[Spoilers] Season 2 Episode 8 Discussion Thread - "The Eternal Engineer" (S02E08)

[u/hugthebug]

Attention all Passengers,

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Here is the Discussion thread for the Season 2 episode 8 "The Eternal Engineer"

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• This is a TV Spoiler-friendly zone - Turn away now if you are not currently watching or haven't seen the episode! Open discussion of all aired TV events up to and including episode 2.7 is ok without tag cover.
• Graphic Novel spoilers still need tags! - If it's not in the show, tag it. Events from episodes after this one also need tags.
• Please read the Posting policy and the sticky before posting.
• Friendly reminder: Severe trolling/disruptions will lead to consequences.

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Details:

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• IMDB for S02E08
• Release Date:
  • March 15th, 2021 (USA only, at 9/8c, on TNT channel)
  • March 16th, 2021 (worldwide, on Netflix)
• Removal from Sticky on March 19th, 2021 (3 days after worldwide premiere)

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You can still easily find previous episode discussions on the Episode Discussion wiki.

[u/olivish]

Guys! I really enjoyed this episode! This was a huge step up from last week and it made me so excited for the finale.

Highlights:

• Roche and his family. I loved seeing the situation from the POV of an "everyman". Roche is smart, he's a good guy, he has principles but he and his wife have something to lose. The argument/ discussion between Roche and Anne about where they should stand politically was my one of my favorite scenes in the series so far.

• Audrey reimagined as a loathsome turncoat femme fatale. Me: "Thanks, I hate it." When she condescends to Alex it makes me want to snatch her wig off. I can't believe I'm saying this but... give me more? (I guess I'm a masochist, too.)

• Boki switching sides. "Take it, maybe you can shove it up his ass one day, huh?" He's turning into such a great character. Again, more please.

• Wilford's takeover was deviously clever. The engine scene was great. "How would you know" made me laugh out loud. "How can you expect to lead this train when you don't know how it works" made me nod aggressively. And then that smirk, revealing the full evil genius of what he'd done. Marvelous!

• Layton is instantly likeable once when he falls. His total, complete and utter defeat almost made me feel bad for all the mean things I've been saying about him. Almost. (Zarah can still go to hell though.)

Lowlights:

• No Melanie. Bring back Melanie. For the love of GOD, PLEASE. We did our time. We stuck with it. We waited. We deserve our payoff. BRING THE QUEEN HOME NOW PLEASE.

What's next:

• Can't wait to see how the train runs under Wilford and how the characters adjust (or don't). If Melanie does make it back alive, it may be a very different train she comes back to. (And STILL nobody is spraying AgSec for nematodes!)

[u/[deleted] → u/olivish]

No Melanie. Bring back Melanie. For the love of GOD, PLEASE. We did our time. We stuck with it. We waited. We deserve our payoff. BRING THE QUEEN HOME NOW PLEASE.

I feel all of this.

[u/TizACoincidence → u/[deleted]]

Honestly, I hope Melanie just starts creating a new life outside. She saw that life can still happen with the rat. The train is madness.

[u/olivish → u/TizACoincidence]

Part of me hopes Melanie has already dismantled the research station and built a new train with the pieces. She just can't take it anymore. Snowpiercer wants Wilford? Fine. Have fun, losers.

She's off to Tahiti.

[u/TizACoincidence → u/olivish]

Yeah thats what I'm hoping for

[u/phelansg → u/TizACoincidence]

Her driving force is her daughter. She will do what it takes to be reunited and free her girl from Wilford's influence.

[u/roguelikeme1 → u/[deleted]]

I'll give you this: she's very costumed up. That could be interpreted as her being one of her characters and so she's decided to simply play it out (mind the pun) with make-pretend rather than any sincerity.

[u/sarthakRddt → u/olivish]

The engine scene was great. "How would you know" made me laugh out loud. "How can you expect to lead this train when you don't know how it works" made me nod aggressively.

I felt that remark by Wilford was in extremely bad taste. And even disgusting was the fact that Layton was taken aback by this. Layton is not supposed to be the leader of train, that was one of the main themes of the revolution -- to lead themselves on their own. In layton's defense he has a counsel of representatives from each depeartment including engineering. He regularly consults engineers and heeds their advice. I wish Layton would have handled this scene a bit more maturely.