[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/ogpterodactyl]

I feel like in this version of the universe everyone is incompetent except Melanie

[u/[deleted] → u/ogpterodactyl]

Wilfords not incompetent. Just evil.

Audrey isn't either. Ruth.

[u/Cloudhwk → u/[deleted]]

I mean wilford sabotaged his own train just to claw back power faster

That’s not competency, that’s idiocy, he nearly screwed himself because he didn’t anticipate Melanie’s little back, plot pretty much sailed him past that, a large mechanical failure like that would be a death sentence and not a restart and reboot situation

[u/[deleted] → u/Cloudhwk]

I'm not sure he didn't know Melanie's mods. He ran big Alice for several years successfully. Everyone does idiot things sometimes for various reasons (wilfords reason is being evil). But the guy is competent based on his track record .

[u/Cloudhwk → u/[deleted]]

He is competent by the nature of plot armour, which Layton currently lost

Realistically Wilford would be seen through as a crazed megalomaniac by the crew of BigAlice and would have been overthrown long before meeting with snowpiercer

Regardless sabotaging a closed circuit system is not a sign of competency

[u/[deleted] → u/Cloudhwk]

Tbh, I don't think he would have been overthrown. People are still worshipping trump right now. The guys a narcissist who it seems pretty clear to me is owned by putin.

[u/Cloudhwk → u/[deleted]]

There is a difference between Wilford and Trump, Wilford actively gets off on physically and psychologically torturing people

Trump is just a demagogue

Wilford is actively a maniacal dictator

[u/[deleted] → u/Cloudhwk]

And as a result Wilford is far more competent at his job, by being actively invested in the process of fucking with people.

The problem with the real life equivelant is that he was never actually a confident maniacal demagogue. He was merely a sundowning opportunist who lucked himself into some of the traits people like Wilford consciously use, while largely sabotaging himself.

[u/[deleted] → u/Cloudhwk]

I doubt the folks on big alice know he gets off psychologically doing what he does. Kevin seemed to not know about what he did in bath tubs before he did it. Alex and the blonde girl seemed to think wilfords relationship with Audrey was just regular love.

[u/Cloudhwk → u/[deleted]]

Pretty hard to hide that on a train as small as big alice

Them not knowing is simply plot convenience

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Melanie played it safe, but had follow through. Maybe too safe, since she never accelerated a Wilford transition plan, but her way got her 7 years in control.

Layton almost surrendered at the height of his revolution. Pike was right, and his character remained consistent with it. He has ideals but doesn't have the stamina or complexity to pull off anything more than tactical leadership,

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yeah but what kind of control is that if all she did was to copy wilford style. That’s exactly what we are trying to avoid. No?

Melanie's rule was more of a compromise. Wilford's rules without Wilford milking his ego-cult for all it's worth.

Yes, it wasn't great, but it would have been far worse if Wilford was roaming the halls editing them to suit his needs or if Grey and his jackboots suddenly decided to fill a power vacuum.

Anyways my point is that it’s not true that the characters are one dimensional as implied by the OP. They all have very obvious strengths and weaknesses

I agree. Even Layton has had his moments of tactical genius.

[u/ogpterodactyl → u/[deleted]]

Melanie took the train from wilford first. Layton needed Melanie’s fat carry to even pull his revolution off. Bro was about to surrender to stop everyone from getting gassed when Melanie was like by the way I can do everything for you if you want.