What major hero's shocking death means for ‘Snowpiercer’ Season 4
Contains spoilers for 'Snowpiercer’ Season 4
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Deaths are an inevitable part of post-apocalypse movies and series. Jennifer Connelly, Sean Bean, and Daveed Diggs starrer 'Snowpiercer' has also seen its share of casualties over the past three seasons. There have been moments when entire compartments were wiped out for the greater good. The deaths of pivotal characters like Pike (Steven Ogg) and LJ (Annalise Basso) were shocking in Season 3. However, these losses didn't impact us as deeply as the death of the show's most beloved character in Season 4.
Episode 5 of 'Snowpiercer' Season 4 titled 'The Engineer' contains one of the most heartbreaking moments of the entire show. Ben (Iddo Goldberg), an engineer on Snowpiercer, and Melanie Cavill's (Jennifer Connelly) love interest, is killed off, leaving viewers in shock.
How does Ben die in 'Snowpiercer' Season 4?
Ben, who stayed on Snowpiercer after the split of the two engines in 'Snowpiercer' Season 3, helps Ruth Wardell (Alison Wright) and Bess Till (Mickey Sumner) to disconnect Big Alice from Snowpiercer as they run out of time. After trying all the hacks on the computers, he realizes that the engines have to be manually decoupled. Therefore, he decides to step out of the train, into the cold weather for the manual override. The problem is, that they lack metal suits for protection.
Ben makes the ultimate sacrifice by going out without the metal suit and disjoining the train. While he completes the mission, he freezes to death. His death deeply impacts Bess Till, who had recently formed a close bond with him and had to watch him die.
Why Ben's death was necessary to the plot of 'Snowpiercer' Season 4?
To be honest, Ben's death could have been easily avoided if the creators wanted to. He had been in far more difficult situations including the one where Admiral Anton Milius (Clark Gregg) had him at gunpoint. Yet, the showrunners skipped this opportunity to utilize his character for a better impact.
In a scenario when the show's lead protagonist, Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) is off the rails due to his daughter's abduction, it is Ben who maintains the essence of the show. In the previous seasons, Andre would put himself in dangerous situations to save the others. However, with Andre now becoming more self-centered and endangering lives to save his child, it is Ben who steps up to make the ultimate sacrifice. He works to save the population at New Eden before it’s too late.
What does Ben's death mean for the future plot of 'Snowpiercer' Season 4?
It is only because of Ben's sacrifice that Ruth and Bess can take Big Alice to New Eden. However, it's a long road ahead for the two women as Miles (Jaylin Fletcher) is the only engineer they have on board. There's a dangerous bridge ahead of them, and Miles may not have the experience needed to navigate it safely.
Ben's absence will be felt in upcoming episodes, especially as more of his associates will learn about his sacrifice. Additionally, Melanie, who had previously given up her engine to save Ben, will also feel the impact of his loss. She would be heartbroken to find out about his death but at the same time, there may not be too much drama as Melanie is an emotionally strong person who knows how to handle grief.
Six episodes of 'Snowpiercer' Season 4 are now streaming on AMC+.