What Happens to [Spoiler] in Murderbot Episode 4? Ending Suicide Explained

Apple TV+’s Murderbot Episode 4 ending left viewers with a massive cliffhanger. Right before the episode’s conclusion, Murderbot attempted to kill itself to save the Preservation Alliance members.

Why does Murderbot kill itself in Episode 4’s ending?

In Episode 4, Alexander Skarsgård’s Murderbot finally gets closer to uncovering what happened to the DeltFall team’s SecUnits, but not without consequences. A “rogue” SecUnit attacks Murderbot and drags it to an operating table in an attempt to override its programming.

At the episode’s end, Murderbot begins receiving alarming commands from its chip: “Clients=Hostiles” and “Acquire Targets.” It realizes the attacker cyborg has successfully overridden its original programming. As a result, Murderbot becomes a threat to the PreservationAux unit. To protect the team, it attempts to kill itself.

In its final moments of consciousness, Murderbot has an internal monologue and says, “It was gonna look like they’d been killed by a vicious, rogue SecUnit. And I had no choice in the matter.” Unlike other SecUnits, Murderbot has a conscience that prevents it from going rogue. So, it shoots itself in the stomach.

Does Murderbot really die in Episode 4?

Murderbot’s decision to shoot itself at a critical moment may have saved the PreservationAux unit. It’s also possible that the only way to stop the “override module” was to damage its own system.

Murderbot might have shot itself to disrupt the hacking commands and regain its original functions. Moreover, the original book The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells explains that SecUnits are built from metal frameworks and synthetic bones.

Destroying a SecUnit is harder than it looks. In Episode 4, Murderbot shoots itself in the stomach, which is unlikely to be fatal. SecUnits are also capable of self-healing to a significant extent. So, one abdominal shot won’t destroy it.

Meanwhile, viewers are eager for the next episode, which promises to reveal secrets of the Corporate Rim. The description for the upcoming episode, titled “Rogue War Tracker Infinite,” states: “PresAux pulls out all the stops to forge a path forward. Tensions mount when trust is tested, and a DeltFall survivor joins the fold.”