Infinity Train Review: S3E1 - The Musical Car

“May our spirits be high, and our numbers higher! Down with the false Conductor! The Apex reveals the truth!” Book 3 of Infinity Train, titled Cult of the Conductor, establishes how Grace and Simon run their child cult and further explores the personality of these two new lead characters. Only a fraction of the episode takes place in the Musical Car, where the denizens were performing Jesse’s song about empathy (when I look at you, I see me), until they were violently assaulted by the Apex. The rest of the episode takes place in the Gravity Turtle College Car (alternatively, the Unfinished Car), where an unexpected train rearrangement leaves Grace and Simon stranded without backup. “The Musical Car” was an excellent start to the new season.
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[@somenerdpng]

Elk: Finishes half of season 2 Also Elk: time for the first episode of season 3

[@cartooncottage2024]

Ikr?

[@Feral_cockroach121]

Ikr-

[@Joawlisdoingfine]

2 years later the rest of book 2 has not been finished

[@abrielleelysee7991]

As a Musical Theatre kid myself, I was crushed by the Apex destroying the Theatre Car. Some people can't appreciate fine art! Joking aside, I just love the broadway type opening to the episode and how the theme of the entire season is revealed in just this episode alone! Just, aaah! God, I love this show so much.

[@ajstudios9210]

I someone who loves musicals and used to be a part of school plays, this crushed me, too. I couldn't stand looking at them!

[@joannasthings]

Yknow, the way they “don’t see a person” is awfully reminiscent of fascism...

[@WobblesandBean]

I'm pretty sure that's the point they're trying to get across.

[@theskullboy8700]

To be honest is very reminiscent of any dictatorship

[@joannasthings]

@Sean Stark thats incorrect for a number of reasons, but i feel no obligation to explain them.

[@beaverstever1083]

Sean Stark while it may have some surface level similarities to chaz (what with the spray paint and so on), it does not hold up to further investigation. Chaz had no leadership and was only set up as a place for protest without police arresting people for protesting (there was a lot of misinformation going around about it though so no worries for the misunderstanding) And as for Antifa, I'm not sure why you would compare them. Antifa is NOT an organisation. You cannot join it or become a member of it and there is no central leadership. Anti-fascism is more of an ideology that you can individually act on, or coordinate locally and flexibly with fellow anti-fascists to act on (such as tearing down fascist posters, organising a counter protest against a white nationalist rally, and so on)

[@vladimir3905]

It's not an awfull reminiscent, it's a perfect one.

[@WafflesX3XD]

after watching the first five episodes, my first thought was “b o y i need to see what uncivilised elk thinks of this” lmao

[@fuffle7]

I love how daring the show is to keep changing up its main characters, and even to make them the straight-up villains

[@scoutscoodles]

Oh wow, I'm surprised you immediately got onto doing season 3 episodes already, I was expecting you to finish season 2 first.

[@jamalbruna4121]

Same

[@aruce9]

I guess thematically it makes sense to go from discussion of the mall car to the musical car

[@NakanaiJP]

There's likely a KZbin metrics rationale. You're going to get many more views talking about the newest season.

[@jakethedog8124]

If you checked his twitter, you would know....

[@jamalbruna4121]

Weird for you to assume I have Twitter.

[@leirawhitehart1236]

I definitely agree. I think the show toes the line really well of making both Grace and Simon likable, and likable to watch, while also taking time to remind you that they're horrible people who are absolutely willing to do bad things for their own benefit, uncaring of the creatures around them and their suffering. And yet, they care about each other. They care about their cause, and I do think that maybe on some level, they care about the other kids. But this likability just makes me want to see them grow so badly, but after episode 5... Man, who even *KNOWS* what could happen next! I'm excited now! Poor Tuba though...

[@abrielleelysee7991]

Okay, can I say that my heart shattered completely when the Sad Mask Denizen was singing all by itself? 😢

[@ajstudios9210]

5:23 Grace: Ha! Never trust an adult. Also Grace: *Is literally a legal adult*

[@marc_8o0]

The passenger tracker has the same design as The Cat's ball vehicle. 👀🤧 And in the Musical Car, there are two masks the golden one which is almost the same as Grace and gets destroyed and the silvery one is left alone, maybe foreshadowing how Simon will end alone.

[@_jagm_]

That Lucy detail is amazing, I love this show's sense of continuity. Throughout the whole gift giving scene I was thinking of your Mall Car video because they really followed through on everything you mentioned.

[@jakethedog8124]

Just scrolling through the comments, and I’ve found you. Also, Lucy is BEST GIRL. Idk why, just is

[@laurellee1435]

This episode was super important and I feel like a lot of people missed the significance because of the fact that the denisens did not look like people or animals. I think of course there is an element of shock in ep 5, as you'd expect, but I have seen other channels wonder whether or not Grace "might" have killed, and its like, right here, in this episode, killing and maiming and torturing. The show isn't going to show kids reacting the same to corgis and turtles because that would be upsetting to watch. And I think you know, in a way, it's interesting, because we as an audience, as a society, as human (supremacists) choose to not empathise as strongly with the denisens of car 1 depending on how they look, even though we can see that they are potentially just as conscious and real as the mora animal looking denisens. So even as we are critiquing the dehumanisation of the denisens, we are partaking in it ourselves, by placing value on the lives and horror of the deaths of creatures based on their proximity to humanity/animalia despite that they are fully intelligent beings, which say a lot about how we think about living beings irl who cannot communicate with us

[@theskullboy8700]

God I love this series. Also that second half sounds like the modern day US

[@ariesmry]

Great commentary

[@nadeen6968]

But there's also that we spent 4 episodes with tuba, gaining a connection with her. One that we didn't have with the instruments cameos in this episode. Humans care about their friends more than those random other strangers (i don't think that's an inherently bad quality, don't hurt yourself) And tubas murder is emphasised, highlighted and is a cliffhanger, but the others were just in the background chaos. The episode 1 poeple could be ignored, there's little importance to any specific one of them (Except the lamp, which didn't die), and lake happened months ago- who remembers her (i was personally surprised by the heavy Simon demonization, because while i did think that he might have grown, didn't y'all notice that that was the plan)

[@galgow]

After the first 5 eps I'm still wondering how much do Simon and Grace actually buy into the Apex ideology. Do they actually idolize Amelia and think she's the true conductor? Do they know you go back home when you reach zero? It would be interesting if one of them was just desperately trying to avoid going back home while the other actually believes the bigger the number the better...

[@froggo102]

I love how you reference Finn with that line "empathy, empathy, put yourself in the place of me" how unexpected lol

[@Lucien_M]

The way that the Apex "complete" the trains compared to how other passengers reminds me of games like Fall Guys, where you can easily cheat them(jumping over obstacles, walking on walls) with the amount of bodies pushing on you

[@gamermapper]

Undertale too

[@cripwalker665]

This season lowkey crazy, it hasn't beat s2 for me just yet but it's getting there. This shit is fire

[@javierquinonesdelsol9635]

Watching Book 3 I realize that the name “The Apex” (what they call themselves) comes from apex predator, that it’s a type of predator that’s on the top the food chain without any natural predator.

[@SpiderandMosquito]

This episode was a perfect way for to want them dead; I love musicals and was a bit of a theater nut in high school, and while it's no longer a part of my life, it's still a very important medium to me. It's no accident my first finished written story was a one-act play... so I was very unhappy to see a car so tailored for me be the one to be so destroyed!

[@HappySoDuh]

You always point out things I dont even think about, and it always brings a new light to things for me. I love your work, keep doing what you're doing.

[@CoolCrimsonJaguar]

Before I give my thoughts on this episode, let me just say I am the BIGGEST baby. I didn't even know what a doinkit whatever was until you mentioned it.

[@CoolCrimsonJaguar]

I really like this episode! I was a bit thrown off by how short it felt though. The episode ended and I sat there thinking: That's it??? but like, it was the normal length. I might be too invested. ALSO. Maybe there's more diversity/integration on the train because One One took back control? Maybe he's done something? It could also be that there was always denizens travelling the train and mixing up the cars, but it was all off screen. Or it could be that we didn't know any of the characters and couldn't recognize integration when it was in front of us. I was also a but thrown for a loop when Simon took the light person away for his model- I honestly thought he was sneaking them away to safety. I mostly thought this because Simon didn't immediately throw Lake and AD to the wheel back in his debut, he told them to leave and only got physical when they didn't. BOY WAS I WRONG.

[@barryscott9590]

Small details I noticed when watching this. 1) The Turtle on the phone explained what Turtle juice was to his contact. Maybe meaning it was a Corginian ambassador. 2) You can see the Gravity Turtle car scan the pair right before it begins moving.

[@chr1s415]

This episode basically hinting the whole season if you ask me

[@enerawilson1422]

Im just waiting for the dark twist when one of the "realizes" that everyone BUT them is a Null.

[@shulethwaits6921]

I would be very surprised if when they get back to the Apex's HQ one of the kids at the beginning doesn't have their number higher than Grace and her whole system starts to work against her because it was established that the person with the highest number is the leader of the Apex. I would be even more surprised if Simon doesn't shoot way above her/them and takes control.

[@autumnboards2911]

This episode gave me brave little toaster flashbacks i was so uncomfortable seeing the innocent train ppl destroyed so causally and brutally real or not i cringed at each terrified pain filled scream ugh as someone who loves plushies and stuffed animals no way nope nope nope id never let them near these psycho creeps especially if they were sentient nooooo

[@isamekailmahmud9302]

Did you notice that there's a scanline that goes over everything on screen whenever someone's number goes up

[@pinkajou656]

There is?! That’s so cool! I’ll have to go back and check!

[@eldabys]

I had the exact same reaction to Simon & Grace's chemistry! Especially in the later episodes I was really reeling between how human they seemed with each other and how inhuman their organization & ideology are.

[@sorastitchi]

Man you are on fire lately, this is a really fast turnaround and with just as much depth as I've come to expect from your analysis

[@mothsolotl]

I was not ready for a Book 3 episode review coming out *before* the end of the Book 2 reviews, but seeing as the last Book 2 episode you covered was explicitly abt the main characters of Book 3, it makes sense. Am pleased

[@Stormrider1138]

These reviews are such a relief for me! As someone living in Australia, and therefore am unable to watch Book 3 without buying VPN, these reviews are pretty much the only way I'm going to be able to stay up-to-date on the show.

[@NeppyWawamelon]

madridista-again.tumblr.com has the episodes! Edit: heres the Masterpost for all the seasons madridista-again.tumblr.com/post/626323726426832896/infinity-train-season-3-full-series-the-first

[@josefagomezschmeisser8356]

Awesome analysis dude! Yeah, the first episode is disturbing, how manipulative Grace is, i have to say than her voice actress delivers especially with her false kindness

[@finnamonroel]

I can't tell you enough just how much I love these reviews, I can't wait to see more!

[@Amethystt]

Oh hey, your getting to book 3 reviews now! That's epic as your actually amazing at doing reviews and a big part of why im trying to become a reviewer myself, anyway I'm gonna keep up with these :D

[@ElReinoSagrado]

This episode was a great start for this season. I can't wait for your review on Book 3 Episode 5.

[@mythman3247]

God I love your reviews

[@razminfox1787]

Not just from tulip but also from lake showing other they can explore the carts themselves

[@songerie846]

Fantastic analysis, as always!

[@itsholiana3957]

OMG I DIDNT EXPECT YOU TO DO S3 ALREADY 😳😂

[@chicocabalatungan8831]

Great content, Man! :D Hope you still release the rest of book 2 though cause that was a great series too :D

[@Fullpowerjulien2]

Great, the reviews of you are like a small special episode for me, more content to enjoy :)

[@itsholiana3957]

Im so excited for your reviews 👏

[@reychawl]

Ugh i can't wait for you to review episode 5 I need a rant 😫

[@biolinkmaster]

4:08 Damn, I'm still a baby xD

[@scp--297]

Same, man.

[@henriverbrugghen8715]

Press F to pay respects to musical car and musical people

[@musalediju8142]

0:10 are you trying to make me cry

[@kameroneatsstars2803]

It rips my heart seeing these trains getting ruined :(((

[@H3rmon861]

Watching this season, I really felt like Infinity Train needs to have episode of 22 minute. Everything in Book 3 is so cool and they are so many good plot thread that makes the show so much more compelling. My biggest complaint is that there isn't enough room for those thread to breathe more. Small complaint aside, I really love this first batch of episodes and I'm genuinely excited to see your reactions to episode 5

[@ap0llogetic427]

Same I knew that they were short but especially in this book it's kinda throwing me off you know? Don't get me wrong I still love it with my entire being

[@wariolandgoldpiramid]

Nah, I think the pacing is perfect with this episode length.

[@zer0w0lf94]

2:03 That’s the second time they forgot to draw Simon’s Apex mark, the first time being The Mall Car.😆

[@marc_8o0]

I love these videos!❤️

[@Blue777Dragon]

If Elk releases one review a day from now on, he can tie us over until the next batch of episodes drop Thursday lol

[@NoReplyAsset]

0:14 awww I never realised Jesse made that play :)

[@treynewtod9743]

Idk i can’t really forgive them for what they did to the musical car. Don’t get me wrong, i hate musicals, but i liked those sock/glove people

[@shockingheaven]

Hey, I love what you did with your hair. You look great, Elk

[@mothbaby4867]

I have never watched infinity train, I just like civilized elk, but holy shit is this actually terrifying.

[@WobblesandBean]

I feel bad for watching this since I haven't seen this episode yet, but holy bacon, this show goes to some REALLY dark places...

[@coconutwater99]

Whenever you can it would be nice to see you review bee and puppycat

[@petermarsella6537]

I wonder what it would be like if tulip met the apex

[@jimothyworldbuilding3664]

I live somewhere where I can't access HBO how do I watch this?

[@mariacastillo4121]

Jesus they had such good chemistry.

[@caderen5624]

I wonder if Grace and Simon noticed Jesse's name on the sign

[@NyJoanzy]

3:12 - I really gotta watch Nathan for You now

[@jefferyhanderson7849]

"An alternate future could've been there when you murdered your father. But among the lines of repentance, or justifying yourself, you chose the latter. Drunk on forbidden power, drunk on the thought of being 'special' made you a criminal. That is your true nature." -Robes, from [Emotions of Robes]

[@mungbean7649]

I honestly just think it's kind of unrealistic how fully they don't care about the denizens. It seems like they know that the denizens are just as sentient as they are, considering how seriously Simon treats The Cat. Speaking of which, why do they just leave her there, and are only shown "wheeling" the creatures that resemble inanimate objects?

[@ariesmry]

Bruno the Existor given humanity’s dark past... i don’t think it unrealistic at all. Just... uncomfortable.

[@Joenah5]

Why didn't you finish your season 2 review?

[@MrJDozzo]

omg i need to know what you think about ep 5

[@DD8842]

You have to love a sympathic villan

[@leGUIGUI]

Is there a reason you preferred to review all of season 3 before finishing Book 2?

[@chileanyways-593]

bRUH I JUST FINISHED WATCHING THE FIRST EPISODE AND THIS CAME OUT 👁👁

[@pelerflyp5398]

Spoiler: Simon saves donkey kong at the end of episode 5

[@andrewsanusi8462]

Seeing that scene really made me sick

[@pelerflyp5398]

Another spoiler: Hazel is dendy

[@andrewsanusi8462]

Yeah I remember that I was honestly shocked and not surprised at the same time

[@jefferyhanderson7849]

My thoughts on e5: "An alternate future could've been there when you murdered your father. But among the lines of repentance, or justifying yourself, you chose the latter. Drunk on forbidden power, drunk on the thought of being 'special' made you a criminal. That is your true nature." -Robes, from [Emotions of Robes]

[@pedrokatcradle]

Giving your possible cause for these kids ransacking and the like, was that it could be viewed similarly to a video game: numbers going up is indicative to high scores etc. knowing the moral or lack of morality in kids. Eliminating creatures that strongly resemble inanimate objects does suggest that the heaviness one should feel in going through with some of these actions, is being reduced to it's simpler form or to an act of transgrestion forbade them in the real world. Knocking over a lamp, could be just that. [No matter if it happens speak] Comparable to VR engagment, swinging left or right and knocking things over holds little to no feed back; without the weight of going over to it and ripping its lamp head off while it screams mercy. But there is still a physical(displacement) boundary felt in VR that leads to disassociation or happening seperate from oneself. Physicality matters to the narrative and it's interesting to know that any hint of the real world would be sufficient to wedge the already thin power dynamics. Which I hope for and dread at the same time. + That backflip jump over back stunt was face-palming as all get out.

[@imperialguard451]

“are *you* a baby” yes.

[@casualbird7671]

I really want to watch this but I don't have HBO Max and really wish it just aired like the other two books..

[@NoReplyAsset]

aw, you didn't do the rest of season 2 :(

[@toriierriffic]

I wonder if one one shuffles the cars every once and a while

[@ultraversestudios5059]

🤔I've been thinking about this for a while now and I want to ask you, what happens when someone's is infinite? (someone who can't change) and if someone gives born on the train do the child have a number lead up to the mother so both can leave together or the child be left behind? I have a theory on the infinity train and the dimension it's in but this comment is getting to long.

[@friendbreakfast]

having someone who can't change would I think go against the themes of the show, I think. I think the biggest point is your number grows the more you refuse to change, or the more you're unable to change for some other reason, but there's not someone who CANNOT change. Also considering the amount of children on the Apex, I would say at least some of them might have been born on the train, some of them look maybe too young to have enough emotional baggage to end up in the train in the first place. I know you wanted an answer by Elk but I thought I'd give my two cents anyway because these ARE interesting questions, I think.

[@ultraversestudios5059]

@@friendbreakfast you were great, thank you for your reply.

[@hexxerman7656]

The Apex Cult is just like the one Shredder had in the original TMNT live action movie from the 1990s.

[@pedrokatcradle]

[I'm just ganna spam] 4:04 ohhh😱 we have props, people.... 4:04 No, no thanks you play with it. 4:04 you know exercise helps release Seratonin in the brain, cuz boy you looking fit😋 4:04 now stomp it to the ground [ identity ] That's all I got 😂😂😂😂

[@sharkfinn4098]

Hello Dude! Nice video upload scheme

[@kermitlikesmemes3773]

Wait season 3????

[@caderen5624]

Have you seen Chapter/Episode 5 Elk? Cause if you didnt, then oh boy are you in for a ride

[@amabel__4531]

Broo, the way they flirt on episode 1 is cute tho- didn't look unrequited to me.

[@zaiden_2006]

*inaudiable excitement for s2, b1.*

[@CornCrakerOats]

I genuinely hate the Apex. I know, it’s a cult situation. But they tore innocent creatures face apart and based faces in. I want all of those children to get their soul sucked by the Roaches or for the literally enslaved denizens to throw them from the car. But the kids are also very wholesome in some circumstances. I also wish that Lamp Man escapes and returns to his body.

[@fefrezi]

marcel is on the top of the musical car stage

[@lapislazuli247]

I know I only saw lucy for a littie but shes seems so adorable

[@byrontheusurper6505]

Why am I in love with two murderous racists?

[@thedaringdarson2659]

hey elk, can you do an episode on the owl house?

[@suncat2383]

AAAAA YESSSS

[@ash-tq9xw]

Where can I find this..? ASLO HE LOOKS LIKE ABED FROM COMMUNITY-

[@drcheesenut896]

HBO Max

[@iSmartMan1]

Really wish I could watch this, but it'll be a week or two before I can wrangle my friends together to watch Book 3, so I'll have to wait. If you decide to finish your Book 2 reviews, please don't spoil anything from Book 3? EDIT: Okay, all caught up now.

[@pedrokatcradle]

Who else is up at 4 o'clock in the morning👍👍👍CA

[@MoreLoreThenThereSeems]

i calld the twist ep 1

[@angrybrony]

it also explains why there's no older apex. it's easier to get kids to do what you want.

[@fungus1665]

man. guess I’m a baby hood of thunk

[@demonkid8284]

Wait. Help. I can’t find infinity train on Cartoon Network. But I tend to watch on the app. Still. Panic.

[@shadowsta9]

This was my first time seeing your real face Elk, WHERES YOUR HAIR? Lol just a jokie joke

[@markgertssdraft3326]

As for me, I disliked the new season because of Grace and Simon. Their attitude, their behavior - it made me really hate them. I've seen several shows with antagonists as main characters, but they aren't even antiheroes. They're truly evil, manipulative and they make me sick. I've watched ep. 5 and I'm not gonna watch the show further, that is real nazism, and am I supposed to watch their adventures? I like villains, Qilby & Nox, Petelgeuse, Orgalog, and so on, but this pair is like an acid to my eyes. That rare case when I don't even wanna know how they became like that. The third season really disappointed me

[@chuncite5719]

it felt like there was a lot of dissonance between the show presenting them as more human and their actual actions. i have no problem with following the stories of people who have done/are doing horrible things, but the way this show just cuts from two evil manipulative shitbags to two funny goofy friends was really jarring at times.

[@mrslinkydragon9910]

Surely you want closure on the story? Sweet sweet closure? :)

[@SonicmaniaVideos]

That's risk, mang. Showing bad people act...as the protagonist is a RISK. It's not universal appeal.

[@markgertssdraft3326]

Well, I have no problems with watching horrible people neither, as I said, I usually like the villains, but these two are really manipulative scumbags and to make things worth they're doing all this with children. Forcefully. SPOILER: it's like"We decided this little girl will go with us, then she'll go with us and we'll kill her friend just because. END OF SPOILER. I really wanted to shoot them. And we are about to see their story, how they're becoming good, blah-blah, see the ending of S2. But Tulip's reflection (forgot her name) was not as shitty as these two, so I just hope "peace, friendship, and gum" won't win this time and they will get what they deserved. Maybe turned into Nulles

[@mrslinkydragon9910]

@@markgertssdraft3326 lake/mt wasnt a villian, she just wanted an identity

[@XforrestgumpX]

Wish it wasn’t on hbo Max.

[@samndukwe6127]

Well this is a surprise..... know we know your favourite show 😏