Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Jim Field Smith and George Kay, ‘Hijack’ begins its second season by flipping the premise on its head, with Sam seemingly at the helm of a hijacking operation. Once aboard the U5 2600, he quickly takes hold of the train’s engine, pulling it into the darkness as the lives of hundreds of people flow into uncertainty. With each episode of this thriller series, however, it becomes apparent that Sam might not be in control as much as we were initially led to believe. Instead, this appears to be the climax of yet another international conspiracy, one that is also targeting Sam’s ex-partner, Marsha. As such, the season finale, fittingly titled ‘Terminal,’ brings both plot points to a boil, showing how both Sam and Marsha must take a leap of faith to bring the cycle to an end. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Hijack Season 2 Finale Recap
‘Hijack’ season 2 episode 8 begins with Detective Beck interrogating the man who built the bombs, hoping to find a way to end the hijack. To his shock, however, the bomb is revealed to be impossible to dismantle, with the only way to contain it lying in the hands of Robert. Meanwhile, it is confirmed that Stuart is the one who has been orchestrating the entire operation from behind the scenes, using corrupt cops and army veterans to do much of his bidding. His real plan, however, isn’t exactly to retrieve John Bailey-Brown from the German government, but simply to get him on the train with Sam, with Robert being tasked with the grand detonation. John, for now, is completely aware of the fact that his fate is being woven in real time, and the same holds true for Sam.
Meanwhile, Clara tries to reach out to Sam one last time by replaying the voicemail left behind by Marsha, where she asks him not to bend the knee. Sam, however, fully intends to go through with the exchange and save Marsha’s life, which forces Winter and her team into a corner. Reluctantly, they greenlight the transfer once again, this time in the open. Back in the forest, it appears that Marsha has managed to outwit her two captors for quite some time, and while the chopper is already at the site and looking for her, she is forced to abandon the high ground. The mercenaries, on the other hand, arm themselves with dogs in their pursuit, convinced that the chopper will have to leave sooner rather than later. Marsha, however, has one last ace up her sleeve, but it is also one that she cannot come back from.
Upon returning to Berlin, Peter Faber demands to investigate the subway station where one of the agents overseeing John went missing. Unsurprisingly, he finds the man’s body in no time and realizes that the corrupt person within the system they have been looking for is none other than Robert. However, it is already too late by then, as the train is already at the station, where Robert and John are waiting as per plan. One by one, the hostages begin coming out, but seeing this, John quickly realizes that something is amiss. Otto, who is the last to leave, notices the same and soon puts two and two together, alerting Sam that the entire thing may just have been a setup. Hearing this, Sam realizes that there might just be light at the end of the tunnel, but the journey will not exactly be easy.
Hijack Season 2 Ending: Do Sam and Marsha Live or Die?
Season 2 of ‘Hijack’ ends with Sam and Marsha escaping by the skin of their teeth, foiling Stuart’s hijack plan in the process. From the moment it is revealed that Stuart’s real goal is to kill Sam and John Bailey-Brown in one fell swoop, Sam realizes that he cannot just sit back and accept his fate. Instead, he and Otto come up with a plan at the last minute, and it involves exploiting the only weakness in Stuart’s plan: his dependence on Robert. While the MI5 agent has all the connections needed to make the hijacking happen, he is driven by greed, and not coercion, unlike the others. As such, all his actions are for self-preservation first and foremost, and Sam uses that to his advantage by trapping Robert in the wagon with John.
With all the pieces of the puzzle in one place, the season’s climax centers around the tripartite struggle between Sam, Robert, and John. Ironically, John is the first to be ruled out of the competition, as in a surprise role reversal from season one, it is he who is chained to the wagon and held as a bargaining chip. This is not the only option Robert has at his disposal, as his most damning threat continues to be the one to Marsha’s life. Having survived so long with a buildup of injuries and exhaustion, Marsha deems the best course of action to be a single all-out measure: lighting a bonfire to catch the chopper’s attention. While she realizes that this is bound to draw her captors’ attention just the same, she still takes the risk, and it pays off. In the end, the chopper finds her right before the captors can shoot her down, and with that, Marsha is freed at last.
While Marsha battles for her life in the forest and wins, Sam lays out a tactic of his own, getting rid of all the inhibitions that have held him back this entire season. As per the plan, Otto brings the moving train to a complete halt, disorienting Robert long enough for Sam and Otto to make their escape. Robert himself follows shortly after, and while his plan is to run away, Faber ultimately gets to him first. Robert’s goal this entire time has been to discreetly collect the money and make his escape, but now that the option is out the window, he is left at a crossroads. In the end, he chooses death over facing the consequences and intentionally gets himself shot by the police. Sam, however, is rescued just in time, with not a scratch from the fiery explosion on his body.
What Will Happen to Sam? Will He Get Arrested?
Although Sam makes it out of the hijacking crisis in one piece, there is still a lot left to address about his role in the entire scheme. Faber and Winter already know that he was coerced, but even within that idea, there are layers of nuance that complicate the question of his criminality. The grayest turn for Sam’s character is undoubtedly when he continues on with the hijack, even when Marsha explicitly tells him not to on the call. While his actions are still driven by his fear of losing her, doing this also means a denial of her words and their meaning in his life. Sam may be well-intentioned, but it is still a fact that he chooses to secure his loved one’s life at the cost of risking hundreds of equally innocent people, which makes the situation morally intense.
Even when there are questionable elements in what Sam does on the train, the fact that he is blackmailed into doing all of this is likely what will save his neck in court. Furthermore, there are also times when he tries to discreetly relay the truth about the hijack to the government, such as the first hostage who is killed, and, later, the pendrive inside the milk bottle. In both cases, Sam makes it clear that he is being pulled into committing brutalities by forces much more powerful than himself, and given that he truly believes the bombs to be directed at citizens, his frequent hesitation makes sense. Still, it is unlikely that he will just be allowed to walk freely after this, and chances are that the British government might just put his skill and experience to use, one way or another.
Is John Bailey-Brown Dead? Is Stuart Caught?
‘Hijack’ season 2 concludes with the death of John Bailey-Brown, bringing a definitive end to his journey with the larger narrative. While he is depicted as the real antagonist of the story following Edgar’s death, it soon becomes clear that John isn’t the one in control this season, and it is actually Stuart, his former underling, who is now calling the shots. A huge reason for this change in power dynamics is Stuart’s pent-up guilt and emotional frustration, which comes from having to do the will of his own family, all against John’s original plan. This time, however, the roles are flipped completely, and it is Stuart who is all set to ruin John’s life and remove all traces of his existence, even if it means blowing up the entire train.
Although the train explosion takes place at a distance, the ball of flames is big enough to make it clear that John met his end inside one of the wagons, chained, and with no way out. However, for Stuart, the path to getting caught involves several more twists and turns. While his secret conversations with Robert are successful at first, one of the prison officers has the insight to not just watch Stuart’s cell, but also record every bit of audio. This evidence is all they need to prove that Stuart has secretly been behind the hijacking this entire time, which in turn means a swift arrest. Even while he is being restrained, Stuart only has one thing to say for himself: that he is now the most powerful man within the Cheapside Firm. While that may be true in a vacuum, in reality, he is rendered as powerless as ever, with the police reigning over him once again.
Will Otto Confess to His Crime? What Happens to the Hostages?
While Sam is undoubtedly at the heart of the entire hijacking operation, Otto’s involvement in the entire process cannot be undermined either. From the start, he admits that he was paid for his involvement and not coerced like Sam. Even at his most reluctant or guilt-ridden moments, Otto finds himself continuing onward with the plan. While his fears are initially restricted to how his own fate would turn out, things take a turn when people begin to die one after another. In the end, Otto stands right alongside Sam in bringing the real masterminds to justice, and in the same vein, it makes sense for him to take responsibility for this entire scheme of things. Notably, whether or not he actually goes through with the confession is never shown on screen, but the implication is still there.
Even though Sam wants Otto to play innocent, and characters like Mei promise to vouch for him, Otto remains undeterred in his commitment to the truth. His acknowledgment also serves as a reminder for us that there were actual lives at stake, and actual lives lost on that fateful train ride. While we last see the rescued hostages board a bus that is supposed to take them to a safe space, and hopefully, back home, it is undeniable that their lives are altered forever. In a strange turn of fate, Sam finds himself at the opposite end of the story from where he started. While every one of the hostages echoes what he originally went through, Sam finds himself in a narratively unique position, neither fully in the light nor in the dark.
Read More: Is Hijack Season 2 Based on a True Hijacking in Berlin?
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