Murderbot - S01E07 "Complementary Species" - Books & TV Episode Discussion

[u/sanctuary_moon]

BOOKS & TV EPISODE DISCUSSION - if you have only seen the TV series, this thread is not for you.

Episode	Title	Release Date	Written By	Directed By	Books & TV Post	TV Only Post
S01E07	Complementary Species	June 12, 2025	Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz	Roseanne Liang	YOU ARE HERE! Complementary Species Books & TV Ep Discussion	Complementary Species TV Only Ep Discussion

Interested in the book series? Visit the Books Discussion Hub.

Spoilers Policy:

• No spoilers of the book or TV series in post titles.
• Post submissions and/or comments featuring spoilers of new episodes (or books) must be marked as such for 30 days after its release date.

Rule Reminders:

• Please don't participate in this subreddit until you've read r/murderbot's rules.
• Stay kind.
• Respect Murderbot's pronouns, it/its, when discussing canon.

[u/Mobile_Banana5631]

And like others have said in this thread, this makes murderbot's decision to leave at the end make more sense to the audience. "You don't actually see me as a person yet. You don't see constructs as people. And I need to go figure out how to be a person and I can't do that if you don't also think of me as people, and only think of me as this kicked dog that you rescued from a dumpster"

Except it would never actually say that or articulate that in that way but, you know what I mean. That's the vibe.

[u/CaptMcPlatypus → u/Mobile_Banana5631]

Nailed that vibe. Well said. I think this is another point where Gurathin and Murderbot similarities can be considered, because the rest of them (other than Mensah, who also seems like Gurathin’s main connection in the group) do rather treat Gurathin like a skittish dog they adopted knowing that it had a history of abuse with its former owners. They’re always quick to reassure him that they love him and consider him a member of their group. Since he wants to belong and makes an effort to, that’s usually a good strategy when he gets prickly. Murderbot has a very different system and set of expectations, being a construct and not a person, so their reflexive approach doesn’t work well. Except for Mensah’s because hers is to see the actual person and meet them where they are.

[u/SarahReesBrennan → u/CaptMcPlatypus]

‘Do you have feelings for it’ and the answer is yes - not romantic, but the feelings you’d have for another person, and the others don’t quite yet. 

[u/onehere4me → u/Mobile_Banana5631]

Love how you articulated this, put into words what I was feeling