Apple TV+’s Murderbot hits its mid-season stride with “Rogue War Tracker Infinite,” a densely packed episode that juggles new characters, deepening distrust, and a whole lot of emotional awkwardness for both humans and cyborgs.
After Murderbot Season 2 Episode 4’s dramatic self-termination, Murderbot (Alexander Skarsgård, still hilariously deadpan) reboots into a ship full of people with questions… and one DeltFall survivor with absolutely no filter.
If you ended the last episode wondering what would happen after a SecUnit voluntarily blew a hole through itself, this episode wastes no time answering. Murderbot is repaired but not trusted.
Gurathin (David Dastmalchian, increasingly compelling as the show’s ethical pessimist) paralyzes him just to be safe and leads a tense crew meeting about whether their pet murder machine should remain part of the group.
It’s a moral dilemma that’s been simmering all season, and now it explodes into open debate.
What follows is possibly the show’s funniest scene yet: Murderbot exposing his encyclopedic knowledge of Sanctuary Moon, proving he’s been watching hours of dramatic soap operas instead of plotting murder.
It’s absurd, hilarious, and a perfect encapsulation of what makes this show so unique: tonal juxtapositions that actually work.
Then things escalate.
Murderbot, annoyed at the continued paranoia, breaks out of his paralysis, grabs Gurathin by the neck, and tries to walk out like a robot-sized mic drop.
It’s not exactly a step toward trust-building, but the character’s frustration is both understandable and somewhat unsettling.
But Mensah (Noma Dumezweni, giving warmth and calm under pressure) persuades him to stay, on one condition: protect the crew, even the one he just throttled. It’s a tense truce, held together by Mensah’s persistent belief in Murderbot’s potential.
Enter Leebeebee: Sex Jokes and Suspicion
Adding chaotic spice to the crew is Leebeebee, a survivor from the DeltFall team whose SecUnit slaughtered her squad under similar circumstances.
Realized by the hilarious Anna Konkle of PEN15 fame, she’s rough, defensive, and weirdly flirty with Murderbot.
Her presence introduces a whole new layer of discomfort, particularly for the emotionally repressed SecUnit who can barely handle eye contact, let alone unsolicited affection.
Her crass innuendos land somewhere between comedic relief and “HR would like a word.”
It’s unclear if we’re meant to laugh or cringe, and Murderbot’s visibly uncomfortable reaction suggests the writers want both.
The humor veers into uneasy territory, but it never fully breaks the tone, thanks to Konkle’s sharp delivery and Skarsgård’s stiff body language.
She’s a welcome disruption, but so far, Leebeebee reads more as a foil than a fully formed character. Her arc may yet deepen, especially since there are hints she can’t be trusted. (Pro tip: Characters who suddenly kiss the emotionally stunted robot usually have secrets.)
Her apology-kiss combo is one of the episode’s weirder moments, and it’s hard to believe Murderbot isn’t internally screaming.
Trust Issues in Space on Murderbot
Much of this episode revolves around the question: can anyone really trust a rogue SecUnit, even one who likes soap operas? And can Murderbot trust them back?
These tensions bleed into every relationship — from Leebeebee’s jabs to Gurathin’s caution to Mensah’s quiet hope that Murderbot can be more than his programming.
The ongoing mystery, whose sabotage led to HubSystem’s downfall, who is impersonating PresAux, and what really happened to DeltFall, is nudged forward.
Gurathin can’t reach the beacon to call for help, so Murderbot volunteers to do it manually. Mensah, of course, insists on going with him.
It’s a pairing that finally gives us something we’ve been waiting for: a real, raw conversation.
SecUnit Gets Real
In a beautifully rendered sequence (the CGI hopper flight over alien terrain is movie-level), Mensah monologues, again, but this time, Murderbot talks back. And not just with snark. He gets honest.
He points out how easily DeltFall was infiltrated, how Mensah herself could fall for the same trap. It’s not cruelty, it’s clarity. He even admits that if he were trying to kill them, he’d probably do the same.
For a character who usually processes everything internally, it’s a breakthrough, and a sharp moment of thematic clarity for the show itself.
This is the closest we’ve come to seeing Murderbot reflect his internal voice out loud, and it’s electric. Skarsgård continues to strike the perfect balance between robotic detachment and reluctant vulnerability.
Dumezweni plays off him beautifully, making the duo feel like the emotional center of the show.
Just as they approach the signal beacon, it blows up, sending the hopper crashing and the screen to black in another cliffhanger.
It’s the kind of sudden, cinematic jolt that reminds you how dangerous this world still is. It also effectively deepens the conspiracy: someone doesn’t want them calling for help.
“Rogue War Tracker Infinite” might be the strongest episode yet, balancing paranoia, dry humor, emotional honesty, and forward momentum.
Does the Series Need a Longer Runtime?
At 24 minutes, it’s slightly longer than the previous episode’s 22-minute runtime, and the added breathing room helps the Apple TV+ hit’s comedic moments land more naturally.
It builds on everything that came before, while teasing bigger answers and higher stakes ahead. As the web of lies and hacked systems tightens, the show keeps a steady grip on character dynamics and moral ambiguity.
Whether you’re here for character growth, sci-fi mystery, or just watching a traumatized robot try not to scream, this episode delivers.
The show’s world keeps expanding, but it never loses sight of its beating heart: a killer robot who just wants to be left alone to watch TV.
Just keep an eye on Leebeebee, maybe.
Murderbot keeps getting sharper. If this is the halfway point, the back half might just kill us, emotionally and literally.
We know it’s not cool to ask for help, but here we are.
A comment lets us know someone’s out there, and a share helps more than you’d think. Either way, thanks for sticking with us.
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