Snowpiercer: “The First Blow” fights for control

While Layton and his team have been searching for hot spots around the globe, the other train has been having its continuing rivalry between Wilford’s supporters and the resistance, led by Ruth. But, in “The First Blow,” some of these storylines begin to crash together as it finally becomes a question of if and how the two trains will unite to become one once again.

However, it is not as simple as agreeing to connect back together. Instead, Layton and Wilford engage in a battle to see who will back down first before the trains inevitably connect. Although Wilford is stubborn and desires to keep control, Layton’s group is more innovative and perhaps even more determined than Wilford to lead the remaining survivors to a better future.

In the end, Layton succeeds in gaining control of the train, but it now places him in a position of power, and with that comes another level of responsibility. While it may be Layton’s goal to keep the people alive, his endgame is far greater than that. He wants to bring Snowpiercer’s passengers to Africa on the chance it may be survivable. But unfortunately, he has no proof of this other than having hope in a vision he had.

So, the fight for control of the train may also go hand in hand with a battle to ensure Layton gets the chance to follow through on Melanie’s mission. But, to have a better chance at guaranteeing his plan for the train’s future, Layton makes a significant decision, one that may come back to haunt him if things go wrong.

Layton asks Asha, a survivor of the freeze, to lie about her background. Asha claims that she was from new Eden to encourage the train’s passengers to vote for traveling to what Layton hopes is a survivable hot spot.

But, it may not be an easy trek, and there is always a chance that things may go wrong, especially since there are still so many episodes left in the season. “The First Blow” teases the possible upcoming struggles the train may face, whether it be fighting for control of Snowpiercer or the personal conflicts that come from a variety of complicated relationships.