“The Queen’s Gambit” opens with Gabriel waking up in a cell with little time to think before being escorted by four guards. They lead him to the stone room and their leader, Anders. There’s a body on the ground covered with a sheet, Anders tells him that it’s Bellamy, but he is never shown, so there’s no proof that Bellamy is in fact dead. I’m not going to lie; I hope that his ‘death’ is a ruse because I’m not ready to believe that he’s truly gone. His death was too quick. Anders tells him that they don’t believe in Heaven but rather transcendence. Again is this a hint about Bellamy? We don’t know but if felt like a possible foreshadow of his fate. He asks for Gabriel’s help in exchange for his life. To get out of his own execution, he has to provide Anders with all the information he has on Clarke. When Gabriel questions this he tells him that joining the cypher team will answer all his questions including his obsession with Clarke.
Jackson is looking at Madi’s art. He calls them beautiful. They discuss her panic attack from earlier and as he tries to figure out why it happened, Madi can’t help but watch some of the kids playing soccer, clearly envious of their freedom she didn’t have. Jackson tells her that she no longer has the weight of being the Commander on her shoulders, she can relax. She no longer has to make those tough decisions way above her age. He asks her if he can hold onto some of her art in which she nods before going out towards the field to join the game. This was a really great scene featuring Jackson as something other than the doctor or Miller’s boyfriend. This was all him and I liked this development and inclusion for his character. It worked perfectly with the situation concerning Madi and I think it really helped her because he has no expectations of her like others might (like Clarke, Indra, Gaia etc…). It was a great heart to heart by two characters we don’t see that often anymore.
Emori and Jon are left to babysit The Faithfuls in Indra’s stead. Jon goes to deliver food to Russell, who then goes through his cookie, revealing a note smuggled in. It tips him off about the upcoming Reunification ceremony that Emori/Kaylee Prime is hosting. He convinces Jon to play one game of chess. He tells him that if he plays, he’ll tell him what he wants most: how to be a hero. He says that that must mean something bad is about to happen which Russell only confirms for him. So he sits down and they play.
We see a flashback scene with Echo and Bellamy when they were in space. They talk about weaknesses and Bellamy says his is Octavia and that Echo’s is loyalty. Then they kiss. This was only a memory and after it ends, you see Echo crying on her side while Octavia walks around their shared cell. Octavia tells her that she misses him too and then tells her about the time Lincoln died and how she beat up her brother for it. She tells her that she wished that she had hugged him instead and she tackles her in a tight embrace. Echo tries to fight it at first but then she relents and eases into it. Octavia tells her that she’s family too.
Dioyza and Hope are locked together in a different cell. Hope is trying to plan a way out and Dioyza is too busy angry at Hope for coming after her. She tells her that she’s the parent and she’s the child. It’s not her job to rescue her.
Nelson chats with Nikki at the tavern. She tries to convince him to work together. Emori approaches before anything else can really happen and she tries to tell that she gets it. When he doesn’t believe her, she removes her sleeve showing him her arm and tells him that she knows exactly what it’s like to be left out like a piece of garbage by those you love. She says that she can find his parents and reunite them, but he isn’t interested. He tells her that they can burn for all he cares before storming out of the tavern, leaving his glass at the bar.
Russell comments about Emori asking Jon why he settles for one woman when he can have many. Jon defends her quickly before changing the subject, trying to figure out his motive. Russell calls him predictable.
Dioyza tells Hope about her father and how she wanted more for her daughter. She doesn’t want her following in her footsteps. She wants her to have a different, less violent life than her own. Hope is still trying figure a way out and Dioyza has had enough. She tells her that she can fight her to prove that they can escape without them dying. Dioyza wins. They share a moment and Dioyza tells her that she won’t lose her again.
Echo scars her face, spiralling even further. Octavia wonders why they chose to put them in the same cell when they have many to keep them separated. Echo says they’re recruiting them and sure enough the door opens and they meet with Anders. He asks them if they will, they agree and their training starts tomorrow.
Nelson’s parents show up to the ceremony, but when his father mentions Daniel Prime, she tells him that he’s on his way. As they continue to play chess, Jon realises that Russell is trying to keep him from going to the ceremony after he chooses not to win and go to checkmate. Knowing the ruse is now up, he slams Jon’s head down on the table and threatens to kill him if he makes a noise to alert the guards. Jon remains quiet, having no other choice. He tells Jon that the people respect Daniel much more than they do Kaylee.
Emori tells Nelson that his parents are there and he hesitantly follows her to them. His mother hugs him but then his father blatantly rejects him. He calls him and everyone else an abomination and then he strangles his son. It lasts several moments before Nelson uses a knife and stabs his own father. He falls to the ground, dead. Then Nikki comes in, guns blazing. That’s Russell’s cue and he lets Jon go saying he can now call the guards. Nikki grabs Emori and asks Nelson is he’s with her. He nods and declares that so are his people. He pulls a gun on Emori but Nikki stops him before firing. She tells him that they first make demands and then they get to kill people.
Gabriel’s asking them questions about the anomaly in the stone room. Then the stone turns on saying that it’s coming from Nakara. Weapons drawn, Clarke and the others emerge into the stone room. Gabriel identifies himself right away to stop any gun fire. He tells Clarke that Bellamy’s dead. She is stunned. Nothing else is said in this episode about it.
Meanwhile, Anders has disappeared to a secret room and he places his hand on a stone table while he chants a short phrase about this shepherd. It opens up to reveal a bearded man in a similar all white outfit. He comments about Anders waking him up early wondering if the war has already begun. Anders responds with “not yet, but now we have the key.”
And that’s it!! Stay tuned for next week’s episode!
