Get ready for Season 2 of hijack! Hold onto your seats for more shocking twists, much like the surprise awaiting viewers at the end of the premiere.
Co-creator Jim Field Smith is setting the stage for a fresh chapter in his popular series, now featuring Idris Elba. He aimed to turn the first season’s premise upside down. “In Season 1, we were cruising at 35,000 feet, with sunshine streaming in. It felt aspirational. If I were to revisit it, I thought I should do the opposite,” Smith shared during a Zoom call. “If I’m going to create more episodes, repetition isn’t the goal. I aimed to keep the essence of Season 1 while giving it a twist—kind of creating a yin and yang dynamic. The visuals and themes should play off each other.”
This time around, along with new settings and transportation methods, the first episode ends with a major twist that significantly alters the storyline for the season. I’m left wondering what the ending of Season 2, Episode 1, titled “Signal,” implies for Elba’s character, Sam Nelson. The conclusion will shed light on that.
hijack Spoilers alert: Season 2, Episode 1.
hijack Season 2, Episode 1 ending breakdown: I’m the hijacker now
The new season kicks off similarly to the first, zeroing in on Sam Nelson right before he boards transportation. Except this time, it’s a train, not a plane. He’s carrying a briefcase, keeping an eye on the surveillance cameras, and generally appearing anxious. As he boards the Berlin subway and spots a man with a conspicuous red backpack, it’s easy to assume he’s there to stop another hijacking.
It’s possible that after successfully landing the plane in Season 1, authorities might have enlisted Sam for high-stakes negotiations. Or maybe he’s just hyper-aware after the intense experience of the first season? It’s hard to say, but as he ponders his motives for being in this situation, it seems like, well, none of those reasons are actually real.
As events unfold in the premiere, an outside investigation reveals that explosives are linked to a man posing as a worker on the tracks. Clearly, he has some criminal intent this time around. Sam reports the suspicious man on the train, prompting police action. For a fleeting moment, it looks like Sam has defused the threat, but soon we find out that the red backpack was merely a distraction. Then there’s the train driver, Otto, who appears to be struggling as he ignores calls and speeds past stops, leading to chaos. Is he a hijacker or just another piece in this puzzle?
As Otto reflects on his involvement, he makes a frantic call, exclaiming he can’t continue. Time is running short, yet he presses on. The tension escalates as passengers grow concerned, and it dawns on Sam that Otto is spiraling out of control. Sam steps in, trying to halt the train’s reckless pace through a tunnel.
After veering into a blocked tunnel and losing contact with headquarters, Sam confronts Otto about the speeding train. In a twist, Sam says, “You’re Otto, right? Listen, I’m hijacking this train.”
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The song “Evil” by Cactus sets an intense tone, leaving viewers questioning whether Sam has crossed over to the dark side. In Season 1, he was definitely the hero, but with this new direction, it raises the question of his true intentions.
The official synopsis for Season 2’s premiere reads: “Two years following the hijacking of Flight KA29, Sam faces a new, dangerous predicament, one that feels personal.” It seems likely that this train incident is linked to the earlier hijacking, especially since Sam meant to meet Olivia to discuss footage connected to the Season 1 hijacker. If he anticipated missing the meeting to carry out the hijack, could that have been intentional?
Additionally, in this episode, we meet Marcia, who appears to be hiding out, marking a mysterious anniversary alone. It’s curious that Daniel and their son Kai aren’t present. Is Marcia in trouble? Could her situation tie into the train hijacking?
By the time the credits roll, fans will have plenty of questions following Season 2, Episode 1. What’s driving Sam’s actions now? If he’s become the hijacker, will he still protect those around him? Who actually has control in this scenario? And how do the incidents from both seasons connect beyond their similar themes?
Make sure to catch hijack for answers when the next episode, “Control,” airs on January 21st.
A new episode of hijack Season 2 drops every Wednesday on Apple TV.
