Warning! The following contains spoilers for Snowpiercer's "Without Their Maker." Read at your own risk!
The murder has been solved, but the drama feels like it's only just begun on TNT's Snowpiercer. A lot of details that viewers weren't privy to last week are now out in the open, but to be expected, there's an entirely new set of mysteries for audiences to try and unravel while waiting for the next episode to arrive.
Snowpiercer dropped some reveals that other dramas may stretched across a whole season. Apparently, this long-gestating series has bigger fish to fry, and is looking to hit its audience with more twists and turns than you'd expect from a train on a predetermined track. Here's some of the major questions I have on the heels of this latest episode "Without Their Maker," from worries about Layton to the future of the Snowpiercer in general.
How Long Will Layton Be Under?
In Episode 4, Layton figured out what would be quite an enormous reveal for the train's inhabitants, and it looks like the Snowpiercer protagonist will pay for his detective skills. He confirmed to Melanie that he knows that she's actually Mr. Wilford, and she reacted by drugging him with an anesthetic to keep him in an unconscious state, which didn't seem like that wise of a move given all he'd learned prior.
Layton is now out for the count until further notice, and while it might get resolved immediately, I'm wondering if he could indeed be down for at least one or two full episodes in order for the story to shift elsewhere in the train for a bit. Hopefully not too long, since Daveed Diggs is one of the highlights of this show!
Will LJ's Actions Affect The Folger Family?
Snowpiercer already set up that no one in First Class has ever been arrested of a crime. That changed when LJ Folger had the (dis)honor of being the first after her failed attempt to convince Layton to cut her a break.
Whether or not LJ will actually see a long-lasting penalty for her heinous crimes remains to be seen, though I'm sure it could all be spun as her being coerced mainly by her bodyguard Erik. Even so, one has to think that the Folger's pristine image in First Class will be damaged once word potentially spreads that their daughter is a murderous psychopath, right?
What Will The Tail Do About Layton's Disappearance?
The Tail was thrilled to have successfully gotten a former Tailee to sneak them a message from Third Class, but the news that got delivered was bittersweet, and not just because it was in a bug bar. The freeloaders in the back learned that Layton was missing, which puts a dent into things.
Layton was supposed to be their guide to the ins and outs of the Snowpiercer, and now they've lost their most valuable resource. Is it even possible for them to still be able to coordinate a rescue during his time away? Honestly, this message seems to just be super unhelpful, since I don't know what any of the Tailees can do about it.
What's Melanie's Endgame Here?
I can understand in the short-term why Melanie thought she'd found an easy solution. LJ wasn't some agent looking specifically to discover Mr. Wilford's actual identity, and Layton actually figured it out. So it was obvious that she'd direct her attention to him once the murder was solved.
But for the bigger picture, I think that even those who don't care about Layton would question why he was taken out of commission for his investigatory services. Melanie certainly doesn't want more attention brought in her direction, but may have just invited a lot of it putting the train's only homicide detective in a sleep-induced state. Seems like a stupid plan for someone so smart and decisive, but we'll see!
Will News Of The First Class Murderer Spread Throughout The Train?
Another issue I can see Snowpiercer dealing with is the rest of the train reacting badly to the news that the recent murders were the actions of a First Class train member. That's especially true if LJ escapes any meaningful prosecution, which is a possibility, considering those in the front don't seem to follow the same judiciary rules as everyone else.
This could create real unrest on the train, thus sowing even deeper seeds for a revolution. All this tension has to be building towards something, and I can only imagine when this powder keg explodes, the aftermath will be epic.
Can Layton Be Rescued?
I don't think there's any denying people will notice Layton's absence, though I struggle to wonder what anyone but Melanie can do about it. Even if someone breaks in the holding room and saves him from his slumber, they can only hide him for so long.
Snowpiercer is a big train, but the security protocols have shown it isn't hard to track someone down when necessary. I don't see someone taking the risk given the consequence will be far greater once whoever rescued Layton is found. Personally, I think he's going to be out until Melanie herself brings him back, which may be sooner than later.
Will Josie's Infiltration Continue To Work?
Josie successfully got a job in sanitation and was able to use her break-time to escape into other parts of the train in order to make contact with a former Tailee. With her biometric key, Josie should be able to go on additional missions of this nature, though the risk is rather large, considering her capture would assuredly take away the Tail's most valuable gift that it could hope for.
I'm hopeful that Josie can continue to advance the interests of the Tail with more data-based missions, but not sure she can maintain the charade indefinitely. There are too many variables at play for this not to go wrong at one point or another.
When Will The House/Train Of Cards Crumble?
One thing that seems abundantly clear on Snowpiercer is that the situation on the train is getting worse with every episode. It certainly feels like things will continue to deteriorate until some big event changes up the status quo, at which time I have to assume that complete chaos will ensue.
We already know there is growing unrest in the Third and Tail, and I have to believe one or the other will act soon to try and enact major changes for the train's class structure. As for what that means for those sitting pretty in the front of the train, I'm sure it won't be good, though perhaps Melanie will pull it all together and regain control and order before Season 1 is over.
Do you have any burning questions about this episode of Snowpiercer? Throw them into the comments below, and catch the series on TNT Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET. As always, continue to stick with CinemaBlend for all the latest goings on in the world of television and movies.
