“The Old Man and the Anomaly” is episode eight of season six of The 100.
In “Memento Mori”, before they could go ahead with chopping off Octavia’s arm to save her, Xavier noticed something. Her arm was moving, and when it was checked, it proved to be drawing the spiral of the Anomaly. Which Diyoza was sketching. This episode opens with the three of them arriving at a camp, where there’s a strange sound. Xavier goes to turn on the power. Diyoza says to Octavia that once the old man has saved Octavia and Octavia finished saying Diyoza will put a bullet in his brain. Diyoza thinks they are like an old married couple, finishing each other’s thoughts.
With the power on, radio transmissions can be heard. According to Xavier, the Anomaly sucks them up to here. Inside a tent, Diyoza finds a painting of Josephine. She thinks Gabriel loved her, but Josephine was just looking to get laid. Xavier says they need to leave their weapons here. The Anomaly has an effect similar to the Red Sun. Diyoza points out she still has her hands. Octavia reacts to Xavier approaching her. Xavier says the effect is reaching her brain, and bends over to take a look. Diyoza notices a scar on the back of his neck and draws a gun, realising Xavier is Gabriel. Xavier – Gabriel – is still going to head to the Anomaly. Don’t bring the gun, or she’ll likely kill them all.
On the way to the Anomaly, Diyoza asks when it will start affecting them. Gabriel is already seeing Josephine. Diyoza also wants to know how someone so against the Primes could take a new body; does he not have the courage for his own cause? Gabriel wanted it removing, and trained someone to do it, but they refused. Then a Nightblood was born. Gabriel’s body died and he discovered he’d been transferred into Xavier’s body against his wishes. He killed the person who did it in a fit of rage, then took Xavier’s identity. That’s why the Children of Gabriel think they’ve been abandoned. They’re all starting to see and hear things now.
On the Eligius III, Raven speaks to Abby about how someone is going to die to save Kane. Simone interrupts; she says the man is making a willing sacrifice. He wants this. And he does. Raven is not pleased.
In Sanctum, Russell is scanning Josie. She has 36 hours, possibly less. In the previous episode, “Nevermind”, Josie found out how to remove Clarke and wants it doing. Russell says to tell no-one until her mother gets back. Once they can create Nightbloods for everyone, they can give Clarke her body back and Josie can have a willing host. Josie says Clarke will kill them all. Russell does not. Josie might have a point.
The others know Clarke is alive and are plotting how to recover her. Bellamy doesn’t want the Primes to find out. Madi thinks it won’t matter if they do. If they’re all dead. Bellamy asks if that’s Madi’s plan or Sheidheda’s. Does it matter if it works? Madi says Echo thinks it’s a good plan. Sure; if they’re willing to kill everyone else when they come after them for killing their gods. Bellamy says they’ll stick with the plan of getting Clarke’s body onto the dropship. They won’t discuss this with Emori or Murphy; Murphy because he agreed to a deal and Emori because she’s with Murphy. They’ll still take them with them.
Murphy wakes Emori. She asks about the Primes killing Clarke. Murphy explains what’s in it for them. Emori asks what’s in it for him. Immortality. He goes down on one knee – and offers her two mind drives. One for each of them. They’ll become Nightbloods, then Primes. Josie arrives at this point, looking for Ryker. Ryker says that it’s Clarke, right? Not straight up, no. Murphy questions this. Ryker realises that Josie is there and it seems that Josie needs his help getting Clarke out of, well, Clarke’s head.
Murphy thought Clarke was dead when he made the deal. Will knowing she isn’t make a difference? Clarke’s time is limited, because unless the mind drive is removed, Clarke’s body will die but Josie’s mind won’t.