Nishan Chakrabartty
‘Snowpiercer’ season 1 is an exciting dystopic thriller layered in between some fascinating storytelling. Humanity’s struggle for survival is contained in the confines of Snowpiercer, a perpetually moving train with a rigid class hierarchy. We see the characters developing throughout season 1, especially Layton (Daveed Diggs), who controls the train. On the other hand, Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) has to relinquish her authority. In the face of Mr. Wilford’s arrival, both Layton and Melanie have to square off against a formidable foe.
The nascent revolution on the Snowpiercer is yet to realize its true potential, as Layton finds himself in the middle of a cold war between Big Alice and Snowpiercer. Season 1 ends on a cliff-hanger with multiple possibilities for the narrative to follow. The premiere of season 2 got us really intrigued, and we looked through its nuances. Here’s what we have for you. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 1 Recap
The episode starts right from where we were left at the end of season 1. Big Alice has clamped itself to the tail of Snowpiercer. The trains have come to a halt, and the members of Snowpiercer are given an ultimatum to meet certain demands of Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean) or risk their lives. Alexandra, Melanie’s daughter, enlists the demand of some weird things like a hen, cucumber slices, and morphine. Melanie is stranded on the outside of Snowpiercer, where Ben constantly coaxes her to climb aboard.
She ultimately manages to come aboard Big Alice after sabotaging the connection between the two trains. Melanie and Mr. Wilford finally come to face. While boarding Big Alice, Melanie is incapacitated by Kevin, Big Alice’s security member and Melanie’s former colleague. Mr. Wilford and Melanie engage in a war of words, where Mr. Wilford’s autocratic ways come to light. Melanie also meets with her daughter, and she is visibly surprised. Melanie now faces the precarious situation of handling Mr. Wilford as well as her aggrieved daughter.
Meanwhile, on the Snowpiercer, Ruth and the Hospitality members have to handle the fledgling democracy and, at the same time deal, with skirmishes with Big Alice. It is later revealed that Big Alice has some marvelous scientific discoveries onboard and a hulking brute, seemingly unaffected by sub-zero temperatures. The clash between Mr. Wilford and Layton pits two adversaries from different classes, which further takes the story through its central theme of survival amidst the chaos.
Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 1 Ending: What Happens to the Two Trains?
In the end, a skirmish into the Big Alice by the people of Snowpiercer gives us a first glimpse of the unrestful times to come. They manage to capture Kevin and are about to make their way to further coaches when they are stopped by a hulking figure called Icy Bob, a scientific anomaly who can survive freezing temperatures. It shows that Mr. Wilford has come prepared for any eventuality and is determined to wrest control of the Snowpiercer.
Mr. Wilford’s ego is evident from his gloating while taking over Snowpiercer, and thus, the attack leaves him fuming with anger. He orders the decoupling of the train, which will reverse back Snowpiercer to oblivion. As the mechanism is triggered, a bomb goes off, damaging the contraption which permanently attaches the two trains.
It is through Melanie’s clever engineering that Snowpiercer is saved from the wrath of Mr. Wilford. The train’s permanent coupling indicates that the trains’ members will now have to find a way to co-exist to survive the Freeze. Her disgruntled daughter, Alexandra, also praises Melanie’s understanding of the ways of Mr. Wilford. Even while captive, Melanie is able to get the better of Mr. Wilford, albeit momentarily. The trains conjoin together, which opens up the possibility of interaction between the fledgling democracy of Snowpiercer and the autocracy on Big Alice.
Why Does Layton Impose Martial Law?
Layton finds himself at the crossroads between the responsibility of an important position and the adversary in Mr.Wilford. The revolution seems to have disbanded the class divide, but there is no semblance of structure in Snowpiercer’s society. Layton has to efficiently manage the situation with the help of Ruth and Hospitality members. Moreover, Zarah and Layton bond together as Zarah is pregnant with their child.
Ruth offers him and Zarah first-class privileges because of their upcoming parenthood. Even though the class divide is gone, the privilege associated with it remains intact. Layton perhaps understands this disparity, and his political upmanship is slowly on the rise. Layton understands that he needs to have authority over Snowpiercer if he wishes to stand against Mr. Wilford and his power. Sensing an opportunity, Layton imposes martial law to utilize his own resources effectively.
A Role-Reversal
The martial law comes as a surprise given Layton’s penchant for equity, but the difficult situation forces him to upend his morals. Layton has to rescue Melanie so that he can gain the edge over Mr. Wilford. In essence, there has been a role-reversal between Melanie and Layton. It is evident from a particular scene, where a hostage from Big Alice is brought in front of Layton to give up secrets in lieu of real food, which reminds us of the time when Layton was in a similar position in season 1. It is a clever narrative device that reverses Layton’s position as we are left to wonder whether the power will catch up to Layton or not. The tail no longer is the end, but it has become a borderland between two radically different societies on the brink of war.
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