Murderbot episode 9 ending explained: Does Murderbot help PresAux launch the rescue beacon?

Murderbot episode 9, All Systems Red, was released on July 4, 2025, on Apple TV+. It is co-written by the show's creators, Paul Weitz and Chris Weitz, and directed by Roseanne Liang. The episode begins with PreservationAux stressing over their meeting with the GrayCris team, aware that they are possibly walking towards their own deaths.

With a runtime of 28 minutes, the penultimate episode is the most explosive of the season and ends with Murderbot successfully getting rid of the GrayCris team. The rogue SecUnit also helps its clients launch their rescue beacon that can help them flee the planet.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Murderbot episode 9.

PresAux meets the GrayCris team in Murderbot episode 9

An image of Ratthi and Bharadwaj from Murderbot episode 9 (Image via Apple TV+)

At the start of Murderbot episode 9, the cyborg and PresAux team members Mensah, Gurathin, and Pin-Lee set off to meet the murderous GrayCris mining group at the designated spot. Bharadwaj, Ratthi, and Arada stay back and monitor the situation from their habitat, as their lack of combat training would make them a liability in the event of a physical confrontation.

Mensah tries to calm her nerves by doing deep breathing exercises, while Gurathin prepares himself for the worst outcome. When the team leader asks the SecUnit about the group's chance of survival, it reluctantly discloses that they have a low to extremely low chance of getting out alive.

Murderbot steps out and approaches the GrayCris team, which comprises four humans and three SecUnits dressed in blue-and-black suits. It straight-up tells GrayCris about having overridden its governor module and pulls out the severed head of the SecUnit that was killed in episode 7, claiming it to belong to a PresAux member, Gurathin, to win their trust.

Furthermore, the PresAux team watches in shock as the SecUnit offers to help GrayCris capture its clients if the team can help the cyborg leave the planet for good. It also convinces GrayCris to lower their HubSystem's firewall and connect with PresAux's system to access the planetary map data they are looking for.

Once the satellite link is opened, Pin-Lee and Gurathin hack into GrayCris' HubSystem remotely, by using a drone. They find the access codes and activate their distress beacon, which will prompt the company to send their rescue ship in about a week.

With their goal accomplished, Mensah orders Murderbot to leave the scene.

What happens to the GrayCris team in Murderbot episode 9?

An image of the GrayCris team from Murderbot episode 9 (Image via Apple TV+)

The rogue SecUnit, however, has other plans. It lies to GrayCris, telling them that their beacon has been triggered by its clients and advises them to check the situation at their launch pad. Gurathin figures out that the SecUnit is trying to lure GrayCris to their deaths as they will be incinerated at the site of the launch pad when the beacon launches.

The SecUnit explains to its clients that GrayCris needs to be eliminated, or else they will hunt the PresAux team down. But the twist comes when GrayCris' leader forces Murderbot to come along with them. With no way to escape, the SecUnit chooses to sacrifice itself to keep its clients safe.

Minutes before the beacon is set to take off, a local bird disrupts the drone, causing the beacon launch to stop midway as the launch command had not fully uploaded. The comms connection is also lost, making the Pres Aux team unable to contact each other and Murderbot.

Noma Dumezweni seen as Mensah in Murderbot episode 9 (Image via Apple TV+)

Fearing the worst, Mensah flies the hopper to the launch pad to save her SecUnit. Meanwhile, Pin-Lee and Gurathin restart the launch by activating the beacon manually from GrayCris' habitat. With one minute to launch, Mensah comes face-to-face with GrayCris and introduces herself as the planetary admin of the Preservation Alliance.

She offers to share the data on alien remnants in exchange for the SecUnit, which the GrayCris leader refuses. She plans to torture Mensah for the crucial information after killing Murderbot. In order to keep up its ruse, the cyborg offers to conduct the torture itself by reciting a monologue from Sanctuary Moon, which a GrayCris member recognizes.

Soon, a fight breaks out, and Murderbot gets brutally trashed by the GrayCris' SecUnit. As the beacon takes off, it jumps off a cliff with Mensah to survive the explosion, which kills the GrayCris team at once. The SecUnit cushions the fall for Mensah and is left bloodied and bruised on the ground. It gazes at Mensah as she reunites with Pin-Lee and Gurathin, while thinking to itself, "My clients are the best clients."

Watch all episodes of Murderbot exclusively on Apple TV+.

About the author

Deepti is an entertainment writer at Sportskeeda. She comes with more than 6 years of experience in the creative writing field and has written extensively for the entertainment and travel domains.

She holds a degree in Chemistry, but her true interest always lay in the creative field. A passion for reading from a young age fueled her desire to make a career change later in life and take up writing as her profession.

Apart from reading, her hobbies include watching movies, listening to music, and going to the beach. In her free time, she can be found looking up reviews of new and old films to add to her watchlist. She also enjoys watching foreign language films that help expand her knowledge base regarding different cultures around the world.

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Edited by Tiasha