Many Miles from Snowpiercer is the sixth episode of the second season of Snowpiercer. It is the sixteenth episode of the series overall.
Synopsis
Melanie fights for survival in treacherous conditions, vying to do what others before her could not.
Intro
| “ | This cold isn’t something we can tame. We did this to our climate. Now, only the Earth herself can restart her warm heart. I believe we can find her pulse again. And my biggest fear isn’t dying out here. It’s that the coldhearted among us will crush that hope before I can proof it. (…) Breslauer Research Station. The temperature is minus 122.6 degrees Celsius. I’m 11,000 feet above sea level, dangling from a thin umbilical… many miles from Snowpiercer, 1,034 cars long. | ” |
| — Melanie Cavill | ||
Plot
Having departed from Snowpiercer, Melanie arrives at the Breslauer Weather Station where she is to spend the next month collecting data about the current state of the atmosphere. At the facility, Melanie finds two dead bodies but numerous bags of packet food that she can use to sustain herself. Melanie gets to work to bring the research facility back into operation, but finds the thin mountain air challenging. Melanie begins to reminisce about her time as a child, but more importantly, about her time spent with Mr. Wilford.
Melanie remembers the grand opening of Snowpiercer in which she and Wilford reflected upon their work. The two congratulate each other, and Wilford admits that Snowpiercer is just as much hers as it is his, but that she will never hear him say that again; Melanie remarks that he is free to say whatever the investors need to hear.
Mr. Wilford continues to haunt Melanie as the air becomes thinner and she begins to hallucinate him. He asks her numerous questions, but Melanie remains calm and stringent, fighting against the urge to believe that Wilford is really with her. Shortly after, Melanie falls asleep at her desk, and when she wakes, she finds a cracker left has been eaten, leading to doubts about whether she is alone at the research facility.
A flashback to just days before Snowpiercer's departure shows a heated debate between Wilford and Melanie in which Melanie questions Wilford's decision to cut scientist from the passenger list in exchange for his personal security and an increase in Jackboots. Melanie asks for the scientist so be reinstated but Wilford is reluctant and the two enter a heated debate in which Wilford belittles Melanie.
Slowly running out of food, Melanie finds it difficult to tell the difference between hallucinations and reality and begins hallucinating Layton. Shortly after, she notices a rat run across the floor, and surmises that something has changed to allow the rat to survive given the harsh conditions outside; Melanie captures the rat for examination. She later decides to track the rat to its home, finding a nest it has created for itself behind a large cavity in the wall of the research facility.
As departure day dawns on Snowpiercer, tensions rise between Melanie and Wilford when the trains departure is delayed by the presence of Melanie's geneticists on the forecourt. Wilford questions Melanie over the passengers and when it becomes clear that she has defied his orders, he orders the Jackboots to open fire on the passengers. Whilst both Melanie and Bennett are shocked, Wilford moves down train to open fire on the rest of the bystanders. As the departure of Snowpiercer approaches, Melanie makes the decision to depart the train without her family, and Wilford, aboard. She apologises and asks for forgiveness as the story behind Melanie's theft of the train unravels.
Meanwhile, Melanie's situation at the research facility becomes increasingly dire when her antenna is knocked, causing the uplink between the weather balloons and Snowpiercer to fail. This is revealed to be the reason there was a loss of communication between Melanie and Snowpiercer previously. Nonetheless, Melanie is able to fix the antenna and connection is renewed.
As the end of Melanie's month long stay at the research facility comes to an end, she attempts to contact Snowpiercer to arrange pick up, but finds it difficult to receive a response from the Engine. Shortly after, Melanie hears Snowpiercer passing the research centre and runs outside to take a look. She tries to contact Snowpiercer to tell them to slow down, but finds communications are down. Melanie watches as Snowpiercer passes her by, leaving her in the snow.
Cast
Main |
Guest StarringCo-Starring
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Quotes
Trivia
- Part of this episode occurs at the same time as the events of A Single Trade and Keep Hope Alive.
- It's revealed that Melanie's failure to connect to the last weather balloon is because her antenna was knocked over by a storm.
- It is the first episode of the series that has its main storyline taking place outside the trains Snowpiercer or Big Alice.
- Flashbacks depict the events before and during the Freeze leading to the launch of Snowpiercer.
- Melanie states that Javi had no idea that she was leaving Wilford behind or that she did until they were two days down the tracks.
- Commander Nolan Grey reappears in flashbacks to the train's departure.
- It's revealed that Melanie left early and stole the train partially on the urging of Bennett Knox.
- The only characters to appear outside of hallucinations or flashbacks are Melanie and Alex Cavill.
- Something appears to have gone drastically wrong on the trains: fire is coming from the underside of Big Alice and alarms are going off behind Alex at the end. In addition, the trains are two days overdue and Melanie can't make radio contact with anybody on Snowpiercer.
- The episode title is a line used by Melanie in which she explains the physical distance she is from Snowpiercer.
Body Count
- 3 climate scientists (slit wrists and froze to death; confirmed fate)
- Arthur (shot in the head; confirmed fate)
- Several rats (captured and cooked for dinner by Melanie)
- 6 geneticists and their families (shot by Jackboots on Wilford's orders; flashback)
- Several people (shot by Jackboots; flashback)
Gallery
Images
Promotional
Behind the Scenes
Videos
See also