DISCLAIMER: This recap of the Snowpiercer episode “Born to Bleed” has spoilers. Prepare to brace and proceed at your peril.
Welcome back, passengers of the Eternal Engine! Snowpiercer returns with its strongest episode of the season. “Born to Bleed” is a solid sendoff for Steven Ogg, who doles out his best performance. While I hoped Pike and Layton would mend fences, I knew Pike would go out with a bang. Pike is chaos personified; a bloody fight to the death is the only way.
Season 3 boasts its fair share of inconsistencies, but the Pike betrayal storyline is well-constructed. The writers plant the seeds early on for Pike’s inevitable turn, notably since he and Layton weren’t friends right out of the gate. I’m curious to see if this event transforms Layton’s approach to leadership.
Ready to dig deep into “Born to Bleed”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Pike (Ogg), providing narration for this week’s outing. We see footage of him surreptitiously planting the bomb to kill Layton as he discusses how Layton impedes the train’s healing process. That said, Pike muses whether he was “born to bleed,” as he tends to exude chaos regardless.
Pike dreams of Ruth (Alison Wright), who nonchalantly tells him their tryst was a mistake. Strong Boy (Kurt Ostlund) proceeds to choke him.
Z-Wreck (Kwasi Thomas) and Astrid (Jane McGregor) wake Pike from his hellish nightmare to inform him about Layton’s assassination attempt (that he instigated). Z-Wreck, Astrid and Pike head to Big Alice, where Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Zarah (Sheila Vand) remain concealed with their baby, away from prying eyes.
Pike delegates security tasks to Astrid and Z-Wreck while staying behind to “guard” Layton, Zarah and Liana. Meanwhile, Ruth visits Roche (Mike O’Malley), locked away after he tried to kill Wilford. Roche refuses to leave because he fears what he’ll do in public. Roche’s wife tempered his angry side.
Dr. Pelton (Karin Konoval) examines Layton and concludes he has a concussion. No sleeping for you, mister! Layton laments not imbibing, so Pike volunteers to make tea for him and Zarah.
Later, Josie (Katie McGuinness) reunites with Miles (Jaylin Fletcher) for lunch in third class. This mother/son duo hasn’t seen each other in six months. Josie learns that Miles is at the top of his engineering class. Huzzah!
Bess (Mickey Sumner) investigates Layton’s assassination attempt, turning to Lights (Miranda Edwards) for clarity. They talk about the Year 3 Uprising with the Tail, and Lights procures her cookbook containing recipes for explosives. Lights notices that a few pages are missing.
Then, Zarah lets Pike hold Liana while Layton receives a phone call from Bess. Bess tells him that only the Tail’s war council had access to those recipes, and most of the said council are dead. Well, except for Layton and Pike. Layton informs Bess that Pike’s with him.
Initially, Pike refuses to give Liana back to Zarah, but he tosses the baby in a last-ditch effort to evade capture. Thankfully, Liana is okay.
Layton pursues Pike throughout the train. But Pike gains the upper hand when he knocks Layton unconscious.
Alex (Rowan Blanchard) bonds with Carly (Esther Ming Li) in the third-class dining car over murder attempts. Alex reassures Carly that she’s not Team Wilford. Then, she persuades Carly to visit Roche. Alex vows to help facilitate the said visit.
Meanwhile, Audrey (Lena Hall) pays LJ (Annalise Basso) for a chance to see Wilford. The asking price? LJ’s deceased father’s prosthetic eye. One of the brakemen leads Audrey away in handcuffs — the coverup for Audrey’s presence in first class. LJ plops the eyeball in her mouth, which isn’t weird at all.
Audrey finds Wilford (Sean Bean) sequestered away in the library car. It’s abundantly clear that he’s not the same person he was before. Audrey informs him about Layton’s precarious position. It’s time for Wilford to reclaim his power! However, Wilford doesn’t want to fight anymore. Audrey, furious, storms out.
Layton and Bess search Pike’s quarters for anything that would indict him, and they find the missing pages from Lights’ cookbook lodged in the side of his mattress. Ruth learns Pike’s a wanted man, and she tries to convince Layton of her beau’s innocence.
Pike stalks the bowels of Snowpiercer until he encounters Asha (Archie Panjabi). Asha brandishes a weapon in his direction. She prefers living alone in the dark; it helps with sensory overload and PTSD.
Unfortunately, Asha inadvertently discloses Layton’s lie, that he found her hiding “in a hole” and not the lush New Eden she painted for the passengers.
Ruth tracks down Pike and urges him to turn himself over to her. But Pike’s in too deep now.
Josie and Miles suggest that Layton and Pike participate in a Tailie tradition — Old Ivan’s Way. The men must sit down in the Tail and talk it out, find a compromise. However, if both cannot resolve the issue and vote for blood, they must fight each other to the death.
This episode is chock full of reunions! Alex gets Carly a visit with the latter’s father. Roche tries to push Carly away, but his daughter confesses that she needs him, so the father/daughter duo tearfully hugs it out.
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After Layton and Zarah discuss the pros and cons of implementing Old Ivan’s Way, Layton speaks directly to Pike over the intercom. He urges Pike to join him in the Tail for a time-honored Tailie tradition. Tailie pride for life.
We see everyone gathering in the Tail to encourage the historic meeting about to take place. After Josie explains the rules, she leaves Layton and Pike for their private conversation.
Layton apologizes for his past sins, taking responsibility for every Tailie who sacrificed themselves for the cause. Layton tells Pike he’s willing to give him whatever he desires. No matter the cost. He’ll even make Pike the godfather of his newborn daughter! But Pike laughs it off and refuses to accept anything on the table.
Pike calls Layton out on his New Eden lie, and Layton realizes that he wants Ruth to take charge. Pike asserts that Ruth would rise to the occasion. However, Pike will keep Layton’s Horn of Africa lie a secret if the latter “calls for the knives.”
Finally, after Layton’s numerous attempts at keeping the peace, Layton asks Josie to hand over the knives. Layton and Pike duke it out. It’s a well-choreographed fight, perhaps Snowpiercer‘s best thus far.
Layton endures a nasty slash from Pike’s knife, but Zarah’s audible cries distract Pike enough so that Layton sinks his blade into Pike’s chest. As Pike falls, he whispers that he hopes “everything is frozen” in Layton’s ear. RIP Pike. You were a little rascal.
Later, Layton washes Pike and prepares him for a Tailie funeral. There’s a calling hours of sorts, and everyone pays their respects. Layton apologizes to Ruth.
Josie tells the crowd that Layton must stand guard over Pike’s body overnight to ensure the deceased makes the trek to the next plane.
But Layton’s mind floods with visions of New Eden and Pike, intermingled, and it rattles his concussed brain. Mind you; he’s hit his head multiple times on this episode. Layton passes out.
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I dig the discussions about tradition in “Born to Bleed,” especially how deeply ingrained Tail traditions are among the Tailies. Of course, the Josie/Miles and Roche/Carly scenes continue to drive home the importance of family on this show. You need your people when the apocalypse hits.
Do you think Wilford has changed for the better? Will Layton’s collapse keep him out of commission for a bit? Did LJ at least wash that eyeball before putting it in her mouth (Short answer: no.)? Join me next week while I recap Snowpiercer, only on Geek Girl Authority.
Snowpiercer airs Mondays at 9 pm on your TNT affiliate.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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