The 100 has never been this crazy violent. That’s a lie. It’s always crazy violent, and that’s why we love it.
Let’s start off today’s The 100 recap with a dance of joy: KANE DIDN’T DIE! Hooray and god bless America. Let’s celebrate, Joss Whedon style:
You know, I’m not a TV writer (YET. Wait, writing show recaps isn’t the way into a writers’ room? Well I’ve been doing this all wrong…), and I obviously don’t know what Rothenberg and his team have planned for the rest of the season.
But it would have been so, so easy to kill off Kane in this episode, and I really thought they were going to do it. I had a whole rant sketched out about how TV shows should stop killing characters just for shock value, how the value of Kane being on the show far outweighs the surprise effect of killing him… and then he didn’t die.
And I realized what really should be obvious by now: the writers know what they’re doing. Our characters are in safe hands – even if they die, I have no doubt that (like in Finn’s case) it’ll be to propel the story forward. So let’s take a deep breath and trust that they know best.
Blame it on the Weatherman
Random coincidence: yesterday, it suddenly occurred to me that The 100 has a really gritty Battle Royale vibe to it. Then “Resurrection” aired, and the crazy kids inside Mount Weather started a damn bloody massacre that looked like a scene straight out of the movie!
Me and Jason must be like this:
(Not really. Though I totally make that face in real life.)
By the way, does this:
Remind anyone of this:
Jasper’s eyes have exactly the same desperate look to them now as Finn’s did: after weeks of seeing his people hunted, captured, tortured and killed, Jasper’s simply had enough.
Here’s another peaceful, gentle boy whose psyche is crumbling under the immense pressure. Let’s just hope Jasper’s fate is brighter than Finn’s. More than anything, I just don’t want to see Monty go through that kind of bereavement.
Lucky for the delinquents, Maya has a convenient backstory which ties in to their present-day predicament, and she’s able to enlist her father and some anti-bloods (or as I call them: sane human beings) to help them stay alive until Clarke arrives with her army.
By the way, about Maya: she’s great, isn’t she? Clever, nice, pretty, inquisitive, brave… there’s absolutely nothing not to like about her.
And that’s probably why I find it so hard to engage with her character. I’m getting very strong Mary Sue vibes, especially with her Bonnie and Clyde-esque romance with Jasper. “I won’t let you die,” “I won’t let you surrender”? I’m just not feeling it.
But hey, if you love her, great! I’m just saying, I’d cut down her screentime and give some more to Harper. There’s a rich and complicated inner world if I ever saw one.
To live and die in Ton-DC
You guys, how amazing was that shot of the horse on fire running in slow-mo past Clarke? I really wanted to put in a GIF of that but I couldn’t find one, so I’ll just leave this here:
There’s a seriously strong vision behind this show. Not just the writing, but the acting, the directing, the sound mixing, the editing and the cinematography. And the color-grading! That’s a tragically under-appreciated art form. Anyway, we’ll talk more about that when I start doing my The 100 recaps: The Color Grade edition.
In my opinion, Octavia was the clear star of this episode, the only one seemingly able to keep her cool while everyone else is panicking (and falling over themselves in order to run into the sniper’s line of fire, what was that about?!).
When Indra is left injured, Octavia (being the Chief’s second) is suddenly in charge of the Grounders. And I’m not gonna say I told you so, but to all those people who said Octavia wasn’t cut out to be a leader: she took to it like a champ. And when it’s time to find Lexa’s spirit in a new Commander candidate, well… it’s not impossible. That’s all I’m saying.
Abby spent the episode desperately trying to save Kane, and like I said before, I was convinced this was a Juliet in the rabbit hole kind of situation (Lost fans will know). I mean, it was hopeless! The writers had literally dug a hole for him to die in, and how could they possibly get him out?
But he didn’t die, Abby didn’t have to break into a heartbreaking rendition of “Goodbye My Almost-Lover,” and everything is alright with the world.
Their predicament also brought us the best scene of the episode, when Kane reminded Abby why Clarke is so quick to accept the “Greater Good” school of thought.
“She learned what to do from us,” Kane said. “She made a choice. Like executing people for stealing.” And like the culling (which, to be fair, Abby was against from the beginning).
“Like floating the man you love to save your people,” Abby realized. Yup, homicide clearly runs in the family.
Abby is a great character. She’s always thinking like a doctor: every single life is valuable, and she’ll fight for any soul equally. That was Clarke’s initial approach to life on the Ground, too, but she adapted. Ironically, Clarke started to think more like Kane and Jaha – because she had to, just like they did.
Maybe this is why Abby, on the surface, is not a strong leader. And maybe it’s also why she’s actually the best possible leader the Sky People could ask for, if they want to avoid ending up like the Grounders. (Look, I love the Grounders. But just like I’m not okay with floating people for petty crime, I’m not okay with your-fight-is-overing people who failed you. If nothing else, it’s a waste of healthy genes, seeing as how the Grounders also kill their deformed children.)
But whatever peace Abby may be able to bring to her people, someone as compassionate as her is not fit to be a commander in a war – and that’s what they need right now. Finally, she’s beginning to understand that she can’t be so quick to pass judgement on her daughter. Clarke is only doing what needs to be done, and which Abby herself could never do.
Kane, once again proving that he’s a man of faith (but hasn’t lost his sanity like Jaha clearly has), muses that they have to answer for their sins. “After everything we’ve done, do we even deserve to survive?” Abby chimes in.
Kane has no response, and that’s another great moral lesson the show teaches us: see, ultimately it doesn’t matter what anyone deserves based on an arbitrary set of values. Some people die, some live, some get lucky, some don’t. It’s life, cold and merciless, and there’s no rhyme or reasons to be found. It’s this gritty realism that makes The 100 so spectacular.
From the ashes…
Lexa continues to play Yoda to Clarke’s Luke, tossing out vague observations like, “I feel your anger.”
But Clarke’s done with lessons, she just wants to see her enemies dead (again, I’m thinking that we’ve all been too quick to judge Finn. Push anyone enough and they’ll snap).
Clarke manages to kill the sniper, with Lincoln’s help. When the Weatherman (can we please call them that?) takes Lincoln captive, his chillingly rational advice to Clarke is, “Just let him kill me, then take him out.”
But Clarke declares, “You are my people,” and straight up shoots through Lincoln and kills the sniper. Damn girl. Badass of the year.
It didn’t make her feel better though. Murder rarely does.
They return to camp to find Indra somewhat healed, and the survivors teaming up with the Sky People (led by the only two non-extras left, Sinclair and Jackson). Clarke and Lexa watch what might just be a new world order rise from the ashes: Lexa was right, their shared tragedy has finally united the Grounders and Sky People. But the price was very, very high.
Octavia and Clarke have a fantastic little exchange when they find each other alive. They don’t hug, they don’t cry, instead Octavia simply states, “I thought you were dead. I’m glad you’re not.” Clarke answers, “you too,” and that’s it.
Look, these girls were never the best of friends, but it’s also a testament to how battle-worn they’ve both become. They are comrades right now, nothing more, because they know that’s how you fight a war.
Meanwhile Indra’s wound has clearly made her soft, because not only does she offer praise to Octavia, but she forgives Lincoln for having the audacity to be a Reaper, and even hugs him. Octavia smiles, like her hard-ass mother has just accepted her rocker boyfriend. Good times.
The episode ends with Abby catching Clarke on her way out of town. Things are not okay between them, but Abby is still her mother, and she tries to give Clarke what she needs – which she finally understand is neither comfort nor protection.
“I need you to do something for me,” she says. “Don’t forget that we’re the good guys.”
We’re the good guys, Michael.
Protip: when someone has to state out loud that they’re the good guys, they’re not so much trying to convince others as they’re trying to convince themselves. Let’s just hope Clarke still believes it.
Burning (!) questions and observations:
– Did you see the look on Harper’s face when she realized the Weathermen were walking around with her bone marrow? I really want her to be a regular character next year. I mean the show just could really use a strong female character you know?
– Who the hell is Fox? Have we ever met her before? Glad she didn’t die though.
– How long until Jasper accidentally massacres a group of innocent Mountain Men, gets convicted for murder, and has to get Maya to mercy-kill him with Monty’s knife?
– Which romance should the show do next: Abby/Kane? Lexa/Clarke? Monty/Harper? Monty/Miller? I know it’s not a romance show but I think the audience wants to see someone kissing after all that carnage, no? Just me? I’ll just shut up then…
– Is Bellamy ever gonna break the news that Finn is dead? I know it’s sad, but if he wait much longer things are gonna get really awkward…
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