfully never undergone anaesthetised surgery, but if I did I think I’d probably try to add some different things to my coping list? Cats, perhaps? Just a suggestion!

After the surgery, Bob dramatically throws back a curtain to confront Josie about spitting out the anaesthetic pills. She denies it, but Bob demands the pills from her. He won’t tell on her. We also get another incredible height difference shot in this scene, so let’s appreciate that for a second?

Stunning!

In Big Alice’s engine, Wilford is asking Audrey to stay while another Lena Hall/Miss Audrey cover plays. She tells him she’s not the same person any more, but he insists that she is. She reiterates: he’s not listening, and she won’t be broken by him. I have never wanted a character to be right more.

If Wilford won’t let Audrey in and he won’t change for the good of the train, then why is she even there? Wilford asks her who she thinks will win, between him and Layton. She doesn’t answer, and instead asks him what he’s planning. He only tells her that he wants her by his side. Wilford adds that they’re only half alive without each other, and asks her to stay again.

At the border, Layton receives Josie’s message very publicly! How many people does he want to start suspecting Josie as a spy!? The message says “TONIGHT! BREACHMEN!” Layton immediately rushes off to the queer gym, leaving Ruth in charge of the rest of the trading.

Uptrain, a hooded figure approaches the breach room. But when they notice Layton and Roche, they quickly turn away. The cops accost Boki and start yelling questions at him, but Boki is genuinely clueless. Then, alarms begin to ring. Breach workers all over the train have murdered by hooded figures.

Back at the border, Mr. Wilford approaches the door with Miss Audrey. The alarms are still blaring, and he asks Ruth what’s happening. Ruth doesn’t know, and Audrey isn’t taking any of Wilford’s shit - she immediately asks him what he’s done.

Wilford just tells Audrey to decide whether she’s staying, and invites Ruth to Big Alice, too. But Ruth can’t go right now, because she has to deal with whatever is causing the blaring alarms. She calls to Audrey, but Audrey turns away.

Audrey has established that she’s a survivor, so running towards the scary alarms would arguably be out of character. But it means that she’s staying with Wilford tonight. What was that she said, about him not keeping her against her will? Sigh.

#snowpiercer s2e5 #snowpiercer 2.05 #snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer rewatch #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer #snowpiercer season 2

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 4: The Mangolingus Episode

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e4: A Single Trade. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

The communiqué makes it back to Big Alice this episode. While scenes of Audrey rehearsing a dance in the Nightcar and a trade of food for parts at the border play, Audrey talks about trading. She says that trades don’t always go the way you plan - you give more than you get, terms change and you end up trading with yourself. Miss Audrey staked her future on a single trade: a life with Wilford for a place on the train. That explains why she’s been so worried the last three episodes! She concludes, “I should have known Wilford would find me,” finishes her dance, and then the camera focuses on a long scar on her right forearm. This is going to be a horrible episode.

After the opening credits - no, wait! The opening music sounds different! What’s going on there? Interesting!

Anyway, we open on Zarah and Layton eating First Class breakfast. Zarah has spoken to Audrey for Layton, and warns him to go easy - Wilford opens a lot of old wounds for Audrey. He nods agreement that he will. Ruth interrupts them to congratulate Layton on the successful trade, and to give him a communiqué. Ruth is wearing a skirt today - like Melanie used to, when Melanie was Head of Hospitality, back when she was still on the train… Is Ruth pining already? Am I reading too much into her outfit choice?

The communiqué contains an offer to treat Snowpiercer’s frostbite patients. Ruth thinks it’s generous, but Layton doesn’t agree - apparently, most of Snowpiercer’s frostbite patients were caused by Icy Bob. After Ruth leaves, Zarah asks whether Layton thinks it could help Josie. I genuinely can’t tell whether she’s trying to be nice or start another argument, and it doesn’t look like Layton’s sure, either. He diplomatically replies that it could help all 14 patients, kisses Zarah on the side of the head, and leaves.

Next there’s a quick scene showing Ruth reading Layton’s reply to the communiqué! Did Ruth just break a Hospitality rule!? Wild! She sighs as she reads it, then returns it to its pouch.

The communiqué makes it back to Big Alice, where Alex playfully swings it in front of Wilford’s face.

He says he’s not asleep, and my Grandad used to tell exactly the same lie! Alex and Wilford sit, mirroring each other, with their legs up at the helm. Alex shows Wilford Layton’s reply to the communiqué. It simply says, “What do you want?” That’s why Ruth was so unimpressed.

Alex knows what Wilford wants: his paramour, Miss Audrey. He doesn’t deny it, and Alex asks why he hasn’t invited Audrey over already. It’s because Wilford wants a night out - they’re going to visit the Nightcar this episode!

On Snowpiercer, Till and her detective coat are following Boki around. He goes into the tea room, so she follows him inside. To look less suspicious, she pretends to be looking at something in the room, and lands on a memorial to the people lost in the revolution. She’s crying within seconds. Pastor Logan notices, and comes out of his Pastor Office to offer Till a cup of tea.

Up in the engine, Bennett and Javi are chuffed with their new bogie motors! Javi is on the floor, playing with his new Christmas present. Bennett sits down next to Javi for a cute little engine bros moment, undoubtedly sparking more fanfiction. We learn that it’s been three days since the last episode, which probably puts us at about 7-8 weeks since s1e1? Javi comforts Ben, and it’s sweet.

In Layton’s living room/office, Audrey is hungover and scared by the news that Mr. Wilford wants to visit the Nightcar. She just lost her only two named employees! But that’s not the only reason she’s scared. She’s spent years washing her hands clean of him. Layton asks for more information, and Audrey gives us some backstory: by the age of 18, she was working as a high-end escort at days-long parties for “the most powerful men and women in Chicago”, on Wilford’s trains. Audrey was Wilford’s, exclusively, for years. She lost everything, and now Layton wants her to open Pandora’s Box?

Layton gently explains that it would be very useful for them to have Audrey in Wilford’s ear, steering him. He promises that they’ll all help her, and then concludes, “This is the cause, now, Audrey.” She responds that she’ll do it - but not for Layton or Melanie’s mission. This one’s for her.

On Big Alice, Sykes has delivered an invitation for Wilford and some of his crew to attend the balloon launch party in the Nightcar. Alex jokes to Sykes that ‘Dubs’ has been dragging Big Alice around the world in desperate search of his paramour, not his train. Wilford snaps at Alex, “Don’t say that word!” Audrey is a poem, a witchy bird of grace that holds the soul of the train, a key. Yep.

Sykes and Alex stand at nervous attention as Wilford rants, and sneak glances at each other when he’s not looking. It’s nice to see them bonding over their mutual dislike of Wilford! Alex and Sykes unconvincingly agree that they want to seize Snowpiercer with Wilford, and it puts him in a better mood! He starts planning his outfit - his silk brocade suit and ruffle shirt. Because, of course he has those!

Next, Alex joins Emilia in the canteen. Lunch is mush and a couple of slices of apple, but Emilia is on the verge of tears as she sniffs it.

I wonder whether the mush is better or worse than bug bars?

Wilford addresses the population from the balcony, and announces that he’s finally going to fulfil his pledge that the crew can go to Snowpiercer! Well. Some of them. For a couple of hours. Sykes follows up, saying that all of the crew’s names are in a hat, and three names will be selected for a night out on! It’s obviously rigged, which Alex even confirms to Emilia as the selection begins. Wilford reads out three names: Oiler Bob, Damien with the Nice Jib, and, finally, Emilia. She overcompensates far too hard, and Alex affectionately rolls her eyes. Alex does have friends, after all!

On Snowpiercer, Audrey, Layton, Roche, Ben and Ruth are having a meeting in the Nightcar. They don’t recognise any of the names on the guestlist, so Roche will check with the notary to see what he can find out about them, and whether any of them might turn to Snowpiercer’s side. Bennett reminds the group that the evening is actually all about the balloons, and Ruth agrees that it’s about the hope that the balloon brings. Roche makes a good point: what happens if Wilford is in the middle of Snowpiercer and Melanie doesn’t make contact? They don’t bother planning for that outcome; they’re taking a leap of faith!

The other reason for the party tonight is to make friends with Wilford’s crew, thereby making it harder for Wilford to demonise Snowpiercer’s people. Audrey points out that Wilford will be doing exactly the same, trying to turn everyone in the room to his side. Then, this interaction happens:

I’d watch the hell out of that fight! Unfortunately, Audrey quickly clarifies that she means anyone who knew Wilford before - anyone who he hired personally. Ruth is still insulted, until Roche, Bennett and Audrey admit that they all fall into that category, too.

In Pastor Logan’s Office for Converting Depressed Lesbians, Logan, Till and her detective coat are having some tea. Yeah, I don’t like this storyline either. Till has survivor’s guilt. Logan calls her Bess (which feels extra wrong coming from his mouth!), then asks her what she still stands for. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t know where she belongs, either. And she has no one. IS THIS WHY SHE KEEPS HUGGING HERSELF? What about her rebel friends that she told Jinju about in their breakup?

Till starts to cry. Logan tries to hold her hands, but she retracts them. He starts to say that there are 3000 people left, but she corrects him: it’s 2746. The scene ends with him telling her that she’s not alone, and her face crumples again. PLEASE CAN SOMEONE (not Logan) GIVE TILL A HUG!

Downtrain, the Headwoods and their Goop are visiting the frostbite patients, accompanied by Ruth and Layton. Dr. Pelton asks for details about how it works, and Mr. Dr. Headwood begins to answer before his wife silently reminds him that they’re not allowed to say. Layton tells them that there’s one more patient, in the second class clinic. Ruth discreetly tells Layton that she knows who the patient is, and insists that she needs to escort the doctors. I have no idea how Ruth knows about Josie? Is there a deleted scene somewhere? Anyway, Layton - who in his last scene told Ruth that they need to trust each other - just scoffs at her and leaves.

Layton gently holds Josie while the Headwoods examine her back. The doctors say that Josie’s injuries require custom grafting in sterile recovery, with absolutely no visitors. Josie and Layton smell an opportunity.

Up in the non-torturey Hospitality room, Zarah is just hanging out there for no discernable reason while Ruth is ranting and making herself a martini, because she’s Ruth. Zarah asks the question that’s often on my mind whenever Ruth starts Ruthing: What is she talking about? Ruth explains that Layton doesn’t trust her, or respect her work, and insists that her admiration of Mr. Wilford doesn’t mean she’s disloyal to the train. Zarah flatters Ruth a bit, then proposes that they could help each other. She asks to join Hospitality.

Back in the clinic, Josie and Layton discuss the offer of frostbite treatment on Big Alice. Does Mr. Wilford know who Josie is? The offer seems like a big coincidence, but Josie and Layton weren’t ticketed and who would have told Wilford about them? Next, Josie asks whether the therapy works. It does but... they also used it to create Icy Bob.

Layton thinks Josie would be too isolated over there, which pretty much seals the deal: Josie hates agreeing with Layton almost as much as Zarah does! She tells him that she’s not going to recover on Snowpiercer, then adds that she can use the opportunity to spy. She knows Pike is doing something at the border, so maybe she can get messages out that way? Layton’s in. SHE’S SO BADASS!

Downtrain, Pike and Terrence-Never-Terry are having another meeting. Pike is still stroppy about the time that Terrence-Never-Terry kicked him out, so he’s only going to bring him half the weed he imports from now on. To make amends, Terrence-Never-Terry offers Pike three encyclopedias. (Sidenote: we know there’s a library! Why are these so valuable?) As Pike leaves, we see that LJ was spying on the whole conversation.

Next, we catch Boki at the bar. He’s standing next to a drinks menu, and I couldn't get a good screenshot of it, but here are the drinks (I think?)

6 DIRTY PINNER

TURNTABLE

DERAILER

RAILMAN’S ALE

SEX ON THE TRAIN

SIDETRACK GIN

ELECTRIC DRAG

DOUBLY CABOOSE

RUSTY TRACKS

JERKWATER MULE

YARD GOAT

ROADMASTER

HIGHBALL WILLY

RUN 8 LOWBALL

I would love to see someone confidently order a Highball Willy, please!

Strong Boy, Murray and ZWreck then kidnap Boki and take him to Lights. She shows him her hand and tells him to make his people stop. He insists that he didn’t do it, and after a bit more conversation Boki promises that it’s more than just Breachmen on Wilford’s side. So, Lights punches him in the face! Boki falls to the floor, Strong Boy starts hitting him, and it quickly escalates to a tailie vs Breachmen fight.

(Sidenote: Till was literally just saying how she doesn’t have any friends, and I really think she should hang out with Lights! They both love righteously fighting guys twice their size! Josie or Layton should set them up!)

On Big Alice, the “randomly selected” guests and Alex are excited for the party! As is the Snowpiercer custom, they’re all wearing their queerest outfits for the event.

My thanks to the costume department, once again!

While Emilia sorts out Alex’s collars, the four of them excitedly discuss the Nightcar. Bob has heard it’s a brothel. Alex thinks it’s more like a cabaret. Emilia thinks they’ll have everything, and Damien wonders whether that means mangoes? WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THESE PEOPLE AND MANGOES!? Then, Wilford comes to ruin the mood. This is his night, for him to meet his old acquaintances, and to hopefully see Melanie’s balloon pop in their faces. What a dick!

In the market, Layton, Till and her detective coat are wandering around the aftermath of the fight. Boki is claiming that the tailies tried to kill him, because there aren’t already enough overdramatic characters on this train! Layton and Till tell the tailies off, then Layton gets some Boki backstory: he first met Wilford aged fourteen, while building bridges for him in Serbia. Boki is proud to say it makes him a lifer, and Till comes in to give him a good kicking.

Layton and Roche immediately drag her away and have a go at her because, yeah, what the fuck? Till explains that she has a Wilford problem: there are a lot of Wilford supporters around, and Wilford is visiting the Nightcar tonight. That’s true, but it doesn’t explain why she just kicked an injured assault victim? What the fuck?

Because they’re still under martial law, Layton and Roche decide that the breachmen won’t be allowed to go to the party tonight. I guess martial law is how Till gets away with kicking Boki, too? Yikes!

In the clinic, the tailies have a very sweet surprise for Josie. It’s Miles! She cries. He calls her his hero. Miles is engineering life systems, and he wants to be one of the first colonists back outside. Now Josie really has to support Melanie’s mission! Josie tells Miles to hold on to that hope, and then the tailies help Josie to leave for Big Alice. Miles and Winnie wheel her through the tail to a standing ovation, and this episode is too damn emotional!

Up in First, Layton can’t remember how to tie a tie. He says he’s worried about Audrey, and Zarah says she’s got Audrey’s back. MHM. Then she descends the stairs in her new Hospitality uniform, and is fucking delighted with how much Layton hates it.

I love a petty queer!

Layton claims Ruth is using Zarah to influence him, but Zarah fires back that it was actually her idea to join Hospitality: she’s going to keep an eye on Ruth for Layton. He thinks she should stay out of it and tells her that teal isn’t her colour, and she says he can’t say that since they’re not together any more. You tell him, Zarah! She sorts out his outfit, and they leave arm-in-arm.

In the Nightcar, the evening is finally kicking off! Ruth has her hair down, and introduces Mr. Wilford and his crew. Again, he loves the attention as he makes his way to “his area”. The Big Alice crew look around nervously while Layton and Wilford shake hands, and the engineers make an announcement. The engine bros explain what’s going on with the balloon, and Alex listens intently. In approximately 75mins, she’ll find out whether her mother is safe. Wilford wants to place a bet that Melanie is already dead.

Backstage, Zarah goes to check on Audrey. She reminds her that there’s still time to back out, but Audrey insists that she’s sure she wants to do it. Before Zarah leaves, Audrey asks her to get her if she’s not out within 30 minutes. It sounds like a decent enough plan, but this is a rewatch so it just hurts.

Next, it’s back to the Nightcar floor. Miss Gillies is engaging in some very gay dancing, and I love that for her! Mr. Wilford is talking about his wine cellar or something, but it’s not as interesting as the dancing in the background. Layton leads a toast to Mr. Wilford. Till is definitely gonna kick her big brother later. Layton and Wilford have a chat for a bit, and then Miss Audrey takes the stage. She’s perfect, she’s beautiful, she looks like Linda Evangelista, she’s a model. Did she stone those tights???

Yet again, Audrey’s song choice is painfully on-the-nose, including lines such as

I’m so tired

Gonna give my heart away

This is the beginning of forever and ever

It’s all I wanna be

Sigh.

Layton hugs Zarah from behind with his hand on her belly for one of the ‘give me a reason to love you’ lines, and I think it’s the furthest my eyes have rolled in this series so far. We also get an opportunity to take in the bondage gear, animal masks and drawn-on curly moustaches that the guests are wearing. Fun!

Then, Audrey and Wilford come face-to-face and I HATE IT. They do some suggestive flirting and I HATE IT. Then, she leads him away to show him what she’s done to the Nightcar AND I HATE IT!

The next scene is of Audrey and Wilford in the experience room. Wilford repeats his gross “let me see what the years have done to you” line, and Audrey sits next to him. He takes her hand, and he tells her she’s different. She explains that the freeze changed everyone, and the Nightcar, too. He begins to run his hand inside her sleeve, along the scar we saw before the opening credits, and she quickly gets up and moves away. Then, Audrey explains the new Nightcar to Wilford, and starts doing her Nightcar thing.

Outside, Ruth is speculating about what Wilford and Audrey are up to, but Layton doesn’t want to think about it. He doesn’t know how right he is. The balloon thing will happen in forty minutes, and Wilford can do what he likes until then. Ruth just needs to make sure that Wilford’s guests are happy. Talking of which, Murray offers Emilia more wine. They both realise that they aren’t the last Australian!

It’s not enough to make this episode not-sad, but it’s very sweet all the same.

Alex notices LJ and begins to follow the train’s resident dick chopper upstairs. Remember when Ruth promised Melanie she’d look out for Alex? Shouldn’t she be stopping this? Anyway, Alex passes by Till on the way, so we catch up with her, too. Till isn’t wearing her detective coat! She does a bit of depressed-flirting with one of the bartenders, and then the scene cuts back to LJ and Alex. They could both do with some friends their own age, and get off to a great start - LJ calls Alex a dork, and Alex calls LJ a bitch.

Alex and LJ are hanging out in the observatory. They can see the aurora borealis! But LJ is much more interested in showing Alex the encyclopedias she stole from her new boss. She also stole a joint. Auntie Ruth! Where are you? This 15/17 year old shouldn’t be reading encyclopedias!

Bitch and Dork then ditch the party. Where is Ruth??? She should definitely not be allowing Alex to sneak off with a recently convicted violent criminal!

Next, we catch up with Till again. Somehow, her line worked! She’s making out with the hot bartender on a sofa! We also catch up with Sykes, who is making the most of the snacks, and Emilia, who is still chatting with Murray. She’s not supposed to give him too many details about Big Alice, and he suggests they can keep in touch via his lucky goggles. This being Snowpiercer, I had assumed his goggles were just an eccentric fashion statement the whole time! I am intrigued to know what they do!

In his Nightcar experience, Wilford is taken back to… the Nightcar. Of course he is! He’s dancing with Audrey, before the freeze. Then, the experience changes. He’s in the murder bath. Audrey joins him. He hands her the razor. In the experience, she shakes her head. In real life, she desperately says “no”, then heartbreakingly tells him that he made her cut her own wrists. And he replies, “But I saved you.” They stare at each other for a while, and then he tells her “I want it, Audrey.” She desperately says no again, and he begs on his knees.

After a little of his begging, her expression changes - she no longer looks scared. She places a foot on his chest, and pushes him down further. He’s still begging, and she reaches for a plate of fruit. And we all know what happens next!

Yeahhhhhh I’m not recapping that part.

Ruth gives the five minute warning to Layton, who relays it to Zarah. So, that must mean that Miss Audrey has been in the room with Wilford for at least thirty five minutes. That’s longer than Zarah promised! Zarah knocks on the door, calls out the five minute warning, then walks in to find Wilford in Audrey’s lap, being hand-fed fruit. Audrey and Zarah make eye contact, and Zarah just leaves. She said she’d get Audrey! Not just say hi and leave! NOOOOO!

In the observatory, LJ and Alex are getting high and talking about their parents. Alex admits that she didn’t know that she was going to care about Melanie as much as she does. Then, they look out at the balloon together. Alex says that they’re probably at the altitude for the uplink so she should probably go, and it’s just too dorky for LJ to handle! LJ suggests that they shouldn’t be friends. Alex agrees - they’ll be total enemies. That is not a clever thing to say to LJ Dick-Chopper Folger!

Back in the Nightcar, it’s almost time for the weather balloon to connect. Ruth and Layton try to help Alex feel better. They aren’t awful with kids, but they’re not great, either. Wilford enters, holding one of the light-up helium balloons that have decorated the Nightcar. I hope he accidentally lets go of it and it flies away and it makes him cry.

The engine bros greet the crowd and explain that the balloon is almost ready for Melanie to connect. Layton takes Zarah’s hand, and she take’s Ruth’s. Mr. Wilford pops his party balloon in the tense silence, causing everyone to jump. Then, he remembers he’s trying to make friends, so he apologises to the crowd. It’s nice to know he’s capable of it!

The signal takes a few seconds longer than expected, and it’s very tense! Everyone except Wilford watches on anxiously. Then, there’s a huge collective (except Wilford) relief when the balloon connects and makes its little ping sound.

After that, we catch up with various characters in the aftermath of the party. Audrey is dancing and contemplating her scar, as she was in the opening scene. Alex is looking at the research station on the map in her bunk, and the engine bros are having a beer together. Layton interrupts Audrey’s rehearsal to ask what happened between her and Wilford, and whether he should be worried. Audrey, still dancing, replies, “trust me - he’s exactly where we want him.” But it’s intercut with short flashbacks of the bath, the fruit scene, and the old Nightcar. AUDREY! NOOOO!

In the final scene, Wilford (wearing another dressing gown) wanders through the Big Alice lab and peers into the sterile recovery room. By the time Josie looks at the door, he’s gone. If only he could do more of that, and go away forever!

#snowpiercer 2.04 #snowpiercer s2e4 #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer season 2

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 3: The Phone, the Throne and the Ben-Free Zone

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e3: A Great Odyssey. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

Mr. Wilford monologues today, while he brews himself a questionable drink, writes in his diary, and feeds Jupiter. He believes that he wields his knowledge like a sword, and tells us that “Great men say, ‘balls to death’”. Is he implying that Osweillwer is a great man? Remember when Brakeman Blowie literally said “balls to this” in episode 8, because he was worried the tailies would kill him? No. Osweiller is not a great man.

Wilford sparks up, puts on a record, and addresses Big Alice. The passengers are lions, ready to reclaim Snowpiercer from a gibbering pack of hyenas! Emilia and Alex are unimpressed by Wilford’s bullshit, and so am I. He continues to praise Icy Bob - everyone should make sacrifices like Bob! Bob, Wilford, Jupiter and Sykes walk through the train to applause while Wilford’s speech concludes, “... for the day we retake what’s mine.” Does he hear himself?

In the lab, Bob stands next to Mrs. Dr. Headwood to demonstrate that he’s really fuckin’ big.

He enters a cold chamber, and Wilford continues his voiceover monologue. “Apocalypse isn’t so bad, really… people line up for tickets to the only show in town - aboard Snowpiercer.” This man seriously needs to be stopped.

After the opening credits, Melanie and Bennett are spooning in the bunk room. She’s sad, and he tries to comfort her in the eugenics library. But Melanie isn’t worried about what the mission means for her leadership - she’s worried about what it means for her motherhood. Bennett tries again: if the Earth really is warming, then she needs to go for Alex! Melanie reassures herself that it’s only for a month.

On Big Alice, there’s an hour until the track change. Alex has taken over Josie’s swearing responsibilities while she recovers, and declares that it’s going to be a shitshow getting the train over the mountain. Wilford and Alex chat and eat, with Wilford periodically getting up and down from his seat to be as overdramatic as possible. He’s tingling. Melanie is departing on a veritable suicide mission! This will be much more fun than making Alex murder Layton! Please can someone get this child away from this man!

Next, the two engines make contact. Apparently they’ve set up comms since the last episode. The engineers take it in turns to explain the plan to the viewers: they need to go over the rocky mountain test track to get Melanie as close as possible to the research station, but Snowpiercer needs to slow down to get through the Berthoud curve, they won’t have enough speed to make it up the mountain unless Big Alice hits their booster after the curve.

Sounds simple enough to me! But this is a TV show, so something will definitely go wrong.

Layton asks what will happen if it doesn’t work, and Wilford is surprised to hear him among the engineers! Layton explains the new civilian oversight policy, and Wilford scoffs while Alex answers the question: if it doesn’t work, they have to reverse and go around the whole world to come at it from the other side. And the mission can’t wait that long, for an unspecified reason.

Melanie hands Ruth a list of required supplies (on the wrong stationery!) and asks for permission to board with Ben to collect equipment. But Big Alice is a Ben-Free Zone! Alex can help instead - which was surely Melanie’s plan all along, given that she’s going to be leaving in a matter of hours and will want to spend time with her daughter before she goes.

They get ready to head down to the border. Ruth still hasn’t forgiven Melanie (for the breakup, or stationery incident) and won’t accept Melanie’s thanks for delivering the list. Melanie advises Layton to never lie to Ruth, because “she’s a rare straight arrow, if you can keep her.” Straight!? Fanfiction writers beg to differ!

Ruth is carrying the list of supplies to the border, which seems pretty unnecessary now that they have comms set up, but allows her to bump into Roche in the corridor. He asks her what’s going on, and she drops yet another iconic Ruth line, “Engineers and mountains, almost as big as their egos.”

After a little banter with Ruth, Roche chips into the lockup room to find Till getting dressed in a delightfully gay outfit. They have an awkward greeting, then he unpacks his lunchbox and asks if she’s sleeping there.

Ah. Till had to move out of Jinju’s apartment, and presumably her old place had already been reassigned. So that’s why she was so snarky about her brother’s new apartment last episode! Roche suggests that Layton should be able to pull some strings to get Till a place to stay, but Till has more important things to worry about than being homeless. Our girl wasn’t kidding when she told Layton she was depressed! To make herself feel a bit better, she pulls on her new detective coat and then her dad takes her for a nice day out at the border.

Ruth is busy stamping passports at the border desk, and Pike is complaining about how it’s ruining his weed trade. Ruth is in full Ruth mode. When the border rotary phone (yep, that’s a thing!) rings, Ruth gets everyone’s attention, refers to the phonecall as “the bell of progress”, then tells them all to be on their best behaviour. Wilford isn’t about to be outdone by a quirky phone and an eccentric Hospitality worker, though! Sykes opens the border door to reveal that Wilford is literally sitting on a fucking throne. These people!

Sykes brings out the paperwork, and Ruth asks why Kevin isn’t doing it. Wilford explains that Kevin is sick. Perhaps he contracted a disease when he was kidnapped? Or perhaps he took a murder bath? Who knows! Wilford asks whether Layton has seen his “frenemy’s” shopping list - he’s hip and young and knows all the rad new lingo! Wilford and Melanie negotiate the list, and although it’s only episode three their arguing is already getting tiresome. We get it, you hate each other! Hurry up!

Layton adds on some more requests, and proposes a trade: they’ll send fresh food in exchange for spare parts for Snowpiercer. Then, Layton tries to throw a tomato to Sykes.

I could happily watch an entire episode of Sykes staring people down.

Melanie asks for permission to board Big Alice, and Ruth sees her opportunity: with Kevin off sick, Big Alice is in need of a qualified Hospitality worker! Ruth offers to escort Melanie, but Wilford turns her down.

As Wilford walks Melanie through the train, he tells us that there are twenty seven Big Alice cars stacked full of supplies, and that he’s beginning to believe Melanie’s warming world hypothesis. He sarcastically congratulates her for filling the train with hope, then says it’s a shame that she’s going to freeze herself to death for the data. Alex laughs from the balcony, and Wilford asks her, “Do you find that tragicomic too, Alex?” But no. Alex believes her mother will be fine, and dismisses Wilford.

Alex then sets up some more future plot: if Melanie has to take any detours, the sled will run out of fuel before she reaches the station. Melanie isn’t worried, but Alex is! What if the solar panels at the station don’t work properly any more? They take a break from packing to have a chat. Melanie hasn’t seen any other kids on the train, and those of us who have seen s2e9 know why! Alex replies that she’s the youngest crew member. Does Alex have friends? Rude! Alex’s silence suggests not. Alex wants to know what Melanie expects from their time together. Melanie replies, “As much as possible,” which brings the sweary, moody teenager back!

Ouch.

Melanie apologises, and insists that she’s only choosing to go because there’s not much chance of a world for Alex if she doesn’t. Alex finally concedes, and continues to let her mother get to know her.

Back on Snowpiercer, we’re in for another emotionally tense reunion! Layton is visiting Josie in the clinic. Some tailies filter out of the room, and Mama Grande tells Layton that Josie knows everything. Uh oh. This is going to be rough. Layton cracks out those chess skills he mentioned and greets Josie with an apology. Josie scoffs. She isn’t bothered that Layton is back with Zarah - after all, Josie was dead. Layton relaxes a little, but Josie is still pissed at him - not because he’s having a baby with Zarah, but because he immediately allied with the woman who starved them, enslaved them, and tortured her to the brink of death. Fair point!

Layton impatiently explains that he had to make the alliance, but Josie doesn’t seem convinced. Layton sacrificed 35 tailies in Melanie’s disconnection plan, and he hasn’t given the survivors anything that was promised! The tailies are already questioning his leadership.

Layton believes in Melanie’s mission, though. And he needs to defend it from Mr. Wilford. Josie doesn’t back down. Layton insists that he’s still a tailie, but Josie tells him that he’s going to need her support if their people are going to believe him. (Sidenote: we know that Snowpiercer is out of morphine, so I have no idea how the fuck Josie is dealing with the pain of full-body frostbite aside from the fact that she’s really fucking badass!)

Down in the mopping mafia office, Pike and Terrence-Never-Terry are chatting about weed. Pike thinks he’ll be able to get trade up and running again soon, and Terrence-Never-Terry kicks him out because it looks bad to hang out with a tailie.

Talking of tailies, we catch up with Lights, next. Till has brought her dad and brother along to prove that she was right about the conspiracy! Layton is keen to help his old friends given what Josie just told him, so he’s working the case for a few minutes. Lights shows her hand to Layton, and insists that she didn’t see her attackers - they covered her head and it was over in seconds. Winnie saw some people run away, but they were wearing masks.

According to the track talk (yeah, they're still trying to make that happen!), breachmen attacked Lights. The tailies rally together, and promise to protect each other. And then, there’s another slightly gay moment between Till and Lights.

HELP.

Roche, Till and her detective coat are going to visit the breachmen to investigate the only lead they have so far. Roche hates the breachmen. Till suggests he should do what she does: think of them as firemen. Why are all these people men? Anyway, Boki is offended that Till and Roche just chipped themselves in - Till knows that cops aren’t welcome at the queer gym! They have a very sarcastic and mean discussion full of pretty baseless accusations, but the breachmen insist that they’re just innocently waiting for Wilford.

Back on Big Alice, Alex shows Melanie to her bunk. It’s not as bad as the tail, at least! Alex’s bunk is covered in pictures and string, mapping out the train’s route. Alex explains that she used to draw Melanie, to picture what she looked like. She’s an incredibly talented artist for a teenager! Melanie thinks so, too. Alex then repays her mother’s compliment: Wilford says that Melanie is the best driver he’s ever seen.

Alex has a map of the rocky mountain test track on the ceiling of her bunk, and they use the map to tell us the plan again: booster, volt sled, balloons blah blah blah. Alex points out that their plan is “some crazy shit, mom!” Melanie laughs, then decides to show Alex some even crazier shit.

Apparently Melanie can feel that Snowpiercer is already in the mountains up ahead, and that there’s a misaligned wheel. I’m surprised Wilford hasn’t tried to burn her as a witch.

In Snowpiercer’s engine car, Layton is catching Bennett up on the trade talks while Bennett packs up some supplies for Melanie. We get a bit more information on Wilford, and some vague Bennett backstory. When Wilford chooses you, you enter his court. At first, it’s amazing. But then, the knives come out. Wilford divides people for sport. Melanie and Ben refused to let him. Layton jokes that maybe that’s why Big Alice is a Ben-Free Zone, and Ben agrees. Then, Bennett continues with his warning: Wilford’s brand of jealousy is all about control. Layton wants to find a way to use that, and he and Bennett agree that they won’t keep secrets from each other.

Next, we catch up with the Headwoods. They’re pushing bloody lumps of snow around the lab floor, in what seems more likely to be an experiment than a genuine attempts at cleaning. Wilford asks for an update on Icy Bob. He spent 54 minutes at 94 below zero! But that’s not enough: Wilford wants colder and longer. And the Headwoods don’t have the whole month - just two weeks.

Up in Big Alice’s engine, Alex is trying out Melanie’s train feeling magic. It turns out Melanie was right about the misaligned wheel. Wilford is worried that Alex is getting sentimental... ABOUT HER OWN MOTHER. Yeah dude, that’s kinda how that works? He gets Alex to say that they want Melanie off the train. Please can someone get this child away from this man!

Melanie’s voice comes over the comms, and Wilford informs her that Alex will drive the most difficult part of the journey. The Snowpiercer crew share furious looks, but over the comms they concentrate on making Alex feel better.

The Snowpiercer enginners need to draw power from First and Second to run fast enough. It’s not a new decision, so I don’t understand why weren’t they doing it earlier? Or, why didn’t they at least give Ruth a bit more warning to get the passengers to the muster stations? For the drama, I guess?

In the rest of the train, Tristan does a terrible but hilarious emergency announcement to instruct the passengers to the muster stations. Zarah stands in the way to direct people through the completely straight route that they’ve all regularly taken for the last seven years. And Layton runs against the flow of traffic to visit Josie. Great job, everyone!

It’s a good job that Layton went to the clinic, because Josie has decided to cut away her face bandages. Right now, with the train shaking so much that passengers were just thrown against the walls, Josie has got scissors by her face. Is her brain still defrosting? She asks Layton to help, and he grimaces and winces as he slowly peels the bandages away. When Josie looks in the mirror, her face is too injured to express any emotion.

In the engine, the engineers are realising that may not be able to get the extra power that they need in time. I still can’t understand why they didn’t start drawing the extra power sooner! They’re going to have to hit the booster before the curve, which risks derailing them if they don’t find exactly the right speed. Wilford plans to make Alex do it. Again, Snowpiercer’s crew are angry with Wilford, but they don’t give him the satisfaction of voicing it and instead focus on giving Alex a confidence boost. Wilford gloats.

Please can someone get this child away from this man!

The Nightcar is full of passengers, and Audrey is drunkenly addressing them. Roche asks Till and her detective coat what’s happening, and she very plainly explains, “She’s cracking, Roche. We all are, if you haven’t noticed.” That’s two episodes where Till has tried to tell someone that she’s struggling, and two episodes where the person has completely ignored her! Keep going, sweetie. Someone will help you, eventually.

Ruth informs Melanie that the passengers are all mustered, and the shutdown can go ahead. They aren’t back to their old flirty ways, but Ruth is, at least, a little warmer towards Melanie. Bennett powers down, then the engineers make contact again. Alex is ready to hit the booster. Melanie is proud of Alex, and Alex can barely hold back tears.

So, Wilford taunts Alex! He thinks Alex wants the journey to fail, so that she can spend more time with “Mummy”. Alex proves him wrong and pushes the booster button. They almost derail, but it’s only episode three so it all turns out fine! Melanie congratulates her daughter, and Wilford’s a dick. Please can someone get this child away from this man!

Wilford cuts comms, and demands that Alex looks at him. It’s been a rough day! Of course the kid is crying! He tells her “That’s the last tear I’ll allow.” What a thoroughly horrible person. Please can someone get this child away from this man!

In the next scene, Wilford has removed his jacket and begun to drink. He’s listening to music, and mimes conducting it - because of course he does! He berates Alex a bit, but now that the difficult driving is over, she’s free to storm off - even Jupiter can’t stop her!

In the Nightcar, Till and her detective coat are glaring at the breach workers, while Zarah takes care of the very drunk Miss Audrey. Pastor Logan has been eavesdropping on Till and Roche’s conversation, and interrupts to ask them what they’re worried about. Till is worried that the people didn’t get a chance to trust the new system before Wilford descended. Pastor Logan is thrilled: Till basically just said that she’s concerned about people’s souls! He tries to give her a St. Christopher necklace (for luck and protection for travellers - nice!). Roche quietly watches on, intrigued. Till doesn’t think the necklace will help, but she takes it anyway.

Up in the clinic, Josie is recounting all the gory details of her torture so that Layton realises how fucked up it is that he’s trying to defend Melanie to Josie. She also says this:

So, uh, who’s gonna write that fanfic?

Layton kisses Josie’s hand, and she tells him that his child is going to be a guiding light for all of them. Ugh. At least it wasn’t “hope” again. Josie then says that she agrees that they need a future offtrain, so she’s going to convince the tailies to support the mission.

In the engine, Melanie and Bennett kiss goodbye while Javi drives. Then Melanie, Layton and Ruth take the subtrain to the border. Layton and Melanie go over their plan one more time: Layton’s main priority is to protect the science, which will require holding off Wilford. Layton suspects that Wilford is too much of a megalomaniac to ever want people to leave the train, which definitely also hints at the idea that Wilford may have caused the freeze!

Melanie reiterates one more time that the success of the mission will be measured by data, not by her survival. She knows Wilford well enough to know that he plans to leave her there. Also, dying to save the planet is the only way she’s come up with to redeem herself of her actions in season one! They shake hands and wish each other luck, and then Melanie heads to the border.

Layton then has a quick chat with Pike. Remember in season one when Layton told Melanie and Roche that authoritarian states usually control their own drug trade? Well, he wants Pike to start importing Amazing Alice!

At the border, Melanie and Ruth are still feeling awkward after their breakup.

Melanie Tells Ruth that Layton is a good man. Ruth retorts that people don’t stay good for long when they run the train. Ouch! Melanie doesn’t want to waste their last moments arguing, so she changes the subject. Her voice breaks as she asks Ruth to promise that she’ll look after Alex. Presumably for the rest of their lives, considering that Melanie is expecting to die on this mission? With tears in her eyes, Ruth promises, “Of course I will. You have my word.” It’s a very sweet moment, but Ruth and Alex aren’t even on the same train! How’s that going to work?

Just before Melanie crosses the border, Ruth calls her back to tell her they’ll all be waiting for her. Aww, they’ve made up just in time!

In the final scene, Melanie then gets dressed up with Alex’s help. They distract themselves from how sad they are by talking through what Melanie will do on her first day at the station. To fix the damage, Melanie will improvise! Alex seems a lot more comforted by that than I would be.

Then, Melanie gives Alex an important talk about how to deal with Wilford. The bad things that he makes her do are his cruelty, not hers. Remember last episode when the first thing that Melanie told Layton about Alex was that she’s cruel? She’s come so far! They hug and cry and Alex admits that she wanted to hit the breaks, so that Melanie would stay. Melanie sees an opportunity to redeem herself while comforting her daughter, so tells Alex that they did what they had to do. Clever move.

Melanie then tells Alex that she can trust the people of Snowpiercer, and that she loves her. Alex shuts Melanie into the coldlock, and they both press their hands up to the window. And then, Melanie [redacted] Cavill jumps off a moving train.

#snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer s2e3 #snowpiercer 2.03 #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 2: Global Thawing?

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e2: Smolder to Life. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

Melaine does the monologue this episode, talking about her life on the farm and fires smoldering back to life over some nighttime shots of outside (including a lighthouse!). Then, we see that Melanie is finally sleeping! I’m so happy for her! She’s back in the Big Alice brig, and having some kind of sleep paralysis moment watching creepy baby Alex gut a rabbit.

But it’s not long before the real Alex walks in and wakes Melanie up. The highly multidisciplinary Headwoods have analysed the snow sample: it’s water, dirt, and probably-volcanic ammonium sulphate. We also see more graffiti in the background, which says “WTF?” and “COLD” and yep! Those phases provide a good summary of this episode/season/show!

Alex tells Melanie some of Wilford’s thoughts on different types of people in the world, and Melanie wants to know Alex’s opinion on it all. Alex thinks that Wilford says a lot when he’s high. It’s sad that she knows that at such a young age, but encouraging that she’s hesitant to believe everything that he says.

After the opening credits, Layton and Zarah are enjoying a nice, tense morning in their new First class apartment. They greet each other in the living room, implying they probably did sleep in separate rooms. Layton wants Zarah to stay out of Third, because of how hated they both are. Zarah sets up that she’ll work in the Second class clinic, instead of Third. Then, Layton and Zarah find the one thing they agree on: gendered baby names! If it’s a girl they’re gonna name it after Zarah’s mom. And if it’s a boy?

I doubt it matters: Wilford is gonna kidnap the kid and call it Rebecca, anyway.

Till comes to pick up her big brother, and makes a dig about how nice his new apartment is. They then proceed to walk through the train like cops. Till’s not doing well, but they don’t have time to talk about that! Half the population think Wilford will save them from Layton, and half think Wilford will kill them all. And there’s still a lot of tailie hate - someone was even assaulted by the tea room last night. Till doesn’t know who, and Layton asks her to find out. But she’s not a Brakeman any more - she just follows her big brother around!

Layton knows how to make his little sister feel better: they’ll interrupt their dad’s breakfast! Does Roche ever get to eat in peace? Layton and Roche each grab one of Till’s hands, placing one in the air and one on the Wilford Bible to swear her in as train detective. The ceremony lasts approximately two seconds, and neither Layton or Roche seem very enthused. Till herself is actively against the idea - she didn’t ask for it! She’s not ready! Neither her dad nor brother give a fuck about those very valid concerns.

Till then sounds very sad as she tells the others that she’s seen enough blood for a while. She would have seen less if she’d washed her face and changed her clothes at any point in episode nine or ten, but hey! Till eventually agrees to take the job, and heads off on her first case: she’s going to investigate the tailie assault, while Roche and Layton interrogate Kevin.

The interrogation begins immediately. They conduct it in the lockup room, rather than the torturey hospitality room. Kevin won’t tell Roche and Layton how many people he’s looking after, though. Nor any other details about Big Alice. Kevin doesn’t fear Wilford - he adores him.

Roche and Layton share another mildly concerned look. Is this what Ruth would be like if she’d spent any time with Wilford? Kevin isn’t going to say any more, so the interrogators bring out their secret weapon: chicken wings! Melanie probably should have at least given that a try in episode seven, before cracking out the finger freezing hose. Kevin briefly pretends to act cool, but veganuary was harder than he thought so he lunges for the plate and starts to stuff chicken into his mouth. When Kevin doesn’t answer Layton’s first question, the plate is taken away from him. He immediately starts talking. Icy Bob has been augmented for cold resistance by science, and there are 100 people on Big Alice. He’s rewarded with more chicken.

On Big Alice, Alex is serving up some Wilford-branded spam. (sidenote: it’s human meat, right?) Melanie politely declines. Wilford is in a better mood today, and swans into the room in his dressing gown calling “wooh-wooh!”. Because, of course he does! He then teases Melanie about her snow sample, and explains that he still has some moves left. He could slow right down and drain Snowpiercer’s power. The Big Alice crew are tough enough to survive power outages for a while, but Snowpiercer’s delicate society will tear each other apart when they get cold and hungry. It’s probably true. Wilford announces that he wants to meet Layton.

At the border, it’s Pike’s turn to live his heist movie fantasy. Lights did a better job: Pike only hears something when the door is practically already open. A small red bag is dropped through the door, and then it shuts again. ZWreck suggests the bag might be poison, and Pike knows exactly who could do with a bit of that!

Ruth! She gets better every episode and I'm here for it.

Ruth reads the letter to Layton, Roche and Bennett. Wilford wants to exchange prisoners and meet Layton. Bennett is all for it, but Roche thinks that Layton might get shot. Ruth doesn’t want to assume bad faith! They’re going to have to talk at some point, now that Melanie’s stuck them together. Bennett hates working with Wilford. Layton can’t figure out Mr. Wilford’s play. Ruth suggests that, actually, Mr. Willford just loves hospitality! Kevin is very valuable to him, and that’s why Mr. Wilford wants Kevin returned! Mhm. They’re going to agree to the exchange.

At the border, Wilford and Layton finally come face-to-face. Mr. Wilford is charming to Roche and Ruth, but Layton is all business. Melanie wants to see Alex before she goes, but it’s kinda late to be making demands now, Mel! Kevin makes it to Big Alice and runs to safety, but Before Melanie is through the door Alex bursts forward! Pike tells ZWreck - who has been pointing a crossbow into Big Alice the whole time - to take the shot at the sudden movement. What the fuck, Pike? Thankfully, ZWreck is feeling a bit calmer after a good night’s sleep and doesn’t immediately shoot at the child running towards her mother. Phew!

Alex has come to return Melanie’s snow sample. She wants to know what it really is. Melanie doesn’t know, and invites Alex to go to Snowpiercer with her, to study it together. But Alex tells Melanie that she’s seven years too late. In another moody teen moment, she smashes the sample and storms off again.

Layton and Melanie walk together, and get caught up on the two trains. Melanie thinks Wilford doesn’t know what to do next, but warns Layton that Wilford is coming for him. Layton asks about Alex, and Melanie laments that Alex is cruel and hates her. Layton tries to cheer Melanie up - Alex is just being a teenager! Melanie refuses to go to a doctor, and fails to mention that it’s because she already saw doctors on Big Alice. Layton and Melanie then catch the subtrain up to the engine, even though it’d only be a five minute run!

In the clinic, Till is trying to visit the assaulted tailie. But ZWreck and Strong Boy are working unofficial clinic security, and won’t let any Brakemen in. Till tells them that her dad and her big brother actually just made her train detective! Didn’t ZWreck and Strong Boy notice her nice new detective coat? Till tries to barge past them, and a scuffle ensues until Dr. Pelton opens the door to yell at the noisy neighbourhood kids to get off her lawn!

The doctor allows Till into the clinic and leads her past injured patients to the assaulted tailie. It’s Lights. That’s why Pike was listening at the door earlier! They greet eachother, and Lights calls Till, “Bess”, which feels a little gay to me?

Is that just wishful thinking?

Bess asks what happened, and Winnie tells her that Lights’ fingers have been cut off. Lights didn’t see who did it, and isn’t sure of any other details either. She just wants to go. Astrid’s theory is that it was a message to the tail: with an injured hand, Lights can’t work. Lights is too upset to talk much more, and heads back to the tail.

Up in the bunk room, no one is bothering to drive the train because they all want a peek at Melanie’s frostbitten shoulder. Bennett’s hand tattoo (a triangle on his ring finger) gets a bit of screentime as he removes Melanie’s dressing. Melanie tells the other engineers that the Headwoods survived, and they’re doing a load of sci-fi stuff. Also, it really was snowing outside! And there’s ammonium sulphate to prove it.

On Big Alice, Kevin enters Wilford’s lair to give his report. Wilford is wearing another dressing gown, and running another bath. Because, of course he is! Wilford invites Kevin into the bathroom, and asks how hot Kevin would like the water. Kevin is surprised to learn that the bath will be for him! How generous! He tries to decline, but Wilford insists - Kevin can have a nice bath and tell Wilford all about Snowpiercer.

Kevin begins to undress and give his report on Snowpiercer, while Wilford dramatically throws some bath salts into the water. After six episodes, I had been lulled into a false sense of security that the naked ass phase was well and truly over. But no! Kevin’s ass is on full display as he climbs into the bath. Wilford then asks Kevin what he revealed about Big Alice, and Kevin insists that he didn’t tell them anything. Alex appears in the doorway and asks whether Kevin ate on Snowpiercer. Uh oh.

Kevin explains that he had a few bites of the lunch that they provided - it seemed appropriate. Wilford dismisses Alex from bathtime. Alex seals herself in the engine and starts playing music through her headphones. Uh oh.

Wilford then disrobes. Season 2, episode 2, ass count 2! He joins Kevin in the bath. Kevin showed Snowpiercer’s people that Big Alice’s people are hungry - and Wilford isn’t just talking about the chicken. He also knows about the mango at the border. Uh oh. I don’t want to rewatch the rest of the scene, so here are the facts: Wilford makes Kevin cut his wrist in the bath, and Jupiter comes in to lap at the bloody water. Next!

On Snowpiercer, Zarah is asked to take some clinic supplies to the recovery room. Through a gap in the curtains, she sees an unconscious patient. She looks back to her supplies, then she realises that the patient looked familiar. She looks again. It’s Josie!

The traditional naked ass shot isn’t the only thing getting resurrected this episode: our beloved British badass is back!

The nurse tells Zarah (the viewers) that the unidentified patient has been in the clinic since before the fighting began, unconscious the whole time. Her frostbite is so severe that she may never wake up. The nurse asks if Zarah knows the patient, but Zarah lies. When the nurse leaves, Zarah closes the curtains, takes a bottle of pentobarbital sodium from a safe, and injects it into Josie’s IV bag! What the fuck, Zarah?

Zarah leaves the clinic, then does something that many characters in this show could benefit from: she pauses and has a little think about what the fuck she’s just done. Then, she rushes back into the room, changes Josie’s IV for a fresh one, and collapses to the floor in relief that she didn’t just spontaneously murder someone after avoiding all the fighting for twelve episodes.

Till and her new detective coat flounce through the train to Pastor Logan’s tea room. She’s looking for anyone who may have witnessed the assault. The detective and the pastor have a little chat, and we learn a tiny bit of Till's backstory: her dad was “Jesus-y”. Then, she changes the topic to the teacup shrine. Pastor Logan explains that everyone sees the cup from a different angle. The cup is a God metaphor, and apparently it also helps everyone to get along.

Till asks the Pastor how the train feels while she stares at a literal shrine to Wilford.

Yep.

Wilford was assumed dead, then he returned. Resurrection is a powerful narrative. I know this is supposed to be about Wilford and how he’s got a godlike status on Snowpiercer, but it’s a very interesting choice to have this scene directly after showing Josie in the clinic! She’s closer to being resurrected than Wilford is! And a far preferable leader. Are they both going to have Jesus-like status at some point in this show? It could explain why their names are so similar…

Anyway, Pastor Logan and Till talk some more but I hate this whole storyline. Next!

Terrence-Never-Terry and Pike are trading weed for Encyclopedias. Sure! Terrence-Never-Terry would like to do more trade, but Pike’s supply has been interrupted ever since that time he used a mango to break into Big Alice and kidnap their Head of Hospitality. JAnnietor interrupts them to announce visitors: Train Psycho and Brakeman Blowie! Osweiller wants to get back in with Terrence-Never-Terry’s black market. What can the two of them provide? Osweiller thinks he can fight, and LJ has connections on Big Alice.

But Terrence-Never-Terry doesn’t want the trouble that follows Osweiller and LJ. Osweiller says they’ll work for it, and LJ is shocked and appalled by the offer. Terrence-Never-Terry isn’t going to pass up an opportunity to make the train’s resident dick chopper clean out a backed up septic tank! It’s probably the closest they’ll ever get to justice! He hands her a mop, and she physically recoils from it. But Osweiller accepts the job.

In the Nightcar, Zarah is seeking advice on whether or not to murder Josie. Miss Audrey is lying on a sofa and smoking a pipe of Amazing Alice, wearing nothing but underwear, a robe and heels. Queen! She’s pretty mean compared to their chat in season one. Audrey tells Zarah that Layton has to prepare for Wilford, that Layton is Snowpiercer’s only chance at a new life, and that Zarah should, therefore, protect him at any cost. Then, Audrey softens up. She gently holds Zarah’s face and reminds her:

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of a thousand lesbians typing Audrey/Zarah fanfiction.

Outside the train, a little weather balloon is launched from the engine car. Javi tells Layton (the viewers) that CW-7 was fired into the atmosphere to reflect the sun and reverse global warming. If Melanie is right about the snow and the ammonium sulphate, then maybe the CW-7 is breaking down. If it’s breaking down, then all of their current climate models are wrong, and the Earth could be warming up much faster than previously expected. They need to check the temperature high up in the sky, and that’s apparently the engineers’ job? Did all the climate scientists die? Anyway, the little weather balloon starts reporting that it’s warmer up there. The Earth is coming back to life!

And it’s excellent timing: Snopwiercer really needs something to unite the people right now! Announcing a climate science mission would give them hope. Layton talks to Melanie about how he used to play a lot of chess with his mentor in the tail, Old Ivan. He knows how to play an opponent with a good ego: you give them the centre of the board. That’s what they’ll do with Wilford. If Wilford wants to fight Snowpiercer’s hope, then they’re going to make him do it openly.

Melanie thinks it’s risky to give Wilford a stage, but Layton points out that they’ll need to talk to Wilford eventually. That brings them to Ruth. Layton needs her on his side.

So, we’re treated to another incredible Ruth sequence! She carefully folds a communiqué, seals it with wax, rubs her perfume on it, then zips it into its bag. All the while, Layton waits impatiently behind her. Then, Ruth once again makes her way through the train, telling people to make way and stand aside because there’s a communiqué coming through.

Sykes delivers the message to Wilford, and we finally find out what it says! The people of Snowpiercer have an urgent scientific discovery to discuss, and Wilford is invited to a summit in First Class Dining. Sykes says it’s a non-starter - Layton is bluffing to draw Wilford out. Alex thinks there truly is a discovery, which means that Melanie must have been lying about the sample. Wilford isn’t worried about being exposed, because Layton would be exposed, too. Wilford is thrilled at the idea of having an audience, and also an opportunity to attack Layton! He’s accepting the invitation.

Back on Snowpiercer, Ruth is addressing Hospitality.

I don’t understand half of her speech, but I don’t care. She’s Ruthing hard and it’s a joy to behold.

Till and her detective coat run into the dining room to talk to Layton about Lights. She gets him up to speed with the facts, then hugs herself again and speculates that the attack was organised. Roche patronises Till - she’s only been on the job three hours and she’s already got a conspiracy! It gives us a clue about the timeline, though. This whole episode has taken place over three hours!? Okay! That also means that Till must have changed into her new detective outfit immediately after getting her promotion, which is hilarious. How long has she had that coat lying around for when she finally became a real detective? Adorable.

On Big Alice, Alex is using a hand mirror to check how well she can hide a razor blade in her cheek. Yikes! She’s dressed up in a shirt, tie and jacket. Wilford and Alex have a little competition to see how steady their hands are, and then he reassures her that Icy Bob and Sykes will have her back. Layton’s just a blip - people are grateful to Wilford, really. Alex asks Wilford, “But having me do it, that’s just about punishing Melanie, right?”

Wilford explains that Melanie stole the train from him, then Layton stole it from Melanie, and therefore it’s fitting for Alex, as Melanie’s daughter, to “Make things right.” i.e. Murder Layton. Wilford can’t wait for Alex to see Snowpiercer and to take the helm. He then tells her that it won’t be like Kevin, and that part of her will question it. But she has to bolt the questions out. He’s so evil. This whole scene is horrible!

Meanwhile, Zarah is visiting Josie in the clinic again. She says that Josie is strong, and that people look to her for the right thing to do. How cute! Are they gonna be friends? Oh, no, that was just preamble to Zarah menacingly leaning in to Josie and telling her not to take her path away from her. The woman is unconscious, Zarah! At least have the guts to threaten her when she can hear you! We’d all watch a Josie v Zarah fight, right?

At the border, Ruth greets Mr. Wilford and he charms her again. Alex, Icy Bob, both Doctors Headwood and Sykes accompany him. Roche apologises in advance, then leads Till and a couple of Brakemen to pat down the guests. I only include this in the recap because it was fun to watch Till try to look tough as struggled to reach to search Icy Bob, and Sykes gives one of the Brakeman an incredible death glare.

As the Big Alice guests walk through the train, they’re met with mixed responses. Wilford loves the attention, and allows LJ to come forward to speak with him. He asks after her parents, and she tells him that they died in the war. He offers his condolences, and LJ takes that as a cue to launch into a hug. Alex looks jealous, and Till yanks LJ off Wilford. Doesn’t LJ know that she can just hug herself? Till does it all the time and she’s fine!

Wilford arrives at the dining hall to applause, and requests a table for eight. Then, he approaches Layton and Melanie.

Melanie doesn’t want to go into the details of her newly discovered knife kink, so instead Layton welcomes the visitors. In the background, Alex assembles her weapon and Miss Audrey watches on from the back of the crowd before disappearing from the room. Layton passes the floor to Melanie, and she announces that the Earth is warming - not within a thousand year timeframe, but within their lifetimes.

There’s a lot to do: first, they need to get the Rocky Mountains Breslauer research station up and running again. Sykes interjects that they just came over that line (Melanie’s guess that Wilford used it as a shortcut was right!), and it’s not in good enough condition for Snowpiercer. Melanie ignores Sykes, and continues on to the second step: releasing balloons all over the world to gather data. Then, finally, Snowpiercer will return to collect the data.

Wilford makes the easiest play he can: Melanie lied for seven years, so why should people start believing her now? Layton tries to back Melanie up, and Wilford does a quick bit of character assassination on him, too. But then, the Headwoods come forward to tell Wilford that Melanie’s theory could be valid. Wilford considers it, and Layton makes another very lacklustre proposal:

How is this guy leading a bunch of people who were sucked in by Wilford’s theatrics and charm?

Wilford points out that the station will need to be manned, by someone who knows what they’re doing. Melanie is the obvious candidate. Alex is shocked. And so is Layton! I’m not sure why Melanie didn’t mention that part to him before - they’re supposed to be working together! They negotiate the terms of the mission. Wilford’s terms are that Melanie is the person to be ‘left behind’, and Melanie’s terms are that all hostilities cease. Mr. Wilford agrees far too readily, but at least it means Melanie can access the required equipment!

Wilford heads over to Alex and calls off the hit on Layton. Alex is so angry that her hands ball into fists, despite the blade hidden away. She cuts her palm, and has to hide it while everyone around her begins to cheer for the future. Wilford makes the three-fingered salute, and Till has a brainwave.

Layton and Melanie have a quick talk about the fact that she didn’t tell him she’d have to be the one to go to the research station. She asks him to keep the train in one piece, and to come back to get her.

Downtrain, Till and her detective coat rush into the Tail. Winnie is working security for Lights this time, so Till doesn’t have to fight too hard to speak to the victim. The detective needs to see Lights’ hand. Lights unbandages to reveal that her thumb and little finger were cut off, leaving the three fingers that make up the Wilford salute. There’s a whole different element to this assault.

As Wilford walks back through the train, he holds up the salute, and the passengers give it back to him. Blood is still dripping from Alex’s hand.

Up in the empty dining hall, Zarah walks up to Layton in slow motion, and tells him something that we can’t hear. He doesn’t reply - he just runs through the train, knocking passengers out of his way until he reaches the clinic, just in time for Josie to wake up.

In the final scene, Alex gets another opportunity to be a moody teenager! She tells her mother, “Don’t you dare say this is for me!” Melanie replies that it’s for all of them - it’s hope. Alex is as tired of hearing that word as I am, so she stomps off to Big Alice and smears blood on the border doorframe.

#snowpiercer s2e2 #snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer 2.02 #snowpiercer #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer season 2

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snowpiercer-recaps · 3 years ago

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Season 2, episode 1: A Cucumber and a Barrel of Lubricant

Spoiler alert!!! This is a rewatch recap of Snowpiercer s2e1: The Time of Two Engines. Naturally, it is full of spoilers for that episode. However, it also contains spoilers for some other episodes of season 1 and season 2. You have been warned!

The episode starts exactly like the first episode of season one: Layton is reading an overdramatic, animated story to give the viewers a little backstory. We’re less than a minute in when he comes out with the word trainsmanship, so we can all relax in the knowledge that season two is going to be at least as batshit ridiculous as season one! Other notable terms in the intro include “fresh track”, “new terrain”, “shit”, “hope”, and “war”. We have some themes!

The opening credits have been updated to include Big Alice, so we immediately know that the other train is gonna stick around for a while. After that, we jump right back in where we left off in season one: Alex is still addressing Snowpiercer through the border door, Layton and Till are still covered in blood, and Ruth is still Ruthing.

The Snowpiercer crew are desperate to get moving, so that they don’t freeze to death. To make that happen, they need to provide all the items on a list, within ten minutes. TEN MINUTES. ON A TEN MILE TRAIN.

First, let’s dissect that list.

The first few items can be found in Ag-Sec, which is potentially relatively close to the tail. Okay. But the next items (First Class place settings and wine glasses) aren’t going to be found near the tail! The closest ones are probably in Nightcar, or maybe even further uptrain!

From the trial episode, we know that the Nightcar is five miles away from First Class dining, putting the Nightcar roughly in the middle of the train. So, even if we generously say that the Nightcar is only four miles from the tail, that’s still an eight mile round trip! IN TEN MINUTES! Does that rickety little subtrain run at over sixty miles per hour? And even when there’s almost no power!?

Next on the list is 300ml of morphine, which sounds like quite a lot unless it’s an extremely low concentration - which, to be fair, Wilford doesn’t specify! And that brings us to the next crucial thing that he didn’t specify: which type of lubricant he needs. If it’s for mechanical parts, then surely there are different types for e.g. the warm engine vs the cold parts outside? And if it’s not the mechanical type… well, getting those mixed up wouldn’t be fun! Seriously, the guy remembered to specify that the oranges have to be Floridian, but not whether he wants lube for his bearings, breaks or butt? Ruth describes the list as “Trifles”, and I agree.

Till informs Layton that the subtrain and communication lines are down. Instead of attempting to let Alex know that it’s impossible to get most of the items within the specified time, Layton decides that people will be able to run to the Nightcar and back within ten minutes. WHAT!? People cannot run that fast!! Everyone jumps into action while Layton reads out some items from the list, including Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. Ha!

(Sidenote: I searched up some running records to get some context on just how ridiculous this scene is, and the current world record for a 12km (7.5 mile) run is over 33 minutes. Yeah.)

Up in the engine, alarms are blaring. Bennett uses the backup radio to contact Melanie outside, and despite the massive argument that they had ten minutes ago and the perilous situation that Melanie is in, they have to flirt first. When that’s finished, we get caught up on the situation: they drained their power banks too low to get running again without Big Alice’s help. So, if they disconnect the trains, Snowpiercer won’t be able to get running again. Melanie then tells Bennett that he was right - by trying to run away, she fell for Wilford’s trap. Ummmmm, has she already forgotten that they’re only in this mess because Bennett knocked out the satellites and tricked them into slowing down in the first place?

Anyway! Melanie needs to break the uplink, so that they can regain control of the engine. But she’s not going to use her sticky charge to do that! She’s got a better plan. She ignores Bennett and Javi’s warnings that she’s on the verge of hypothermia, and starts to hack away at the uplink with her axe.

Next, we catch up with the other characters. Those still in the Tail can hear something outside, and they guard the door. Meanwhile, Till miraculously avoids her ex in Ag-Sec, Tristan has made it all the way up to First (absolutely destroying the current 44 minute world record for a ten mile run!), and Jakes is strapping a barrel of mechanical-looking lubricant to Strong Boy’s back. Let’s hope that’s the kind Wilford wanted! Ruth has run to the clinic, where Dr. Pelton and Zarah inform her that they ran out of morphine yesterday. Yikes.

Layton has made it to the Nightcar (also smashing a world record!), where Audrey is putting on her coat in a daze. She’s absolutely stunned that Mr. Wilford is still alive. Layton asks for the last item on the list: Mr. Wilford’s favourite scotch. Audrey collects it from a special cupboard under the bar, and then snaps back to attention. She warns Layton that Mr. Wilford will take everything they just fought for, but Layton doesn’t have time to listen: he has another world record to beat!

Outside, Melanie is insisting that she’s not hypothermic despite the science indicating otherwise. Is that an effect of the sleep deprivation or the hypothermia, do we think? She makes the fatal blow on the uplink, and Bennett tells her that she did it! Now she needs to get back inside, quickly. But Melanie doesn’t like listening to her colleagues, and she still has a sticky charge to play with! She crawls around under the train, and sticks the charge to the locking mechanism.

Down in the Tail, Strong Boy is the last character to return from his record-breaking run. The Notary will give out the medals and foil blankets later - right now, they need to hurry up and deliver Wilford’s mystery lube before he freezes them all to death! Pike knocks on the supply door, and Icy Bob opens up. Roche is incredibly rude about Bob, from just a few feet away! Then, Layton explains to Alex that they got as much as they could in the ridiculously small timeframe, so please can they get moving? It’s twenty degrees below zero -

Sorry, Lights. It's twenty two degrees below zero. And some people (Till) didn’t want to cover up their cool bloodied outfits with coats!

The train begins to move, with Melanie still underneath it. She launches herself between the wheels, and her suit gets ripped - just a little. She has a lovely time making another snow angel, and even watches a snowflake land on her helmet. But then she’s disrupted by Bennett’s nagging. Eventually, she agrees with him that she probably shouldn’t die in episode one, so she gets up, collects some snow, and runs to catch up with the final door on Big Alice.

Inside Big Alice, Melanie is instructed to remove her coldsuit for disinfection. She’s got some nasty-looking frostbite on her shoulder, and yelps when the water hits it. When she’s clean, she’s given a choice of two outfits to dress in.

On the one hand, I would have made the same outfit choice as Melanie. I get it - I’m not a unicorn kinda queer, either. But on the other hand, imagine what a power move it would have been to march into Wilford’s lair wearing the unicorn onesie!

When she’s dressed, Melanie is greeted by Kevin (who she recognises) and Sykes (who she doesn’t). Kevin shocks Melanie with a cattle prod for leaving him to die, so we can already tell that he’s gonna be a fun character to have around! He begins to lead Melanie up a ladder, but she knows the way.

On Snowpiercer, Layton and a bunch of other characters are busy turning the Tail into a border. Detective Layton has figured out that Mr. Wilford - who almost just froze 3000 people to death to get his hands on a cucumber and a barrel of lube - might not be the most reasonable man. So, he wants to be prepared in case Wilford attacks. Ruth insists that they have to formally update the passengers soon, before the track talk (yep, that’s sticking around for another season!) eats them alive. Layton will make an announcement after a council meeting in the Nightcar.

On Big Alice, Kevin bids Melanie goodbye and lets her into a room with a big growly dog. But Jupiter and Melanie are long lost friends! Mr. Wilford chuckles through the dark that he’s disappointed that Jupiter didn’t eat Melanie, and slowly turns up the lights. This is great, because it means that, throughout the scene, we get to see all the fun stuff in the room! Fun stuff such as paintings, swords, scrolls, statues, a bong, fancy chairs and a taxidermied crocodile on the windowsill. He’s evil, but he’s got style!

Wilford calls Melanie closer to see what the years have done to her (ew), and asks her who’s driving Snowpiercer. Is it Ben? She won’t say. He’s pretty sure it’s Ben - Melanie always had an eye for talent. And that’s the only nice thing that Joseph Wilford ever says about Bennett Knox.

Melanie changes the subject: she wants to know how Wilford caught them in Chicago, and she knows he’s dying to tell her. She’s absolutely right - he’s delighted! Wilford explains that he got Alice to low idle, hunkered down in a shed for a couple of months, and by the time Snowpiercer was on the other side of the world, Alice was ready to roll. He’s been waiting to pounce the whole time. Melanie asks whether Wilford came over the old rocky mountain test track, and he says he’ll tell her everything when she gives him the keys.

Although Melanie cut the uplink, Mr. Wilford can still freeze Snowpiercer if he drops anchor. Melanie acknowledges that Snowpiercer wouldn’t last twenty minutes if Big Alice were to disconnect - she ran the power banks too low.

Then, Melanie explains that, until a few days ago, the passengers of Snowpiercer thought Wilford was still running the train. But Snowpiercer is now run by a tailie. What’s a tailie? Ah, dystopian fiction. Wilford wants his train back. Luckily, Melanie learned a few things from torturing Josie a few days ago, and she’s not going to give it to him.

Melanie explains that Wilford can’t really hurt her any more. He looks pretty smug and then, right on cue, Alex walks in. Yep - the dead daughter that Melanie finally went to therapy about THAT VERY MORNING isn’t dead! She’s a moody teenager now! Alex thumps down the box of groceries from Snowpiercer, and tells Wilford she’s underwhelmed. Melanie tries to tell Alex that whatever Wilford has told her isn’t true, but Alex responds with cold, hard facts - Melanie left Alex and stole a train. Wilford is absolutely living for the drama. Melanie explains to Alex that she sent people to collect her family, but that they didn’t return to the train.

Alex then changes the subject, and updates Wilford on the current state of Snowpiercer: the society is a shambles, but they were able to provide him with a lovely assortment of vegetables and more than enough lube for whatever he’s planning to use it for! Wilford is glad that First class dining hasn’t “derailed” (nice train pun!). Alex continues, explaining that Layton, Roche and Ruth appear to be in charge. Hospitality is even still in uniform! Wilford smells the scotch and deduces that Miss Audrey is still with them.

Then Kevin drops in to check how everything is going, and in full moody teenager mode Alex orders him to put her mom in the brig. Amazing.

Back on Snowpiercer, there’s a big meeting in the Nightcar. Bennett explains that Snowpiercer’s engineers have control over the engine, but Big Alice is acting like an anchor. Big Alice was only built for a crew of sixty, but Wilford could have made changes - there might be up to two hundred people on board. And Big Alice has taken Melanie prisoner.

Ruth can’t handle any more wars, and Till reminds Layton that most people haven’t slept in two and a half days. Ruth suggests everyone should have a rest, and that maybe Melanie is even working things out with Mr. Wilford and Alex! Miss Audrey warns everyone that Mr. Wilford doesn’t just want his train back: he wants control of everyone on it, body and soul. It’s chilling, but Layton ignores her. Instead, he gives a rousing speech about how Snowpiercer calls the shots! Zarah smiles down at him proudly from the balcony.

Layton instructs what I assume to be the council to hold fast - they won’t start talks with Wilford until Melanie returns. Roche reiterates that their first priority is to keep everyone calm, fed and united. Then the council disbands, and Layton quietly tells Till and Roche to get a force together. He wants to contradict what was literally just decided by the council, and attack before Wilford does. This fucking guy! The council has existed for a matter of hours and he’s already going against them!

But they don’t get much chance to fight about it before Z-Wreck and Strong Boy approach Zarah, and block her exit. Ruth spies the altercation, and discreetly points it out to Layton in the Ruthiest way possible.

Layton races up the stairs to tell his friends off. Z-Wreck wants to make Zarah pay for selling out Josie, and Layton explains that Zarah only did it because Melanie threatened her. That’s not enough for Z-Wreck, who lunges for Zarah again. She uses her best possible defence, and tells him she’s pregnant. Ruth overhears, and kicks right into hospitality mode! A pregnancy on Snowpiercer? It’s hope.

Layton clarifies that Melanie threatened their child, and Z-Wreck is SHOCKED to hear that Layton and Zarah hooked up again! Ruth is still Ruthing hard, and tells Z-Wreck and Strong Boy to “shove off”. Before they leave, Z-Wreck tells Layton that his “personal shit” isn’t making his democracy plans very believable. Ruth ignores him, and continues to tell Zarah that it’s too dangerous for her to stay in the chains. Ruth will find somewhere safe for her uptrain, “away from all the ruckus.” This show would be nothing without Ruth’s lines!

Ruth sets Layton up in the announcements room, then answers his earlier question about what side she’s on: she’s on the side of Snowpiercer. Then, Layton addresses the passengers citizens. He updates them on Wilford, Big Alice and the new border between the trains. He assures them that Ruth will take care of diplomacy, and that they will use all means necessary to defend the liberties they just won. Then, finally, Layton announces that they aren’t going to be a democracy just yet: he’s extending martial law. Up and down the train, people react with disappointment.

In the brig on Big Alice, Alex pays a visit to Melanie. She asks what it’s like outside, and Melanie responds that it’s chilly. Uhh… YEAH! I think she figured that one out, Mel! Every character who was on Snowpiercer for the war needs to take a fucking nap, please! Melanie talks about everything that has died in the last few years, and Aex points out that nematodes will survive. Melanie almost cries. They chat a bit more, and Melanie gets more information about why Alex wasn’t on Snowpiercer: her grandparents wanted to die at home, and Alex didn’t want to leave without them.

Melanie then tells Alex that she sent her to live with her grandparents for a reason: to keep her away from Wilford. Alex says that Wilford saved her after Melanie left her, then changes the subject to the snow sample that she found in the pocket of Melanie’s suit before accusing her mother of lying to her again and storming off.

Back on Snowpiercer, Ruth is leading Zarah and Layton through first class corridors. Layton is protesting the idea of living in First because it’ll look bad, but Zarah doesn’t care about how it looks! She just cares about the baby! Ruth suggests that the living room of the car can be Layton’s office, then lets Zarah and Layton know that there are separate bedrooms upstairs. Zarah thanks Ruth and asks her how she pulled it off. It’s simple: the car belonged to a couple who committed suicide out of fear during the revolution, and Ruth would like some joy let back into the car. She then gives them chips for the door, tells them they’re welcome, and leaves. She is incredible in this episode!

Next, we catch up with Melanie in the brig. She’s reading some foreshadowing on the wall instead of sleeping, despite the fact that she’s been awake for three whole days at this point?

The clearest graffiti is “IF YOU BLOW The MAth YOU tAKe A BAth - RAnDY”. There’s also “40 days, 40 nights, 40 ???”, “WORK, HONOR, HORROR”, “What is LOVE” and, “121 DEGREES BELOW EVERYTHING”. If anyone has figured out the ??? or any other phrases, please let me know!

Sykes and another character come to escort Melanie to the doctors. They cuff her, place a bag over her head, and lead her away to the lab. Inside, the doctors Headwood start as they mean to go on! They are very unusual people and they work so well together. It’s fun to watch! While they examine Melanie, they explain that they’ve learned a lot over the years, treating their crew. Then, in unison, they introduce us to their synthetic tissue gel that will heal Melanie’s shoulder.

Finally, a scientific naming convention that I can get behind!

At the border door, Pike and a Big Alice passenger do a quick drug deal. Pike gets a quarter pound of Amazing Alice for the mere price of a potato, an orange and an apple. Osweiller apparently can’t stay away from a drug deal, and brings his new girlfriend to the Tail. Murray refers to them as “Train Psycho and Brakeman Blowie”, and the fandom thank him for these nicknames.

Murray and Lights try to make LJ stop. She immediately pushes right past them, because she’s LJ. She tries calling out to Mr. Wilford, then she immediately turns around and starts skipping through the train, calling out “Mr. Wilford’s coming!” Why? Why is LJ still alive? Why did no thirdies kill her when they had the chance?

In the next scene, Mr. Wilford is laying in a bath, with cucumber slices over his eyes, listenting to Bowie and smoking a joint. Because, of course he is! Sykes directs Melanie to a dining table, laid for two. Melanie wants to know why Alex won’t be joining them, and Wilford just replies that there’s plenty of time.

At the border, Till has finally had a shower! I'm so proud of her! She and a whole bunch of other rebel soldiers are poised and ready to attack, as soon as the door opens. Further down the Tail, Layton and Roche’s cop senses start tingling: someone’s smoking weed! It’s Pike, of course. Roche is about to take Pike to lockup, but Layton realises that this is how they get the door open: they’re gonna get Pike to do another trade.

A character that we don’t know tells Till that she’s not ready for the attack, because she’s still half brakeman. Apparently, if Till doesn’t embrace extinction then she’s already dead. What is this person talking about? Pike’s definitely been sharing that Amazing Alice around, huh? Till’s dad and brother quickly cheer her up while Lights listens to the door like she’s in a heist movie.

I’m so glad she inexplicably avoided being taken as a prisoner of war!

Pike demonstrates that he’s also been to the same acting school as Till, Zarah and Miss Gillies: he calls through the border asking for more “vintage drugs… blow? Ether?” It's suspisious af, but apparently no one on Big Alice cares. Pike offers the Big Alice border guards a mango, which is very triggering for those of us who have already seen episode four. And it gets worse! Pike goes on to describe the mango! “It’s perfect. So soft. A juice explosion, one might say. Peel it back and pop it in your mouth. It’s like a rainbow.” What the fuck???

Kevin nervously authorises the mango trade, and the Big Alice border guards crack open the door. Pike attacks them immediately. Strong Boy gets control of the door, wrenching it open. Layton orders the soldiers to kidnap Kevin, Z-Wreck jams the hinges, and multiple soldiers race into Big Alice. After seven years of believing Mr. Wilford was confined to the engine for biosecurity reasons, these people are very quick to start mixing populations!

Kevin is hog tied and dragged through the tail screaming - not a recap joke, that’s literally what happens. Once the first wave of soldiers have set up a shield wall, Layton, Till and the crossbow archers (Z-Wreck and Strong Boy, today) come in. Z-Wreck and Strong Boy take out Big Alice’s first line of defence.

In Big Alice’s engine, Wilford is wearing a dressing gown, listening to a song about a train and getting Sykes to poison test his food. Because, of course he is! He fondly reminisces about the time that he kidnapped a brewer to get the recipe for his favourite ale, but Melanie is still grumpy that she’s not getting to spend more time with Alex. Then, Sykes receives a call: Snowpiercer breached the door. Wilford hates surprises! He can’t work out how the hell they did it, and orders Sykes to send in Icy Bob.

Icy Bob, it turns out, is not Robert Folger in frozen zombie form: it’s the big guy they met last night. Bob takes a swing at the high passenger who freaked Till out earlier, and sends them flying into her. They land together, with the person dripping more blood onto Till’s face. She only just showered off the blood from two days ago!

Icy Bob then sends jets of cold air into the car - similar to the way that Melanie did to Josie in the torturey hospitality room, but slightly more effective. People quickly start to freeze and cough, and race back to the Tail. Bob throws the last survivor out, then gives Layton the finger and slams the border door closed.

Layton, Till and Roche debrief as they walk through the tail: Bob breached the car himself, dropping the temperature to minus seventy in seconds. Till is hugging herself again, and I would again like to request that someone else should hug her! Ruth is waiting for Layton with a very disappointed expression. He faces her alone.

She challenges him over not informing her of the attack. He explains that it was a military decision under martial law - that’s why he doesn’t need to go through the council that he set up literally a day ago. Ruth is taking it personally, because she’s pretty much the only person he didn’t tell. In fact, he explicitly told people to keep her out of it! Then she Ruths out again, and points out that Layton “got [his] arse handed to [him]”. Layton insists that it was a success. They got what they came for: Kevin!

Ruth and Kevin have a shaky reunion, where he accuses Snowpiercer’s people of going mad, and making a big mistake. Wilford doesn’t care if they die, or even if Ag-Sec dies, because he could restart everything. If he’s right, that’s very interesting information! How would he do that?

In Big Alice’s engine, Sykes informs Wilford that Snowpiercer have taken Kevin hostage. Wilford is insulted that Snowpiercer’s people think they could gain leverage with a hostage. Maybe Kevin was right about how little respect Wilford has for human life? Melanie is enjoying seeing Wilford rattled! She winds him up a bit further, and he explodes.

I’m just gonna say it: she already killed the guy once. She should probably do it again - properly, this time. And this is her best chance!

We get a bit of backstory about Melanie: she fixed tractors on her dad’s farm until Wilford “lifted” her out at seventeen. “Lifted” is a concerningly ambiguous term! Was she kidnapped? What’s their history?

Next, they get into an argument that it seems like they’ve had many times before. Melanie views life on Snowpiercer as a way of waiting to get back out into the world when it recovers, whereas Wilford thinks that the trains are the world now.

Wilford grabs Melanie by her injured arm and drags her to the cockpit, where Alex is driving! Melanie is so proud that her child is an engineer. Wilford orders Alex to bring the trains to a full stop, which she gladly does. There’s a quick series of shots of passengers falling over, spilling soup on themselves, and freaking out. Then, Wilford orders Alex to reverse the train. She does. The plan is simple: disconnect, reverse for a while to let Snowpiercer freeze to death, then come back to claim it. And Melanie can do the cleanup!

On Snowpiercer, Layton and co are quickly realising that Kevin may have been right. Till hugs herself again. Pike tries to apologise through the door, to no avail.

Wilford orders Alex to disconnect, and Melanie begs her not to do it. Melanie doesn’t want Alex to have all that death on her conscience. But Wilford keeps giving the order. Before Alex even hits the switches, Melanie sees the decision in her child’s expression and softly tells her, “Wrong choice, honey”. Alex pushes the button, the mechanism begins to disconnect, and the sticky charge that Melanie placed under the train at the start of the episode explodes.

Wilford sees the explosion from the window. Wilford hates surprises! Melanie gloats that Wilford overbuilt the connecting mechanism. She warned him about it at the time, but he didn’t listen. And now she’s used it to her advantage. Queen! Alex is very entertained as Melanie clarifies that the trains are now stuck together permanently. If they don’t get moving again, everyone - including Wilford - will die. Wilford is petulant enough to wait a few seconds before finally giving Alex the order to move. Then, he storms off. Melanie looks pretty pleased with herself.

The people of Snowpiercer are relieved, and so is their hostage. Kevin thanks God and whispers “he spared us” multiple times. Layton and Roche look at him with concern. Maybe they should consider listening to Miss Audrey more? The episode ends with an outside shot of the trains slowly starting to move.

#snowpiercer recap #incorrect snowpiercer recap #snowpiercer season 2 #snowpiercer s2e1 #snowpiercer 2.01 #snowpiercer rewatch #snowpiercer

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