A Great Odyssey is the third episode of the second season of Snowpiercer. It is the thirteenth episode of the series overall.
Synopsis
TNT's: Melanie prepares to embark on the most treacherous mission of her life yet; Layton is forced to consider the choices he has made.
Netflix's: Big Alice must help Snowpiercer navigate a treacherous new route. Melanie prepares for a dangerous mission off-train that could change everyone's fate.
Intro
| “ | We all know how this end, don’t we? Everybody dies. [Chuckles] That shouldn’t be a surprise. So, what’s an old white man to do with a lifetime of knowledge, doomed to erasure, except wield it like a sword. Great men says, “Balls to death.” My crew respect that. (…) Apocalypse isn’t so bad, really… if you can just muddle through, show a little ingenuity. People line up for tickets to the only show in town. Aboard Snowpiercer, my train, all 1,034 cars long. | ” |
| — Joseph Wilford | ||
Plot
Mr. Wilford makes a announcement on Big Alice, welcoming the passengers to a new day aboard a new, joint train. Moments later, he begins cooking breakfast for himself and Alex, and the two talk about Melanie and Layton. Mr. Wilford believes that Melanie is sentencing herself to sure death, and that this will help them as Layton falls apart — along with his leadership — without her guidance. Alex is reserved about Wilford's plans and what this entails for her mother.
Communicating with Snowpiercer with a new, more direct line, Wilford talks with the Engine of Snowpiercer about their plans to approach the station. Whilst Mr. Wilford and Melanie detail the plans, some are worried about Snowpiercer's ability to perform when Alex warns that Snowpiercer may not be able to handle the journey through the Rockies. With this, Alex explains that they would need to reverse around the world and attempt from the other side and by then, their window of opportunity will have passed. Wilford is sure that with the power of both Engine's working as one, they will be successful in their endeavour, however. Melanie sends Ruth to the border with a supply list and asks if she and Bennett can board to pull equipment, but Wilford denies her, citing that Big Alice is a "Ben free zone".
At the border, Melanie and Layton — and the other members of the border patrol — meet with Mr. Wilford about the supply run. Mr. Wilford believes their request to be absurd, and remarks that they cannot, or will not, accommodate Snowpiercer's requests. In return, Layton offers to exchange weekly food parcels for the supplies given those aboard Big Alice are in need of food desperately.
Afterwards, Melanie goes to collect the supplies for her one-month stay at the observatory, and is aided by Alex. Alex explains that she is furious with her mother for, once again, voluntarily abandoning her without thinking of the effects, but Melanie assures her that she is doing this for all of those on Earth, and cannot turn back now. Before she departs, however, she asks if Alex will show her some of her life aboard Big Alice, and Alex agrees to show Melanie her sleeping quarters.
Meanwhile, Layton is informed that Josie is awake and in the recovery room. He is ecstatic and rushes to see her but is met by an angry Josie. Josie explains that she is angrier at the alliance formed between Layton and Melanie than she is about the situation with Zarah and her pregnancy. Layton tries to explain but Josie is reluctant to accept his explanation.
Till begins investigating the mutilation of Lights that occurred earlier, and there are several rumours that the Breachers are responsible for the mutilation, given their loyalty to Mr. Wilford. Till and Roche confront them, and they deny all knowledge of the crime, remarking that they will wait patiently for Mr. Wilford to return to the Engine room.
Alex shows Melanie her sleeping quarters, but pleads with the others around not to tell Mr. Wilford about her actions, given she could get into considerable trouble. She shows Melanie her pod, remarking that she has decorated it with drawings and a string to represent the track Snowpiercer travels. Melanie and Alex have a moment in which they connect with one another and Alex refers to her as "Mom". Feeling the train, Melanie explains that Snowpiercer has just entered the Rocky Mountains, and also that Big Alice has a misaligned wheel.
Wilford visits Icy Bob in the Headwood's laboratory where he is undergoing treatment and tests to see the extreme temperatures he is able to withstand. It becomes clear that Mr. Wilford has plans for Icy Bob that involved colder temperatures that occur on both Snowpiercer and Big Alice.
Returning to the Engine room, Mr. Wilford talks with Snowpiercer's Engine where Melanie is at the helm. Melanie explains that Snowpiercer doesn't have the power reserves to make it over the mountain, but can cut power from first and second to allow Big Alice's boosters to push them over the mountain. Mr. Wilford agrees with the plan, citing that it is dangerous but a teaching moment for Alex who will be driving. Once the passengers are moved into the Nightcar and surrounding safe havens, Bennett cuts the power and Alex is able to push Snowpiercer over the Rocky Mountains.
With Snowpiercer and Big Alice safely through the Rocky Mountains, Melanie prepares for her departure. She tells Layton that the success of the mission is measured in data sent back to the train, and not her survival. Layton tells her that he understands, but bids her farewell and remarks that he will see her soon. As Melanie crosses the border into Big Alice, Ruth and the rest of Snowpiercer bid her farewell.
Melanie talks with Alex as she prepares, with Alex sad that they didn't have more time together. Alex reveals that she desperately wanted to press the brakes when driving the train, but Melanie reminds her that they must do what is best for the train, and not themselves. With this, the two bid farewell and Melanie departs Big Alice, jumping into the snow.
Cast
Main
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Guest Starring |
Co-Starring
- Camille Atebe as Cherry Sherry
- Steve Baron as Brakeman 1
- Ian Collins as Tristan
- Miranda Edwards as Lights
- Tyler Gibson as Driscoll
- Emma Oliver as Winnie
- Kurt Ostlund as Strong Boy
- Kwasi Thomas as Z-Wreck
- Andre Tricoteux as Icy Bob
- Fiona Vroom as Miss Gillies
Quotes
- Alex: "Leave once, it’s a decision. Then you leave me twice, and then that becomes a choice."
- Melanie: "Yes, I’m choosing to go. But only because there’s not much chance of a world for you if I don’t."
- Alex: "Okay, so… what do you wanna know?"
- Melanie: "Everything. What do you love to do? Who pierced your ears? Where you sleep? Will you ever laugh?"
- ― Melanie told Alex she loves her but she had to go.
- Melanie: "It’s a nice bunk."
- Alex: "We get to decorate then, but they’re all the same. Except for Wilford’s."
- Melanie: "Well, you made it nice. [Looks at the cotton ropes on the wall.]"
- Alex: "I use this to visualize our route."
- Melanie: "Yeah. Me, too. Same trick."
- Alex: "Well, we did have the same teacher. [Picks up a paper] I used to draw you… to picture what you looked like. [Gives it to Melanie.]"
- Melanie: "I pictured your face too, all the time."
- Alex: "Wilford says you’re the best driver he’s ever seen."
- ― Alex shows Melanie her bunk.
- Bennett: "You know, when he chooses you, you enter his court. It's amazing at first. He's amazing. And then the knives come out. He divides people for sport. Melanie and I refused to let him."
- Layton: "Is that why Big Alice is a Ben Free-Zone?"
- Bennett: "Probably. His brand of jealousy isn't about anything normal like love betrayal or sex. It's just about control."
- Layton: "We might have to find a way to use that."
- Bennett: "Yeah. We might. But we still have to go halfway across the world with him. So whatever your plans are..."
- Layton: "No secrets. We'll get back to Melanie together."
- ― Bennett and Layton form an alliance.
- Tristan: "Emergency, emergency. First and Second Class to the Nightcar. Third to the Ag-Sec or Mess Hall. Emergency, muster stations... Please... The Second Class is entering the curve. That is to say, prepare to brace. (Goes through curve) Thank you."
- Ruth: "Oh, God. For pity's sake, Tristan."
- ― Tristan on the intercom going through Neckbreaker.
- Melanie: "Look, I... I think I know what your priorities are."
- Layton: "Yeah, you want me to run it by you to see if I got it? Protect the science."
- Melanie: "Number one."
- Layton: "Yeah, to do that, I'll have to hold off the megalomaniac who created this world and wants to get power back again and has already got some supporters on his side."
- Melanie: "Yeah, that's about the size of it."
- Layton: "Which leads me to believe that maybe he didn't want anybody to get off this train and recolonize the Earth in the first place."
- Melanie: "Just so we're clear, the success of this mission will be measured in data, not my survival. Good luck, Andre."
- Layton: "Good luck, Melanie."
- ― Melanie and Layton lay out their priorities and say goodbye
- Melanie: "You can trust Layton. He's a good man. He's just, and so are you."
- Ruth: "Well, good men and women don't seem to stay good long doing this, do they?"
- Melanie: "Please promise me you'll look after Alex. I just... I wanna know someone's... there for her. It would mean a lot to me if it was you."
- Ruth: "Of course I will. You have my word."
- Melanie: "Thank you."
- ― Melanie and Ruth say an emotional goodbye
| “ | Engineer. We'll all be waiting for you right here when you get back. | ” |
| — Ruth makes Melanie a promise. | ||
Trivia
- The title of this episode is not a line in Mr.Wilford's opening dialogue. However, it is hidden in Mr.Wilford's announcement to Big Alice's crews at the beginning of the episode. "...each of you play your parts in a great odyssey, some pay a higher costs than others, and none among us has paid more than Icy Bob..."
- 2,468 days have passed since Big Alice's departure and 3 days since the two trains were connected.
- The two trains now have a hotline between the border and can communicate with each other by phone rather than signaling by tapping on the connecting door.
- Wilford's first name is revealed to be Joseph.
- Big Alice has 27 cars of supplies.
- Josie's survival is now common knowledge and she refuses to let Miles see her.
- It's stated that 35 Tailies died when the seven cars were sent into the Freeze in The Train Demanded Blood and that the Breachmen sat out the revolution. It's also suggested that the Breachmen were responsible for the attack on Lights.
- The muster stations for the train are revealed:
- First and Second Class uses the Night Car.
- Third uses Ag-Sec or the Mess Hall.
Body Count
- None
Gallery
Images
Promotional
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Behind the Scenes
Videos
See also