Warning: SPOILERS for Snowpiercer Season 3, Episode 3 - "The First Blow"
Kevin McMahon (Tom Lipinski) was killed off on Snowpiercer again but this time, Mr. Wilford's ghoulish Head of Hospitality will stay dead. In Snowpiercer season 3, episode 3, Andre Layton (Daveed Diggs) and his loyalists reconnected their 10-car pirate train to Snowpiercer and took back control from Mr. Wilford (Sean Bean). But while Layton and Josie Wellstead (Katie McGuinness) personally handled Wilford, the Resistance got unexpected help from the newlywed LJ Folger-Osweiller (Annalise Basso), who executed Kevin in a shocking, but crowd-pleasing, moment.
Kevin was introduced at the start of Snowpiercer season 2 as Mr. Wilford's most loyal flunky aboard their 40-car supply train, Big Alice. From the get-go, there was something obviously unbalanced about the sadistic Kevin, who was the counterpart of Snowpiercer's Ruth Wardell (Alison Wright). McMahon was quickly taken hostage and interrogated by Layton. When Kevin was returned to Wilford, the billionaire Messiah knew that his right-hand man gave up crucial intel so Wilford coerced Kevin to slit his wrists in his bathtub. Kevin was believed dead until he turned up alive and psychologically damaged a few episodes later. Wilford's paramour, Miss Audrey (Lena Hall), healed Kevin but McMahon was still twisted and amoral. In Snowpiercer season 3, Kevin ruthlessly chased after the Resistance led by Ruth on the train and he tortured and murdered Strong Boy (Kurt Ostlund), one of Layton's allies from the Tail.
Kevin was murdered by LJ, who saw which way the wind was blowing as Layton took back control of Snowpiercer. Lilah Jr. innately understood that with the regime about to change, Mr. Wilford's most loyal followers would be thrown in the brig, in the Compost car, or worse, by Layton so she decided to turn on Wilford and kill Kevin. LJ hopes offing Kevin will "prove" to Layton that she and her new husband, John Osweiller (Sam Otto), were working for Wilford under duress. Unlike McMahon's previous The Godfather Part II-like "death" in the bathtub, which was implied, Kevin's final death will stick because LJ stabbed him in the neck and watched him bleed out before she raised her fist and hilariously proclaimed, "Long live the Resistance!"
Kevin is the first noteworthy death in Snowpiercer season 3 since he was a more important character than Strong Boy, the Tailie he tortured and killed. Kevin was by Wilford's side during the billionaire's most appalling crimes like the Cull on Big Alice where they killed half of their passengers in order to preserve resources. Kevin even suggested a second Cull on Snowpiercer, which Wilford thankfully shot down. While Kevin was a bootlick to Wilford, he was also a sinister tool his employer knew how to use to his advantage. McMahon was a cheerleader for Wilford's worst impulses and, it's safe to say, no one on Snowpiercer, except for Wilford himself (possibly), will miss Kevin.
Snowpiercer has a habit of reversing the deaths of major characters, like Josie, or their final fates are ambiguous enough that they can still be reversed, like Melanie Cavill (Jennifer Connelly). But Kevin has already been 'resurrected' by Snowpiercer once and, this time, the Teal-clad sadist looks like he'll stay dead. Kevin's demise leaves the imprisoned and depowered Mr. Wilford without his biggest toady and accomplice. With LJ, who flourished on Snowpiercer by replacing Alex Cavill (Rowan Blanchard) as Mr. Wilford's 'daughter, turning on the billionaire, Kevin's death solidly places the balance of power on the train back in Layton's hands.
Snowpiercer airs Mondays @ 9pm on TNT.