Snowpiercer – Season 4 Episode 3 “Life Source” Recap & Review

Life Source

Episode 3 of Snowpiercer begins with Ruth over in New Eden. She reassures the group that everything is under control and they’ve upped the security. As for Layton though, he’s on a short fuse and is desperate to go after Liana. It appears the Peacekeepers have been planning this for a while, and he wants to take Big Alice to go after Snowpiercer and that involves turning on the engine and getting back on track.

Ruth refuses to indulge this, reinforcing that they’re a democracy now and need to vote on these things. They can’t just undermine everything because he wants his daughter back, no matter how horrible the deed is.

At the meeting, we learn that Big Alice’s engine fuels New Eden, or at least helps it along when other systems fail so it’s a necessary part of this community. Unfortunately, if Layton decides to leave, it’ll destroy everything they’ve been working on up to this point.

Meanwhile, we cut across to those from Snowpiercer as they do their manual labour. Bess has been tortured for information but she’s kept quiet, not revealing anything, and knowing that this place is like a labour camp and they need to fight back. Specifically, they want to take the Admiral down. Ben encourages Bess to bide her time before they strike.

The guys have been treated poorly for months, ground into shifts of over 12 hours at a time and with individuals dropping like flies. The latest is Lt. Lee and his death comes with an opportunity for Ben. If he takes over, he just needs to do some electrical work and it’ll double their food production but it involves handling a “potent synthetic compound”. However, these chemicals are apparently super important.

Ben negotiates lower shifts and for Bess Till to join him while he works on this, something they agree to. They’re kept on a tight leash though, as Ben heads in to see Nima, asking questions about their job. Nima keeps tight-lipped about most of it though. He’s being kept under the Admiral’s thumb, who has actually told Nima to stop working and keep an eye on them.

Ben and Till are convinced that there’s something else going on here. They’re in the last car of the train so it would be easy for them to be cut off. The pipes inside are clearly too dense for water and searching the pipes, they find it leads to the sub-train. Ben and Till try to figure out what these chemicals are for, and quite how they can use this against the Admiral and their cronies.

Back in New Eden, Osweiller heads back to base where Layton enlists his help to get their plan into motion. As he’s a councilmember, and wracked with guilt over Zarah being up in the mountains to check on him; he feels like he needs to do right by the community. Javi also helps too and finds a way to give New Eden energy for 3 weeks when they inevitably leave.

However, Sykes shows up and manages to overpower Layton and keep him down, because of course she does. Ruth is conflicted over what to do, given some people actually support Layton’s vengeance plan to get his daughter back and fight for the ones they love. She decides they should put it to a vote.

Layton gives a big speech before everyone, claiming he wants to fight for his girl like he would for all of them. As a result, he’s allowed to take the engine. He’s got 3 weeks with the train, and can take up to 3 cars too but none of them can be from Ag-Sec. Anyone he takes with him need to be going voluntarily.

Alice’s research is rather alarming. Mr Sprinkles is back but he’s dead and examining the body, Alice has realized that the blood is frozen. She’s not sure if this hot spot is more akin to a bubble (and bubbles burst of course) and wants to do more research into it. Part of this includes joining Layton as he heads out. Layton has a good deal of people joining him, including Josie and, surprisingly, Ruth. Roche is in charge while they’re gone, and it sets everything up for a dramatic showdown to come.

Till and Ben try to enact their plan, which involves using chemical warfare to gas out the Admiral. Unfortunately Zima betrays them and Ben and Till end up in the box. The chemicals they’re working on are actually for Big Alice, and as they head out, Layton and the others are inbound.

The Episode Review

This episode essentially works as a bridge before we hit all-out action in the coming weeks for this action thriller. So far there’s been quite a slow build-up but this episode sees much more straightforward editing and a plan that sees Layton heading after the Peacekeepers, while they try to hit New Eden.

The contrasting states of the two worlds is a nice touch and it’s clear that everything is going to come to a head over the next few weeks. It’s admirable that Ruth honours the democracy of New Eden, accepting that this is what the people have voted for, and even deciding to come along too, partly for Layton I think because she has respect for him and his plight.

Given this is the final season, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some deaths along the way, and I’d imagine there will be more than one casualty before all of this is said and done. For now though, we’ll have to wait and see what’s in store for us next.