TNT
The newest episode of Snowpiercer is an unrelenting, pulse-pounding hour of action as the sudden appearance of Layton surprises and energizes Wilford, now more determined than ever to get his engine back. But Layton isn’t going to give up the fight that easily, confident that he has the upper hand. And for the most part he does because he has a shorter, faster train. Wilford has a few aces up his sleeve though, including Zarah whom he invites to the engine as a ‘spectator’. She knows implicitly that she’s there for one reason only — to keep Layton from attacking Big Alice.
Layton doesn’t know that Wilford also has something that resembles a whaling harpoon cannon, and as Snowpiercer once again flies past Big Alice to get into a better position for attack, Wilford’s army fires at Snowpiercer’s wheels, making several of the cars at the back unstable. Layton is forced to uncouple four cars before the whole trail is derailed, but he also has to make sure Asha, who is resting in one of those unstable cars is safe. Thankfully, Lights managed to get her out and the cars were cut loose. Asha, meanwhile, learned a quick lesson that the benevolent Mr. Wilford isn’t exactly who she thought he was.
Hoping to continue gaining on Big Alice, Layton has Snowpiercer diverted into a maze of tracks in a train yard, keeping Big Alice in close enough proximity that he can carry out his plan of boarding the train and taking control from Wilford. But Wilford isn’t about to just hand his train over to Layton, so he instructs Javi to go dark, running with no lights or radio signals which makes Snowpiercer blind, unable to detect exactly where Big Alice is. And that is dangerous because Big Alice could simply come up behind or in front of them and they’d never know it. So Layton plays Wilford’s game and goes dark as well.
Pike needs to get to Ruth to get her out of her cell, and threatens the civilian who was placed in charge of guarding her. The intimidation worked, but Ruth said the only way he’d be able to get her free would be to kill Kevin and take the key. But she has another way for the Resistance to let Layton know where they are in the dark. Following Ruth’s instructions, Pike heads to the old Hospitality office and finds a manual marked New Year Protocols and the next thing you know Big Alice is setting off fireworks. Till was the first to spot them but now knowing the location of Big Alice, Layton puts his next plan into action, preparing Josie to go outside, and bringing Miss Audrey to the engine.
But Wilford is now feeling betrayed by the people on his train so he sends Kevin to exact some revenge. Kevin commandeers the Night Car, ordering LJ and Oz to make themselves useful as he and his goons bring in a bunch of passengers associated with the Resistance, one of them being Strong Boy. Oz does not have the stomach for what is about to go down, but LJ seems rather turned on by the whole scene playing out before them, as Kevin tries to get Strong Boy to talk … by freezing and smashing his fingers one-by-one. Still refusing to give up any information, Kevin decides that if Strong Boy won’t talk then he doesn’t need his tongue and he shoves the cold air tube in his prisoner’s mouth. RIP Strong Boy.
TNT
Snowpiercer is still running dark and out of that darkness they pull up right in front of Big Alice, completely taking Wilford by surprise. Layton radios to Wilford, who reluctantly responds. Layton wants to end this siege without violence but he also needs to know if Zarah is safe. She responds that she is fine, but Wilford also needs to know if Miss Audrey is safe. Layton puts a spotlight on her in the darkened engine so Wilford can see her. While his attention is diverted, Bennett radios to Javi to open a door and he is able to flip a switch without Wilford noticing. Layton makes it clear to Wilford that now is the time to surrender and he has Snowpiercer move forward just enough to tap Big Alice and push her backward, something Javi assures Wilford will not be good if they lose control in reverse.
Wilford thinks Layton is bluffing, but he relents and tells his men to stand down and allow Layton to board the train. Then he sees Josie on the windshield of his engine, threatening to break the glass to gain entry but he knows she won’t do it with Zarah there. But she’s not playing and as she again makes a motion to break the glass, Wilford quickly closes the safety door … and just as quickly realizes his mistake because there is now no one in the driver’s seat. He basically handed Big Alice to Josie, and even more to his surprise is Layton standing behind him. And Layton is not playing anymore, putting a pick through Wilford’s hand and giving him a major beat down. In the Night Car, LJ and Oz know that Layton has boarded and taken control, so in a major act of self-preservation LJ joins the Resistance and … stabs Kevin in the throat. He’s probably not coming back from this one.
Layton made a deal with Wilford to allow him and Audrey to live out their lives confined to a First Class car, but Wilford seems to be confined to the same cell Ruth was in, and Audrey is confined to Third Class. Ruth and Pike join Layton and the others as power is restored, the trains are recoupled, and they begin their journey. The first order of business is to get Roche and his family out of the drawers, but they are shocked to discover his wife did not survive. When Roche and his daughter are finally awakened, is he going to blame this on Layton or Wilford?
And now with Layton back in control, he’s got to convince Ruth that they need to go to the Cape of Africa because that is the one place on Earth where they can survive off the train. Ruth isn’t sure this is a good idea, and she doesn’t want to have sacrificed one ‘king’ on Snowpiercer for another. Layont assures her that this will be a democratic decision — the people will vote. Ruth questions whether Layton will be able to accept a no vote, but he’s confident he’ll be able to talk his way into getting the votes he needs, even if it means one more lie. The last lie, he promises, and Ruth responds that is unlikely because it feels like the train needs lies to operate. But Layton gets on the intercom to make his case for the trip, pressing Asha into service to help with his plan. After having been rescued by him, she really can’t say no so she lets her voice be heard by the astonished passengers as she tells them all that she is from this ‘New Eden’ where Layton ‘found’ her. The lie works and the passengers vote nearly two-to-one to head to the Cape of Africa. Layton believes they are on the right path, but Ruth isn’t so sure. Only time will tell.
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