Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Snowpiercer episode "Smolder To Life." Read at your own risk!
Snowpiercer just delivered just about the biggest surprise of the series, as fans learned that Josie Wellstead, who heroically went down swinging trying to take out Melanie Cavill in Season 1, wasn't as dead as the characters and viewers may have thought. The character was horrifically frostbitten over her entire body, and while she was unable to be recognized by a bulk of the train and labeled a Jane Doe, Zarah Ferami spotted her almost instantly.
After a shocking and somewhat twisted series of events, Andre Layton was informed of Josie's survival and rushed to see her. I spoke to Daveed Diggs about the massive reveal and how Josie's return may affect Layton throughout Season 2.
In terms of the relationship between her and Layton. Time is so compressed on this train, always, and so many things happen all the time. But there’s something I find really honest about a relationship that has two people who are clearly in love but are forced apart by circumstance and then have full complicated lives without each other and then come back together. And then they’re like ‘Is this what we’re doing?’ We do that. People do that.
People do "do" that, as Daveed Diggs said above, though I'm sure few people in real life have as complicated of circumstances as Andre does with Josie in this reunion. The two had a growing romance in Season 1, and both played parent to Miles when they were living in the Tail. When it seemed the two peaked from a romantic standpoint, Snowpiercer "killed" Josie, and Andre began to find what he had lost with Zarah when she first left the Tail.
Now Zarah is pregnant with Andre's child and knows the return of Josie could complicate her relationship with Andre. This is likely why Zarah originally tried to kill Josie when she discovered her survival but ultimately backed out at the last minute. The situation is messy, and obviously, we have no idea where Josie and Andre stand after this episode, but it's great drama. Specifically, it's a type of drama that Daveed Diggs revealed isn't one a viewer may typically associate with Snowpiercer.
Obviously it happens in a relatively short span of time on this train like everything does, but still the root of it is there. It feels very human and familiar and complicated in a way that feels sort of surprising for a show like this. I like things like that.
Josie's back, and I'm sure we'll see what that means as Snowpiercer Season 2 continues, but I only have one question for now. Was Josie conscious when Zarah tried to kill her? If so, I would have to expect Josie would attempt to exact some revenge if she's able, and that moment could come back to haunt Zarah down the stretch. It'll obviously affect Layton too, and I can't imagine what his reaction would be if he heard what Zarah tried to do.
Were you surprised by Josie's return? Let us know in the poll below, and continue to catch Snowpiercer on TNT Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET.
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