Ah, this type of episode. I feel like we have one of these every season, where the fandom is mad and everything is bleak and we all want to cry. But look. Every other season, it’s been for the best, and I absolutely think it will be here too. I wish I possessed this level of unyielding optimism in other facets of life, but here we are. While no one is tickled to see Sheids murdering folks or our favorite females being brainwashed, it’s all part of the bigger plan, right? So let’s get to it!
Just a reminder, spoilers galore!! Like ALL the spoilers- proceed with caution!
30 Days Ago on Bardo…
I had a feeling that we were only going to be in the past on Bardo and in the present in Sanctum this episode. Which, I think is why people are a little “meh” about it, frankly. I absolutely loved watching the women train on Bardo, and I definitely think we got some great insight, but when most of your leads are missing, it’s rough.
The first order of business with our newly released recruits is, of course, for Anders to begin prepping them for the “last war”. Oh Anders, this is going to be epically stupid, isn’t it? He has a plan, of course: To rid them of their wretched “bonds”, namely to each other.
Ironically enough, if you abbreviate this motto, it spells “FAM”. ?♀️
First stop on the Bardoan Express is the outside! We’re privy to why exactly it would have been a hell of a mistake to go up there, and why running now will unequivocally not be helpful.
Of course he did, he’s Gabriel.
But the women want to know where Gabriel is, since he was kind of part of the team and they haven’t seen him since he (apparently) saved them. Anywho, Anders neither confirms nor denies that this is what/who they will be fighting. He’s purposely vague about… well, whatever he feels like being vague about, but in this instance it’s because he straight up doesn’t know what or who they’re up against. Because no one, save a very crispy Becca Franko, knows.
None of the women look particularly tickled to be doing this, but they’re playing along, at least partly open-mindedly. Except, that is, for Hope. I can’t help but wonder if this is because Hope is the youngest, or has the least outside world experience. Her world thus far has consisted of a very few key people who she literally lives for. Asking her to relinquish that is probably something she can’t even wrap her mind around. She’s never had to hide her feelings, never actually had to navigate a world in which people are using her as pawns. Meanwhile, it’s pretty much all the other women have ever known.
Um, ouch?
There is both physical training and mental/emotional training, in the form of some Divergent-esque mindcap exercises where the women have to face fears, and make hypothetical decisions. It’s all part of the “break their emotional bonds” process in order to train them to put the war before their friends/family. And look, I have no idea if it is working. I think there’s a real chance that Diyoza and Octavia are pretending to be drinking the Kool-Aid, but Echo… I don’t know, honestly. Maybe she’s just really awesome at pretending, but I think that isn’t as likely as her having jumped into this cause just like Hope accused her of doing.
Even here, where Echo tases her pals in order to win, I was still thinking she might be playing along. But something in her changes. In the classroom, she comments that the Bardo kids had it better than she ever did. It just seemed like the further along in the process they got, the more her facial expressions looked committed instead of a mask of obedience.
Meanwhile, Levitt comes to explain to Octavia that they all (but she specifically of course) must pass the final exam, which is some kind of mindcap test. If not, he reiterates, Anders will absolutely send them to Penance to die alone, one by one. It does sound completely miserable, so I get wanting to avoid that. But looks like Levitt has come down with a pesky case of The Attachments™.
I ship you, please don’t die.
And eventually, their final exam comes to be. They must decide what to do in a simulation in which one of the four decides to take out the entirety of Bardo. We watch as Echo begrudgingly kills SimHope rather than let her kill the Bardo people.
Or maybe it’s just payback for the bitchy comment from before.
Even Diyoza and Octavia are able to kill Hope in the simulation, if it means saving everyone else. Hope at first is able to attack SimDiyoza when she attempts to firebomb the oxygen farm, but when SimDiyoza tells her that Echo, O, and Gabriel are waiting for them in the Stone room safe as can be, Hope is like “cool, cool, blow it up”. And she fails, the only of the four who is unable to put “mankind” above her loyalty to her people. (Or, at least the only one of the four who isn’t good at faking it.)
During the ceremony where they get their new face tats, Anders basically gives Echo a Star Student award and tells her because of her excellence in training/assimilation, he’s going to give her the “honor” of choosing Hope’s punishment. Okay first of all, this is a complete and total trap, because Echo cannot possibly give Hope a lesser punishment, or Anders will know she’s not assimilated as much as she claims. Echo has no choice here, so she sentences Hope to five years on Skyring.
Here’s the thing: You can see in both Octavia’s and Diyoza’s eyes the sheer horror and regret and revulsion of this. They are using every ounce of strength they have to not do something to stop it. And look, I know Echo is a spy and all, but nothing in her body or face betrays how much she hates this, or regrets it, or wishes she didn’t have to do it. So either Echo is legit the best ever at acting like she is one of them… or she is one of them. And I genuinely am not sure which it is.
Meanwhile, in Sheidyville…
Murphy straight up needs to grab the handful of sensible people left on this hellscape (Emori, Indra, Jackson, Madi, BA, and Jae the Cookie Man, obvs) and head to the Stone, let Sanctum burn down. This place is a disaster and this is coming from a planet with multi-pocalypses. Anyway, things pick up where they left off, with Nikki and her guns commandeering Emori’s reunification party. She makes an announcement that she has some killin’ to do, and Raven, Murphy, and Russheda’s names are on the guest list.
I mean, right though?
Luckily, Indra picks this exact moment to come back from Chez Gabriel, because these fools would have 100% gotten themselves killed.
They come up with some absurd plan that involves tunnels and securing Sheidheda a good chess partner? Idk but I am sure this will all work out perfectly. I feel like Indra should know better, tbh? This guy is not going to let her be in charge because literally the only thing he wants is for him to be in charge, so.
I think he needs some kind of Chessers Anonymous.
Nikki’s first demand is that “Daniel”, “Kaylee”, and “Russell” tell the people of Sanctum who they really are. They do, and it’s kind of hilarious how shocked the Faithful are. The only one wearing a very “told you so” face is Zev, and I won’t lie, I felt a little happy for him. (Sidenote: Why do we have two characters named Zev and Dev? It’s confusing, thanks.) But when Sheidy gets up, he basically laughs at them for ever following Russell, laughs at Russell for existing, and is basically delighting in the fact that these people are now miserable shells and have lost everything they ever lived for.
Only problem, Raven never showed up, on account of her being on a different planet. Regardless, Murphy is not going to let anyone hurt either Raven or Emori, so he goes ahead and does the least Murphy thing ever: Takes the blame himself.
Is that incredible character development leaking from my eyes?
And again, Indra chooses the right moment to pop in. Wonkru is here, and they have guns, woo! Idk where they found them, maybe from the Disciples? Whatever, doesn’t matter, they are able to disarm Nikki before she can do much damage, and Indra orders them to lock Sheidheda in with the Faithful, assuming that they will do her dirty work for her.
Oh Indra, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
That didn’t go great, let’s be real. Emori and Murphy realize what is happening before Indra or Wonkru does, but in the rush to get the Faithful out, Murphy lets it slip that he is in fact Sheidheda. Knight and the other Sangedakru warriors drop to their knee as the door opened, revealing Sheidy’s bloodbath. Penn and those loyal to Indra don’t kneel, but I have a feeling we are in for another hell of a fight.
Random Thoughts:
- Keep mentioning Orlando so I can be even surer he is alive. ? No other “dead” character has been mentioned more than this fool, and that is because he is not dead. Either that or he’s the murder worms of this season, and that would be exhausting.
- Speaking of, maybe Hope will run into him and Gaia on Skyring! The irony of Hope ending up older than Diyoza is…. something.
- Time to acquiesce that Bellamy probably is on Etherea, right? I’mma still lie to myself and pretend we’ll see Earth again though, yeah?
- No seriously, why has no one just SHOT SHEIDHEDA?! It’s starting to be a legit plot hole at this point. No one cares enough about the unity of Wonkru to deal with this special brand of awful. ?♀️
- How sad is Murphy going to be that Sheidy killed “Jer”? They never did get that drink. ?
Episode 7×10: A Little Sacrifice
Time for a hiatus, le sigh. It’s two weeks, and I feel like it’s going to be rough. But can I just say, I adore the episode name?
- The only thing Gabriel should be sacrificing is Cadogan. I said what I said.
- I swear to Indra that I will end whoever hurts Levitt. First, you cannot do Octavia dirty like that again. Like literally every time she finds a lover, dude dies, one faster than the next. Second, Levitt is a precious cinnamon roll, so hands off.
- Has Clarke done anything but hold guns at people this season? She needs a new shtick, guys. It’s getting old.
- What the crap is Indra gonna do now? Another Conclave? Ugh this is going to go swimmingly, eh? Now the factions have factions and I just want her to grab the gang and jump into the Stone, let Sanctum burn at this point, we’re tired.
- Someone should explain to Sheidy that if he kills all the people, there won’t be anyone left for him to lord over. I thought he fancied himself intelligent, but here we are.
haven’t watched it, but my guess is…YES, they all drank the koolaid. LOL
sherry @ fundinmental
Bwhahah I hope not! I mean, if one out of four does, I can hope they can keep on keepin’ on, but if they all did… wow we’re screwed ?
I think Echo’s playing the long game but she may be so immersed that she might as well have drunk the Kool-Aid. She believes in what they’re teaching because it’s familiar. She’s used to controlling her emotions and fighting wars. I thought I saw a flicker of something in her face that indicated that it upset her to hand down the sentence. She didn’t go full tilt and give her 10 years so I guess that’s something. Based on my feeble math attempt, she’ll be gone for about a week Bardo time. I think Levitt goes rogue and uses Octavia’s back tattoo to bring her back.
Diyoza is totally faking. As for Octavia, it’s more like Levitt drank her Kool-Aid! He’s helping her fake drinking the Disciple Kool-Aid as he deprograms. I was reluctant to get on board with Levtavia initially but now I ship them so hard. I just love them together! I really don’t want him to die (or be evil) but I’m preparing myself. It would actually be a loss for the resistance against Anders/Cadogan. Plus he’s a great character on his own! He was probably only slightly less “turnable” than Dev even before Octavia. The promo shot could be him in a “fear-scape” (Divergent vibes for sure) but it looks like he’s in a prison cell similar to Hope. Anders is definitely on to him and has been since Bellamy’s “death” or even before then.
I love what JR Bourne has done with Sheidheda but he must be defeated. I guess I see what Indra was trying to do but the Faithful had no chance! I think they were also scared of him in the end. He has the Sangedakru folks and maybe Azgeda on his side. Nelson and COG might join up out of fear. A powered-up Sheidheda could be part of the last war but I think he’ll go down in a fight against Indra.
Murphy might take Jer’s son under his wing. It might be the end for Diyoza based on Hope’s screaming and running to the door. Or it could be Gabriel. He appears to have a look of contempt when Cadogan says getting answers is worth a little sacrifice. I don’t want any of them to die!
Yes exactly, that is what worries me. I DO think that her initial plan was to play the long game, but I think when she saw how healthy and happy and non-murdery everyone was, she kind of bought into it? Even though obviously it isn’t going to last since they are using her AS a killer. OH I love your Levitt theory! I think you’re right that it’s about a week. Maybe 5 days? I think I had figured out at one point that a year on Skyring equals roughly a day on Bardo? But now I can’t remember if that is accurate, so let’s just go with a week hah. I feel like she gave the sentence based solely on what she thought Anders wanted her to do, which is in a sense smart, but I also just don’t know if she cares beyond that anymore. Which is scary!
OH Diyoza and O are totally faking, no question. And you’re right, I think Levitt understands attachments now ? I LOVE THEM. I am figuring that Anders will be using him against Octavia (against Levitt’s will, I am sure), because like you said, he has definitely not missed how much Levitt adores her. You know, I kind of suspect that most of the people who end up in Penance do so because they love someone, tbh. So sad. ALSO if they kill Levitt I will riot. Octavia deserves some happiness! Every time she finds someone to be with, they kill them within DAYS! Atom, Ilian, Lincoln… enough already! She got like, 4 months max with Lincoln, she deserves a HEA with Levitt!
AGREED about both JR and Sheidheda! My goodness is JR amazing though- the way he just… becomes evil, wow. I hope they can rid us of Sheidheda BEFORE the big Bardo war thingy tbh. As sad as it’d be to lose JR, I really want to see the whole cast working together again. Yeah that is it- the Faithful WERE scared, and they simply weren’t fighters, which I feel like Indra would have understood so I wasn’t a fan of the writing there. I REALLY need Indra to win, because it’s literally good versus evil and she just HAS TO.
Goodness I don’t want anyone to die either! I know we are SO overdue but I am not ready to lose anyone! I REALLY hope Murphy “adopts” Jer’s kid. That would be sweet. I think Diyoza will die before Gabriel, tbh. Mostly because he’s promoted to main cast and I assume he’ll make it further? And have more to do? I am SO not okay with any of this though. Between Sheidheda killing people on Sanctum, whatever Cadogan and Anders have up their sleeves… and the fact that two of the characters are still who KNOWS where in time or space, and the fact that we haven’t had a meaningful death yet this season… yeah I am SCARED.
Just watched this last night! So, OK, my new theory is that Bill got a look at what spooked Becca and decided he needed to prep humanity to fight whatever caused it (and survive, I guess). And I’m thinking maybe at Level 12 (or 13?) you get a peek at it as well, to cement your faith to the cause….even though we’re lacking on the details of how that apocalypse scenario happens (and wouldn’t it be hilarious if it was a glimpse into the past and our Earthkru was like “What? Oh no, we caused that AND lived through it, it’s cool”).
How you can break the bonds of parenthood….well, I don’t think it’s possible for Earthkru folks, who gestated in the womb and solo-raised their babies. I think Diyoza tapped deep into her torture training and still has those bonds (same with O)- just look at the expression on her face when Echo sentences Hope to 5 years on Penance. Although, I *think* Echo was doing that to buy Hope time to find a way to Sanctum or something. Echo can disassociate like nobody’s business, and she’s absolutely doing that to deal with the emotional crisis she’s in, but she also isn’t vindictive. She’s making herself teachers’ pet, so there’s someone close on the inside who has no other priorities (like Hope) to keep her from being the ultimate spy. Maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part, but I can see it happening that way, and I think that means her priority is still to the family she made that’s on Sanctum.
Levitt is gonna get murdered. Or something. We *see* Anders notice that Levitt helps O up and seems attached to her….and if there are no bonds, and he’s a Level 12, Levitt can’t be attached. So I think Anders is monitoring that situation very closely, and will either leverage Levitt’s feelings to manipulate O and crew, or just deadify Levitt for failing to serve the collective. And hey, if Raven doesn’t get to be happy with romances, I guess O doesn’t either. Or Diyoza. Or….so many, really.
Murphy is, once again, the star of this episode (and his partnership with Emori is simply delicious). I love that he heard the bloodbath and was the only one paying attention, basically. And it makes sense to me that people confused about their entire faith system would cower (not that they were armed to defend themselves), but oh Indra, she’s gonna have some thinking to do about this whole mess. So once again, Sheidheda will take advantage of people bound by a faith system (the whole “Commanders are in charge” thing) to “rule” whatever is left to him when the sensible folks take off. Go ahead, guys, leave him with brainwashed masses- deny him a good chess partner!
(Also, they have guns- grab a gun and shoot him, guys)
So is the theme of this entire season how blind faith in ideology ruins everything? I think it is.
AND I was relieved that someone mentioned Gaia this episode. So…some day we get to see our disappeared characters again, I guess. Maybe? Hey, Blythe Ann and Jae weren’t at the reunification party, right?
Oh I LIKE that theory! The thing is, how did he GET the peek? Like- I feel like he thinks he needs Becca (and as such, the Flame) to get the code to GO to the “final war”, but I do think you are on to something in that the higher Levels HAVE to be given some reason to be so all-in. Dev clearly wasn’t, but Orlando is, and that is why he has captured Gaia, the FLEIMKEPA. Very connected, very connected.
I am HOPING you are right about Echo. Obviously you are right and she CAN mask her emotions better than anyone, but I worried about those few little things she said to her friends that made me think she wasn’t wholly pretending? Idk, I do think she’ll eventually do the right thing when it comes down to it. And yeah no chance O and Diyoza are into it. O learned how to beat the system from Levitt, and Diyoza has been tortured for ages, she’s an old pro, so of course.
But I want O to be happy! And I love Levitt! This cannot be! I know it probably is, but shhh ? I think he will try to use Levitt against O somehow, not caring if Levitt is sacrificed in the process. My only hope is that O can somehow save hm, but things are going to get brutal. Plus, I am really scared because we have had NO deaths this season (of any consequence) and yeah, terrified.
Murphy really was the star! And such a hero! Indra is going to feel awfully foolish. The thing is, she’d have known that the Faithful are NOT fighters, have NEVER fought, so why would she think they’d do her dirty work? Indra would not, and frankly, that is kind of iffy writing. And exactly- why has no one just SHOT HIM?! I know they were worried before, but who cares NOW!? It doesn’t make any sense!
I think you are right about that theme! ?
Gaia is with Orlando, it’s FINE. She was filming Sabrina, and Orlando is just waiting patiently. And NOPE Jae and BA are fine and in tact, thank Indra!
I’ve never seen this show, but it sounds interesting! I definitely have to pick it up!
I do ship Levtavia though even though I have no idea who those characters are HAHA
Oh yes you SHOULD! I highly, highly recommend! The first 6 seasons are on Netflix in the US (and most other places)!
You will definitely ship Levtavia, because you will LOVE Octavia and want her to be happy!
I like your take on Hope vs. the others, that makes a lot of sense. It was gut wrenching when Echo relegated Hope to Penance and Diyoza just looked at her. Also when Echo asked of the guns were lethal, and Anders said no. what if he had lied, and she just killed the other three? lol okay I think of thse things. 🙂
And oh my gosh I am loving Indra so much… even if she did get a bit snookered by Sheidy. Every time she’s on screen is like a fist pump moment. I was a little disappointed that Nikki turned out just to be a quick plot point, I guess I wanted her and maybe Nelson to have more of a role? But whatever. It works. And I’m surprisingly liking Sheidheda as a villain!
Yeah I mean, each one of them has so much experience masking their emotions and playing the long game and such, whereas Hope just… doesn’t. Her only goal has EVER been getting her family back, and now they’re like “nah forget them”. And yeah, I wondered something slightly different, which is why was Anders so confident that she wasn’t going to kill HIM and was bummed about it not being lethal? Like why did he think he was safe with these women? Or does he just not care because he drank ALL the Kool-Aid? Who knows. I need a new episode.
I agree, Indra is MAGIC. I also was kind of surprised that Nikki didn’t put up more of a fight! Like she had a gun, she could have easily killed them. They’d have then killed HER, but she didn’t strike me as the type to care? Nelson I can see backing down, but not Nikki. I wonder what their point will be in all of this? Because right now they have very little. And YES JR is doing such a tremendous job as Sheidheda! Like- the way his EYES laugh when he is making fun of the Faithful, it’s just pure genius!
Just like you, I kept waffling at this point as to whether or not Echo was really brainwashed. It seemed to me from the looks that Octavia and Diyoza exchanged when Hope was banished that they weren’t, but I was never 100% sure about Echo.
I agree that I was kind of missing Clarke and Bellamy more than usual in this episode. The season has felt weirdly bereft of both of them, not just Bellamy. Like, even when Clarke was there in this first half of the season, she just didn’t feel all that critical? Most of the actual action up till this point has been backstory or the Bardo gang or Sanctum folks. I’m a little sad about that. (Oh, and I read someone’s comment about Miller not getting much story despite being on since the beginning, and it’s so true! My daughter barely knows who Miller is despite the fact that we binged the entire series to get to this point.)
YEP I mean, it was so impressive because she REALLY had me convinced for a minute that she was brainwashed! And exactly, like you said, it was clear where O and Diyoza stood, but never Echo!
I agree about Clarke and Bellamy. Clarke just threatens people with guns all season, and Bellamy is… well you know. And I know it was more about their personal offscreen lives but still not easy for the viewer! I am so mad because a lot of Miller scenes were FILMED (and even shown in previews) but cut for whatever reason. So they exist, canonically, and are filmed and scripted, but then we don’t get to see them and I find that SO unfortunate. And I agree about Sanctum and Bardo (and Etherea, later), like- I just want my faves being my faves!