“The Stranger” is episode twelve of season seven of The 100.
Murphy and Emori are kneeling in front of Sheidheda pledging loyalty. But they’re out of the castle and the farmhouse. Emori wants the machine shop and Murphy says that they need a mechanic to run the reactor. As they are leaving, the convicts and the Children of Gabriel are brought in; Emori tells Nelson to kneel to fight another day.
Sheidheda welcomes them and says that taking a knee shows loyalty. Doing anything he deems disloyal and they die. Nikki asks what if they refuse. They die. She and the prisoners kneel. Nelson states that his people swore an oath to die free not to worship at the feet of false gods. They refuse. All of them. Sheidheda commends Nelson on having the qualities of a true leader. Then kills the rest of the Children. There can only be one leader. Kneel or die. Nelson chooses death.
Afterwards, Knight tells Sheidheda that everyone has taken a knee. Sheidheda corrects him; everyone he’s found. The others will want revenge and they can’t have that. Knight has seen no sign of the others, but did see this, showing him Madi’s book with a drawing of the stone. Sheidheda calls Indra over. He wants her to clean up the dead. One of whom isn’t dead; Indra tells him to play dead.
Murphy gets two of the Faithful to leave the reactor; he has some supplies. They’re working on food. Trey thinks that maybe they should kneel. Murphy says not; everyone down there lost someone to Sheidheda. Today they are afraid but that will turn to anger, and Sheidheda knows that and will kill them to prevent revenge. After they’ve gone back down, Emori is telling Murphy how much she likes what he’s doing when Indra arrives with a barrow. She tells them that Sheidheda slaughtered the Children. All but one. Emori escorts him away. Indra asks if they have weapons. Does a nuclear reactor count?
In the reactor control, Emori sees Nikki outside. Nikki knocks and says Indra told her Murphy could hide her. Murphy doubts that; Indra knows him better. It’s not a survivor move. Nikki pulls a gun; Sheidheda asked her to follow Indra. She wants the reactor opening. Murphy does that and Nikki heads down. To get hit from behind by Emori.
On Bardo, Gabriel is with Bill in the stone room. In the previous episode, “Etherea”, when Bellamy came back, he had become devoted to the ideas of the Shepherd and told Bill the Flame was gone. Gabriel says Bill must be upset. That they are back at square one? Why would he be upset? Gabriel told him Clarke had the Key. Gabriel corrects Bill; Octavia’s memories did. He just never saw the moment the Flame came out. And Gabriel never corrected him.
Bellamy comes in wanting for a moment. Bill sends everyone else out. Bill asks Bellamy if he’s wondering what will happen to his friends. Yes. Bellamy says Bill must have been close to Anders. Most First Disciples, Bill only meets once when they wake him every 20 years to say there’s been no progress. Bill met Anders twice. So, comparatively speaking, close. But Bellamy is testing to see if Bill lives by the same code that he expects, isn’t he?
The others have to pay for what they’ve done. Bellamy asks what if the Flame can be fixed. The technology here means it might be possible. Bill says Bellamy reminds him of his son. He went to look for the Key; he never returned. Bill assumes his daughter killed him, but he never knew for sure. Bellamy says he might, if his daughter is in the Flame. With a bunch of ifs, yes, Bellamy’s friends will be absolved.
Bellamy heads to see Echo and Raven. He wants to know where the Flame is to stop them from being executed. Raven doesn’t know and wouldn’t say even if she did. So Bellamy has her taken away to have her mind probed. Echo doesn’t know who Bellamy is. She spent 5 years training to pass as one of the Disciples and 3 months pretending to be one, to save, then avenge, Bellamy. She scarred her face so she wouldn’t lose herself. Bellamy has lost his self. Bellamy is trying to save them. But the end of war is more important than them.
Bellamy seems to have completely bought what Bill is selling. Though he did have some unusual experiences. This is not endearing him to the others.