Matryoshka marks the tenth episode for season 6 and I must say quite a lot happened. We finally see a softer side to Josephine and learn more about her torrid love affair with Gabriel, the very man leading the charge against the Primes. Further light is shed on Madi and her loosened grip on Shanheda, the dark commander, and we see her become more violent and itching to kill some Primes. Finally, we also see what happened to Jordan since he saved Priya from Madi as well as Murphy and Emori’s imprisonment since Bellamy ran off with a captured Jo. We’re starting to see the bigger picture and I’m definitely worried about how this season will end, especially with three episodes left!
Last week’s episode ended with Clarke stealing Jade’s bike to meet Gabriel. Well, this episode started just minutes after that final scene, and it shows her wiping out on that same bike and damaging the only radio that seems to work on Sanctum. And it couldn’t have been a better time too, seeing as the guards have finally caught up to them leaving only minutes to hide. Clarke realises that she has to give in to Jo and trust her, hoping that Jo isn’t lying. She leads her to a hatch covered in leaves and they seal it shut. The two seem to bond as Jo explains her complicated (understatement) relationship with Gabriel. Over the last 70 years, in which he’s been trying to kill her, there have been no Primes killed at the hands of the Children of Gabriel. Interesting right? Considering their determined attitude since they were introduced earlier on in this season and it seems like they aren’t as bloodthirsty as Russell and the Primes made them out to be. But before anything else can be said, Clarke’s nose bleeds and she seizes.
Meanwhile Abby, Raven, and Simone finally return to Sanctum. They report making the blood required to use willing hosts is no longer viable as it was lost on board. Russell tells the guards to lock up Raven and Abby, but Simone stops Abby to let her know that her daughter is dead. Russell then fills her in on the events since she left and Simone declares that they must be punished and made examples of. Abby also discovers Murphy’s betrayal of Clarke and slaps him.
Ryker tells the past and present hosts’ loved ones the truth about the Primes. He’s working against Russell and has enlisted their help to spare future pain for others like them. Echo and Gaia are seen hiding upstairs, peering down at them. Ryker insists on trying to find a peaceful way out for everyone. He tells Gaia and Echo that one of their friends is going to be executed and Echo immediately thinks it’s Murphy. Echo plans to shoot Russell with her bow where he stands during the execution.
Clarke is back in her room on the Ark, calling for Jo. Everything looks the same as last time except now there are books littered everywhere on the ground, which symbolise Jo’s memories but they shouldn’t be on Clarke’s side. Things are getting worse for both Clarke and Jo but Clarke is determined to get back to Bellamy and the others. She tells Jo to grab as many books as she can because she’s going to float them out of her side, balancing their mind.
Gaia joins the others in jail and informs them of Echo’s plan, telling them that no one is going to die. Again, she reassures Murphy despite what the Primes have said, but everyone thinks it will be Murphy, including him.
Ryker confronts Russell and Simone at lunch, still not on board with the Primes. Then Ty is escorted in, requesting an audience with Russell. Ryker panics because he’s one of the people he’s recruited to his side and Ty claims he knows Echo’s whereabouts. His ruse lasts for seconds before he smashes a bottle and cuts Simone’s throat, killing her and sending Russell in the deep end of depression.
Jo shares a memory with Clarke of her and Gabriel dancing and discussing immortality. Clarke tells her that she can keep that memory but that they need to keep going. They become separated again and then we see Clarke’s physical body being engulfed in vines. Thankfully, Gabriel and Octavia find her just in time to save her from suffocation. However, it’s not Clarke in control anymore. It’s Jo.
Octavia asks what happened to Clarke, but Jo evades the question. They are then caught by Jade and the guards as soon as they turn around because of Jo. She tells Jade to kill Octavia and take Gabriel back with them. but before she can follow through, one guard opens fire on the rest, killing them all but Jade. It’s Bellamy. He tells Jade to deliver a message to Russell: kill any of my people and your daughter dies.
Meanwhile, shock courses through everyone as they see how far Madi has succumbed to Shanheda. Abby tells Gaia to take the flame out, but she tells her that she can’t because the release phrase was changed. Gaia tells them that Shanheda was killed by his flamekeeper according to the rumours explaining her recent banishment. Shanheda thinks Gaia poses a threat to Madi as she is her flamekeeper. Then, guards come in saying that Madi is spared but all others will burn.
Echo manages to get a lock on Russell but before she can dispatch her arrow, Ryker knocks her out, proclaiming it’s for his family.
They turn to Murphy’s pyre, ready to light his first when he tells them they can use bone marrow to save his wife. And that gets them all down, except for Ty. Abby is given 24 hours and permission to use Madi as a night blood donor to prove Murphy’s theory. Raven tells Gaia to get Becca’s notebook if she wants to save Madi. However, Russell follows through with his example and sets Ty on fire.
Gabriel tries to save Jo and Clarke by removing Jo’s drive and restarting Clarke’s heart. And if this wasn’t already a tricky situation, Jo decides to try and convince Gabriel to let her keep Clarke’s body. He tells her that he’s loved her for centuries and they’ve had their time. He needs to let her go now and injects her with a serum making her pass out.
We see Jo and Clarke in Clarke’s mindscape and Jo goes for the throat with an axe. Bellamy tries to give her CPR saying that he won’t lose her again and upon hearing his voice, Clarke uses that distraction against Jo and kills her with that same axe. Clarke wakes up and embraces Bellamy.
