These Are His Revolutions
Snowpiercer episode 8 returns for the aptly titled “These Are His Revolutions”. On the one hand, this refers to Wilford’s train revolving around the snow-covered planet and the other directly referencing Layton’s bubbling rebellion. It’s a clever play on words and one that matches the cranked up intensity of this week’s episode which finally moves things along into action territory. Knowing just how volatile and unpredictable LJ is, Layton’s bombshell reveal last episode sets up the catalyst of events that follow this week. The episode begins with her heading up-train with Miles and seeing for herself what’s happening at the front of Snowpiercer. With no Wilford in sight and rebellious forces mobilizing in 3rd class, LJ lets her family know Melanie may be controlling the train. This inevitably results in a confrontation as Melanie is put on the spot and forced to bring Wilford to them in person. Unable to do so, Melanie shakes her head and reveals she’s not able to adhere to their request. For her deception, Melanie is put under confinement until further notice while Ruth and Nolan head up the train together to see if Wilford is there or not. Thanks to a mutinous decision between the two engineers at the front, Ruth learns the truth that Wilford has been dead since departure. Ruth decides Melanie needs to pay for what she’s done and, blinded by rage, she sits opposite Melanie and asks outright whether she killed Mr Wilford. It’s here we learn Wilford was the one who sold the tickets for the train before they departed while Melanie was the brains behind the project and built the train from the ground up. Despite her best attempts to convince Ruth, her colleague bitterly reveals that she’s going to be executed the next day. Meanwhile, Till and Layton begin the revolution, knocking out the guard between the Tail and 3rd class and opening the doors that bind those two carriages together. After a rallying speech that sees Layton riling the passengers up to chant “One Train”, the group head up with weapons in hand. Nolan soon catches wind of what’s happening and he rallies the troops to head down to meet them head-on. Layton and Till arrive first and reveal the truth about Wilford being in the drawer. They try to convince both the guards and 3rd class to work together and usurp first class. After an awkward bout of silence, Osweiller finally caves and they work together to hold the line from the Jackboots. The fight spills all the way up the train to the night-car. Blood is spilled and bodies carpet the floor like a grotesque mosaic. Unfortunately, the revolution hits a snag when the Jackboots regroup and blindside the wounded fragments of the rebellion. Scrambling to safety, Layton is overcome with shock as he looks upon his injured comrades and tries to plot their next move. While all this is going on, Klimpt works with Auss to begin waking up the various passengers in the drawers. However, when they open the drawer holding Pike he’s actually missing. Instead, it turns out he’s with the 1st class passengers and he agrees to give a blood-stained Nolan what he wants – Layton.
The Review Write-Up
With some exciting action this time around and an injection of pace with the beginning of the revolution, Snowpiercer finally starts to settle into a more consistent rhythm. While a lot of this series has swung like a pendulum between mystery and melodrama, the show finally starts to dip its proverbial feet into action now and Snowpiercer is all the stronger for it. Overall though the episode itself does well to keep things exciting and the ending will almost certainly see you tune in next week to see what happens next. From the looks of it, Snowpiercer is going to end with a roar rather than a whimper but the show has certainly taken its sweet time to clear its throat and reach this point.
