The monologue belongs to one Ruth Wardell this week (Alison Wright). She speaks of Mr. Wilford with a reverence that borders on worship. As she practically prays to the man that she believes to be their savior, young LJ Folger (Annalise Basso) is granted access to the engine room by Miles (Jaylin Fletcher).
As we discussed last week, introducing LJ into the resistance is a move that invites chaos into what has otherwise been a complex game of chess between Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly). While it does seem that Andre had planned to use that chaos in his favor, it does look as if the leader of the Tail may have bitten off more than he can chew.
This week, Snowpiercer's 1001 cars run red. It's time for the revolution to begin.
More: Snowpiercer Episode 1 recap
LJ dutifully brings the news of Mr. Wilford's absence from the engine to her parents. This quickly results in a domino effect that will lead to Melanie's arrest and Ruth's no good, very bad day. While the former sits chained in what was once her office, Ruth and her merc boyfriend Commander Grey (Timothy V. Murphy) march to the engine to find out what's what. Turns out Ruth didn't want to know what was what, because the "what" is that the man that she viewed as her savior wasn't just not on the train — he never boarded it.
It's at this moment that we see the kindness in Ruth sort of snap. Don't take that the wrong way — she's always had an underlying authoritarian vibe about her. But now, that "spare the rod, spoil the child" mentality is brought to the forefront in a way that I'm sure Commander Grey very much enjoys.
Ruth Wardell is very much the type of woman who believes she is limited because of her gender. A woman could never do what Wilford did, and Melanie will be put to death for her indiscretion.
The last we see of Ruth in "These Are His Revelations" is in her conversation with the chained Melanie. Snowpiercer's overlord now sits in the very chair that she murdered Josie Wellstead (Katie McGuinness) in just last week. As she does, she learns that she's to be executed for her betrayal of the train and Mr. Wilford. Because of course Ruth doesn't believe her when Melanie explains that she's the one who designed the train while Wilford only sold tickets. Ruth Wardell is very much the type of woman who believes she is limited because of her gender. A woman could never do what Wilford did, and Melanie will be put to death for her indiscretion.
Of course, we all know Melanie Cavill isn't going to be put to death.
The real question then becomes where her allegiance will fall before Snowpiercer 's first season ends. Will she escape to the bowels of the train? Will she flee to the Tailies and beg for forgiveness? No one knows Snowpiercer like she does. Reasonably, Melanie could hide away for an indeterminate amount of time before she's found. But then, who will run the train? Bennett Knox (Iddo Goldberg) and young Miles remain locked in the engine room, and Javi de La Torre (Roberto Urbina) is a captive of First after his betrayal to the engine.
The unfortunate truth surrounding the complex and ultimately terrifying Melanie is that the train needs her. It doesn't matter who wins the war unfolding in Snowpiercer's belly. If that train breaks, there is exactly one woman who can fix it every single time. That woman also happens to be an awful human being who has done a lot of awful things (and remains devastatingly interesting).
"These Are His Revelations" is a rare episode that's difficult to talk about without spoilers, but what I can tell you is this: the revolution has begun, and it's already damn bloody. That works for this horror-lover, but your mileage may vary if you're not used to a whole lot of blood spatter. The carnage is both savage and beautiful, and it ravages all four classes (though mostly the Tail, Third, and Second). Bodies are strewn through multiple cars, and the injury count is just as high.
Despite LJ's chaos element, a lot of intricate moving parts remain in this revolt. Tailies and Third team up to play their parts, and most manage to execute without a hitch. However, there is one snag in the medical car. Someone's not in the drawer that they're supposed to be in. Someone is, instead, in first class being fed cake in exchange for intel on how to stop one Andre Layton. Someone is going to have a very bad day when the Tail catches up with him.
This episode is a good example on how to ramp things up before your penultimate episode. Blood smears the walls, heads are given in boxes, couples find themselves on opposing sides of the revolution, and complicated allegiances are going to have to be made if they all want the complex ecosystem that keeps them all alive to keep running.
Two episodes remain in the first season of Snowpiercer . I suspect the best is yet to come.
Global warming gonna getcha
What lengths are you willing to take for food?
TNT's adaptation of the graphic novel expands on the frozen world even further and has plenty to keep us coming back week after week.
