WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 of Snowpiercer.
Snowpiercer's first season concluded on A shocking note with Big Alice, Wilford's second train, attacking and shutting down the one now run by Layton (Daveed Diggs) and Mel (Jennifer Connelly). They thought they were ushering a new era aboard their 994 cars but it turns out Wilford wants back the Eternal Engine.
With alliances still uneasy on Snowpiercer and a new surprising face acting as an emissary to Layton's team, let's look at some of the burning questions Season 2 has to answer.
HOW DID ALEXANDRA SURVIVE?
The diplomat Wilford sends is Mel's daughter, Alexandra, who we thought died when Mel left the family behind six years ago. Mel had to rush Snowpiercer onto the tracks to leave Wilford, and she was being torn by guilt over the season. Fans would love to know how did Alex survive abandonment and just how Wilford found her.
It could be this teenager isn't actually Alex, but from her emotional reaction, she does think Mel's her mom. Still, Alex should have died in the Big Freeze so understanding how Wilford got to her, what happened to Mel's parents and how Wilford turned Alex into a cold, ruthless younger version of Mel will be intriguing.
HOW DOES BIG ALICE EXIST?
This second train is Wilford's first prototype engine so the show needs to explain how it exists, and why Mel didn't factor into account. She assumed Wilford was dead but she clearly knew of the first engine, so it's unclear why she wouldn't have sabotaged it. It's obvious Wilford would have used this to track them so it would also shed insight knowing how he kept his survival and revolutions secret.
It's a great backup as it's a supply train with lots of resources like food and engine parts, but it's not as intricate a life machine as Snowpiercer. Thus, seeing how it managed to live on for six revolutions under the radar is going to be quite illuminating.
ARE THERE SNOW COLONIES?
The finale suggested there are snow colonies out in the Big Freeze when Mel's engine crew tried to find out where Big Alice's signal was coming from. Ben and Javi began pondering if survivors were on the outside trying to flag them down. Of course, Mel's people quickly realized it was Wilford but survivors really are an intriguing prospect.
It'd be like The Walking Dead where the trains would have to be careful in bringing on to offset the population, order and balance, especially with unsavory characters. Likewise, the Arks commandeering could make pit stops and reconnect to society, using these colonies to help evolve as well. Some people may even get off to try to live life because, after all, a lot of folks are fed up with train life. The seven cars Layton ditched may even find a home in one here, creating tension for the future and riffing off refugee camps and immigration issues.
ARE THERE OTHER TRAINS?
There might also be other trains seeing as Wilford had so much money and elites backing him. With other tycoons existing besides Wilford, they may also have trains on the global tracks, but just on different timing systems. In the graphic novels, readers learned of such systems so even with other smaller, independent and hungrier trains, things like pirate raids could become a factor.
The concept of other trains is similar to the colonies but it's more dynamic as it's mobile. Some may even be friends to Snowpiercer and could give way to a coalition. The point is, more mobile ecosystems create different dynamics for the show, which may get boring if it focuses on Wilford's modern locomotives alone.
IS WILFORD A VILLAIN?
Mel has demonized Wilford as a drunk, womanizer and party animal but this could be propaganda to get people to back her chosen ones in running Snowpiercer. However, the reason that the elites like Wilford is because he seemed like a good man who wanted the best for humanity, so while Mel and Layton are saviors, it could be her words were subjective and manipulative.
Viewers can't trust Mel that much, as Wilford had to have been doing something right to keep Big Alice going for six years. Wilford might not be a hero, per the movie and books, but he may not be the vile tyrant Mel has made him out to be, especially since fans know her to be a true politician.