Snowpiercer season 1 episode 6 recap: Trouble Comes Sideways

Snowpiercer episode 6 delivers a suspenseful, action-packed story.

In Snowpiercer episode 6, an electrical short circuit increases tensions in the engineering compartment between Melanie Cavill’s partner, Bennett Knox (Iddo Goldberg), and fellow engineer, Javier de La Torre (Roberto Urbina).

But it also sends the train close to a possible derailment with more parts beginning to fall apart—professional rivalries will have to be put on the backburner while the train is fixed.

Snowpiercer Episode 6: Layton, Free and Vengeful

By the end of the previous episode of Snowpiercer, Andre Layton had been freed by his Tailie partner, Josie, and deposited with his ex-wife, Zarah, in Third. Like everyone else coming out of the drawer, Layton takes time to recover.

But it isn’t just his body that is reacting badly—his mind is recovering too. Layton is exhausted but agitated—more concerned with the conspiracies of the Front than the people around him realize.

And Zarah isn’t the right person for him to be with—there’s too much history between them. Layton clearly blames her for leaving him in the Tail. Is that just the effects of the drawer talking? Or is that how Layton really feels?

But what Layton doesn’t yet know is that his and Zarah’s dalliances during the investigation have had consequences—Zarah is expecting, a fact she reveals only to Miss Audrey.

Josie tries to get Layton back to the Tail but he’s too weak. Fortunately, the Tail have a new ally—Dr. Pelton (Karin Konoval), the mortician in the Front with little experience with medicine. But she’s been helping Klimpt with the drawers and she wants to assist the Tail. There’s a blacklist of some kind that Cavill has drawn up—both Layton and Josie are on the list. So is Pelton—no wonder she’s helping them.

Train on the Edge

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Layton, still half out of his mind, decides he can’t just wait around—he needs to do something. He’s only shared Wilford’s identity with Josie so far—now, he’s going to take matters into his own hands.

With the train in peril, Layton knows that Cavill will go to fix it—he hunts her down and tries to stab her. But Cavill has a way with words—she tells him that the drawers are for Snowpiercer’s protection.

400 passengers have been hand-picked based on diversity and skills—they will be kept in the drawers to wait out the climate if something were to happen to the train. It makes sense but the subterfuge around the drawers still makes her claims suspect.

But now is not the time to discuss these matters—the engineering problem becomes catastrophic. The hydraulics have come loose—with a bridge coming up, the train could very well topple over. Cavill needs to act now.

Aside from Bennett and Javier, the rest of Cavill’s crew don’t know that she’s Wilford—but her knowledge of the train is unparalleled, so they step aside so she can go down into the bowels of the train to fix the problem.

It’s easier said than done—not only does Cavill have to fit within a tight space, but she needs to grab the loose hydraulics while hanging upside down in the freezing temperature. She misses multiple times before getting the hydraulics back in place in the nick of time. She’s saved Snowpiercer—for now.

Uneasy Alliances

Bess Till was meant to be celebrating her upgrade to Second with her girlfriend, Jinju, but she was busy hiding out after whacking her partner, Osweiller, over the head to save Layton.

Osweiller isn’t a pleasant man at the best of times—now that he’s got this secret over Till, he’s going to make her life miserable. Till has to stand by and watch while he torments passengers for information.

There’s a strike planned in Third—and Night Car bartender, Clay (Tom Kirk), is named as the printer of the pamphlets urging the strike. Osweiller’s methods are brutal, but they get the work done for him.

Cavill cannot stand by the strike—she speaks to the residents of Third and makes her/ Mr Wilford’s judgement clear. If the strike goes ahead, 10 people from Third will be sent to the Tail. There are 100s of people living in miserable conditions in the Tail—they would gladly take Third’s place.

Of course, the possible derailment of Snowpiercer puts paid to any plans of striking—Third celebrate along with the rest of the train when all is fixed. But Miss Audrey is still threatening a strike—she can’t let a murderer from First enjoy her life while people from Third have lost theirs. Cavill just wants to celebrate the win she’s earned today.

Meanwhile, Layton and Josie finally bring their romantic tensions to a head—the nice room they’re staying in while in Second certainly helps the atmosphere. What will happen once they learn of Zarah’s news?

Cavill may have just saved the train, but she’s always on the lookout for more talent—and she may have found it in young Miles, Josie’s Tail-son, and friend of Layton’s. Cavill gifts the boy a piece of copper and encourages him to continue dreaming big. What does she have in mind for him?

Final Thoughts on Snowpiercer Episode 6

This was an exhilarating episode of Snowpiercer—there was palpable tension and drama throughout. The scenes with the engineering issues were beautifully edited and some of the most exciting of the series so far. One feels that the strength of the show is on the train, rather than its passengers.

Layton’s romantic entanglements continue to seem forced—they add little to the story and haven’t been built up long enough to be poignant. Had these elements been brought in during the next season, it might have been more powerful. At the moment, these scenes feel like fillers and easy ways to add to Layton’s personality.

With only four episodes left in this season, we can only wait and see how the characters and the plot evolve.

What did you think of Snowpiercer Episode 6? Is Cavill being truthful about the drawers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. 

Snowpiercer is currently airing weekly episodes on TNT and Netflix.