‘The 100’: Murphy Is Definitely Still a Cockroach in ‘Memento Mori’ (RECAP)
Spoiler Alert
[WARNING: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for The 100 Season 6 Episode 6, “Memento Mori”]
Murphy might be a cockroach, but even cockroaches can be squished.
That’s exactly what’s happening to him tonight in “Memento Mori.” Murphy’s feeling pressure from both sides — from Josephine, who can give him immortality, and from Bellamy, who is horrified at what he did to escape what he perceives as eternal damnation. Even for a cockroach, that’s not a comfy position to be in… but is “good guy” Murphy still in there somewhere? Meanwhile, Josephine makes progress with Abby, Madi struggles with the Dark Commander (Sheidheda) and Echo comes to a startling realization.
Clarke Lessons
The episode opens with Murphy coaching Josephine on how to be “Clarke” enough to fool Abby. They run through a host of Clarke’s accomplishments and topics Abby’s sensitive about — and then Madi’s screaming interrupts. She was visited again by Sheidheda, and Josephine, having no knowledge of this, doesn’t comfort her appropriately and removes her from Gaia’s training.
The next morning, Josephine meets with Emori, Raven and Echo when they come back from their mission. They don’t react well to the Primes’ deeds, but Josephine manages to placate them enough to get them out of the way and out of the room. Then, she tells Murphy he has until Second Moon to convince Bellamy not to tell anyone she’s not Clarke, or she’ll kill him.
They Only Kill You
Murphy tries to convince Bellamy not to start another war, but after a while, he picks up on the fact that Murphy isn’t restrained. He puts two and two together and asks him why he’s really there… and Murphy reveals the truth. “Am I trying to save my own ass? Yeah, I am,” he says. “But I’m also trying to save yours, just like I did during the Red Sun.” With his life on the line, Bellamy isn’t willing to take the deal, and he tells Murphy that Monty would be ashamed of him. Murphy’s face falls, but he remains concrete in his decision. “Don’t worry,” he tells him, “I’ll do my best to make sure they only kill you.”
Madi and Gaia perform a ritual to banish Sheidheda. The Dark Commander tries to get her to kill Gaia, but she tells him he’s wrong about her teacher. Is he? When she awakens, she’s not too happy to find she’s been restrained, though Gaia insists practice is necessary.
I Can’t Lose You
If Abby’s the Super Bowl, Josephine has won the title. Though she fumbles a few times when they talk — and Abby even notes “that doesn’t sound like you” — Josephine throws a hail Mary when she says she knows Abby blames herself for her dad’s death and for Kane’s current state, and she’s worried about what’ll happen if Abby loses Kane. She tells her “mom” she can’t lose her, and Abby agrees to make Kane a Nightblood and teach Sanctum how to make Nightbloods, too.
Josephine then goes to see Bellamy, presumably to kill him, but Murphy and Russell barge in. Russell tries to comfort Bellamy and explain why he did what he did to Clarke. That doesn’t get him very far. Josephine cuts Bellamy loose and Bell nearly kills Russell, but he holds himself back at the last moment.
You’re Not Boring
Meanwhile, Octavia, Diyoza and Xavier deal with Octavia’s hand. He says they have three hours until the time dilation reaches O’s brain, and she dies. “You’re not boring,” Diyoza tells Octavia, “I’ll give you that.”
Xavier tries to convince Diyoza to join his group. According to him, her daughter wouldn’t have much of a life in Sanctum: She’d barely be considered human, forced to clean toilets and not allowed to bear children. With the Children of Gabriel, he says she could live a better life. They arrive in the valley and he gets tree sap, which, at gunpoint from Diyoza, he calls “time in a bottle.” When he pours it on a cut on her arm, it instantly heals.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work so easily for Octavia. Fortunately, Xavier makes a discovery: Octavia’s hand is drawing a spiral, which is the symbol of the anomaly. Apparently Diyoza’s been drawing spirals in her notebook, too. They’ve been “chosen” by the anomaly, and they’ll need to see what it wants.
What Clarke Wanted
Echo, on the scouting mission, comes across a man being slowly eaten by the trees. He begs her for mercy, but Josephine’s bodyguard, Jade, stops her. She explains that the man was on watch the night Rose was taken, and he blames himself for her death. This doesn’t stop Echo — she knocks Jade out and kills the man. When Jade awakens, she’s tied to one of the murder-trees… and Echo figures out that something happened to Clarke. Realizing how much danger her boyfriend is in, she goes to find Bellamy.
When she gets back to her people, Bellamy says Clarke is dead — and then tells her they’re not going to fight. “We’re going to do what Clarke wanted,” he says. “We’re going to survive.” Madi, heartbroken at the loss of her mother, banishes Gaia and then asks Sheidheda how she can kill everyone in Sanctum.
Time to Wake Up
At the end of the episode, Josephine manages to go to sleep… and when she sleeps, Clarke — the real Clarke — awakens. She’s back in her cell on the Ark, staring at drawings of her mom, Bellamy, Lexa and others. Clarke Griffin is back! Kind of!
Other Observations
- So Abby and Raven aren’t going to be on the ground for whatever happens next? That’ll be interesting from a character perspective, since those two definitely have some issues to work through, but I’ll be a little bummed if we don’t see Abby or Raven react to learning Clarke is dead (and if Clarke comes back next week, which the promo at least hints is possible, then that scene won’t happen).
- Octavia and Diyoza are the anomaly’s “chosen ones”? That’s pretty awesome. They’ve been two of my favorite characters this season — they play off each other so well — and I’m excited to see what the anomaly wants from them. I’m guessing that ties into Octavia’s fighting-Blodreina scene, somehow. Will Diyoza revisit her past, too?
- I can see why Richard Harmon said this was his favorite Murphy season. Murphy’s fighting for himself, but he’s fighting not just for survival, but for his soul — there’s a difference. I can’t help but wonder what he saw when he died…
- Also, Murphy’s first words when he awakens being “I didn’t do it,” made me laugh. Even when he’s under all kinds of emotional and moral pressure, he’s hilarious.
The 100, Tuesdays, 9/8c, The CW
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