MURDERBOT Recap: (S01E08) Foreign Object

Geek Girl Authority

10 hours ago

Murderbot Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object,' delivers a handful of narrative revelations, from confirmation of Gurathin's love for Mensah (although, let's be real, this was evident from the get-go) to SecUnit slaughtering 57 miners. That last one is a doozy. We finally have context regarding those violent flashbacks. Additionally, our resident throuple attempts to call it quits, and the alien remnants are back in the conversation. Oh, and Leebeebee's employer? A shady mining company. It's a lot . But damn, is it fun. I love this show.
RELATED: Read our recap of the previous Murderbot episode, 'Complementary Species' Murderbot, 'Foreign Object'
We open with a scene from The Rise & Fall of Sanctuary Moon . The lieutenant (Clark Gregg) is now the captain after the Navigation Unit (DeWanda Wise) decapitated the former captain (John Cho). However, he wiped the Nav Bot's memories, so she won't go all homicidal again. He tries to reassure the crew of this, but the Navigation Officer (Jack McBrayer) isn't so certain.
The captain urges the crew to forge ahead (Boldness is all, right?). He tells the Nav Bot to smile, which she does — creepily. Instead of sending the ship through the wormhole, the Navigation Unit has them skirting the event horizon. So, they're stuck … forever. MURDERBOT Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object' — Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ Plot Twist
Then, the Nav Bot proceeds to kill the crew. She zeroes in on the captain, though, and we learn that she didn't kill the former captain/her lover — he did. So, the Navigation Unit pops his head like a zit. DeWanda Wise is amazing in this few-minute scene. She kills it (literally).
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Unfortunately, Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård) can't finish the episode to see how it all plays out. Mensah (Noma Dumezweni) interrupts it. We see our PresAux gang has parked the hopper a safe distance from the habitat. Gurathin (David Dastmalchian) isn't doing so well. He needs the med bay now. Ratthi (Akshay Khanna) offers to scour the area for any hostiles. MURDERBOT Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object' — Photo courtesy of Apple TV+
However, SecUnit remarks that it doesn't see any vehicles. It grabs the camera it installed nearby that collects footage from the habitat. Mensah, Ratthi and Murderbot rejoin Arada (Tattiawna Jones), Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu), Bharadwaj (Tamara Podemski) and Gurathin inside the hopper. They watch the footage. GrayCris
In it, a few SecUnits, much like the rogue ones who attacked our crew, enter the habitat, followed by real humans. Pin-Lee researches the insignia on their clothing. They're from GrayCris, a mining company. Their leader (Amanda Brugel) addresses the gang. She admits to dismantling PresAux and DeltFall's beacons. However, they killed Leebeebee, so she declares they should call it a wash.
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If our heroes want to get off the planet, the GrayCris leader states they must cooperate. She sends them a designated meeting location and time where they can hash this out. She insists this is a misunderstanding. As a gesture of good faith, GrayCris will depart their habitat.
'This doesn't have to end in violence,' the GrayCris leader says, causing our titular bot to scoff in disbelief. Mensah insists they get Gurathin down to the habitat now. Everyone debates whether they can trust GrayCris to leave, or if they're lying in wait to attack. Murderbot decides to survey the area itself. (Sorry, Ratthi.) MURDERBOT Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object' — Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ Dangerous Procedure
After concluding that the habitat is safe, the PresAux crew returns with Gurathin. They set him up in the med bay. Bharadwaj informs the group that Gurathin has gas gangrene — a projectile from the skirmish with the rogue SecUnit embedded itself in Gurathin's leg wound. However, Bharadwaj can remove it.
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Gurathin insists on no painkillers because he's a recovering addict. Mensah honors this. Murderbot believes it can block Gurathin's central nervous system to prevent pain. After all, Gurathin is an augmented human. SecUnit insists it only needs to plug into Gurathin. It's done this before. Mensah hopes it didn't get this idea from a Sanctuary Moon episode. (Okay, it was episode 502 of Medcenter Argala .)
SecUnit and Gurathin connect via hardwire. Now, Murderbot has access to Gurathin's database, as it were. We finally get confirmation that Gurathin carries a torch for Mensah. And it's unrequited. Ouch. Murderbot finds itself saying 'I love you,' echoing one of Gurathin's memories. It's quite emotional. MURDERBOT Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object' — Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ A Revelation
Thankfully, Bharadwaj works quickly, removing the projectile in no time. She urges Gurathin and SecUnit to unlink. However, Gurathin decides to do a little snooping. That's when he taps into SecUnit's violent history. Those flashbacks Murderbot keeps having throughout the series? A memory of it killing 57 miners during a mining expedition.
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Gurathin tells the others what he saw. He adds that SecUnit calls itself 'Murderbot.' Naturally, the PresAux crew is horrified. SecUnit tries to explain itself. It has killed before, yes, but only to protect its clients. To it, that's not murder. 'It's debatable,' Pin-Lee remarks.
SecUnit claims it's not a certainty that it murdered those 57 people. Gurathin pours salt in the wound, declaring that perhaps Murderbot is a faulty sentient construct. A malfunctioning machine that will inevitably turn on them. This moment mirrors the scene from Sanctuary Moon at the beginning of the episode. Murderbot storms out. Aliens and Throuples
The team debates whether they need Murderbot. Can they go on without it? Should they still plan to meet GrayCris at the rendezvous point? Meanwhile, SecUnit goes for a walk to clear its head, playing clips from its favorite shows to alleviate its anxiety. It realizes it needs its clients to get off this planet.
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At the same time, Pin-Lee explains why the Company wouldn't be involved in something like this. The DeltFall massacre reflects poorly on them. Dead people are bad for business. So, what does GrayCris want? Ratthi mentions the alien remnants that Mensah discovered. That could be enough to kill over.
Next, Pin-Lee and Arada believe it's time to end the throuple arrangement. Ratthi enters their bedroom and voices the same sentiment, much to their relief. He claims it's because he's fallen in love with Pin-Lee. Of course, we know Arada has a crush on Ratthi. MURDERBOT Season 1 Episode 8, 'Foreign Object' — Photo courtesy of Apple TV+ I Have a Plan
Regardless, these feelings certainly muddy the relationship waters a bit. Pin-Lee asks Arada if she doesn't find them attractive. She seems to be incredulous that Ratthi would be smitten with Pin-Lee. Ratthi insists they can all talk about this. Not now, though, because they might die.
RELATED: Read our Murderbot recaps
Suddenly, it dawns on Murderbot that it doesn't have to die. Sure, its clients might bite the dust, but that doesn't mean it has to. It's the author of its own story. Meanwhile, Gurathin and Bharadwaj insist everyone gather their supplies and flee. Mensah offers to meet with the GrayCris leader.
Murderbot returns to the habitat to inform the PresAux crew of its plan. Does it involve murder? Who knows.
Murderbot drops new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.
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[email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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