'Snowpiercer' Season 2 Episode 3 Spoilers: Josie's return puts 'King' Layton in a spot in 'A Great Odyssey'
The revolution, while bloody, is always the easier part, relatively speaking. But changing systemic oppression and prejudice is a work of a lifetime. Onboard the Snowpiercer that is now permanently hitched to Big Alice, we are seeing this transition work out in the most chaotic of circumstances. And the episodes just keep dishing out surprises.
One of the biggest plot points last week, of course, was the return of brave and incorruptible Josie (Katie McGuinness). Not till the last moment did we know what the title of the episode meant till we saw her eyes snap open in the neat little cliffhanger. Now, since magic goop is now a thing in the 'Snowpiercer' universe, Layton (Daveed Diggs) will figure out a deal to heal her completely.
Does having Josie by his side make it easier for him? Yes and no. For one, Josie, if she hasn't been mentally incapacitated from the freeze, is exactly the Jimney Cricket-type character Layton needs as he wades in the murky waters of class and survival politics. According to the synopsis, Layton will also be "forced to consider the choices he has made".
Josie's return means Layton can finally turn away from how Zarah (Sheila Vand) thinks — in terms of short term personal gains and losses. But Josie is also a fundamentalist revolutionary. She has an unbending quality to her — exactly the sort of confrontational spirit that is wrong for the delicate peace of the train-bound ecosystem, where many are Wilford fanatics looking for an equal and opposite force to push against.
"King" Layton also has many things to explain to Josie. He has devolved from the hero-figure of Season 1 to someone who has a lot more in common with Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly) than he could have imagined. There are reasons for this state of affairs, including the threat presented by Wilford. But the question is, will Josie understand and forgive Layton for the choices he has made? Also, will Zarah have some devious moves up her sleeve if she sees her own happiness with Layton and their child compromised, including colluding with nasty Mr Wilford (Sean Bean)?
In between all this domestic drama is, of course, the larger story of the train. According to the synopsis of Season 2 Episode 3, Melanie will be preparing to embark on the "most treacherous mission" of her life. This of course is to do with her discovery last week about the weather changing again. The denizens of both Big Alice and Snowpiercer might see themselves disembarking in the near future. This is what had brought the disparate elements of the train to have a polite though fake parley of sorts, discussing the best way to move forward as a species for survival.
Big Alice has some scientific breakthroughs to its name and Snowpiercer has food to survive till crops can be grown and animals can be reared. Not as exciting as magic goop but possibly more vital for survival. If Melanie volunteers to gets off the train, her daughter Alexandra might be the one helming the train in her absence, which means there is going to be an interesting dynamic in the train's engine room. And with Melanie, it won't be too far-fetched to state that reason will also leave it and passions and appeals to emotions will take precedence.
'Snowpiercer’ Season 2 Episode 3 releases on February 8, 2021, on TNT at 9 pm ET.