Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 2 Recap: The Sting of Survival

Recap: Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 2 opens with Bennett Knox held hostage at gun point, giving Melanie Cavill five seconds to make a decision. Give up the train to the ‘International Peacekeeping Forces’ or let Ben perish.

This Snowpiercer recap contains spoilers for episode, “The Sting of Survival”.

Iddo Goldberg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

A bruised Bennett Knox pleads with Melanie not to open the door to Snowpiercer’s train controls. Knox knows the International Peacekeeping Forces mean business because they shoot Bess Till in the shoulder for trying to alert Melanie.

Put on the spot, Melanie chooses Ben over Snowpiercer and opens the door. There is no question Melanie truly loves Ben… Because she is much more willing to allow 100 people to potentially freeze later in “The Sting of Survival” in a rare sign of sociopathy. Meaning, she is willing to accept collateral damage in some ways.

Jennifer Connelly – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Her split second decision allows the International Peacekeeping Forces to take full control of the train. Passengers are told to abandon First Class carriages and move to Second and Third class carriages.

Jennifer Connelly as Melanie Cavill – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Ben and Melanie implore the invaders to allow one of them to stay in the control room as engineers. Ben particularly remarks that it’s not enough to just know how to accelerate, but their words are ignored.

Clark Gregg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Admiral Milius (Clark Gregg) takes Snowpiercer and sets a new course east. Meanwhile Ben and Melanie are held captive under the watch of one guard. While reviewing the train, Admiral Milius admires Mr. Wilford’s attention to the classics.

Milius states that he “personally always preferred murder mysteries” and cynically contrasts Wilford’s elitist life to his own in the mines.

Note: that actor Sean Bean (who plays Mr. Wilford) does not appear physically on-screen in “The Sting of Survival”.

Ben and Melanie Escape

Iddo Goldberg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Ben and Melanie craft a makeshift projectile cannon of sorts and take aim at the glass window of the door where a guard stands idly.

Cast members Jennifer Connelly, Iddo Goldberg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

The guard is immediatley knocked out and Melanie takes his pistol as backup. Ben and Melanie hit the brake systems of Snowpiercer to slow it down. In response, one of Admiral Milius’ men shoots at the ceiling of a Third Class passenger car with a hundred people on board, causing a breach of the hull.

Clark Gregg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Milius’ willingness to sacrifice a 100 people disappoints Dr. Nima Rousseau over the phone. Milius responds that the guilt is squarely on Melanie, they can ‘just give themselves up’. His conscience is clear.

Jennifer Connelly, Iddo Goldberg- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2) cast. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Melanie has a plan to take back the train’s engine but even Ben questions the idea with 100 passengers on the line. However, Melanie succeeds when a guard stands down. She understands the guard has orders not to eliminate her.

That’s when Dr. Nima Rousseau (Michael Aronov) makes his first appearance on-screen in Snowpiercer Season 4 Episode 2. Nima explains that his team is behind the sudden hot spot locations throughout the globe and they need Snowpiercer.

Jennifer Connelly, Michael Aronov- Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Trusting Nima as a great mind, Melanie stands down though Ben remains seemingly unmoved. A time skip occurs.

Audrey escapes instead of Till

Mickey Sumner- Snowpiercer cast (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

We flash forward to a plan hatched by Ben, Till and Audrey for Till to escape and warn Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) of what’s coming to New Eden.

Audrey is surprised by a guard and narrowly escapes death thanks to Till, who wrestles the guard on the floor.

Cast member Iddo Goldberg as Bennett Knox – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

In a last second decision, Audrey tells Ben that they’re out of time, she needs to replace Till. Ben launches the side car immediatley.

Lena Hall (Miss Audrey) – Snowpiercer (Season 4, Episode 2). Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Miss Audrey narrates how it would be just her alone in the cold. When we flash forward, Audrey is in New Eden’s makeshift clinic with skin damaged from the cold.

Daveed Diggs (Andre Layton) in Snowpiercer episode “The Sting of Survivial”. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Audrey is seen telling Andre Layton what happened on Snowpiercer and what awaits them next at New Eden. Essentially, the audience arrives at where they were to end the Snowpiercer Season 4 premiere.

– Check out our Snowpiercer Review: Season 4 Episode 1 “Snakes in the Garden”!

Where to watch Snowpiercer: You can watch Snowpiercer on AMC each Sunday at 9:00 pm ET with an 11:10 pm ET replay. Snowpiercer episodes are also available early to stream on the AMC+ service.

More Snowpiercer Interviews, Reviews, and Recaps:

Jennifer Connelly, Iddo Goldberg- Snowpiercer cast in “The Sting of Survival”. Photo Credit: David Bukach/AMC

Be sure to read:

– Snowpiercer Season 3 Finale recap Melanie’s Choice

– Melanie Cavill: ‘Lying is a type of empathy’

– Iddo Goldberg Snowpiercer Interview: Ben vs Mr. Wilford’s Tyranny

– Snowpiercer Season 3 Episode 3: Is Lying to sell Hope ever morally right?

– Lena Hall Snowpiercer Interview: Miss Audrey & Mr. Wilford’s Tainted Love

– Snowpiercer Season 3 Episode 8 recap: Too late to be an Engineer

– Roberto Urbina Interview: Javi’s Dog Bite PTSD on Snowpiercer

Visit our Snowpiercer section for more recaps, reviews, and exclusive interviews you won’t get anywhere else but The Natural Aristocrat®! We have up to the minute coverage of the fourth and final season of Snowpiercer!

Article Copyright:

– All content on The Natural Aristocrat® is Copyright © 2016-2024 TheNaturalAristocrat.com. All rights reserved.

No part of this website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied, modified, adapted, or excerpted in any way without the prior written consent and permission of The Natural Aristocrat® author Nir Regev.