Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 3 A Great Odyssey Review- Wilford Is Losing Control Of Alex

Snowpierecer 1034 cars long and after Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 3 missing the smartest engineer they have is hurtling towards an uncertain future.

PT Barnum had nothing on Joseph Wilford. Barnum had his three-ring circus. Wilford has 1034 rings of frozen insanity to entertain him. Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 3 gave us further insight into what makes him tick and aligned his biggest ally with Snowpiercer. What happens from here on out will be one of the greatest power struggles ever. Things are just heating up. The show is about to start.

Sean Bean’s Wilford is one of the most entertaining antagonists on television. He is intentionally cruel, controlling, and willing to sacrifice anyone to maintain his status. He has interesting motivations because he truly doesn’t care about anything but power. His own life doesn’t matter as much as maintaining control. All of the Mr. Wilford’s who come after him would make him proud. The man, the myth, the legend begins with his easy smile but ends in your pain. The Bong Joon Ho original film only had a husk of the wizard behind the train. Placing this series just a few years after the big freeze allowed Bean and the writers to reinvent Wilford. Part Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk are an intoxicating cocktail of intelligence, money, and knowing smirks.

Icy Bob is only the first person we see sacrificed to the great God Wilford. As we see later in Snowpiercer Season 2 Episode 3, Alex is the next victim. It doesn’t matter that she is a child. The kind of pressure he put her under and the terrible responsibility he put on her shoulders was cruel. Melanie knows it, and Alex is beginning to suspect that Wilford doesn’t care about anyone unless they can benefit him. The minute you show weakness, or betray him, he will cut you off. Kevin wasn’t an anomaly, he was the rule. Power and control are Wilford’s drugs of choice. He worships only himself and demands everyone else does as well. He may think with Melanie gone, Layton is more vulnerable, but he underestimates the wiley detective who has plenty of people loyal to him.

In between all of Wilford’s swaggering bravado, throne sitting and threatening, a glimpse of some vulnerability showed. He hates Ben. He hates him so much that Big Alice is a “No Ben Zone.” Ben and Melanie are one of a few people who aren’t tricked by Wilford’s schtick. The more people who see through his lies, the less control he has. If Layton gets enough time to reveal the monster running Big Alice, the train will be his again no matter what the Breechman think. Wilford’s arrogance is a blind spot too. He fails to see Layton is massaging the borders. With the help of Josie, who commands absolute respect, and Pike, who is as cagey as they come, he is building an army prepared to infiltrate and hold the borders. The Breachman are a problem if left unchecked, though.

Speaking of the Breachman, Boscovic has been strangely silent through all of this. His muscled up meatheads have been biding their time, chopping off fingers. They may have told Bess they weren’t involved in Lights attack, but their attitude and tattoos tell a different story. It won’t be long before this problem boils over.

Alex made real strides forward this week, and it scares me for the young woman. She may still use her nickname for Wilford(Dubs), but she is growing weary of him. There is a bond between mother and daughter that is finding roots again. Wilford tried to paint Melanie as a selfish mother. He also thinks by allowing Melanie to go to the weather station; he is driving a deeper wedge between the two. Wilford doesn’t realize that Alex recognizes Melanie’s sacrifice. The megalomaniac may not care about life, but Melanie does, and by telling Layton her life doesn’t matter, only the data, she confirms the glaring difference between the two.

Melanie may be leaving Alex again, but she is doing it so everyone else can live a better life. Alex realizes her surrogate father isn’t the savior she thought, and her mother isn’t the abandoner she thought. That’s the problem with smart people; they are harder to control long term. Wilford may be able to bully Alex to some degree, but that time is waning. Not only does Alex cry when she has to choose to maintain speed and allow Melanie to leave the train, but she also told Melanie more than she should have about Big Alice. There are no children on board. It’s the crew only on Big Alice, and Alex has always been the youngest member. That information is vital as Snowpiercer has both children and a baby on the way, courtesy of Zara and Layton.

Ruth got some real moments to shine this week. Alison Wright(Ruth) has brought a character to life that is so complex and oddly likable. She is an honest, caring person. She understands Wilford may fool her, but she wouldn’t betray Melanie and Layton. Melanie and Ruth share a crucial moment that speaks volumes about the two women. Melanie knows Ruth can be trusted unequivocally. The woman may be a stickler for protocol, but she loyal. Melanie is willing to risk her child; she trusts her so much. Alex and Layton now know it too. Melanie told Layton and Alex they should trust each other. They could make a formidable team.

Poor Josie has lost almost everything, including her man, but she understands the bigger picture like any truly good leader. Now that she is healing, she is a powerful weapon for Layton to use. I would love to see Layton and Josie back together. She is a commanding presence with nerves of steel. Katie McGuinness(Josie) steals every scene she is in despite being heavily bandaged or covered in prosthetics.

As Alex watched her mom through the window before she jumped out of the train, she looked like a kid for the first time. Melanie is out in the cold now for better or worse. Catch up on all our Snowpiercer coverage here while we wait for Wilford’s circus to come back.

Stray Icicles

• Pastor Logan gave Bess a Saint Christopher’s medal. Saint Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. He was also a martyr killed in 251 AD. There is only one tyrant on board the train; let’s hope Layton doesn’t become a martyr.
• Miss Audrey is losing it. I wonder how long it will be before she snaps?
• Alex has her nicknames for Wilford, but Melanie has one for Alex too. Allie is becoming Team Snowpiercer even if she doesn’t know it yet.
• Who is Alex’s father? He commented that “they” spoiled her, and Jupiter seems to know both her and Melanie. Is Wilford the father, or is it someone else we haven’t even met yet?