A couple episodes ago, Jaha decided to leave his people behind at Camp Jaha to deal with the Grounders and Mountain Men without him and head for the City of Light. On The 100 Season 2 Episode 12, “Rubicon,” we catch up with Jaha, Murphy and their group struggling through the desert.
BuddyTV caught up with Richard Harmon to get insight into Murphy’s decision to go with Jaha and the challenges of their journey. Read on for our Q&A with Harmon.
Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg has said that originally Murphy wasn’t a character who definitely was going to stay around after the pilot, but you really sold the character. How did it feel when you found out the character would be sticking around?
It was a wonderful feeling. I remember after we did the pilot Jason sent me an email a couple months after when we got word we got picked up. It was a just a nice quick email, but it was nice to hear that he liked what I had done and he was going to keep me around. He told me I had a name and I wasn’t just a numeral any more. It was really nice to hear. Apart from that, I still don’t know kind of how long I stick around. Before I read every episode in the head space that it could be my last.
Why do you think Murphy goes with Jaha? Was it that he didn’t have anything better to do?
That’s a good point. You almost nailed it with the “he doesn’t have anything better to do.” It’s not just that. It’s not that simple. I think in season 2, you really see Murphy try to make better of himself and try to get back into the group or chip in and help when he can, but what we’ve seen is everyone is very hesitant to accept him back into the community.
By episode 10, when Jaha makes him that offer, I think he’s fed up with it. He’s done nothing bad this season and he’s tried everything he can. And what he did in the first season, what everyone else thinks is so bad, he justifies it in his own head. So you have to look at it from his point of view. He’s done some things wrong, but in his head he’s done no worse than anyone else. When Jaha makes that offer, he has no better offer on the table so he might as well take it.
Does Murphy think Jaha’s lost it? What does he make of Jaha?
I don’t think he thinks [Jaha’s] lost it. I think he’s weary of him. One of the wonderful things about Murphy and it may be a character flaw for him is that he doesn’t really look at other people and where they are at the moment. He only really looks at them as a means to an end. He sees Jaha and doesn’t see someone who’s crazy, though he does think [Jaha’s] a little bit wacky for doing what he’s doing right now, he might see Jaha as someone who can do exactly what Jaha said and take him away from all of this and show him that maybe there’s more in this world. Murphy’s world isn’t going to get any better and he’s done with it.
What does Murphy make of the City of Light? Does he believe it exists?
I don’t think he knows it exists. Again, I’ll use the word “weary,” he’s very weary of the whole mission and journey. I think what he’s hoping is that they might not find the City of Light, but they will find something. They’ll find some kind of safety, maybe more people that Murphy can kind of get in touch with and not have them judge him for his past. I think that’s what he’s hoping. The City of Light that he so much sees as a legitimate thing. The City of Light is just an opportunity. The opportunities are out there whether there is a City of Light or not. The opportunities remain the same.
On their journey, they meet someone. What can you tease about that meeting?
Yes, we introduce a new character this upcoming episode. One that I’m quite fond of as Richard. I like the character a lot. We meet them out in the dead zone, in the desert. We find this person in dire straits and we decide to take it upon ourselves to kind of bring them with us for a little bit.
What’s the biggest challenge they will face?
It will have to be their patience. There’s a lot of challenges on this journey. You guys are in for a real treat. The audience is in for a much bigger treat than the characters are as far as the journey’s concerned. The characters are going to have a lot of stuff to overcome, but it’s going to be fun to watch. I think the biggest test is going to be their patience and their resolve. At this point, Jaha definitely has, I don’t know at this point how much Murphy has or the other 12 people there. It’s definitely their resolve. They are going to be put through the wringer once or twice on the journey.
What surprised you the most so far about Murphy’s journey from season 1 to now?
Oh, wow. A lot. I didn’t see any of it coming as far as the change in character. I honestly thought coming into season 2, I’d be doing more of what we were used to seeing him do in season 1. For the lack of a better word, he was a bad guy and an antagonist. I kind of loved seeing him be redeemed a little bit. I don’t really see it in those terms, because I don’t want to change the character. It doesn’t make any sense for him to change one season to the next. I wanted it to seem like he is the same guy just the camera and the audience gets to see him in a different light and see him at different times.
I think that’s the secret to any kind of character on the show. It really depends on when the camera hits them is how much the audience knows about them. In season 2, we’re sticking around a little bit more on Murphy to kind of show that not everything he does is out of malice. Sometimes it’s to protect himself and he’ll regret it later. I think we’re seeing that this season and I absolutely love it. I think the more and more you see of Murphy, I think more people will love him in my opinion but I’m biased.
Who will Murphy miss, if anyone, from Camp Jaha?
From the old world? You know what, I don’t– I think that’s the point. I don’t think he’s going to miss anyone. I think he was going to maybe, if he made the decision a couple episodes ago, I think he might have missed Raven. She was the only person left who did do something nice for him, but that kind of went out the window when “Spacewalker” came out and she tried to throw him under the bus to save Finn. I don’t think he’s going to miss anyone.
The 100 airs Wednesdays at 9pm ET on the CW.
(Image courtesy of the CW.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
