Smolder to Life

Smolder to Life is the second episode of the second season of Snowpiercer. It is the twelfth episode of the series overall.
== Synopsis ==
TNT's: Layton and Mr. Wilford come to an agreement, and an exchange is made between the two trains, but what passengers of both trains are unaware of is they will soon face a high-stakes revelation that could change everything.
Netflix's: Layton and WIilford meet in light of Melanie's scientific discovery. Till investigates an attack on a Tailie. Zarah makes a shocking find in the clinic.
== Intro ==
==Plot==
SPOILERS AHEAD
Melanie reminisces about her life with her father before the Freeze, and how he would set ash fires regularly. She is interrupted, however, by Alex, who arrives with the snow sample Melanie collected. Alex explains that the sample contains water and dirt, and when Alex confirms that there is also Ammonium Sulphate present, Melanie explains that she saw snow falling from the sky. Alex tells Melanie that she is being ridiculous given the outside temperatures, it is too cold to snow; Melanie, however, is adamant that she saw it. 
Meanwhile back on Snowpiercer, Bess arrives to brief Layton on the events happening aboard the train during the night; they are struggling with patrolling and policing the passengers on the train. To solve this, Layton suggests that Till be promoted to become the new train detective, but she is reluctant. Despite her remarks that she has seen too much blood during the uprising, Roche and Layton are able to convince her and she accepts the new promotion.
Bringing Kevin into the Brakemen's chambers, they try to question him about life aboard Big Alice. He is reluctant to divulge any information, however, but Layton and Roche are able to entice him with fresh chicken, and he reveals that Big Alice has a crew of around 100. He further explains that Bob has been genetically engineered to be able to sustain sub-zero temperatures, however Kevin is uncertain how. 
In the Engine of Big Alice, Mr. Wilford talks with Melanie and Alex, citing that he heard about the experiment Melanie wanted to conduct on the snow sample and how this failed. Despite the rocky relationship between Alex and Melanie, Alex does not reveal any information about Melanie seeing the snow. Instead, she helps Mr. Wilford explain that they can slow the trains to a crawl, thereby harming the ecosystem of Snowpiercer. When Melanie explains that they will be harming Big Alice's ecosystems too, he remarks that his crew is used to life below zero, therefore this will not affect them much.
The Tailies receive a message at the border from Wilford, and call hospitality to pass the message up train. Ruth brings the message to Layton, Bennett and Roche, citing that Wilford wants to trade Kevin for Melanie. Everyone assumes that it is a trap, but Ruth commends Wilford, remarking that he is honest and hospitality is worth more to the train than they realise. With this, they agree to the trade. 
Meeting at the border, Layton explains to Wilford that Snowpiercer belongs to the people, and there is no hierarchy. With this, Layton tells Wilford to initiate the trade, but only the prisoners are allowed at the border. With this, Melanie and Kevin trade, but Melanie is stopped in her tracks by Alex, who asks about the vial of snow. Melanie asks Alex to come with her and study the vial, but she tells Melanie that she is seven years too late and smashes the vial under her foot.
With her newfound powers as train detective, Till takes a visit to medical, where she finds Lights has been brutally attacked with her fingers removed by an axe. It is made clear by the medical team that the attack was a targeted attack on the Tail, removing their ability to work. Lights is reluctant to accept the help of Till, however, remarking that she is longing to return downtrain.
Melanie arrives at the Engine to talk with Javi and Bennett. She tells the two that she saw snow falling and believes this to be CW-7 breaking up in the atmosphere and falling to the ground, therefore signifying that the planet could be warming up, even if only a fraction. Javi leaves in haste to organize testing and monitoring of the environment outside of the train. 
Kevin arrives in Wilford's chambers to give his report on the situation aboard Snowpiercer. Mr. Wilford has drawn Kevin a bath and invites him to soak whilst they talk. Kevin reveals that mechanically everything aboard Snowpiercer is fine, but socially, they are in chaos — Kevin makes it clear that the class system is no longer in place. Mr. Wilford questions what Kevin told Layton about them, and when Kevin tries to lie, Mr. Wilford explains that he showed them they were hungry when he ate the food they offered. With this, he hands Kevin a razor blade and orders him to cut his own wrists.
Aboard Snowpiercer, Zarah delivers supplies to medical. She is intrigued when she finds a woman, badly injured with a missing hand lying in one of the beds in the recovery room. She immediately recognises this woman as Josie Wellstead, revealing that she is not dead. One of the doctors enters, asking if Zarah knows the woman — who will more than likely not survive her injuries — but Zarah remarks that she doesn't. When the doctor leaves the room, Zarah injects a solution into her IV in an attempt to kill Josie and protect her relationship with Layton but changes her mind and removes the IV.
Oz and LJ Folger try to make a deal with Terence to get back in on his illegal trades aboard Snowpiercer. Terence laughs at the two, citing that he doesn't need the trouble that they will bring, but is happy to have the two work for him down in maintenance. 
Javi, Melanie, Bennett, and Layton talk about Melanie's discovery and the possibility of the Earth warming. Layton remarks that the Earth is still cold, given they announce the temperature each day, but Melanie remarks that they take the temperature at sea level, but must look higher. With this, they shoot a pod into the atmosphere and are able to see that the temperature is -86 degrees, showing that the Earth is warming up as the CW-7 breaks down. 
With the prospect of the Earth warming, and eventually becoming inhabitable, Melanie and Layton talk about what this means for the train. Layton believes this is hope for the people of Snowpiercer, and Melanie agrees, but tells Layton that Wilford will not be part of anything he doesn't have control over. Layton agrees that they will have to meet as Melanie needs supplies from Big Alice, but Melanie warns that they will need Ruth's help to convince Wilford.
Ruth sends a letter to Mr. Wilford asking to meet in First Class, to which he agrees gracefully, although he is aware that the meeting cannot be in good faith. Arriving on Snowpiercer, Mr. Wilford and his crew are searched, and brought to First where they meet with Layton and Melanie. Melanie explains that the Earth is warming and will be inhabitable in their lifetime. They will, however, have to monitor it continuously for one more revolution. Melanie suggest that someone be left at a research station and collected at the next revolution, and Mr. Wilford sees this as his opportunity to get her off the train, exclaiming that it should be her with her expertise. Melanie agrees on the premise that all hostilities between Snowpiercer and Big Alice cease immediately.
Meanwhile, Till realizes that Lights' fingers, on her left hand, have been cut in a way that her remaining three fingers pronounce the "W" for Wilford. She sees this as a clear message from Mr. Wilford, but also an explanation that there are those still loyal to Wilford aboard Snowpiercer.
Layton is informed that Josie Wellstead is still alive and, much to Zarah's dismay, he rushes to medical immediately to see her. As Layton sits at her bedside, Josie finally regains consciousness.
==Cast==
===Main Characters===
*Jennifer Connelly as Melanie Cavill
*Daveed Diggs as Andre Layton
*Mickey Sumner as Bess Till
*Alison Wright as Ruth Wardell
*Lena Hall as Miss Audrey
*Iddo Goldberg as Bennett Knox
*Steven Ogg as Pike
*Katie McGuinness as Josie Wellstead
*Sheila Vand as Zarah Ferami
*Mike O'Malley as Roche
*Roberto Urbina as Javier De La Torre
*Sam Otto as John Osweiller
*Annalise Basso as LJ Folger
*Rowan Blanchard as Alexandra Cavill
*Sean Bean as Joseph Wilford
===Guest Starring===
*Sakina Jaffrey as Mrs. Headwood
*Damian Young as Mr. Headwood
*Bryan Terrell Clark as Pastor Logan
*Tom Lipinski as Kevin McMahon
*Shaun Toub as Terence
*Chelsea Harris as Sykes
*Karin Konoval as Dr. Pelton
*Aleks Paunovic as Bojan Boscovic
===Co-Starring===
*Ajay Banks as Nurse
*Ian Collins as Tristan
*Miranda Edwards as Lights
*Tyler Gibson as Driscoll
*Jane McGregor as Astrid
*Kelly-Ruth Mercier as Annie
*Emma Oliver as Winnie
*Kurt Ostlund as Strong Boy
*Manoj Sood as Rajiv Sharma
*Brent Stait as Tunnelman Jakes Carter
*Grace Sunar as Young Alexandra Cavill
*Kwasi Thomas as Z-Wreck
*Andre Tricoteux as Icy Bob
== Quotes ==
== Trivia ==
*The title of the episode is a line in Melanie Cavill's opening dialogue, later in the episode Josie Wellstead is revealed to still be alive, even though severely hurt from the frostbite.
*It's revealed that CW-7 is breaking up in the atmosphere and falling to Earth, meaning that the planet could potentially be recolonized in the passengers' lifetime.
*With Snowpiercer and Big Alice permanently joined, Snowpiercer now stands at 1,034 cars long: 994 on Snowpiercer and 40 on Big Alice.
*A Tea Room in Third has been converted into a shrine of sorts, where all kind of beliefs are welcomed. On an altar rests a teacup on its saucer the syncretic embodiment of all the different faiths present onboard; each faith sees another angle of the same teacup. Two interpretations are given. Bess Till suggests they all contemplate one God. Pastor Logan puts it another way: They are all crammed inside Snowpiercer together and better get along.
==Body Count==
*None
==Gallery==
=== Images ===
====Promotional====
202 — Promotional Photos (4).jpg
202 — Promotional Photos (1).jpg
202 — Promotional Photos (2).jpg
202 — Promotional Photos (3).jpg
Wilford Memorial.png
Baloon.png
Headwoods.png
====Behind the Scenes====
== Videos ==
Snowpiercer 2x02 Promo "Smolder to Life"
==See also==
==References==
Category:Episodes
Category:Season 2 Episodes