Hijack Episode 5 is expected to answer a far more uncomfortable question - what happens when everyone finally knows who the real threat is, but can’t stop it?
The board has been rearranged, the pieces are exposed and yet, nothing is resolved. Episode 5 is shaping up to be the chapter where the series pivots from suspicion to consequence, where quiet choices start demanding loud prices.
The biggest shift heading into the next episode is this; Sam Nelson now knows the truth about Freddie’s death. And knowing, in this case, may be more dangerous than ignorance.
A Psychological Deadlock
The disclosure that Jess, the calm, capable medic, was the one who killed Freddie doesn’t come with immediate violence. That’s not how Hijack operates. Instead, Episode 5 will likely stretch this discovery into a psychological chess match.
Sam can’t expose Jess outright. Doing so risks panic, retaliation, and potentially triggering the very explosives he’s been forced to protect. Jess, on the other hand, now has to wonder how much Sam knows and whether Mei suspects anything after being so disastrously wrong about the long-haired man.
Expect Episode 5 to turn claustrophobic, as Jess will likely double down on her role as caretaker, embedding herself further into the trust of the passengers while quietly watching Sam for signs of confrontation. Sam, meanwhile, will be forced to play normal while standing inches away from a murderer who already proved she’s capable of acting without hesitation.
Mei’s Guilt Could Get Her Killed
Mei enters Episode 5 in a dangerous emotional state. She trusted Jess. She defended her. And now, whether consciously or not, she’s walking around with the shame of being wrong, something Hijack has consistently shown can be fatal.
There’s a strong chance Mei begins replaying moments in her head, connecting dots too late. A look. A reaction. A moment that felt off but was brushed aside. If Mei starts pulling at those threads again, she becomes a liability, and Jess won’t ignore that.
Episode 5 may place Mei in quiet danger; small isolations, subtle manipulations, a suggestion to move compartments, to help someone, to step away from the group. The show doesn’t need a second death yet, but the threat of one will hang heavily over every interaction.
Zoran Beck Closes In on the Truth
On the outside, Detective Zoran Beck is finally moving in the right direction; the Foxhole bar is just a pressure point. Episode 5 will almost certainly take us inside it, where Beck starts uncovering the machinery behind Sam’s coercion.
This is where the season’s larger conspiracy may come into focus. Who forced Sam into this? Are they freelance criminals, or part of something organised and international and most importantly, how much control do they really have over the train now?
Beck’s investigation could introduce new antagonists or reveal that some players we’ve already met aren’t as peripheral as they seemed. One thing is that once Beck understands Sam is a pawn, not a king, the clock speeds up, because pawns get sacrificed.
Berlin’s Dangerous Waiting Game
The Bergmanstrasse plan hangs like a loaded weapon. Episode 5 will likely explore the tension of delay; the unbearable stretch of time between decision and execution. John Bailey-Brown’s transfer won’t be smooth, and it shouldn’t be.
Whether it’s Faber attempting one last maneuver or internal dissent within the German police force, something will complicate the handover. The show has repeatedly emphasised that clean solutions don’t exist here, and Episode 5 feels primed to prove that giving in won’t magically end the hijacking.
There’s also the uncomfortable possibility that handing Bailey-Brown over doesn’t change anything at all. What if the hijackers never intended to stop?
Marsha’s Story Takes a Dark Turn
Marsha’s situation is arguably the most fragile going into Episode 5. She’s alive, but exposed. Nick’s death removes her last illusion of safety, and the woods around her are no longer neutral space, they’re hostile territory.
Episode 5 may force Marsha into movement. Hiding isn’t working. Staying still only makes her easier to track. The tension here won’t come from action-heavy sequences but from isolation, the feeling of being watched without knowing where the eyes are.
There’s also a strong possibility that Marsha attempts to communicate with Sam again, risking exposure to remind him she’s alive, or worse, confirming she’s still useful to the people threatening him; that choice could haunt both of them.
Sam’s Moral Line Is About to Break
Sam has been walking a tightrope since the beginning, balancing compliance with quiet resistance. Episode 5 feels like the moment that the rope frays.
Letting Benji go was an act of compassion, but it also exposed Sam emotionally. The criminals controlling him now know he has limits. That knowledge is dangerous. If they push him again, if they threaten Marsha more directly, or hint at harming another child, Sam may stop negotiating altogether.
Episode 5 may show Sam preparing for a scenario where survival means choosing who gets hurt. Not if, but who. That’s a line he’s avoided so far, but the season seems intent on forcing him there.
What Episode 5 Might Really Be About
At its core, Episode 5 looks ready to explore a brutal idea: once the truth is exposed, it doesn’t automatically save anyone. Sometimes it just makes the danger clearer.
Trust is unravelling, authority is scrambling, and the people who felt safest - medics, neighbours, institutions - are proving to be the least reliable.
If Episode 4 asked “Who can you trust?”, Episode 5 may answer with something far worse:
No one!
The hijacking won’t just be about a train anymore, it’ll be about who gets out of this story with their soul intact.
Read more: Hijack 2026
