Wilhelmina Murray's Backup Plan: Chapter 64 Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Wilhelmina Murray watches as Frankenstein inputs a long access code and opens a door to a small room covered in warnings written in eight languages. Inside, four black boxes are stacked and connected by thick cords—the ship’s batteries. Frankenstein and a spider drone begin removing the third and fourth batteries, telling Agnus over the earpiece not to power-surge the ship. Wilhelmina has removed her own earpiece, so she cannot hear Agnus’s reply.
While Frankenstein works, Wilhelmina reflects on her past. Her marriage to Harker was arranged by her parents, an old-world tradition that carried weight in the colonies. She never met Harker, and their death did not hurt her—it insulted her. She had kept a photo of Harker on her desk, drawn to their clean, androgynous features and especially their red hair. That same red hair reminds her of Lucy, whom she truly loved.
As Frankenstein finishes loosening the last bolt, Wilhelmina notices a faint glimmer of red in Frankenstein’s hair—possibly imagined. She knows she must act quickly, before Drakulya awakens, before Agnus realizes her plan, and before she can change her mind. She grabs the doorframe, and the sound of her glove scraping metal makes Frankenstein pause and look over their shoulder. Frankenstein’s eyes scan the room but do not find her. Wilhelmina understands why: vampires do not appear in video footage, and Frankenstein’s organic camera eyes cannot register her presence.
Wilhelmina recalls Frankenstein’s plan: superheating the ship’s batteries will cause an explosion that can push Demeter away from the star. But her own plan is simpler. She pulls a knife from her jumpsuit, kicks off the doorframe, slams into Frankenstein’s back, tangles her fist in their hair, and yanks their head back. As Frankenstein croaks a protest, she whispers an apology and plunges the knife between their ribs into their heart.
Key Events
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Frankenstein opens the battery room using a long access code and reveals the ship’s four batteries.
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Frankenstein and a spider drone begin removing the third and fourth batteries, instructing Agnus not to power-surge.
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Wilhelmina reflects on her arranged marriage to Harker, who died before they met, and on her love for Lucy, who had red hair like Harker.
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Wilhelmina realizes Frankenstein’s camera eyes cannot see her because she is a vampire.
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Wilhelmina attacks Frankenstein from behind, stabbing them in the heart.
Character Development
Wilhelmina Murray emerges as a decisive and conflicted figure. Her internal monologue reveals a deep sense of duty tied to her arranged marriage, yet she admits she never loved Harker—only Lucy. Her love for Lucy is the emotional anchor that drives her actions. She hesitates once, but vows never to hesitate again, showing a hardening of resolve. Her decision to kill Frankenstein is not impulsive; it is a calculated act she believes is necessary to stop the ship and deal with Drakulya. The chapter also confirms her vampire nature, as she is invisible to Frankenstein’s video-based eyes.
Frankenstein is portrayed as methodical and focused, but also vulnerable. They are described as beautiful in an eerie, artificial way, with features designed to look tragic. Their plan to rig the batteries shows their technical expertise, but they are caught off guard by Wilhelmina’s attack, revealing a blind spot in their perception. Their inability to see Wilhelmina underscores the limits of their artificial vision and sets up the betrayal.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Sacrifice and Duty vs. Love: Wilhelmina’s arranged marriage represents duty, while her love for Lucy represents genuine emotion. She is willing to sacrifice herself—and kill another—to achieve her goal, blurring the line between duty and love.
Identity and Betrayal: Wilhelmina’s hidden vampire nature and her betrayal of Frankenstein highlight themes of identity and deception. She is not who Frankenstein perceives her to be, and her actions are a direct betrayal of the trust implicit in their shared mission.
Vampire Limitations: The detail that vampires do not appear in video footage is a key motif, explaining why Frankenstein cannot see Wilhelmina. It reinforces the idea that vampires exist outside normal perception and have specific weaknesses.
Red Hair Motif: Red hair connects Harker and Lucy, symbolizing Wilhelmina’s past attachments and her longing for a love she never fully had. The faint glimmer of red in Frankenstein’s hair suggests a possible link or memory, but it remains ambiguous.
Arranged Marriage: The arranged marriage to Harker is a symbol of old-world tradition and the weight of colonial expectations. Wilhelmina’s lack of grief for Harker contrasts with her deep love for Lucy, emphasizing the difference between obligation and passion.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in the narrative. Wilhelmina’s violent act against Frankenstein removes the only person who knows how to rig the batteries, potentially derailing the plan to save the ship. It also confirms her vampire nature and her willingness to betray allies to achieve her goals. The chapter deepens the emotional stakes by revealing her love for Lucy and her conflicted feelings about her arranged marriage. It sets up a major conflict between Wilhelmina and the rest of the crew, and raises questions about Drakulya’s role and the true purpose of the mission.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Wilhelmina decide to kill Frankenstein?
Wilhelmina believes that stopping the ship is the only way to deal with Drakulya, and that Frankenstein is the only one who knows how to rig the batteries to explode. She decides to kill Frankenstein to prevent the plan from succeeding, even though it means sacrificing herself and possibly others. Her decision is driven by her love for Lucy and her conviction that Drakulya must be destroyed.
2. How does the red hair motif connect Harker and Lucy?
Red hair is a recurring symbol of Wilhelmina’s emotional attachments. She was drawn to Harker’s red hair in the photo, and Lucy also had red hair. This connection suggests that Wilhelmina’s love for Lucy may have been influenced by a pattern of attraction, and it ties her past to her present actions. The glimmer of red in Frankenstein’s hair hints at a possible link, but it is not confirmed.
3. What does the fact that Frankenstein’s eyes cannot see Wilhelmina reveal about her nature?
It reveals that Wilhelmina is a vampire. Vampires do not appear in video footage, and Frankenstein’s eyes are essentially organic cameras that convert light into data. Because Wilhelmina is a vampire, she is invisible to Frankenstein’s perception. This explains why Frankenstein does not see her before the attack and underscores the theme of hidden identity.