Snowpiercer EP talks season 2 finale, fate of major character

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the season 2 finale of Snowpiercer.

Monday night's season 2 finale of the TNT science fiction show Snowpiercer saw the titular train split in twain, much to the anger of Sean Bean's villainous Mr. Wilford. But the real damage was emotional. Having explosively decoupled from the rest of the train, Daveed Diggs' Layton and Rowan Blanchard's Alex headed off through the snow to meet up with Alex's mother, Melanie. Alas, the pair discovered that Jennifer Connelly's character had seemingly given up her life to ensure the survival of crucial meteorological data.

Below, Snowpiercer executive producer Becky Clements talks about the season 2 finale and the fate of Melanie.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, the obvious question: is that it for Melanie?
BECKY CLEMENTS: We are always surprising everyone. [Laughs] It was a powerful ending. The end of season 2 leaves you wondering.

Well, that's true. I don't want to be morbid, but, when it comes to fictional characters, I've learned that, unless I see a body, then I'm not entirely convinced they're gone.
Well, let's be honest, sometimes there is a body — like Jon Snow — and things still happen.

That is correct. So, you not saying that it's definitely the end for Melanie?
I think that's accurate. You see a heartbroken daughter, and Layton trying to comfort her, but recognizing that Melanie did exactly what she said she was going to do, which is get the modeling up and running, so we are going to leave it at that.

I interviewed Jennifer about her solo episode a few weeks back and, when I congratulated her on her character not dying, she did not blink.
Yes. She's a very good actress. [Laughs]

Well, if her character did die, she certainly fooled me.
That's good.

Melanie's episode could have come at various stages in the season. It could have been the penultimate episode. Was it always the plan to have it where it was?
It was actually. Graeme (Manson, Snowpiercer showrunner) had a very clear idea of having the train and Melanie meet each other in this fiery drive-by moment and then kind of messing with time. You can always tell when any writer, but Graeme in particular, locks in to an idea that excites him, and he was very eager to pitch that idea and it held. That was very early on in breaking the season. You're always looking to surprise the audience, and to keep it interesting, so that was constructed very early on.

You must be happy with the way that Sean Bean's devilish characterization of Mr. Wilford turned out this season.
You are absolutely right. We had so many talented actors and so much plot, and there's often quite a bit at stake. Tonally, it's often quite difficult to fit in an oddball character moment, or an off-beat tonal shift, in the storytelling when you have someone's life at stake. In season 1, we had such a significant mutiny story and in season 2 we just chose very early on to have Wilford play his version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Hannibal Lecter, in a way. Is he insane or the most brilliant human left on earth? We don't know. What I love about Shaun is, you just don't know what's coming next in the performance and in the character, so it's very fun. He brings such an unpredictability. We have such very strange moments with him.

It was also fun to see Ruth get her hands dirty — metaphorically and literally — in the finale.
Yes. [Laughs] And reveal some vulnerability, which you don't often get to see the character do. I agree. Alison Wright is so talented, thoughtful, prepared, original. I do love those last moments of she and Layton together, just watching the evolution of that relationship.

In real-life, what are those bendy bars of food they were eating?
Depends on the actor. We've put some rough stuff in the — no, I'm teasing. [Laughs] They're all dried fruit bars that they have to chew on.

Where are you with season 3 at the moment?
We're starting week 4 this week. Everyone is in Canada, and following all of our COVID protocols. and delivering incredible material, so we have episodes 1 and 2 almost shot.

And so, is Jennifer Connelly on set there?
That's such a good question. I don't have the answer to that question.

I've got to try here, you know!
It was good. I'm the same way. You have to try.

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Snowpiercer EP talks season 2 finale, fate of major character

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