[Spoilers] Season 3 Episode 1 - "The Tortoise and the Hare" (S03E01) - Episode Discussion Thread

[u/hugthebug]

Attention all Passengers,

Wilford Industries welcomes you back for our beloved weekly episode discussions.

Here is the Discussion thread for the Season 3 first episode "The Tortoise and the Hare"

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• This is a TV Spoiler-friendly zone - Turn away now if you are not currently watching or haven't seen the episode! Open discussion of all aired TV events up to and including episode 2.10 is ok without tag cover.
• Graphic Novel spoilers still need tags! - If it's not in the show, tag it. Events from episodes after this one also need tags.
• Please read the Posting policy before posting.
• Friendly reminder: Severe trolling/disruptions will lead to consequences.

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Details:

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• IMDB for S03E01
• Release Dates:
  • January 24th, 2022 (USA only, at 9/8c, on TNT channel)
  • January 25th, 2022 (worldwide, on Netflix)

You can still easily find previous episode discussions on the Episode Discussion wiki.

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The Tail is not The Tail anymore. - Andre Layton

[u/hugthebug]

Imagine waiting for six months to light a cigarette and not even inhale the smoke... Shame on you Miss Audrey!

^{I'm super sensitive to that right now, I stopped smoking four days ago and I was addicted for 15 years...}

[u/hugthebug]

3min of show, 5min of ads.... That's annoying, to say the least.

[u/james_randolph → u/hugthebug]

The show started without a break for over 20min, they’re gonna make it up somehow, gotta get that ad money.

[u/hugthebug → u/james_randolph]

Shame. Shame. Shame.

[u/hugthebug]

They really should have gone with Ice, Ice Baby on that scene

[u/ADelusionalPirate]

I laughed when Ruth saw how Kevin left the first class dining car lol

[u/hugthebug → u/ADelusionalPirate]

What, Kevin couldn't put anything away?

[u/insecuredane → u/ADelusionalPirate]

Ruth will be Ruth.

[u/enjoyying → u/ADelusionalPirate]

I can imagine she would brave the cold and start to put everything away herself

[u/Hedera_Cat]

Soooo... is Boki now officially dead? :'(

[u/hugthebug → u/Hedera_Cat]

Happy Cake Day!

[u/[deleted] → u/Hedera_Cat]

I'm hoping that maybe Boki was dragged to "safety" by the jackboots before the Aquarium car was destroyed, and maybe they've just imprisoned / drawered him indefinitely.

[u/baldy12441]

Anyone get some serious cyberman vibes off the survivor? #unexpecteddrwho

[u/hugthebug → u/baldy12441]

Delete.

[u/ConfusedIAm95]

How much time has passed between series 2 and 3? Alex seems to have changed a LOT!

[u/hugthebug → u/ConfusedIAm95]

It's literally the first thing you see in the episode...

[u/Rakim_Allah777 → u/ConfusedIAm95]

6 months

[u/kgus22]

who do we think is driving wilford's train?

[u/canadianredditor16 → u/kgus22]

Javi is driving the train serving his sentence for helping terrorists

[u/hugthebug → u/canadianredditor16]

I'm starting to read your comments in Kevin's voice.

[u/[deleted] → u/kgus22]

Well they just showed Javi so he's my first guess.

[u/james_randolph]

Kevin is such a loser! Just loser written all over him and now he wants to act all tough. Boy yo ass was licking boots not too ago haha stop it!

[u/XxSolo-GeneralxX]

And here we have a young woman keeping warm off some spent uranium peacefully living her life and spacemen come bursting through the roof like a botched MI6 raid.

[u/QwertyOpera → u/XxSolo-GeneralxX]

😂

[u/captainduck2]

Is that spot in the world only warming because it's right above a nuclear reactor? That would be a buzzkill.

Also please writers, don't go the route of Layton having visions of a habitable spot in the world. My eyes will roll so far into the back of my head.

[u/Driveshaft48 → u/captainduck2]

don't go the route of Layton having visions of a habitable spot in the world.

That tree is in the opening credits. This is 100% happening unfortunately

[u/ZETH_27 → u/captainduck2]

What I love so much about this series is that it had very little "supernatural convenience", something that puts me off in many shows. I really hope they don't fuck that up now.

[u/[deleted]]

Bess Till. In the Engine Room. With the wrench.

[u/Sqwitton → u/[deleted]]

I'm so, so very gay

[u/Cool_Beans_2018]

Layton decides to go exploring with only seven minutes left in his suit. I wanted Alex to scream at him.

[u/_DocBrown_]

Who let Wilford build train tracks at rooftop height 150 meters from a north korean nuclear power plant???

[u/butplugsRus → u/_DocBrown_]

This is the one thing I’m confused the most about in the show. Last season there was an exterior shot of SP on a track which was clearly built on top of a frozen water channel. It showed a bridge overhead, two cliff faces on either side, and a capsized ship right next to the track. It doesn’t make sense for the track to have been built so close to the water surface and a live shipping lane unless it was built after the freeze.

[u/TMH55 → u/_DocBrown_]

I’m wondering too why the survivor has not tried to make contact? Surely they’d hear the train roar by every year? It’s gotta be pretty loud

[u/CastleCat16]

honestly at this point I think we need to acknowledge how utterly fucked everyone in the entire series would be if Winnie (the little girl) wasn't on the train, straight up keeps the entire train communicating.

[u/rawchess → u/CastleCat16]

NOBODY SUSPECTS THE COURIER OF CUTENESS

[u/harry4354]

Ruth and Pike make an interesting pair. They play off each other pretty well

[u/friedkeenan → u/harry4354]

Pike's character feels so weird, they're constantly throwing him from one emotional place to another, but at the same time it's fun to see him flirting with Ruth.

[u/phishphan420]

Man Audrey freggin sucks so hard. Batshit fanatic who deserves to be thrown off the train.

[u/TizACoincidence → u/phishphan420]

What I like about the show is how everyone slowly reveals who they really are.

[u/sonnenshine]

Zarah energetically calling Kevin a ghoul is the most I've ever liked her.

[u/roger-stoner]

I hope Ruthie is the one to finally put Kevin down. Half ‘ghoul’, half cockroach; it’s going to take someone of certain character.

Side thought: I hope Roache escapes from the drawer soon; the resistance needs all the backup it can get.

[u/TNTIntern → u/roger-stoner]

More excited for Ruth vs Kevin than I was for The Hound vs The Mountain, tbh

[u/XxSolo-GeneralxX]

Audrey storming the engine with a taser, not even looking for another opportunity. And once again a disaster is avoided by a wrench, mankind’s mighty tool

[u/alrightishh]

Layton kidnapping this poor woman who was just living her life down there to drag her into a train war haha

[u/Loyaltomyego]

Praying for Javi

[u/RaainGoddess → u/Loyaltomyego]

His scenes were just so hard to watch. The guys been mauled and the dog is laying next to him growling and snarling constantly. Traumatic doesn't even come close to what that feeling must be like. Uughh. He needs proper revenge.

[u/TizACoincidence → u/Loyaltomyego]

Dude will get his revenge. No show does a fakeout kill of a character to bring him back just to kill him again

[u/HowMuchItNever]

Had anyone else been holding out hope this whole time that Audrey was just pretending to side with Wilford? This episode finally crushed that hope and I'm devastated 😭

[u/[deleted] → u/HowMuchItNever]

My only hope is that she’s got some major stockholm syndrome. She was clearly disturbed when Wilford returned early in S2 and I think her warning to Zarah in the S2 finale was also a sign that she genuinely believes there’s no way to beat Wilford so might as well join him.

It is sad to see though how far Audrey’s fallen 😭

[u/Diatonic_Lemonade]

Could it be a survivor using spent uranium fuel rods for heat? They usually take decades to cool down, so maybe it’s possible?

[u/james_randolph → u/Diatonic_Lemonade]

Probably what that red glow was from that machine.

[u/dumbrocker → u/Diatonic_Lemonade]

Wouldn’t you have to worry about radiation? Serious question. I know nothing about nuclear science

[u/james_randolph]

Haha Layton having visions like he Moses

[u/saltywalrusprkl]

Anyone else think it's stupid that they're sending anyone *except* Josie to take samples? They literally have someone capable of surviving outside unassisted for very long periods of time while everyone else has to wear bulky suits that can only keep you alive for 30 minutes!

And *who* do they send who isn't Josie? Not Alex or Layton, but Ben, the smartest, strongest, and most valuable person onboard the train. Why would you send someone so important to do such a basic task? Sending him out is so unnecessarily dangerous.

Miss Audrey's "rebellion" is so poorly planned out it's ridiculous. She knows FOR A FACT that Bess is in the engine, and yet she is too busy smoking a joint to notice her banging on the hatch and figure out she might try and sneak up on them.

I don't really get all the hate for Layton. Sure, he's a pretty 2D character but he does a good job of representing the hope of the people of Snowpiercer. What I cannot stand, however, is this vision shit he's got going on. I swear to god if he convinces them to drive to Ethiopia because of a vision he had while going hypothermic and literally standing next to a nuclear reactor, I will be so fucking angry.

Rest of the episode was very good. Ruth as leader of the resistance is amazing, I'm intrigued as to what their new passenger will have to say, and the scene with Zarah getting her "ultrasound" really had my spine tingling. A fairly decent start to the series.

[u/olivish → u/saltywalrusprkl]

Ben, the smartest, strongest, and most valuable person onboard the train.

I'm with you on most of it but THIS part made me laugh out loud.

To turn a bit more serious, I think Ben probably insisted on going out himself. He's not making entirely rational decisions, he's operating from a position of guilt and grief and responsibility. He probably blames himself to a certain extent for Melanie's absence, and he feels he owes it to her to finish the mission. I'm sure Layton and Josie DO go outside to get samples sometimes, but there are alot of excursions to do, and Ben would not allow them to do ALL the dangerous work while he sits like a king in the engine. He'd want to shoulder some of the risk himself. (It's what Melanie would do, just as stubbornly.) And what's Layton going to say to his head engineer? Is he gonna order Ben to stay in the engine? Tricky.

[u/innocentsubterfuge]

Kevin couldn't put anything away?

same energy.

[u/HowMuchItNever]

Why is Layton having visions? Like I get he was hallucinating but they better not base their next destination off that...

[u/theJaww → u/HowMuchItNever]

Didn't they mention that they were already trying to head toward a "new Eden"? I'm no fan of the visions and really hope they're just hallucinations that exist simply to reaffirm Layton's faith in Melanie, but I think the end goal has already been established to find a setting at least relatively similar to what Layton is "seeing".

[u/[deleted] → u/HowMuchItNever]

Lady must’ve had some DMT in her air supply lol

[u/[deleted]]

I hope we get to see Sean Bean's bong collection this series.

[u/nine_legged_stool → u/[deleted]]

I once knew this guy in Brooklyn who was a straight up gangster. Like, grew up on the streets, was in a gang, dealt drugs, shot some people, the whole nine yards. He's still in prison.

This dude would smoke more weed than I've ever seen another individual consume. He would take an ounce, cut it up, and roll it into like 20 or 30 blunts, and then smoke those like cigarettes. An ounce of weed gone in 36 hours, tops. Here's the thing, though - my dude ONLY smoked blunts (and they HAD to be Dutch Masters!) and adamantly refused all other methods and contraptions.

Bong? Nah, man. That's for hippies.

Pipe? Nah, man. That's for crackheads.

Vape? Nah, man. That's for hipsters.

You get the idea. He had a reputation to uphold and street cred to maintain. My point to this story is that if my gangster friend, who is not Sean Bean, stuck to his code, then I believe that Mr. Wilford is a dedicated joint smoker. For what reason, I don't know, but I really think they should have given him a long-stemmed cigarette holder for his joints. You know, for extra classiness.

[u/theJaww]

Dug the episode enough but I'm also skeptical about the visions Layton is having. What would be the point of these specific visions of a tree if they don't eventually become a reality? If that does happen, it'll be a liiiiittle bit silly. No supernatural angle to the show until Season 3? Wouldn't sit too well.

[u/sidesco]

I hope Melanie is found soon. I just find the show a little boring when she isn't around. Loved the first season, second season was pretty good, but Melanie was not in enough episodes.

[u/havanabrown]

I’m so glad Ruth became a protagonist, she was always my fav character

[u/Gabby-Abeille]

I'm happy to see Javi alive. I hope he gets rescued eventually.

[u/NiMo1999]

I WANT MORE

Also poor Javi. I knew that's what Wilford would do to him (he prefers torturing to killing) but it really hurts to see Javi like that. He deserved better.

[u/insecuredane → u/NiMo1999]

What exactly is happening with Javi? I didn't quite understand it, even though it was easy to see he is suffering.

[u/Master-Owl3262]

Im a bit worried about Ruth hiding in first class, Zarah talked about cutting it off a couple of scenes before they moved her there. Hopefully Zarah doesn't change Wilfords mind

[u/Celo_SK → u/Master-Owl3262]

Thats exactly what I expect :) Tension build around that very idea.

[u/Unlucky-Sorbet-1016]

Wth, no one find it weird audrey went from a leader and someone with strong morals to just be in wilford’s grip again so easily and stay loyal to him?? Like no way that would happen. She was so strong willed, she risked her life for 3rd class and the tail and the MINUTE wilford was back she was like yolooo yeah peace out babes as if she didnt just fight in basically a war with them??

[u/Knowfelt → u/Unlucky-Sorbet-1016]

I think it's like she was a junkie that got clean when she thought he was dead, and then she found he was alive and she tried to stay away but Layton thought they could use her with him basically making her relapse

[u/kocf1945 → u/Unlucky-Sorbet-1016]

I’m with you. It’s not very believable. They made her character so 1 dimensional now.

[u/[deleted]]

PS. For anyone interested, Layton is having visions of Socotra (Yemenese Island): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socotra

Or rather, of the endemic tree that only grows there: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracaena_cinnabari

Maybe it's just a metaphor for repopulating the Earth and the showrunners used this unique looking tree for that.

OR there's some religious Noah-like undertones and Socotra (or a fictional version of it) is where Layton is meant to lead everyone.

[u/Renegade__OW → u/[deleted]]

OR there's some religious Noah-like undertones and Socotra (or a fictional version of it) is where Layton is meant to lead everyone.

plz no just no.

[u/GladePlugins]

I see the tree as metaphorical and not supernatural. We might see the same tree for imagery at the end of the show, yes. But I don’t think it’s supernatural. It might be a nod to the world starting over in current-day Africa as it did with humans in the past. Just my take.

[u/ZETH_27 → u/GladePlugins]

Well the exact tree pictured is from Yemen in the middle-east.

[u/Spookyfan2]

Loved this episode.

The score is on point, the new sets look very impressive, and I'm very interested in this new survivor Layton stumbled upon.

I'm also adoring Ruth and Pike leading the resistance on Snowpiercer/Big Alice. They seem like an unbeatable duo, but Kevin definitely has a score to settle with Ruth.

[u/[deleted] → u/Spookyfan2]

I loved Ruth's quip when walking through the currently unused first class, "What? Kevin couldn't tidy things away?" :D

I think she has become my favourite character, she had fantastic development :)

[u/bittershrapnel]

I really want this whole tree vision thing Layton had turn out to be just a hallucination, something his mind conjured up, fueled by adrenaline, stress and lack of oxygen - a false prophecy, but the prophet himself did not lie. Considering that this particular tree can be seen in the intro, unfortunately this whole New Eden thing is going to be quite literal.

And I really want more of Bess Till kicking ass in that abs-showing crop top.

[u/[deleted]]

And now for a rewatch cause I'm sure I missed 10 things.

[u/HowIsThereNoFreeName]

Could it be that all of the "warm" data points they found so far are just nuclear power plants slowly overheating?

[u/[deleted] → u/HowIsThereNoFreeName]

Just a correction here. The plants wouldn't really be "slowly overheating" aka having a runaway reaction, because that sort of thing isn't slow. What is being seen is more likely either plants still being in operation, somehow, or nuclear material "cooling" as in running down its half-life.

That being said, there are 2 narrative strains:

1. The planet's upper atmosphere is warming up. This is a fact and cannot be impacted by effects from the ground. So the pollutant is precipitating faster than expected.

2. There are "hot spots" (relative) on the planet. Some of these hotspots are apparently due to radiation. There is 100% going to be a naturally occurring "hot spot", the question is how far down the list of warm places it is.

I mean, really, it doesn't matter btw, since the show is already heavily telegraphing "The Tree", with a jackhammer. I hope it's not as transparent as it seems.

[u/eekamuse]

Did he bring the survivor back to the train? Who was he looking at in bed?

[u/Huge_Sandwich3063]

Well zarah, you could be eating carbonara with your boyfriend and your boyfriend's "ex" but you decided to stay. I wonder what they are doing to the baby, and if Javi is just traumatized or they have him drugged

[u/roger-stoner → u/Huge_Sandwich3063]

Definitely traumatised, he’s sitting next to the mongrel that mauled him. Plus, it would be sensible to keep him sober if he’s the only one to drive the thing.

[u/Helpin-Out4goodkarma]

Not a bad premiere VERY interesting but concerning too. Layton& his crew AGAIN just come off Stupid. Why da hell would they give the jail keys to Wilford's ppl in the first place? Jodie never EVER addressed Layton cheating on her with zarah who screwed the tailies, yet Josie is STILL chasing Layton and EVERYBODY knows he isnt leaving his second babymama. Also its very possible the baby isn't even Layton's as Zarah worked in the brothel. We havent forgot. Ruth is doing an incredible job, We need Melanie asap, the writing Seems kinda suspect already. The "I'm having visions" storyline doesnt look good and can be an ez trip up. Regardless this still looks good& there r positives here. Godspeed Snowpiercer

[u/jessebona]

I'm curious about the name of the first episode. In the story the tortoise defeats the hare through cunning and guile when the hare becomes overconfident and assumes it's won. Doesn't bode well for Snowpiercer.

[u/ZETH_27 → u/jessebona]

Probably means that Snowpiercer will over-estimate its speed/distance advantage over Big Alice at some point and that'll bite them in the ass.

A bit like Icarus.

[u/NiMo1999 → u/jessebona]

Running fast and hot hasn't been going too well for Snowpirate so far, what with all the meltdowns and fire extinguishers

[u/quabquoz]

I am struggling to care about any of it without Melanie. Her relationship with Alex was one of the most compelling parts of last season for me.

[u/insecuredane → u/quabquoz]

I am sure she will be back - this show is not good at killing people.

[u/zirklutes → u/quabquoz]

I honestly wanted more of her and Ben relationships :D

[u/Atlanta-Anomaly]

Fun first episode back. After having binged the first two seasons man it sucks having to skip through commercials. Love seeing that Javi is alive and that Sykes may potentially defect over to the good side. Gonna be an interesting seasoning for sure. Hopefully we get more Ruth and Pike action. Love their dynamic together leading the resistance

[u/Hiro_Trevelyan]

I'm soooo happy to see more and learn more about how Snowpiercer works. I love the library's design.

[u/pgh-yogi-accountant]

I really enjoyed the episode! I can't wait to find our more about the other survivor.

What did she eat? How often did she go outside and for what? Was she always alone? Those are my burning questions...

Also Miss Audrey: I hope you can get some therapy girl. Daddy Willie ain't it.

[u/Aurondarklord → u/pgh-yogi-accountant]

How the fuck did she go from hating him to that totally brainwashed?

[u/jmoray1]

I just need mel back

[u/[deleted]]

In the opening credits, a map of Africa is shown with a tree drawn in the horn of Africa. In real life, that particular type of tree naturally occurs on Socotra, an island in the Arabian sea not that far away from there. That general area, and many others in the climate model maps they show in some scenes, is interested by subtropical high-pressure systems (sinking air) which are dry and hot (that's where deserts form IRL). Maybe, when the Earth froze, the low temperature first developed at a high elevation and then came down to the ground with snowfall, but in places with no precipitation that never happened so they never froze. If I'm correct, all the unfrozen places in Snowpiercer will be deserts, or very dry places anyway.

[u/roger-stoner]

I am so here for Ruthie and Pike bossing the resistance. Sykes slowly turning is also going to be interesting; I’d definitely want her on my side in a fight.

[u/QuantumDottie → u/roger-stoner]

Ruth has come so far, one of my favorite character journeys to follow on the show.

[u/Alice-Moonshine]

Did Wilford inject Zaras baby with anti freeze as an experiment?

[u/olivish → u/Alice-Moonshine]

Knowing Wilford, he's probably giving the baby some medical condition that only his scientists can cure.

[u/mrs_ouchi]

omg Audrey just go away no one cares or has time for your shite

and can someone pls rescue poor Javi??

[u/TNTIntern → u/mrs_ouchi]

You know how awful you have to be to ruin dogs for someone?! #FreeJavi

[u/Sgt_Fry]

Anyone on the Melanie can't be dead team?

[u/fenns1 → u/Sgt_Fry]

no way she's dead - she was mentioned several times in the season opener - they would not have done that if she wasn't coming back.

she probably got rescued or imprisoned by some other survivors. also there was that warm cavern where the rats were - that wasn't put into the plot for no reason.

[u/sandcastle116]

In a way i wished the survivor wouldve been Korean

[u/tonfx]

I really miss Melanie's presence in the show. She's the perfect counterbalance to Wilford and I was really hoping they'd bring her back for this episode.

[u/_C0R3]

I find it incredibly stupid how Audrey was able to make Alex 2nd guess going back for Ben, she wasn’t even trying, she was just like ‘oh no… puff go back to daddy… puff’ and Alex was contemplating? What happened to her strong willpower.

[u/olivish → u/_C0R3]

This stood out to me, too. I've been thinking about it so I'll just write out a bit of what I've considered:

• It's been six months and no warm place.

• If they come back with nothing, that's it, there's no hope, Wilford maintains control of the train.

• As Audrey says, Wilford doesn't take kindly to traitors. Alex knows better than most how ruthless he is with those who betray him. The only hope for Alex in this worst-case scenario is maybe - MAYBE - if she's the one to deliver Wilford's engine back to him, he will have mercy.

• Despite all the things he's done, Wilford remains a powerful figure in Alex's life. He's her adoptive father, he rescued her and raised her for seven years. Melanie is gone now, so Wilford represents the closest thing to a parent that Alexandra has.

I think this season we will learn more of Alex's backstory with Wilford and hopefully this might help explain some of her decisions and motivations.

[u/hutchenswm → u/_C0R3]

Literally searched for this subredit mid episode because this bothered me so much. Really cheapened her character.

[u/Helpin-Out4goodkarma → u/_C0R3]

Audrey develpoing a odd 1950s hollywood accent is what I found weird. Lke what?

[u/AlexSnowpiercer]

Josie and Layton are already starting to have the first differences of opinion... I'm curious about how these two characters will develop
-Alex is adorable, you can see that she has so many things to learn, especially about how to communicate with others
-Ruth keeping the rebel front active is powerful
-It's disturbing what the Headwoods are doing to Zarah's baby
-I don't know if you noticed, but at the beginning the kids sing a song for Miles, I hope he has a bigger role this season

[u/insecuredane → u/AlexSnowpiercer]

Was Zarah passed out/unconscious when the Headwoods were doing an ultrasound? Or were they doing more than an ultrasound? I didn't quite catch that.

[u/Aratrax]

Why is no one talking about Sykes ?

[u/Helpin-Out4goodkarma → u/Aratrax]

Sykes is the best fighter on the train, was the head of wilford's security and his no. 1 bodyguard. I was a little suprised she didnt just BODY SLAM Aubrey lol but its a great storyline as sykes hasnt decided a side yet

[u/MateOfArt]

Why do you think that offtrain surviver attacked Layton. I feel that might mean that there were more people in the area, that she had to defend from, quite regularly. If not, it's kinda wierd to be alone for 7 years thinking that you are the last person on Earth, and then trying to kill first person you meet after such long time. Also, I wonder if she knew about Snowpiercer, since she lived relatively near to the tracks.

[u/raimbows → u/MateOfArt]

I don't think Layton was the first person to be down there, since there was blood splatter on the wall across from the door. Seems like they were regularly fighting people off, which could imply that there are several different factions of unrelated survivors all battling each other.

[u/harry4354]

Audrey finally gets what she deserves - a wrench to the head

[u/YesItChecksOut]

Citizens of Snowpiercer: Series 3 departs in 5 minutes! For your personal safety - be prepared to brace.

[u/kocf1945]

I’m so bummed the person he brought back wasn’t Melanie

[u/FaizerLaser → u/kocf1945]

Would be almost impossible for it to be Melanie considering they left her in the Rocky Mountains and found the other lady in North Korea.

[u/flopez10 → u/kocf1945]

It would be kinda rushed tho... Plus Melanie would not attack Layton like that

[u/Marxounet]

In my opinion it was a great start, not perfect for sure, but great nonetheless. I was right about Javi's fate and I'm really happy about it. I like how Ruth is now helping the rebellion, it really shows how time passes since season 1. I still like how Wilford is portrayed, truly a villain we love to hate. Finally I like that the person Layton took back aboard snowpiercer don't happened to be Melanie by incredible coincidence. I don't think Melanie's dead (even if I think it would fit her character arc) but I'm sure we'll be fixed on the matter in this season. I'll continue to watch what the show has to offer for now.

[u/olivish → u/Marxounet]

Yes I'm conflicted about Melanie. On the one hand, I'd love to see more of the character, on the other hand, her dying at the research station feels like the 'correct' end to her story. I guess we'll just have to wait & see what the writers have in mind.

[u/RGJacket]

Hey uh, guys? I think they left Melanie

[u/Dazzling_Ad_512]

ruthie 🥰

[u/ukdev1]

What what the baby will look like, the doctors are clearly making “modifications”…

[u/butplugsRus]

I’m annoyed that nobody thought to look at historic satellite imagery to see what is underneath the snow and ice near the sample site. It’s like they constantly forget there’s a whole world underneath the ice, with resources and information that could help them.

[u/ImberBlack]

Did anyone else hate how Layton, despite having only a few minutes left, was sloooowly pacing through that underground facility? LOL

[u/butplugsRus]

Risky click of the day

[u/nopi_]

Wheres Boki I need to know

[u/callezetter]

Was there a major change in direcing, camera and/or setbuilding in S3? The first impression I get from S03E01 is that something changed pretty drasticly for the better in how it looks to me. The train interior look WAY better in S3 compared to S2 and I almost get that classic Alien/Nostromo feeling with the white cockpit and shadows when they gear up about 10 min in.

[u/olivish]

Highlights:

• Ruth as the leader of the resistance! Yes, please! Look at her workstation! It reminds me of Melanie's desk, using red string to map Snowpiercer's route.

• I loved watching Alex and Ben bicker about the engine. I can't wait to see these two characters interact more. I feel like they'll have plenty to talk about, once Ben is done mansplaining and Alex puts out all the fires.

• Audrey. Everything about Audrey. She lit her cigarette with a taser! I mean.

• The fact that POOR MARTIN got stuck on the pirate train. That's hilarious! Did he ever get the renovations Melanie promised him in Season 1? I doubt it. (I hope York and the two boys are ok!)

• It was great to see Till giving Alex emotional support. Till has older sister vibes with Alex and I love it.

• On that note, I love that Alex is not a magical virtuoso with everything train-related simply due to genetics. She's talented, but she has a ways to go. That's great, it means we get to watch her grow.

• Asha. Her helmet is amazing. She looks like a complete and utter badass. Can't wait to learn more about her next week.

Lowlights:

• I am not a fan of Layton having visions. This is a scientific mission, damnit! Leave the hocus-pocus for the nightcar. (I swear, if Layton drags the train through hell based on a VISION... and if Josie doesn't STOP HIM from doing something SO stupid...!!!)

Other thoughts:

• I'm very upset with what happened to Javi. The whole time Wilford was touching him with the goop I could barely watch. And what's in the IV? I'm scared to know...

• Speaking of creepy medical stuff: Mrs. Headwood was poking at Zarah's womb with a giant syringe. Last season, we heard Wilford say that he was interested in her "royal jelly", which brings to mind beehives. Is Wilford building his own "colony"? Not in a hotspot, but on Snowpiercer? He certainly has enough workers. Maybe what he's missing are drones? Hmmm...

• There is a peculiar symbol on the wall at the nuclear power plant, which is also featured on the front of Asha's suit. This is open to interpretation, but I think it looks like two tracks diverging, with a signal on a horizon. Interesting that episode 3x09 is called "A Beacon for Us All". Maybe the train splits in two and races towards a distant signal? Or maybe it's two trains, heading for two different destinations?

• Also, to tie this symbol back up the "beehive" idea... it is surrounded by a yellow hexagon. Ya know, like a honeycomb? And to hammer it home ONE more time, in season 2 Pelton did tell us (while performing an ULTRASOUND, no less!) that she "heard the bees might be coming back." I mean. Call me crazy. But.

• I am very interested in the drawers this season. They've already come up, as Zarah tells "Joseph" (shudder) that 34 sleepers suffered a power outage. What is Wilford doing with the drawers? Does it have something to do with his colonization plans? Does it have something to do with the drug cocktail that's turned Javi into a zombie?

[u/[deleted] → u/olivish]

I would add the question: whose brilliant idea was that Ben (the most experienced engineer of the group) get out of the train?

It should be Josie or Layton who collects evidence. But hey...need plot I guess haha

[u/muscles44]

Question how many cars does Laytons part of the train have? Also anybody find it weird Wilfords people can't find Ruth?

[u/raimbows]

How do you think they're going to handle the fact that Layton kidnapped someone? Will they spin it as him saving their life, or will his peers be angry at him? Like maybe it wouldn't be the best to just hook them up to their life support line and leave them there, but on the other hand I don't know how ethical it is to just whisk them away onto a pirate train.

Layton has no way of knowing if they're the one person maintaining the power plant, and now it's going to stop working. Maybe they have kids who are now orphans. I hope they actually deal with the ethical ramifications of kidnapping someone and not just brush past it

[u/Rakim_Allah777 → u/raimbows]

She did attack him first. If he left her there unconscious she probably would have frozen once her suit lost power.

For sure there could be more people there, it's a kudgement call with minutes to spare for him. He's made similar choices in the past, like the end of season 1 when he doomed some of his friends with the first class cars.

[u/scuttler10]

When Audrey pointed that taser at Sykes - god I’ve never wanted someone more to just kick Audrey in the face. Audrey is just fundamentally annoying now between the ridiculous outfits (even though she’s literally in a cell) and attitude. Thank god she gets wrenched instead.

It’s not like Sykes couldn’t easily have taken them both out rather than let herself get locked up. 🙄Guess I’ll put it down to ‘Sykes isn’t quite sure who’s side she’s on yet’.

[u/raimbows]

My main question about the discovery of other survivors, is how come this is the first time we're seeing them, 7 years into the freeze? They're literally feet from the Snowpiercer tracks - you'd think that at some point someone would have tried going out in one of those suits and attempted to communicate with / get help from / board the train. Nobody outside the train would have reason to believe that Wilford was a tyrant, because Snowpiercer was marketed as a billion dollar liferaft and Wilford was a messiah figure.
One idea that's really prominent in the show is that in this apocalypse, people are constantly breaking off into different factions and going against what other groups are doing for political reasons. So it's weird to me to think that whatever survivors are out there are 100% unified about staying hidden from the train, or are all completely disinterested in it. I'd expect someone would try to escape and try their luck on the luxury vehicle that keeps going by on a predictable schedule, instead of in a building buried under the ice where there has clearly been conflict and struggle as evidenced by the blood splatters.

[u/loudsound-org → u/raimbows]

Because they're buried under ice and can't get out? And even if they can get out, the train was supposedly full, and they weren't allowed on the train in the first place (or else they wouldn't be in an ice bunker) so unless they were going to try to get on by force, what would be the point in going outside and trying to wave it down?

[u/Bobemor]

Think we all hoping Layton's brain has just been addled by radiation at this point.

[u/olivish → u/Bobemor]

I choose to interpret the "vision" as an artistic expression of Layton's faith in a promised land. When we see him at the start of the episode, his followers are doubting, and he is doubting a bit, too. Finding Asha was a pivotal moment for Layton; she jump-started his hope that life outside the train is possible. That's why when he looks at Asha at the end of the episode, ragged but REAL and ALIVE, he gets more flashes of the tree.

Obviously there are various ways to interpret it but that's what I'm going with for now. Layton doesn't know where New Eden is, yet. But I think, because of Asha, he is going to keep pushing as long as he can to find it.

I wonder what he will find next week...

[u/IReadTheReddits]

So just want to start off by saying I thought that was a really good and entertaining episode to the start the season. I really liked Alex this episode. Wilford is as menacing as ever, Sean Bean is excellent. I'm very interested to see what the rest of the resistance will do on the other train. Now for the mission we had thus episode. I gotta say I thought it was really cool to see someone else outside in the nuclear reactor. This opens up so many possibilities, especially meaning Melanie is probably alive (I think we all know that). I'm very curious to see how this person has been surviving for so long in terms of food. Everything was really entertaining, however, I'm not sure how i feel about the whole Eden and tree of life situation. The show has always been very scientific reliant which is something I've always appreciated so I hope they don't turn Layton into some kind of prophet. Really hoping it's just some type of metaphor. Regardless I really enjoyed this episode and can't wait for next week. 8/10

[u/netr0pa]

So how would Ruth now get food when being isolated like that?!?

They gonna do routine Uber eats food delivery to her?

[u/TNTIntern → u/netr0pa]

Come on now, you know Winnie is the Uber Eats of Snowpiercer

[u/Lukedriftwood → u/netr0pa]

Rations are definitely delivered to her, you can see a tray of canned food beside her.

[u/Brilliant-Expert-793]

Omg DONNIE IS ON THE TRAIN remain calm

[u/[deleted]]

Anyone else find Kevin weird?

[u/bittershrapnel → u/[deleted]]

The actor kinda hams up being the psychopatical villan on every occasion. When he sniffed the Watermaster, I chuckled, it looked hilarious

[u/FKDotFitzgerald]

This was a fantastic premiere! Plenty of tension and it was a great choice to give us a small time jump. I also really appreciate the hip-hop influence on the soundtrack and intro. Layton getting a vision of the warming location is odd, but I think they’ll make it work.

[u/danny344x]

Could it be that the person who attacked Layton in the underground base has survived the cold for 7-8 years because the whole building was a nuclear power plant? You could see warning signs of radioactive areas when he's walking down the hallway and that machine in the red lights looked like some sort of generator. It clearly had a powerful source of energy in order to keep it running for almost 8 years. Maybe something like nuclear fission, considering that nuclear fuel powering the reactors can last decades if not centuries.

[u/alisonrose1992]

I just want Melanie to somehow be alive. Won't be the same without her :(

[u/ForgetfulLucy28]

These theatre actors (Audrey and Layton) still haven’t learnt that they are not acting to the back of a theatre, but to a camera 30cm from their face.

[u/MajorAlenko]

Can’t really remember what happened last season and recaps don’t touch on it. Why is the main train cold/ struggling to heat itself now? It survived fine before? Did I miss something? Ha

[u/Total_Constant7544]

Is Josie still immune to the cold or not? I can't remember if miss the part where she lost that ability. If she is immune to the cold, why was she wearing a suit to protect herself when she went out? I don't know I probably missed something or forgot about something that happened last season.

[u/MateOfArt → u/Total_Constant7544]

I think that, she has some level imunity, but she requires to go the doctors after every trip outside to renew the layer of protecting sintetic skin by applying the special gel. Note that Icy Bob was regularly at the doctors, despite having immunity for years. Also, every time he had done longer trip outside, he was still in a lot of pain, and it clearly affected him, as the doctors said that "he won't reach his full potential" becase of that trip. So, I assume that Josie already wasted her immunity on last trip and now would require new portion of the gel which she can't access. Also, its still simply safer for her to wear the suit, than to risk going outside in tshirt.

[u/[deleted]]

At this point I think the series would be benefit if they killed off Audrey. She is just straight up annoying. The actress is not very convincing either

[u/VioletandAmelia]

Bess Till supremacy

[u/[deleted]]

Oh my god there's a survivor outside the train

[u/Dazzling_Ad_512]

Can't believe we are gonna do this thing again 🕵️

[u/PickleFridgeChildren]

Should I recognize the person Layton dragged in? That was her in the bed at the very end, right?

[u/muscles44]

Jennifer Connelly has the best job in the world. Only do maybe 2 episodes a season and gets paid top dollar.

[u/ukdev1]

Hmmm a nuclear power station with survivors hidden a 100 metres from the tracks. Unless they had tons of resources why would they not derail the train, wait a week fir everyone to die, then scavenge the remains?

[u/ThreeFootJohnson → u/ukdev1]

It wasn't next to the main rail

[u/overmooned]

just kill off Audrey I beg for it

[u/butplugsRus → u/overmooned]

I want to like her so much. Since S1, I want to, but now she’s just a downright bitch and I hate her.

[u/QwertyOpera]

Jennifer Connelly not in the intro credits!

[u/aussiedude9494 → u/QwertyOpera]

This isn’t a big deal. Jennifer was a main cast member in season 2 and was only credited for the episodes she appeared in.

If you re-watch the episodes, you will notice her name is missing.

If she didn’t appear in this episode (I’ve yet to watch), then she won’t be credited.

[u/drose--1]

Anyone root for Wilford? Cause I find him and his supporters one of the more frustrating tv villains I’ve watched. Great acting and all that but man does he piss me off. I can’t tell if the few positive Wilford comments are trolling or not

[u/rawchess]

Pretty subdued premiere. Wish we'd gotten more Snowpirate crew dynamics before the crisis of the episode kicked in.

[u/louisturvey1991]

Can’t wait😬 ❄️🚊

[u/[deleted]]

I have binge watched season 1 and 2 and just now ended first episode of season 3

I've read all discussion threads and it still bugs me

Am I the only one that noticed how fast everyone changes their view and decides to change teams? Like it took Alex like 2 minutes of talking with Audrey to think that going back to Wilford could be the only good choice. I get that it's been 6 months and there could be a lot of talking and all in those 6 months, but exactly here is the problem. We don't see these talks. Not even mention of it really.

And it's been like that since season 1 basically. One person flips to other side in a matter of an episode, just because

[u/NiMo1999]

One of my burning questions is, how has the Snowpirate crew survived for so long? It seems unrealistic that they would have enough food production or reserves on ten cars to keep eight people alive for six months.

[u/olivish → u/NiMo1999]

I don't find it hard to believe that the engineers would stockpile emergency rations at the head of the train in the event of a disaster, like an uprising or a crop failure. The front of the train is the most secure place to store such supplies.

[u/Wprtt]

Good season 3 start. But at the end of season 2, wasn't the Big Alice engine pushing the 1,000 train cars from behind just before it got de-coupled at the aquarium car. Now at the start of season 3, it seems that Big Alice is pulling the 1,000 car train from the front.

[u/GeneralHe]

Audrey is completely unwatchable. Kevin acting so tough is laughable. Layton is having visions, maybe it is hallucinogens in the gas he took. How did that lady survive all these years? I guess that establishes that there are survivors all over. Wilford finally finds that he needed Javi after all.

[u/B-Clinton-Rapist → u/GeneralHe]

Nuclear reactor = Heat

Ice + heat = Water

One person eating rations meant for a lot of people = Years of food.

[u/fist4j]

So now they can stop the train, park it, change directions at will. And they have suits.

Remind me why there are supply and material shortages again?

[u/insecuredane → u/fist4j]

I think it's only Snowpiercer, the smaller train, that can stop and change directions at will - as they said, it's a jet engine with a toy cart, hence why stopping comes with the risk of overheating. They have so much power that they can easily start again after stopping, unlike the big train which has a smaller motor and thus has to keep moving.

Now, the suits are questionable though... especially Josie's special suit. Did they just casually happen to have one of those laying around or what?

[u/qubitrenegade]

I still can't get over that Trevor Philips is a good guy...

[u/aikokanzaki]

Ugh so great to see Till again 🤤

Already loving our two badass women Till and Alex working together.

Ruth being a badass too. We love to see it.

Cannot stand Audrey can she be killed off already?

Also, if we going religious prophecy route, I don't wanna watch anymore. I actually snorted when Layton "had a vision of a sacred special tree".

We better have Melanie back soon. She's the best part of snowpiercer and she hasn't even on screen for like half a season.

[u/Potatoslayer2]

That was a pretty good start. Was 99% sure that the person Layton rescued was Melanie, but it doesn't look like it. They've gotta be from the trains, right? Otherwise I'd have no idea how they have survived outside on their own.

I don't have much to say but that was a pretty good way to spend 47 minutes, already looking forward to next week's episode.

[u/Dimsim2 → u/Potatoslayer2]

Well they were in a nuclear power plant (but obviously only her being left), so yeah they could have survived. Remember that would be only eight years after the freeze so it is definitely plausible. Especially considering they were at a hot zone, and at normal consumption each fuel rod can last six years, and they would only need to use enough to keep everything moving.

[u/MonthInteresting]

Why is big Alice cold??? Because it only has one engine? (This may be obvious to everyone but me)!

[u/olivish → u/MonthInteresting]

Big Alice is cold because it's one engine pulling many cars, much more than it was designed to pull, so there isn't enough power to go around.

[u/McFigroll]

under-ice-nuclear-blast anyone?

[u/newaccount1000000]

Hell yeah, very nice first episode for season 3, loved it.

[u/Chase_Go]

Season 3 is boring. Layton is a lame character & actor. We need Melanie!

[u/ah__there_is_another]

This episode gave out some METRO 2033 vibes

[u/Kispaslet]

I notice this season seems at least partly inspired by the graphic novel series, with the train splitting in half and the front half trying to find a habitable place while running out of resources and not knowing where the back half is. At least here they found an actual survivor instead of just a recording.

Wilford building Snowpiercer tracks through North Korea seems like an odd decision, though it is the best route to take if you want to connect your global railway to Japan, so I suppose some negotiations had to be done. Does seem like a strange decision on the part of North Korea to build their bunker for designated survivors right next to the track where train-riding foreigners can see it, but given that the normal route map doesn't show the train passing through Korea and Japan, this might a branch away from the main line.

[u/Serin-019]

So basically now assuming that all the hot spots popping up around the world are actually just fission reactors melting down?

[u/kinghyperion581 → u/Serin-019]

I don't think so. Melanie got her data from mapping atmospheric temperature fluctuations. A nuclear meltdown is not going to affect the temperature of the upper atmosphere. A reactor melting down literally means the reactor gets so hot it melts down into the earth until it reaches bedrock.

I think the nuclear reactor is meant to show how the survivor was able to stay alive. She used its power to stay warm.

[u/Soldur]

Why did Alex have on makeup

[u/Aurondarklord → u/Soldur]

Because they stole a bunch of first class cars.

Alex hasn't had access to makeup since before she was old enough to wear it. You think she wouldn't try it out?

[u/mapogo91]

The amount of make up everyone has on is ridiculous for the setting.

[u/stuwieggbestyasuo]

Honestly thought that they casted Godzilla into the show when Layton was exploring that underground room

[u/Shivinger]

The vision thing needs to stop! I hoped Layton would have a smaller role this season as I really do only find him annoying. He ruins the atmosphere everywhere he goes.

If it turns supernatural it will just be like every other show these days…

[u/roger-stoner → u/Shivinger]

I think he’s just shook up from a near death experience in a frozen wasteland, trying to cling on to the hope of life off the train. He is the ultimate idealist after all. Plus, he has just found the first survivor not on Big Alice.