Snowpiercer Recap: Bad Times at the El New Eden

As a longtime admirer of Layton’s journey, it’s been quite an exhilarating ride to witness his transformation from a former cop to a revolutionary leader and back again. This time, however, I fear we’ve taken a step too far down the rabbit hole of self-serving rogue fighters.


Initially, Layton was recognized for his former career as a police officer. However, his transformation into a revolutionary leader and troop mobilizer raised concerns that he might develop characteristics similar to many real-life revolutionaries, constantly seeking conflict and restless by nature. Despite the season opener suggesting Layton had learned to relinquish control and contentedly join a larger council, we find ourselves once again in the presence of the impulsive Layton, the self-propelled fighter who takes charge without much thought.

In the initial sequence, Josie experiences a memory of their past in the Tail section, where they used to aid injured individuals and Layton would calm nerves, instilling hope. Previously, he advocated for the well-being of the entire Tail section or the train as a whole. However, his current focus seems solely on Liana, disregarding others, which makes him potentially harmful.

When Big Alice draws near Snowpiecer, Layton intends to act covertly and catch the Admiral off guard. However, Ruth isn’t hopeful, given that the Admiral commands armed soldiers who outnumber the rebels. If they could rally the passengers for a fight, it might be possible, but Layton has no intention of instigating a rebellion among the Snowpiercer passengers. He makes this point repeatedly in this episode, stating he’s not here to lead a revolution. This operation is an extraction. Naturally, the Admiral was aware that Big Alice’s team had arrived, and tried to win Layton over by inviting him for breakfast, insisting they aren’t kidnapping his child, and claiming their soldiers are friendly.

Granted, “friendlies” do not fill their “welcome wagon” with toxic gas, especially not a new variant of the gas that — according to Nima — won’t just knock Layton and his companions out but kill them. Nima reminds the Admiral that they can’t kill these people, as it violates their agreement with Melanie, but the Admiral doesn’t care; what’s a few more dead when they already lost 40 workers? The rift between the soldier and the scientist continues to grow, but the Admiral is done with the niceties, and he is done with Nima questioning his actions. When Nima is told to get down and do 20 push-ups as a reminder of “how this partnership works” it seems like the doctor finally snaps. He finds Ben in his prison box and asks how he can disable the gas in the welcome wagon; he will not support another killing.

Instead of needing to, Layton and Josie bypass formal entry into Snowpiercer by leaping from one moving train to another, thereby avoiding the welcoming process and heading directly to the second car. Upon landing, they swiftly comprehend the dire state of affairs. Regrettably, Layton once more disappoints with his self-centeredness when a throng gathers around him, inquiring if he’s there to free them. However, Layton responds negatively, stating that only after ensuring his daughter’s safety (and maintaining a safe distance) will he return for his companions – and not a moment earlier! To assist the duo in reaching the undertrain and bypassing security checkpoints, a brawl erupts, offering a tense, claustrophobic fight sequence reminiscent of Snowpiercer.

It’s no shock when things don’t go smoothly. Layton heads to the undercarriage, where he encounters Nima who describes their plan: modifying the train to fire rockets internally and creating new climate zones like that of New Eden. However, right as it seems Nima might assist, he betrays Layton and guides the Admiral’s men to them, but fortunately, Layton escapes first. Meanwhile, Josie saves Tess (and deceives her by claiming Audrey is fine), and they locate Josie’s son, but the guards soon seize control. Josie is taken captive and brought before the Admiral, who confesses they don’t have Liana, yet he knows where she is and proposes a trade: Liana for Big Alice.

When the Snowpiercer veers onto an uncharted path, Ruth faces a tough choice: either abandon Layton and retrace steps back to New Eden, or press on deeper into the unknown. In the end, she elects to venture further into the heart of the mysterious train.

It appears this decision might not have been wise, given the hardships facing New Eden’s inhabitants. An unexpected storm looms, potentially reducing their survival time by half before Big Alice’s return. With Layton absent, Javi steps up as leader and openly discloses the impending collapse of the power grid during a town meeting. He advises either rationing power or risk death as an alternative. Contrastingly, Roche prioritizes tranquility over transparency, assuring the town that they will survive if they remain united.

Following Roche’s request for everyone to stay alert and examine the surrounding hills, Oz unexpectedly appears, disclosing that he discovered a frozen, severed hand. Initially skeptical, Javi and I question whether Oz found it himself. As Roche and Oz delve into where the hand was discovered, Sykes assists me in examining it more closely. To our astonishment, we discover that the hand bears a similar chip to one I have on my own hand, which is used to open the doors of Snowpiercer. The hand seems to belong to either Roche or myself. Meanwhile, strange occurrences ensue as Oz starts hearing voices once again, and Roche mysteriously disappears up in the mountains. Matters are growing increasingly ominous.

Tailie Thoughts

• It is a little on the nose that Tess’ favorite movie is RoboCop.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d rephrase it like this: “My fellow film fans, the crew in Snowpiercer seems to be forcibly separating families to stifle uprisings. Talk about a relevant plot twist – it’s like watching a car full of children who’ve been locked up! Truly thought-provoking.”

It appears that the Admiral’s troops are always wearing helmets due to an experimental procedure they underwent, leaving them severely frostbitten and with damaged lungs. To aid their breathing, they need special suits, resembling snow-themed versions of Darth Vader. Is this situation related to Wilford’s ice mutants?

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2024-08-12 06:54