“Welcome to Bardo” is episode five of season seven of The 100.
The episode starts on planet Bardo, 45 days ago, after Octavia and Diyoza were taken by the Disciples at the end of “The Garden”. Diyoza tells Octavia not to say anything as she is taken away. Those left with Octavia don’t fare so well as she takes them all down. Octavia is fleeing through the place as an alarm is sounding and finally exits a door leading into a forest, where she is clotheslined by an invisible Disciple. Then the lights come; this is really a room and she’s welcomed to Bardo.
Sanctum in the present and Indra is being told that the Faithful, those who support the Primes, have barricaded themselves in the tavern and are demanding to speak to Clarke. Nelson wants Russell dead. Indra asks if he’s threatening her. If he was, what could she do without an army? She’s staring at him when Trey and the Faithful come out.
Trey wants Clarke. They’ve got Indra. The Faithful want Russell Prime to be released. Indra points out they spared Russell’s life in “False Gods” and he ordered them to stand down. Yes, then he was shot. The Faithful will sacrifice their lives, at the rate of one every hour, until he is released. And a woman immolates herself. Which does look like the Faithful are a self-solving problem. Nelson attempts but fails to extinguish the woman in time and Trey says if the tavern is stormed, they all will die.
Nelson tells the others that the Faithful may hate the Children, but they are still their people. Russell claims he feels awful and asks why he would want his followers to kill themselves when they are the only reason he’s still alive. Murphy, unsurprisingly, thinks the Faithful are a solution, not a problem. The others don’t agree. Russell – Sheidheda – says he could talk them down. Indra declines the offer; Russell isn’t the only Prime. Emori volunteers, but she’s still recovering from the radiation dose she received, Murphy, however, is fine.
Bardo, 45 days ago, and Octavia is strapped to a chair. A man is questioning her and explaining that she could be lobotomised if she resists. Another, Anders (Neal McDonough), tells the other, Levitt, to get on with it. Octavia won’t understand and these are unusual circumstances. They start getting some of Octavia’s memories.
Indra and Murphy head to the tavern; Indra will cover him from outside. Murphy tells the Faithful that self-immolation is excessive, but when he sees them preparing a child, he loses it and storms in. He wants the child, all of the children out. The Faithful look like they are going to let him, but Zev bars the door. Zev doesn’t believe Murphy is the Prime he’s pretending to be, and Murphy manages to demonstrate his lack of knowledge.
Bardo, 34 days ago and Octavia is being questioned about Murphy. Levitt asks her to let him in, otherwise Anders will replace him with someone who will burn through her head. When Hope is discovered in Octavia’s memories, Octavia says if Levitt leaves Hope out of his report, she will cooperate. He agrees. They start over and Octavia warns him he won’t like what he sees. Except Levitt is getting very impressed by her.
In the present on Bardo and Echo, Gabriel and Hope arrived after leaving Penance – Skyring – at the end of the previous episode, “Hesperides”, to try and save everyone currently being held by the Disciples. More is learned about Bardo, the Disciples, and how Hope was sent back, and why she lost her memories. Anders really wants Clarke; he says she’s the key to everything. Nothing like being popular. Sheidheda is definitely up to something, but when he has a ‘Kneel before Zod!” moment, Indra recognises just who she is dealing with. Time dilation means that time is passing at different rates and the episode chops between different times, revealing more details as it does.