Oh dang, can someone please turn on a nightlight or something, because things just got DARK.
Yes, we got a glimmer of hope in the last moments of the episode, but everything else about Memento Mori was deliciously unsettling. Octavia has a case of Gramma-Arm! Everyone knows Clarke is gonzo! Murphy didnโt pull a fast one, he really is bargaining for immortality! Madi is being manipulated by The Gatekeeper! There were NO cookies!
Things are not looking great for our beloved Adventure Squad, and itโs a total bummer, and I LOVE IT.



The episode opened on a series recap by the Beautiful Creepster, and Jo was all, โwowwwwww, the narrative FLIES!โ He told her all about Abbyโs plot line (how many eye-rolls did Jo give, do you think?), and filled her in on exactly how to manipulate everyone.

Is there a parenting booked titled How to Avoid Accidentally Turning Your Host-Bodyโs Adoptive Daughter Into a Psycho? Because thatโs exactly what Jo just did by pulling Madi out of her skype call without ejecting her mind first.
Jo was all, โno big,โ and sauntered off. Gaiaโs face was like, โdid that bitch just-โ She is 100% onto Jo, and has been from the start.

Aaaaand now Madi has to deal with a level 5 omnipresent mansplainer. GREAT. Nice going, JO!
Then all of our hearts rejoiced as a sexy girlband sauntered in, looking for some hot goss.





โClarkeโ and Murphy convinced the Squad that they should just go along with a horrifying situation in order to survive, and everyone was like, โfine, whatever.โ Raven and Emori went to gain some sweet sweet knowledge, Echo went in search of her BF, and Murphy went to convince his imprisioned pal to just chill the eff out.


Bellamy was all, โoh, theyโre offering us a deal? Cool, cool, cool, ORRRRRR, we could just murder a ton. Just a whole whack of murder. Stick with what you know, right? Haha, anyway, seriously, who should we murder first?โ Bellamy is a hot, grieving mess, and that is as it should be.


Xavier took a look-see at Octaviaโs Gramma-arm and told her sheโs got a common case of โtime-dialationโ (WTF??), that can be cured with some mystery meds only found back in FernGully. So off he went with Diyoza, and my buddy-cop fan-fiction was born!

He showed her some magic tree-goop that heals cuts and Diyoza was like, โas long as it doesn’t smell like coconut, ammiright!โ and they both threw their heads back in laughter and high-fived then ate some hotdogs and drank some cool brewskies on the porch.


Raven should never be a spy. Girl sassed Riker so hard that he immediately surmised the jig was up. They had a fun chat about whether or not what the Primes are doing is wrong (it is). At least he seemed sort of sheepish about it? Later he gave her a show-and-tell of the things his snatched-bodies had made, and Raven was like, โyou are the absolute stinkiest,โ and he was like, โdamn, when you put it like thatโฆโ This relationship is fun.


Echo found a dude getting eaten by a tree (hahaha, this show!), and tried to get him out. She failed (โtheyโre inside meโ *shudder), then tried to mercy-kill him with a rock. Just some regular, everyday stuff! Jade stopped her and was all, โrespect our culture!โ and Echo was like, โbeing slowly eaten by trees?โ and Jade was like, โobviously,โ and the rando guy was like, โI donโt mind if you donโt respect our culture this one time,โ and Echo was all, โwell there ya go,โ and Jade said nothing else because she was unconscious (Echo is so badass and I love her with all my soul).


Bellamy figured out pretty quickly that Murphy is working an angle, and they got into a spat about what the right thing to do would be. Of course they both brought up the ultimate question regarding any moral quandry – WHAT WOULD MONTY DO??? I think we have our answer from Jordanโs reaction to this whole situation, but whatever Murphy, go off.
โDonโt worry, Iโll do my best to make sure they only kill you.โ
Meanwhile, Madi was dealing with a bro-mander who just would NOT take a hint, so Gaia decided to do a Flame-Exorcism (a flamercism?) with the past commanders backing her up.
[I became so damn excited to see both Becca and Lexa at this juncture that I actually said OUT LOUD, alone in my schoolโs break-room, โitโs happening, everyone remain calm!โ]
Alas, the Gatekeeper ate them or something.


This did not go well! The Bro-mander was like, โteacherโs are for chumps, ammiright?โ and Madi was all, โum, no?โ and the Bro-mander just laughed and did the loser sneeze. When she woke up, Gaia had chained her to the bed! They gave each other some serious โtude, but Iโm sure thatโs fine.


Jo did NOT hold back! She went on a race down horrible memory lane, bringing up all sorts of shit that Abby did in order to make her feel guilty enough to try to save someone โgood.โ Was this negging? Where you make the other person feel so terrible about themselves that they then want to impress you? GROSS, Jo. Just gross.
There were a few moments when it seemed Abby would call her out, and maybe sheโs starting to suspect and is just playing the long game *crosses fingers*. Anyway, sheโs off to the mothership to make more nightblood (and hopefully to WAKE UP INDRA).












Since Jo had been tossing out promises of immortality like itโs a bead necklace at mardi gras, she had to free up some space on the imortal-hard-drive. Goodbye forever, Kaylee!! Jo and her mom wiped her whole family out of existence in order to make room for Kane, Abby, Murphy and Emori. This feels like a HUGE commitment to four people they assume they will now spend ETERNITY with. Like, jeez guys, at least ask them what their favourite movies are, or make sure they donโt eat with their mouths open.


It did not take much for Echo pry answers from this lady, but in all honesty, she intuited most the answers all by herself. Girl is so smart and foxy.


Bellamy had a lot of visitors! First Jo tried to kill him, then the Beautiful Creepster showed up with Russel to try and reason with him, then Jo cut him loose so he could attack her dad, then Bellamy DIDNโT, then Jo gave the Beautiful Creepster the Matrix Bugs. Man or man, this was a roller coaster.
Iโm unclear on how much of it was staged, and how much played out naturally. Did Jo and Murphy conspire to set this up? Was Russel in on it? Or did Murphy just get lucky?




You guys! The anomaly is calling them! But instead of texting like a civilized person, itโs sending messages through drawings and solar-flared-gramma-hands! This is a particularly exciting development for many a reason, but mostly because these three together are MAGIC. I am loving this dynamic, and I want an entire episode devoted to their loving banter. Head on into that anomaly, you beautiful misfits!
Back at Sanctum Headquarters, Echo came back to find everyone already privy to the knowledge she was bringing. She was VERY ready to avenge Clarke (my lady-love heart BURST OPEN), but Bellamy was all, โwelllllllllllll, about that, letโs just not, I guess?โ
Then it was time to tell Madi, and honestly the choice to pan out and only see her physical reaction was beautiful. Everyone was killing it this episode. Seeing how Clarkeโs โdeathโ has affected each one of them was devastatingly gorgeous.



I AM UPSET. Madi is being corrupted by Shiedheda, and he made her banish Gaia!!! The ONLY thing that will make me feel better about this is if Gaia joins AnomalyKru. I would love to see the dynamic of Gaia and Octavia after all the shit theyโve been through.
Anyway, Madi asked for some advice from her new brain-roommate on how to โkill them all,โ so thatโll be interesting/horrifying! (High-fives and a pack of sour patch kids to Lola Flannery for this scene. Damn, girl!)
THEN we checked in with Jo and her night-night routine (was that a sleeping pill?), and just as she drifted off, we saw a glimpse ofโฆ

OG CLARKE! In her old cell on the Ark! Except this time itโs covered in her own series-recap drawings! I am very pleased with this development. Very pleased.
If Iโm being honest, I never really thought she was gone for goodsies. BUT, it is still nice to get confirmation, because it would be very The 100 to throw a leading protagonist’s legit death at us. Above all else, though, Iโm pumped to get inside Clarkeโs head. Literally. Weโre going to get to see her inner demons, and maybe have her inner demons fight Joโs inner demons, and MY GOD THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT THE MORE EXCITED I GET.
SOME STUFF
- โShe was fairly awesome by the way.โ – โYeah, unless you got in her way.โ This made me very, very sad. Our Beautiful Creepster didnโt seem to be mourning very much, did he? His sense of season 5 betrayal still seems a bit extra to me, but FINE, weโll see where this goes.
- Sooooโฆ the rando tree-lunch blamed himself for Roseโs death because he let down the shield for the Adventure Ship. He figured his best course of action was to get eaten by a tree. And then Jade was like, โdonโt interrupt the process! He chose this!โ Whatโฆ what PART of that did he choose???
- Octavia telling Xavier to cut her arm off is just so OCTAVIA.
- Is Echo going to remember to go get Jade? I have a feeling some of that scene was cut. All Jade told her was that Bellamy was still alive, and Echo very enthusiastically was like, โthank you for being truthful.โ Haha, get a location, girl!
- Madiโs happy thought is meeting Clarke! *heart eyes*. What would your happy thought be? Mine is that one time I was accidentally given three scoops instead of two. My God, I have never experienced such a moment of pure joyโฆ
- Everything Diyoza says and does is pure, badass delight. Iโm so happy she survived last season.
- Would you play a getting-to-know-you game before inviting someone to share eternity with you? Maybe never-have-I-ever?
OKAY BYE STAY SAFE OUT THERE!

Did anyone else get a Buffy vibe from the final scene? It think it is they way Eliza’s hair is styled…
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So nothing about real-life Clarke & Bellamy gettin hitched?
I’m surprised at you Toni!
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I meant to!! I was in a 2am recap daze.
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So perhaps I’m not up on my word definitions but correct me if I’m wrong… an eclipse that sends people on a murderous rage, solar flares that mutate body parts, sap that super-heals, immortal body snatchers, a rape-y tree that merges with individuals and oh yeah… apparently there is an “anomaly” somewhere!?!!! This show… whew!!
So just when everyone has processed and got on board with the whole Immortal/Bodysnatch craziness, suddenly Maddi has an imaginary and stab-y new friend with what appears to be some Mariah Carey level of insecurities about his eye. Wildcard Bitches!!!!
So 5 drinks in, Echo: “I feel like I’m forgetting something,.. yeah same again bartender.”
I’d have to have a barrage of challenges and some covert trick questions for candidates before sharing immortality and risk anyone later undermining my godliness (well, except Riley of course).
“So I’ve applied a numerical rating to your coolness and I’m sad to say you came in at 27.3, above Pike but unfortunately somewhere between Titus and second season Jaha.
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“Mariah Carey level of insecurities” hahaha
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I was relieved to see the real Clark at the end, so she’s not really gone. I am guessing the manufactured night blood can come back if their will power is strong enough? Or will Gaia be able to do a separation thing for her and Josephine?
And will they put Bellamy and Clarke together now that the actors are married in real life?
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Ohhhhhh, I hadn’t put it together that Gaia may be able to do the separation ritual! I bet Madi will kick herself when she figures out she banished the one person who could help Clarke!
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I love your recaps so much, literally reading them is the next step after watching the episode of the week
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Thank you! ๐
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Same here! For a loooong time now. Something is not quite right if I don’t read Toni’s recap ๐
Hello from Poland, Toni ๐
Poland, Europe not Poland, Ohio ๐
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Hello!!! ๐
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I was finally able to read this recap, work is the worst! ANYHOO.
I’m loving this season in a very calm, grown-up way and I’m amazed at myself, but hey, at least I find it interesting and that’s good. I really thought I’d be over the show by now and nope. I love Jordan A LOT, and this new recycled Flame thing too. Science.
Ok so I’m really good with faces. I never forget a face and it drives me bananas when I know I’ve seen someone before but I can’t place them. That happened to me with the mean commander mansplaining man. Is he the same actor who in Season 1 was told to kill Bellamy? I don’t even remember in which episode that was, otherwise I would’ve checked. But yeah, that’s all I could think about whenever his face was on screen
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I FORGOT ABOUT THE PATRONUS. When Madi had to ‘conjure a happy thought’ my mind immedietely went all Harry Potter. So I guess Gaia is Lupin now.
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So fun that Jo can’t help but be impressed by Clarke!
Last season, I was wondering why they bothered with the commander chip at all, but it’ll obviously pay great dividends this year. I hope we’ll learn about the previous commanders, particularly Becca (why was she burned by the grounders? but it didn’t hurt her influence on their entire culture?) Poor Madi though.
Very intrigued by the Doodlekru. A time anomaly explains why Gabriel is stil there despite being off the bodysnatching.
Echo was the MVP of this episode. You do you, girl.
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