Enjoy this image folks, everything else is terrible.
Why couldn’t I have gotten this obsessed with a nice show? Something with depth, sure, but ultimately out to make me feel good? Instead I fell into the masochistic cycle of loving The 100 where everything hurts and is terrible and I’m too far gone to pull myself back.
Before I get into the episode I want to take a minute to appreciate what kind of brilliant television we’re watching (I said brilliant, not imperfect, the show has flaws but I’m not focusing on those right now). This is a show that never said it was out to make us feel good things, just feel things and my god does it masterfully accomplish that. I can’t remember the last time I was so deeply terrified, horrified and creeped the fuck out by a television show. With that in mind, hats off to the writers, they’re accomplishing their goals. Assholes.
This episode’s storylines were fairly isolated from each other (which is kind of hilarious considering two of them take place mostly in the same location and have any of the non-Jasper delinquents even noticed that Raven has turned herself into a robot? I know they’re worrying about some massive other things but seriously, I thought they were all friends) so I’m going to cover them by story.
Onward, into the darkness!
Polis
Emerson: DEAL WITH YOUR SHIT CLARKE.
Clarke: I DON’T WANT TO AND NOBODY CAN MAKE ME.
We open to Clarke and Lexa having a moment that, because this is The 100, abruptly switches from sweet to creepy as Lexa startles awake from a nightmare to reveal she talks to previous commanders in her dreams. For someone who says he’s never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Jason Rothenberg sure mixes in an awful lot of things that seem like they could be nods to the show. Sounds a lot like prophetic Slayer dreams, no? Anyway, INTERESTING. The previous commanders are deeply concerned by Lexa’s commitment to blood must not have blood. I don’t know about you but I felt like I got hit in the face with a brick called foreshadowing.
Their moment is further interrupted by Titus bearing a gift from King Roan of Azgeda (personally I would’ve preferred if Roan had delivered it himself but we’ve already established that this show does not believe in giving us nice things). It’s an Emerson in a box! Thanks Roan! I thought it was also pretty interesting that Roan sent Emerson to Wanheda and not Lexa. I see where his loyalties lie, or more specifically don’t lie.
So, anyway, Emerson in a box. Lexa wants to let him go, Titus thinks this is a shitty plan. Lexa turns to Clarke for back up and TWIST, Clarke also wants to kill him. Titus and Lexa are both very surprised and Lexa’s a wee bit salty that blood must not have blood seems to only apply when it’s Clarke’s people’s blood on the line. However, Clarke quickly slytherins her into submission with some fancy talk about starting wars vs finishing them. Lexa’s like fine but you have to be the one who slices him to pieces, no more hiding behind other people. It seems like the audience aren’t the only ones getting frustrated with Clarke repeatedly letting other people take action this season.
The Clarke and Emerson face off was hands down my favorite moment of the episode and really drove home one of the core parts of the show. Clarke lays Emerson’s crimes at his feet and he throws them right back at her by listing the number of his friends and family she killed including his two young children. Everyone’s a bad guy! Isn’t perspective fun? Eliza Taylor’s face is a masterpiece as she reels from every blow and immediately slams her walls back into place. Emerson then twists the knife a little harder and drops a series of truthbombs on Clarke ending with the harsh reality that her pain and guilt and horror will be with her for the rest of her life. Clarke deals with this by walking away which perfectly encapsulates her season three arc so far, shit got too real and Clarke is refusing to deal with any of it. I don’t see this working out well for her in the long run.
The Polis plot wraps up with an elaborate ceremony where Clarke is supposed to deliver Emerson’s death by 49 cuts (I’d thought the Mt Weather death toll was 48, but apparently I missed something). Emerson is looking super at peace with this, he’s done with everything, he wants to die because he’s decided it’s better than living in this shitshow of a world. However the twists keep a’coming and at the last second Clarke announced jk, she’s not going to kill him. She doesn’t know if Emerson’s death will bring her peace, but she doesn’t believe she deserves it (*sobs forever*). I’m glad she acknowledges that she wouldn’t be killing him for what he’s done, she’d be killing him to make herself feel better about what she’s done. I need Clarke to start working through her pain. I’d hoped after last week’s confrontation with Bellamy we’d see her being less in denial and while she still very is, this scene gives me hope that as with Bellamy, we’re seeing cracks in the denial veneer.
And so we end with blood must not have blood. Lexa gives a noble and inspiring speech, but the assembled grounders are deeply confused and very displeased. This will go well, I’m sure.
Arkadia- Cult Shenanigans
Audience: WHEN WE SAID WE WANTED RAVEN TO BE HAPPY THIS IS NOT WHAT WE MEANT.
Writers: *maniacal laughter*
In cult land, Abby is very concerned and highly suspicious over Raven’s sudden change in heart and pain level. I gotta say I am also a little confused. Without having any kind of scientific knowledge on the subject, I accept their explanation of how ALIE blocks pain but I’m confused by how that translates to Raven’s leg. My understanding is that pain is generally a warning sign that something is not right with your body so cutting off the pain doesn’t actually fix the root problem. If Raven isn’t feeling any pain, does that mean her leg is going to totally fuck up one day with no warning or does Alie somehow heal her too? I HAVE QUESTIONS.
Now that Raven has converted to Cult Jaha, Alie and Jaha have a job for her: search Arkadia’s mainframe for ALIE 2.0 for mysterious reasons I don’t follow and can’t tell if I missed stuff or if it’s yet to be revealed. Pause to get incredibly excited about all the storylines starting to come together. Also, Raven calling Alie Red? A+++
Oh man, SO MANY REVEALS with this storyline. My entire body went cold when Jaha genuinely did not remember who Wells was. Throwback to Murphy in ep 1, when you take away the darkest parts of ourselves, what’s left? Everything in us is a tangled web of good and bad and you can’t remove the bad without massive ramifications to the good as well. I’m so, so into this season’s theme, guys. Everyone is trying to hide from themselves and escape their pain and they’re all going to have to decide if what they lose through escape is worth it and this is the kind of philosophical shit I live for. God, I love this horrible show.
Also, sidebar, Jasper’s side eye when Jaha forgot Wells was one of my favorite things he’s done in a while (pause to reiterate that I don’t hate Jasper’s storyline because of the PTSD, I actually think the portrayal is very powerful, raw, moving and well done, I hate Jasper’s storyline because Jasper worked my last nerve a season ago). Anyway, seems like he’s maybe having second thoughts about escaping his pain if it means he’ll forget why he has the pain in the first place. Granted, he immediately asks Abby for the chip (Abby says no because she’s the best and having absolutely none of this bullshit), so maybe I’m giving Jasper too much credit.
MORE REVEALS. Okay, so, really quick, I just want to take a minute to pat myself on the back because I TOTALLY CALLED (a version of) THIS WEEKS AGO. I’m excited because I’m generally completely shit at calling plot twists. Okay, self congratulatory moment over. So, it turns out that Becca, one of the creators of ALIE, escaped aboard the 13th station with a second, improved (though we don’t know how yet) version of ALIE/the City of Light. Alie was hoping that Raven could find this other version of her, but did not realize that the 13th station was shot down ages ago. The 13th station was called Polaris. Cut to Titus in his temple, waving an ALIE chip in a tortured Murphy’s face, demanding to know where it came from (I wonder how long it’ll take Clarke to find out that Titus has one of her people locked up in his basement dungeon and I wonder how well she’ll take that?). Slow pan to a beat up escape pod in the corner that reads “POL (smudged lettering) IS”. SCREAMING. THE GROUNDERS HAVE THEIR OWN VERSION OF THE CITY OF LIGHT. MY CRACK THEORY ISN’T SO CRACK AFTER ALL. $20 says that conclave is actually communion with their version and the commander’s spirit choosing the next commander happens through stored brain scans of previous commanders talking to either Titus or the nightblood in conclave. THIS IS SOME GRADE A SCIFI SHIT HERE AND I AM INTO IT.
Some reveal shit I am super not into? Alie turned Jackson and he’s going to spy on Abby. Cue the entire fandom screaming NOOOOOOOOOOO in unision. The one team we thought was unbreakable and the writers broke it. I’m so distraught.
Arkadia- The Darkest Timeline
Octavia: I will save this storyline if it kills me and how am I the most well adjusted of all of us? I lived under the floor for 16 years for fuck’s sake.
The darkest timeline opens with Octavia on the phone with Kane while spying on some of Pike’s crew as they gallivant through the woods continuing to be the absolute worst. I love love love that Kane is organizing a sneaky rebellion carried out by some of the delinquents. I also love that Octavia has fully embraced her superhero status and have a lot of feelings about her swooping in to save that kid, keeping them both quiet even as acid sap drips off a tree and burns holes in her face. Things I do not love? Monty’s mom. She sucks and Monty deserves a better family (Miller could be his family, just saying. Forgive my callousness, but does anyone actually believe Miller’s boyfriend is anything other than a red shirt disguised as a possible long term character?).
Speaking of Miller, he continues to be the best and uses his sneaky thievery skills to break into Pike’s office and plant bugs. Go Miller! I love seeing him actually do things! As the rebellion spy squad listens in, Pike reveals to a team, including Monroe (whose first name is Zoe, thanks for the reveal Jason you cruel, cruel dick) and Monty (whaaaaatcha doing Monty? How’d you end up on side evil?), that within a year Arkadia will run out of food. DUN DUN DUN. Pike’s solution? Clear the village and take their fertile land. Fuck you, Pike. Pros: Bellamy and Monty have concerns (it’s hard to get a read on where Monroe falls because Katie Van Stuart has the ultimate vault of a poker face but I love Monroe so I’m going to assume she had concerns as well). Cons: Pike talks them out of them pretty quick with his usual kill or be killed argument. Sigh. I’d hoped that clearing the village would be Bellamy’s line but I have vastly underestimated how dark the writers are committed to going, when will I learn that they’re always going to push it further than we expected?
I get that a lot of people are horrified by what’s happening with Bellamy and I get it, I do. But, again, I can see that he genuinely believes this is his only course of action to keep his people safe. “We’ll do what needs to be done” was a chilling call back to all the times he and Clarke have assured each other they did what had to be done and if you need me I’m over here drowning in my tears. I’d also like to point out that we’re absolutely supposed to be horrified by this storyline. This is not a nice show for nice people. This is a dark show that continually puts its characters between a rock and a hard place and then lights everything on fire to force them into action. Is it incredibly hard to watch? Absolutely. But that’s kind of why I love it. Abandon all morality ye who enter here, there is no right and wrong there’s only survival. All of that said, I think that the show is making an effort to tell us that for as much as it seems like Bellamy has been seduced to the dark side, it’s a brittle veneer over a bottomless pit of extreme turmoil and he’s going to break and start clawing his way back to the light soon (please god let it be soon, this is so hard to watch). Tragically, I don’t think the break will happen before some deeply terrible shit I don’t even want to think about goes down.
Anyway, back to the plot at hand. Octavia rushes off to warn the village because Octavia is flawless. Unfortunately, the villagers are like oh hey skaikru? Fuck you. Luckily, Octavia saved that kid earlier and he vouches for her. But, back to the unfortunate stuff, instead of evacuating, they decide to set a trap and thump Octavia over the head so she won’t interfere. Cue me freaking the fuck out because oh god this is going to go horribly wrong.
Sidebar scene for Kane and Abby to have a pow wow status update between Team Rebellion and Team Cult Management. It’s a brief but uplifting scene where Kane reiterates Bellamy’s importance when it comes to turning the people around (a nice nod to Clarke inspires Bellamy, Bellamy inspires the masses and I’m still weeping about it) and laments his failure to turn B back to the side of light and Kane’s moral conflict over sending the kids into danger. Abby assures him he’s not a failure and that the kids are doing what they think is right, gives him a soft kiss on the cheek and calls it hope. The good ship Kabby is officially setting sail and I am aboard it. The completely stupefied look Kane gives her warmed the pieces of my broken and aching heart.
Oh look! I was right. Team Evil shows up to clear the village and the Grounders open fire and trap the Arkadians in a toxic inferno. Thankfully, Octavia gets free in time to give them just enough of a warning that most of them get free. However, IN A COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE TURN OF EVENTS, Monty (beautiful, heroic Monty), races back into the toxic cloud to drag Monroe to safety. Tragically, he is too late and she dies. I AM SO UPSET. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT I GOT SUPER ATTACHED TO MONROE OVER THE COURSE OF THE SHOW, I’VE BEEN SHIPPING THE SHIT OUT OF HARPOE (Harper x Monroe) so not only is one of my tertiary favs cruelly taken from us after only just getting a first name, my crackship is sunk. RIP Monroe, you survived much longer than you were supposed to and still died too soon.
The darkest timeline ends with Pike and Bellamy having a conversation about where it all went wrong in the village and Pike’s like yo, your sister is a problem. Bellamy immediately goes on the defensive. Sorry Pike, this is the one area you will never talk Bellamy around on. Pike, the crafty bastard that he is, seems to realize this pretty quickly and backs off to who’s the ringleader? Yes, it sucks that Bellamy did not hesitate to jump on the let’s blame Kane train but at the same time it makes total sense. There is still a shred of Bellamy left in this broken, zombified husk of a man and a cornered Bellamy will do anything and turn on anyone to keep Octavia safe.
I’m a little confused because I’ve seen some people saying that Bellamy is lost to us because he’s turned on Octavia. I can only assume they missed his face in the village when Monty’s mom blamed her for Monroe’s death (*insert four billion stabby emojis here*) and his face again when Pike brought up Octavia as a problem to be dealt with. I’m not saying that still caring about his sister should make the rest of his arc okay, that’s a personal call. For me, I’ve never held these characters to a real world standard of morality (I found it SUPER ANNOYING when Finn kept trying to do that in season one). I’ve accepted and embraced that everyone one of my favs has done, is doing and will do absolutely appalling things and for as much as it kills me, I’m rolling with it. Whether or not you can/want to do that is up to you. As with everything having to do with this show, there is no right or wrong answer.
Some final thoughts to leave you with:
- So, like, is Lincoln even still on this show?
- I get that this season so far is all about all of the characters trying to escape their pain by being dramatically not themselves and I ultimately think that’s a really cool and interesting (and deeply, deeply heartbreaking) way to depict how their trauma is manifesting. I also completely believe that the end point will be that you can’t do that, the only way to truly heal is to embrace your pain and learn to live with it. That said, I’m getting a little tired of how this is being depicted with Clarke’s storyline. It seems like the main selling point of her arc is the Clexa of it all (and the politics, obviously, but a lot of that depends on you being emotionally invested in Lexa’s well being and I’ve said before, I’m of the opinion that, SHIP STUFF ENTIRELY ASIDE, her death serves the story more than her life at this point, so I’ve pretty much entirely divorced myself from caring about her fate since I think it’s pretty well sealed. APOLOGIES FOR BEING SUCH A CALLOUS BITCH). I have to say, for someone who doesn’t ship Clexa (which is a personal preference thing and I totally get why people ship it, I wish I did so I could be more actively emotionally invested in the Polis arc), watching the main character (aka the person who traditionally drives the plot), repeatedly choose to NOT do things, is getting kind of boring. I’m rapidly getting over ‘hiding from her feelings and letting Lexa do the heavy lifting’ Clarke. I want ‘I will make shit happen if it kills me’ Clarke back. Fortunately, I think she’s on the way.
- On the bright side, INDRA AND OCTAVIA IN POLIS NEXT WEEK. Please, please, please let Octavia forcibly pull Clarke’s head out of her ass and wake her the fuck up.
- As always, I urge you to read Natalie Crown’s brilliant breakdown of the episode. Her insight is fabulous and incredibly eloquently expressed and she covers a million tiny nuances that I left out as well as adding some beautiful personal insight to the Raven/City of Light storyline and some level-headed and frank thoughts on Pike. She also lays out her predictions for the season and I 100% support all of this.
- Remember guys, everything sucks right now but we’re not even halfway through the season. Without seeing how this all plays out, I (personally, PERSONALLY, how you feel is up to you) refuse to call anything ruined or unfixable (well, for a given level of fixed, I suppose). We all knew this season was going to be dark, we all knew our heroes were going to do terrible things. This is The 100, guys, if you didn’t see bad shit coming what show have you been watching? Maybe we didn’t realize how dark and how terrible the show was willing to go, but if you separate yourself from the horror of it all, how surprised are you really? Each season exponentially steps up the trauma of the previous season and we should’ve known they were going to have to go extreme to top genocide. Can you even imagine what the finale is going to be like? Personally, I think that nuke Jaha brought down is going to come back into play. What’s more extreme and dark than causing a second (I’m assuming smaller since they’re going to need a world left to play with for season 4) nuclear apocalypse?
Aaaaaand that’s another week down. How’s everybody doing? Who needs a hug? What did you guys think of the episode? Talk to me please, I’m drowning over here.
Hollie
Your hatred of CLEXA is insulting and disgusting. It’s an incredible love story and something beautiful in a dark world, and means a lot to a A LOT of people. Have some respect
Meg Morley
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on I think you misunderstand, I don’t hate Clexa. I think that for what it is (ie a lovingly portrayed lead f/f ship on a network television show), the ship is amazing. I just don’t personally (key word, personally) ship it. That said, I’m glad it’s happening. I don’t talk too much about it in my posts because, like I said, I don’t ship it and I won’t bring the level of emotional investment to it that it deserves. I feel like trying to talk about it when I don’t deeply feel the beauty of it is what would be insulting.
Hollie
“A lovingly portrayed lead f/f ship on a network television show” is spot on. Something we still rarely see and never is it treated with such beauty as The100 is giving us. For it to end in death and for another f/m to end up together would be insulting. I’m a 29 year old woman who lives this show but I adore CLEXA and what they represent in this time. If Lexa were to die or Bellarke forced on us I would stop watching which would hurt because I truly love this show and it is one of a kind.
Meg Morley
Super agree, it’s absolutely tragic that we see so little f/f portrayal and I really hope that the success of Clexa means we’ll start seeing more and more of them because it’s 2016, people need to get with the program. I’m glad that you’re getting so much out of the Clexa arc and I’m sorry that if things did eventually work their way around to Bellarke being a thing, you’d stop watching. Hopefully, if that does end up happening, you’ll have found other things to love about the show and keep being into it but at the end of the day, you like what you like and you watch what you watch for.
The100Fans
The ending blew my mind like WHAT? Polaris aka Polis the 13th station??? I want to know more. *makes grabby hands*
Meg Morley
SAAAAAAAAAAME. I AM SO INTO THIS AND CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT.
steph
Your disregard of Lexa’s fate is quite triggering. As a lesbian, hearing someone say the only lesbian character’s death is worth more than her life is definetely upsetting. Putting that aside, I don’t think in a story telling perspective, her death is better at all. What is the message that would give us? That people that want a better world and peace die? She’s the key for a better society which is a great plot they can explore; she’s the one that can change the grounder tradition. Not the sky people andd not the ones against it (which seems to be pretty much everyone). Plus, her whole connection with Alie, which we don’t know much of, still needs to be explained and explored. I really don’t get what you say her death would be better? Care to explain? You say ships aside but you didn’t give one point besides it. Lexa should die to prop Clarke’s storyline? Just like Gina and Bell? Nah, thanks. I’ll pass.
Hollie
I think for Clarke and Lexa to end up together and love one another in this world would do more for the story. There must be hope and love in a world so full of loss.
steph
I’m not even talking about ships, what upsets me the most is when people say the ones that are trying to get peace and a better world should/are going to die, and the ones murdering hundreds of innocent people in their sleep get to live and people still root for them (Bellamy and now Monty). It’s extremely problematic, specially when the writers like to compare it to today’s events.
Meg Morley
I’m so sorry that I triggered you, that was not my intention at all. Perhaps I should’ve explained better, but I’ve said in a previous post that I see Lexa’s potential death (in terms of a plot point separately from her character and the themes) opening up more plot possibilities than her life at this point (this could all change, who knows, I just haven’t seen anything in the plot so far that has given me reason to change my mind). Given that the show is ultimately telling the story of Clarke and the Sky People, with Clarke officially inducted into the Polis political world and the CoL/nightblood stories up and moving, Lexa’s main story function is as Clarke’s love interest and people who function predominantly as Clarke’s love interest, don’t have a history of doing well on this show. I totally agree that what Lexa stands for (peace and enlightenment in a war torn world) is very beautiful and inspiring. However, I still don’t think that her actual presence is required for that to be her legacy.
Of course, all this said, I’m just one asshole in a sea of assholes throwing cracked out predictions at the wall to see what sticks. Who knows how this will all play out in the end?
steph
I see your point, but I really disagree on you saying “Lexa’s main story function is as Clarke’s love interest”. That’s not the case at all, and I guess that’s one of the reasons people like the pairing so much. They are both independent and powerful women in a position of leadership; Lexa is and will ever be much more than ‘Clarke’s love interest’ just like if Bellarke ever becomes a thing, bellamy is gonna be much more than clarke’s love interest and vice-versa. Lexa is a pivotal character on the show now, she’s the commander of the 12 clans and she is doing what’s right for her people, always. Her wanting to get peace is something that always hinted and she’s not by any means following Clarke blindy. Their interest just aligned. It’s clear when she calls Clarke out on her hypocrisy. She’s the one trying to change a whole brutal culture. And like I said, she still have the whole Alie/COL thing going on. I don’t get how one can say being Clarke’s love interest is the main thing moving her plot when pretty much 95% of their interactions consists of politics. You just gotta watch the episodes.
steph
Let me just add one thing, about ” Given that the show is ultimately telling the story of Clarke and the Sky People”: exactly, if Lexa’s not in the picture, who is gonna stop the grounders that want to wipe them all? Lexa being alive (and Clarke being in Polis) is indirectly (or directly) what’s moving the Arkadia plot since she did not avenged the awful massacrs and based on previews will not retaliate Sky people’s fuck ups (And they won’t stop so soon). God forbids the one that wants peace gets out of the picture. Hello Civil war and bye bye Sky people.
Meg Morley
Ah, see, I think it’s going to have to be on the sky people to pull themselves out of the hole they’ve dug their way into for it to have the most impact and meaning. I think without Lexa protecting them it’ll be infinitely more complicated for the show to work its way back around to blood must not have blood.
Meg Morley
Apparently we’ve maxed out the comment thread which is pretty cool, I’ve never done that before. I see what you’re saying about repetitive storytelling and am so with you on the side eye. To be honest, I haven’t decided how I feel about the whole Pike storyline just because I don’t feel like I can call it until it’s over, but if it ultimately does end up being the same conflict as season one on a more brutal scale, I’ll be kind of peeved. I hadn’t considered an Arkadia schism but you’re right, that would be an excellent twist.
Meg Morley
You make an excellent point and you’re totally right, as the commander of the 12 clans, Lexa is a hugely pivotal figure in the world they’re in. However, I think that still applies more to the world and less to the story of Clarke/the Sky People and as far as directly affecting the story of Clarke and the Sky People goes, seeing how shit falls apart and how they’re affected without Lexa acting as a wall between the grounders and Arkadia’s (horrible, stupid, terrible) actions and state of being seems like it has more plot/angst potential as opposed to steadily the current status quo. I agree that Clarke and Lexa’s scenes are focused on the politics and building the romantic aspect around the edges, but where’s that going to go, you know? However, the show constantly surprises me with how they twist things around, so I wouldn’t be that shocked if they found an unexpected way to create conflict. I will definitely (publicly) eat my words if they surprise everyone by upgrading ADC to main cast and I’m comfortable with that.
steph
I get that, but I also feel like if the grounders (And Lexa) decided to just declare war on Sky people and the plot was basically grounders x skypeople that would be repetitive storytelling you know? Not gonna lie, I’m already side-eyeing the show for making this conflict a thing again, but at least now, with Lexa’s blood must not have blood philosophy, at least it’s different and new, exciting. It was a twist, I was not expecting that. So I see Lexa being a wall like you said, but I also think that’s way more interesting than just a Grounders x Sky people war (all over again). Plus it gives room for a split/rebellion on Arkadia, which is something I’m really excited to see unfold!
Mandy
But what Lexa’s power was stripped from her some how? She could continue on as a character who is living entirely out of her norm. Wouldn’t that open up the story? Honestly there’s so much foreshadowing of Lexa’s death this season. Almost all the fans think she’ll die. It would be the expected thing for the writers do. And I honestly think that every time that’s happened in this show, they yank out the ground from under us and do the one thing no one considered.
Supercalifragile
(First of all sorry about my english, I’ll try to do my best but I’m french so it wont be perfect at all and I know how annoying it can be to read something whose really poorly written).
That said, I wanted to react to that comment because I’m lesbian as well, yet I don’t ship Clexa that much (neither Bellarke actually).
I like both relationships tho, because of the “connection” between those characters and because it is so beautifully written (personal opinion of course 🙂 )
I think that’s a shame to think that just because Meg doesn’t care that much about a character’s death (a character who just happen to be lesbian) it would mean that she thinks that “the lesbian has to die” or that “her death is not important at all”. I feel like you’re trying to find another meaning in her words, that’s not fair, she absolutely NEVER said that. She never said it wasn’t important if Lexa happened to die she said she would happen to live with it if it was coherent with the actual plot. And I really don’t get why it should be trigggering at all. A lot of straight characters have died on the show since the beginning, killing Lexa wouldn’t be anything different. Killing a character to serve the plot is the only good reason to justify it (well that’s my opinion once again of course).
To assume that Lexa can’t die because she’s a lesbian and that’s not cool to kill “the lesbian character” is almost the same thing as saying she’s “different” or “abnormal”. And I really don’t get it. Why shouldn’t she die ? Because of all those lesbian characters who died before ? I know there’s been a lot of lesbian relationships in fiction who happened to have had an unfortunate fate, but please, straight relationships too ! Romeo & Juliet, among many many others ! That’s not a “lesbian” privilege at all !
I’m quite tired actually of all those comments (yours and the one Hollie posted earlier about the alleged “hatred of Clexa” that I never saw in this review (or in any other previous ones here)).
Could people just chill out sometimes and stop being so aggressive one with another ? I’ve never loved a show with such an immature fandom actually. I’m sorry to say that, but that’s so annoying people are always fighting with eachother, trying to jump on eachother threat “That’s a shame you said that ! You hate that character ! You hate the fans” etc. I read those kind of comments everyday on Twitter, Tumblr etc. And the writers of the show spend their time saying they dont but no one is able to listen… That’s really disturbing at some point and it’s hard to focus on the show sometimes.
Anyway, I realize this comment is probably very clumsy since my english is so desastrous, I’m sorry again, but please stop giving other people intentions they don’t have at all. No Meg never said she hated Clexa, no she never said Lexa’s death would be great or worthless. Stop being aggressive with eachother and just enjoy the show please. It shouldn’t be that hard!
Meg Morley
(Your english is awesome!) I get where Steph’s coming from, tv (and all media) has been historically awful to it’s LGBTA+ ladies and Lexa is a really amazing character that means a lot to so many people. Plus, it’s always hard seeing people not be as into your favs as you are. All that combined, I totally get why speculating about Lexa’s potential arc can be a sore subject and I really didn’t mean any offense. I like the discussion that came out of it and she pointed out a cool plot potential that I hadn’t considered so I’m going to call it a comment conversation win. I totally agree that there has been so much pointless aggression in the fandom (all fandoms, but The 100 seems to be feeling it A LOT lately) and everyone seems to be so on edge, which is sad. Fandom should be about loving/discussing the thing we’re all into and not attacking each other. Thanks for having my back 😀
Lelly
“It seems like the audience aren’t the only ones getting frustrated with Clarke repeatedly letting other people take action.”
Clarke mercy-killed a guy in S1 when Bellamy was too squeamish. Clarke mercy-killed Finn. Clarke put a bullet in Dante’s head because she wanted the MM to believe her when she threatened to irradiate the mountain.
I think Clarke does not hide behind other people.
But she is guilty of a little hypocrisy regarding “blood must not have blood”.
Meg Morley
Oh, whoops, my bad, I meant in season 3. That’s why I later say I miss getting shit done Clarke. Sorry, I thought that was clear!
Clarke absolutely does not hide behind other people and that’s a large part of why I’m getting tired of her Polis arc because it seems like it largely revolves around her hiding. I miss Clarke no chill Griffin, you know? I appreciate her reaction to trauma for what it is, but I’m ready for her to get her head back in the game.
Fogh
My (and others – can’t take all the credit here) theory on Becca, ALIE and the connection to Lexa (The Commanders).
I think Becca was a bio-chemist and geneticist. I think she was spearheading a project of her idea of a better society, free of pain and suffering. Those things breads violence that then turns to more violence.
I think the AI was to help her figure out with the research but it took a life on it’s own. Kinda like war games and decided that the problem was overpopulation.
Becca shot ALIE down and tried to make an ALIE 2.0. Then the guy from the video Murphy saw let ALIE out and she bombed Earth.
When Becca was in 13th station she still believed that the flaw in humanity was still present and wanted to work on ALIE 2.0 and they shot the station down but she escaped in the Pod (the one in Polis). She then went on to ensure that the grounders would not make the same mistakes as mankind before. She might have even told them about the Skaikru and that they were evil. They were, after all, still flawed and would be once they returned from space – if they returned.
ALIE on the other hand expected them to come back and needed Jaha to complete her mission.
The Code ALIE wants is the code Becca brought with her. I think it’s DNA code.
Becca might also be the first Commander. She enlisted the help of the people that were still left on Earth. She created the Nightbloods to be Commanders as their blood could receive and store the data via the tattoo that is on Lexa’s neck. This data holds the knowledge from previous commanders so that they don’t make the same mistakes. Titus and his ancestors are the Protector of this secret. His job is to protect the Commander and ensure that the data is transferred via ritual to the next Commander.
Lexa calls this data “spirits” (She told Clarke her “spirits” would choose the next Commander). She can also “hear” the voices of the previous commanders. It’s why adults would have a child for a leader since they have the wisdom of many adults.
Btw, there was an infinity symbol on the polaris pod in Titus room which is probably why they know the symbol.
Also I expect Lexa to be able to see ALIE.
Other thoughts:
“Clarke deals with this by walking away which perfectly encapsulates her season three arc so far, shit got too real and Clarke is refusing to deal with any of it.”
SO TRUE!!
“Sidebar scene for Kane and Abby to have a pow wow status update between Team Rebellion and Team Cult Management.”
Best. Comment. Ever.
As for the terrible thing that will happen for Bellamy to hit rock bottom? It’s not really that hard to guess anymore imo – Lincoln’s death.
My prediction is that in 3×08 Octavia will return to Arkadia. She will then come across Lincoln’s dead body or worse, she will find Bellamy dragging his body for burial. NB! Bellamy won’t be directly involved in his death but he would want to bury his friend somewhere outside. Octavia goes ballistic and beats the crap out of a Bellamy that just takes the punches. Octavia then wanders out into the world as she has no more reasons to be in Arkadia. I think this takes place in the cave we saw since JR said we would see it again and it makes sense for Octavia to sneak in that way and for Bellamy to remove Lincoln that way. Or Bellamy just found the tunnel and shows up in the cave as Octavia wants to sneak back in and kill Pike – then takes it out on Bellamy. I think “loosing” Octavia will be straw that broke the Bellamy’s back.
Oh boy, just writing this possible outcome forms a know in my stomach!
steph
Your ALie/Lexa/Titus theory just blew my mind! I can totatlly see that happening. I also think Octavia sayind ‘you’re dead to me’ to whatever Bellamy’s done ( I also think it has to do with Lincoln but I’m not sure he will die) is gonna be what’s gonna wakes him up. I hope it happens sooner than later bc I can’t stand Bellamy fucking up anymore. I need him to wake up.
Fogh
I was trying not to directly put the spoiler from the trailer in there but year that’s the scene I was speculating on and around.
And thx.
Also could it be that this Clarke in denial and running away from her shit leads to her having a huge meltdown and then taking the chip to avoid the pain she has caused? So she can forget all the terrible things she has done? … It would make her arc this season make a lot more sense.
steph
I don’t think so. Jason said in an interview that Clarke’s arc this season is about her finding the strenght and accepting to be a leader again after everything she’s done that hunts her. She is still a leader doing things for her people, but in a politician kinda of way now, with way less violence. At least in these first episodes. But, as the Sky people continues to fuck up and Alie coming into play, I feel like she in the next few episodes, will see that she needs to go back to arkadia and they to fix their mess. I feel like she hasn’t yet because she wasn’t there so she doesn’t know how things really are. But like I said, enough is enough and she will have to do something so her people will stop. And the COL thing, I feel like Clarke gets in there with the help of AI 2.0 in order to destroy it with Lexa’s help, since I think she is immune to it.
Fogh
What I hear you saying is that, if I’m right, you owe me a beer? hehe
I don’t want Clarke fixing every mess. I want her to deal with the shit she is running from.
Meg Morley
Saaaaaaaaame re waking up soon, this storyline is SO. HARD. TO WATCH.
Meg Morley
I LOVE THIS THOERY SO MUCH. Super plausible. I cannot wait to see how this all plays out.
(I’m with you on the rock bottom situation I’m just also DEEPLY IN DENIAL) (just watch, when it happens, I’m going to be like HE’S FINE HE’S JUST SLEEPING EVERYONE CHILL OUT)
Tbh, I think the terrible thing is going to happen in 8 just because it looks like 7 is going to be a hugely Polis focused ep and if they just squeeze in the terrible thing, I will be FUCKING PEEVED (although that wooooould explain the shade Ricky’s been throwing all over twitter). I’m so very deeply not looking forward to the Blake sibling fall out. Their relationship is so precious which means, of course, it’s going to be completely ruined. I really hope it goes down the way you’re predicting, because my secret fear is that the circumstances will somehow be manipulated into Bellamy killing Lincoln (but not for real because HE’LL JUST BE SLEEPING OKAY IT’LL BE FINE) because it somehow keeps Octavia safe and I really, really, really want to be wrong. Other than that, 100% agree that Octavia will be the breaking point that wakes Bellamy up.
I’M SO AFRAID.
Fogh
I think Bellamy’s motivations and actions can be explained up until this point in time. In 3×06 he was trying to be the voice of reason with Pike. I can’t see him being directly involved in Lincoln’s death. That would be character assassination imo. Despite being on the wrong team, he is still trying to protect the people he cares about which includes Lincoln. There is going down a rabbit hole and there is jumping off a bridge.
I’m a believer in angst and payoff. That’s why I hope my prediction will be on point. Bellamy isn’t directly involved and Octavia takes all of the blame out on her brother. The tough part will be listening to all those that will be applauding Octavia for using Bellamy’s head as a sandbag.
Btw, if you want to read a thorough analysis and theory on ALIE etc. then go here.
http://scifimafia.com/2016/02/the-100-alie-theory-the-clan-commander-conclave-connection/
Meg Morley
The only, ONLY way I could see Bellamy killing Lincoln as in character is if he was seriously backed into a corner where it was Lincoln or Octavia and no other choice. I don’t see how the show would make that the case, but I guess I’m trying to prepare myself for the worst so I’m either braced or pleasantly (for a given value of pleasant, anyway) surprised?
“The tough part will be listening to all those that will be applauding Octavia for using Bellamy’s head as a sandbag.” I am SO DEEPLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PART. Like, okay, I get giving televised violence, especially on this kind of show, a bit of a pass but I don’t understand how that can be taken any other way than heartbreaking.
Fogh
I’ve got a theory on the opening scene in 3×07 but my theory contains spoilers.. Want me to share it?
Meg Morley
whoops, thread got maxed out again (this is amazing, this never happens). YES! I would love to hear your 3×07 theory! Are you on twitter or tumblr? (i’m @megsaysthings of @mego42, respectively) It might be better to move it to messages incase anyone lurking in the comments doesn’t want to see spoilers.
Danni
Hey Meg! Another great review, and congrats on the RT by Jason. You capture my thoughts very well. I’m not sure how I would feel if Lexa died. On the one hand, I very much like her character, but I’d almost prefer it if she were deposed and we got to see her beyond the ‘commander’ role. I will also emphatically point out that where you see the character going is NOT the same thing as your political views and anyone trying to suggest that somehow you are playing in to any kind of anti-LGBT narrative is being deeply unfair. I, like you, think that Lexa is a character in her own right, and not merely the representation of a sexuality, and the writers should be doing what is best for that character too. I do understand however that representation of LGBT characters on TV is extraordinarily problematic, and that’s why I would like the writers to keep Lexa alive, because I would like to see her become more than just a symbol (if they can, of course, since we all know Alycia has other commitments).
But we mustn’t ultimately forget that this is not ‘the Lexa show’ – it is a show about the original delinquents and the Arkers, and their stories come first. I feel that Lexa and Clarke’s relationship grew organically out of the story, and I enjoy their dynamic just as much as any other, but ultimately the story must be allowed to go wherever it will go. If Lexa dies then Clarke’s sexuality won’t have changed. As with Willow in BtVS, Tara died but that didn’t mean Willow suddenly stopped being gay and couldn’t go on to have a loving relationship with Kennedy. But they are living in a dangerous world and any character’s death shouldn’t be viewed as some kind of political message about sexuality, because I feel the writers have made it quite clear that relationships and all that jazz are just about the furthest thing from their mind on this show. Sexuality is important, but it’s not all that we are, and it shouldn’t be all that Clarke and Lexa represent either.
Since I’m on the subject of heteronormativity, I also think the writers are exploring some very interesting things around masculinity on the show too. As you know, I’m an academic geek, and the ‘crisis of masculinity’ and its relationship to feminism is a growing area of interest in academic studies. I appreciate that the writers are taking as much care to give us nuanced, interesting roles for the men as well as for the women.
Anyhow, aside from all that, I am loving your take on the darkness this season. It’s so hard to watch. I’m actually beginning to get scared for Bellamy, because if nothing else The 100 is a show that totally follows through on its consequences, and I’m worried that they are taking him to a place that he may not come back from. I don’t want him to lose anyone, though I’m sure he will, but what if it’s not Lincoln? What if it’s Octavia? What if it’s his own life? Wah! Bellamy is a survivor, always has been, but what if they push him beyond his ability to keep on going? I’m so worried.
Also, how is it that Murphy is now one of my favourite characters? I cannot wait for him and Clarke to get in the same room again. I think the last thing she said to him was something like ‘Just because they’ve forgiven you doesn’t mean I have.’ I feel like Murphy and Clarke, the two people who have been ‘running away’ from responsibility this whole season, realising that they are the ones with the information and influence to do something about ALIE will be awesome!
So, those are my thoughts. Keep up the good work!
Hannah
Great post! I agree with pretty much everything you said, expect for a few things. When you say “But they are living in a dangerous world and any character’s death shouldn’t be viewed as some kind of political message about sexuality, because I feel the writers have made it quite clear that relationships and all that jazz are just about the furthest thing from their mind on this show. Sexuality is important, but it’s not all that we are, and it shouldn’t be all that Clarke and Lexa represent either.” I agree with some points, but we got to understand that in the show, sexuality does not matter, but real people in the real world watch it, and what happens there impact us. I don’t know if you follow social media and the responses of Jason and co, but lot queer fans have a problem with the show not expressing the characters sexuality because for them it is important to be recognized. It is important for them to see a character saying ‘I’m bi/gay!’. The show doesn’t exist in a parallell universe. In a parallel universe, killing LGBT characters would cause no impact, since they are much more than their sexualities like you said, but in a world where LGBT+ is poorly represented and the Dead Leasbian Trope is a reality on tv, LGBT+ people have the right to have a problem with that. It’s the same with the POC on the show. For instance, POC have a problem with Wells being killed to this day, even if it makes sense to the narrative, because the POC representation on TV is also flawed. So idealisticly speaking, the death of LGBT + characters and POC characters shouldn’t be a problem to the storytelling, but we still live in a world where those groups are a marginalized minority and still suffer. Unfortunetely, the post apocalypse world acceptance of those traits not a reality so the situation is not as simple as saying the writers can do whatever they want because it’s just a tv show in another reality, not when the show does not exist in a parallel universe and not when those groups are still marginalized.
Danni
I take your points, however I have always felt a little differently about the show. For me, one of its greatest aspects is that the way it treats diversity is with a great big shoulder shrug.
That may sound a little weird, but let me explain. I think it is most obvious with their treatment of women. They have loads of kick ass, interesting, flawed women doing many various things and how much do any of the characters give a damn about the gender of their leaders/mechanics/doctors etc? None. Which to me is EXACTLY as it should be. I didn’t even notice how many female leaders there were until my partner pointed it out. It was just a non-issue that Indra should be female, or Lexa, or Clarke, and so on.
Likewise, I feel they are trying to give the same treatment to sexuality. Now, I understand that this comes with its own drawbacks, but I think if they tried to make sexuality a big deal for the characters then they would be making a very different kind of show. There are shows out there exploring non-heteronormative sexualities and doing so very proudly (granted not enough of them), but do I think that this level of exploration would be appropriate when all the characters have survival on their minds? No. So I appreciate that the show is treating sexuality as largely a non-issue, not because it is in the real world, but because it SHOULD be. They are doing what they CAN, within the confines of a show that really isn’t about sexuality at all. Speculative fictions are all about exploring the possibilities of different worlds, and I for one very much appreciate that they are showing a world where no one judges each other for their sexuality, because I would like that to be the case in ours. The more non-pervy, non-voyeuristic, non-spectacular homosexuality we have on our screens, the more likely it will be to change society’s views. In my opinion simple, unspectacular visibility of non-heteronormative sexualities is as powerful a tool as active promotion.
And don’t forget the writers are also working against a trope where female-on-female sexuality has been used by and large for titillation, and it would be far worse if they accidentally fell into that hole instead of making ‘not a big enough deal’ about it. (In my humble opinion, of course!)
Hannah
I agree with your points Danni, I also enjoy the way it’s not a big deal in the show and God how I wish it was a reflect of today’s society. My problem is, as said above, with the way that would be used as an argument against queer people or POC people being upset when their representation is killed, because like I said, the show does not exist in a parallel universe and what happens there affect people in real life. You said ”any character’s death shouldn’t be viewed as some kind of political message about sexuality, because I feel the writers have made it quite clear that relationships and all that jazz are just about the furthest thing from their mind on this show.” but the thing is, it is gonna be seen as some kind of political message, and POC and LGBT people have every right to feel that way. It’s the price of making tv and including social issues in your narrative. It’s the price (and I’m not saying in a bad way of course) of giving representation to minorities. Wanting or not, the writers do have a responsability when it comes to that now. And the fact that the 100 has been proven to be different, people from those groups watch with hope that their representation will be taken seriously. My problem is not at all with the way the show treats sexuality, or race, I actually agree with you that it is a powerful tool as active promotion, my problem was with that specific part of what you said x
Danni
Sorry, I totally carried on with my thoughts before you did. That’s absolutely fair, and I respect your opinion. And I agree that the writers take the responsibility on themselves when they write their characters as having non-standard sexualities to then not fall in to the tired old tropes that shows regularly do. Which is definitely why I hope Lexa lives! But I am still just very interested in the other ideas the show is exploring, and I don’t know how I would feel if those were compromised? I’m willing to accept that I ma not be in the right on that one though, since I am heterosexual and do not have the lived experience of my sexuality being marginalised.
Danni
Having said all that, I do completely understand where you are coming from. There are massive problems in the way characters of diversity get written-in AND written-out of shows. I’m just not sure whether or not the best way to represent sexuality (and gender, and colour) in a speculative show would be to engage with the world outside the vacuum the show exists in and address those issues within the show. But it’s one of those areas where no opinion is right or wrong. There are different ways of doing it, and The 100 writers to me have clearly gone down the ‘so the commander’s a lesbian? big deal, she’s still effin’ awesome and a HUMAN BEING with more on her mind than being a lesbian’ route and I think we should respect their decision to do this, and recognize it as a valid and positive way of representing diverse sexualities.
Danni
(When I say non-standard I mean non-heteronormative, of course, not that they aren’t standard in real life)
Meg Morley
Hey Hannah, so, thank you so much for commenting and bringing these issue up. The show definitely has a number of issues with how they approach (or don’t approach) representation of all kinds.
I am totally with you on the whole ‘it’s the future, we don’t have labels’ thing being a total cop out. I admire what the writers are trying to do but I think they could’ve handled it better (okay so you don’t use label words, how about a simple ‘i like guys and girls’, ‘I only like girls’, Miller could actually make out with his so called red shirt boyfriend (sorry Bryan), there could be, oh, idk, mlm or wlw couples in the background of polis, trans people, ace people, so much more unspoken LGBTA+ representation than we’re currently being shown). I think that JR and co are def pushing it with the ‘WELL WE SAID IT ON SOCIAL’ approach because, if nothing else, a large part of the viewing audience isn’t neck deep in fandom and isn’t getting the message.
As for Wells, totally agree that killing him solely for shock value is a shitty thing to do (ALSO DICHEN. RIP ANYA I WILL NOT FORGET I WILL NOT FORGIVE). My understanding with Wells was that is was largely driven by the actor not doing well with test audiences (which, I hate to say it, I can see, he came out of it in ep 3 but in the first two eps, I found him to be fairly wooden) and they wanted a shocking death to sort of set the tone of the show (BUT FINN WAS RIGHT. THERE. WE COULD’VE BEEN SAVED SO MUCH FINN SCREENTIME) (apologies, I am not and never have been a Finn fan). I’m not saying any of this to excuse them killing him for shock value, more to illustrate how if it’s true, I can see how people not fully thinking through the ramifications of the writing thinking it was a cool and shocking move. It’s shitty and I hope that at this point they’ve heard and absorbed the feedback but I’m also naively optimistic a lot of the time.
I do think that they often make choices on the show with ideal world scenario (which is kind of ironic now that I’m typing it out) in mind (ie it doesn’t matter that they’re LGBTA+ or POC, we consider them to be just a character like any other). On the one hand, there’s the whole be the change you want to see in the world idea and you could say that’s an admirable approach. On the other hand, it gives them a handy out to sweep a lot of criticism under the rug which is, you know, not good.
Meg Morley
Hey Danni! Thank you!!!
Re: Lexa, I like her character, I just can’t see this show specifically (ie a show that repeatedly takes away everything we love) going with the softball letting her live option (also, while I think post-deposed non-commander Lexa would be an interesting thing to explore, 1. see above re softball option 2. for her to fit with the main focus of the show, ie the sky people, she’d have to pull a Lincoln and join them to have any kind of a meaningful role going forward, unless they have her banished and occasionally checking in, and unless something MAJOR changes, I can’t see Arkadia ever welcoming Lexa of all people with open arms and 3. given her commitment to FTWD, it seems like unless something changes there, the 100 basically has to at least mostly writer her off and given the whole NOT A NICE SHOW thing, I just assume they’d go for the most traumatic option. All that said, it’s not that I want her to die as much as it just seems super likely she will so I’m not getting attached. I’m very very very with you on keeping her alive if for no other reason, because like you said, LGBTA+ characters generally have really shit fates on TV.
“If Lexa dies then Clarke’s sexuality won’t have changed.” this forever, I feel like that keeps getting lost in some of the more heated fandom discussions and like, you don’t stop being bisexual when you’re not in a relationship/in a relationship with a dude. AMAZING, I KNOW.
(omg you did not bring up Tara) (still not over it, will never be over it)
I LOOOOOOOVE WHAT THE SHOW HAS DONE WITH ITS DEPICTIONS OF MASCULINITY. You have Bellamy, this hyper-masculine dude all the way down to the pitch of his voice and he’s currently being depicted as one of the most emotionally fragile characters on the show which is such a switch from the usual. Then there’s Lincoln who, when he showed up who, on the surface, is this super tough, hardened warrior guy and then it turns out he has one of the softest, most peace-loving hearts of anyone on the show. Kane initially seemed like this one-dimensional cartoonish bad guy and now he’s this rumpled, bearded dad taking a time out to cry over how hard he’s failing his kids and his people (this one slightly ran away from me into headcanon land). BUT ANYWAY. YES.
Tbh, I sometimes wonder if there’s something wrong with me for loving how awful this season is. Like, I see how mad so many people are about it and I totally get it buuuuuuuut I’m not? I don’t know. It helps that I genuinely do not think there’s any chance they’ll kill Bellamy unless it’s the final season or the show goes on long enough that Bob’s contract is up for renewal and he wants up so I keep telling myself that for as dark as it goes, he’s going to build himself back up. I don’t believe for a second they’re going to leave Bellamy in this state and personally, I adored the Bellamy growth of season one and, to a lesser extent, season two so I’m super down to go through it all over again but with more depth? Please god don’t let me be wrong please please please.
I am so conflicted about Murphy. On the one hand, Richard is amazing and a pleasure to watch so he’s pretty much entirely turned my feelings about the character around, but I’m troubled by that because he (Murphy) hasn’t really done anything to earn feeling redeemed in my mind (I mean sure, okay, he was showing a change of heart during the Finnscepades of s2 but I generally try not to think about those because gross, Finn) (apologies if you are a Finn fan). It’s some excellent trickery, I must say.
Hannah
I completely agree. I, as a member of the LGBT community, have no problem with the way the show portrays sexuality (but I also understand my peers who have), but at the same time I would be affected if one the few good rep. we got in a long time were killed off. It’s a very difficult issue. Let’s wait and see how things will turn out! x
Danni
Indeed. I very much want those show to portray sexuality positively. Although I am heterosexual and therefore my opinion really is less valid than yours in this case, I also want to live in a world where everyone feels that they are represented and not marginalised for who they are. I do not want to fall into ‘sexuality-blindness’ if you like, and it can be easy to do (unfortunately) when it isn’t something you have ever felt has been an issue in your life personally. So I apologise if I’ve done that!
Hannah
It’s no problem. I can’t ask for people that are heterosexual to understand the LGBT+ struggles deeply, I get when they don’t. It’s hard to do so when you have not experienced it. But it’s nice to see people like you that listens to us and try to understand our struggles. It means a lot! We need more people like you so we can change the world.
Fogh
Or at least the parts of the world (including the US) where people in general are anything but equal.
I feel fortunate to live in a country (Denmark) where none of this is a problem. I do follow US culture and politics. Probably more than the average American. Fx, I saw John Oliver’s segment on LGBT discrimination (I love that show) and thought it was disgusting.
Can I play devils advocate for a moment? I get that the people of the LGBT+ community wants to be represented on TV. The Fosters, btw, is doing a great job imo. I also agree that shows, networks, producers and writers have a responsibility to not look down on your minority or any minority.
However (and please understand me), it’s when it turns into entitlement that it becomes a problem. Not for me but for the future of LGBT+ on TV. People in the industry take notice to what’s happening on the show and with the community and it could potentially scare them off if the response is negative. I’m glad that many people are in fact embracing it and have positive things to say. I hope TPTB in the industry takes notice of that.
I hope I’ve been respectful because I have no animosity against the LGBT+ community nor against Clexa even if I don’t ship them.
Danni
Hey, I too am European. Perhaps the fact that Europe is (and I’m very much generalising here) slightly more progressive regarding such matters affects our reading of the show? I do feel that everyone is entitled to read the show exactly as they wish and shouldn’t be subject to attack for it.
I do also sort of see your point. If it somehow becomes the case that writers aren’t allowed to do what they want with characters (even if that means killing them off) because of their sexuality, then ultimately writers may choose not to write those characters in. So it’s a balancing act between representation and recognising that writers must also be allowed to do what they feel is right for their characters and the story they are telling.
But also, if they are going to introduce a character who they ultimately feel they will kill off to serve the story, then they need to perhaps think quite carefully about what they are saying if they also make that character one of a marginalised minority. No good answers!
Hannah
“People in the industry take notice to what’s happening on the show and with the community and it could potentially scare them off if the response is negative.” So we should just sit back and enjoy whatever they wanna do with their queer characters? Be thankful because them having LGBT+ characters is enought? I’m sorry, but I strongly disagree with this. Representation is not only having a LGBT+ character in your story. It’s how you treat them. There are shows that treat their queer characters so badly, I wish they didn’t even have them (that’s not the case of The 100 thank God). People on TV are already scare to put LGBT people on their story, our feedback is not what will/won’t make them do it – positive or negative. I can garantee you that. And In no way demanding being treated with respect on TV, having our identity being representing in a good way (which is so rare) after years and years of discrimination we still face on a daily, it’s entitlement.
Laura
Your and Natalie’s reviews are the greatest, keep up the good work!
Meg Morley
Thank you!!!!! We will be here shouting about the show until it kills us 😀
MJ
I agree with your analysis (esp. Clarke’s storyline) but I will say I’m really mad because it’s looking like Lincoln being killed/Octavia’s anger is going to be what breaks the damn for Bellamy and I find that HUGELY unsatisfying because it doesn’t offer Bellamy any character development: he needs to chose for himself and decide that what he’s doing is wrong, that he’s gone too far, instead of just carrying out weekly massacres until one of “his women” gets through to him. His actions just seemed inexplicable this week, especially since we didn’t even get a look inside his head, despite Bob Morley’s valiant attempts to give us the insight to his feelings that the writers AREN’T prviding. Anyway, I’m very disappointed with his storyline, but agree with you on the rest of it.
Kate Copeseeley
I completely agree. I really hope the writers are good to the Bellamy fans out there and allow him character growth BEFORE it all hits the fan. I, too, will be very disappointed if (AGAIN) a character death changes everything.
Meg Morley
Thank you!!
I am with-holding judgement on the Bellamy/Lincoln/Octavia/Bellamy getting his head out of his ass situation until I see how it plays out but agree, it needs to be Bellamy deciding for himself that he needs to stop. That said, I can see where Octavia completely losing it to the degree the trailer depicted (*WEEPING*) being the thing that (FINALLY) gets through to him and makes him stop and really realize what he’s doing and decide to do better. If she’s his wake up call and afterwards he does the work himself, I would still count that as him choosing to stop. (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET HIM WAKE UP THIS STORYLINE IS KILLING ME).
I guess for me, as much as the storyline sucks, I do see how Bellamy’s actions make sense? He’s shut himself down and is desperately tunnel visioning what he’s doing down to a mantra of ‘keep my people safe keep my people safe keep my people safe’ and isn’t letting himself deviate from that because that would mean that he’d have to look at what he’s done and he’s very clearly not ready to yet. I also think he’s obviously struggling with it, some times more than others, so all in all I can totally see Bellamy as we know him, after the things he’s been through, being in this space.
Don’t get me wrong, I very very VERY much agree that the writing/pacing of the first few eps was absolutely rushed and relied a lot on the audience filling all of this in on their own. The show really needed to take the time to figure out how to make an election episode work and show Pike’s influence taking hold instead of rushing forward and telling us it did. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately depending on what’s in store down the road that I assume they decided they wanted to save episode time for), they didn’t do it. Bob is doing some truly incredible work making what he has to work with play as well as it has and I’m grateful for that (also, tbh, I almost prefer it coming from the actors? I’ve always said that the hearts of the characters has always come from them, not the writing. I mean, have you seen some of the dialogue on paper? It’s….well. But yeah, it would’ve been nice if they’d given him more room to work it in).
Basically, I complained a lot about it in some of my previous posts but somewhere between ep 4 and 5, I hit the point where I was like, what’s done is done, I’m going to just accept it and lean into the rest of the season and see what happens and decide at the end of it whether or not I think the choices the writers made were worth it. Obviously, this approach isn’t for everyone and I’m sorry it’s not working for you.
Fogh
Danni: I can’t reply to you for some reason so here is me response.
I didn’t say or mean that people aren’t entitled to watch the show anyway they want. It’s when those feelings are presented to the public via social media that it catches the attention of other people and how it will or can be perceived as entitlement. The rest of what you said is exactly what I was trying to convey so thank you.
It’s the same with the Ward story line on AoS. Shows, Networks, Producers and Writers need to start acknowledging and realizing the impact they have on people.
Anonymous
No problem. I didn’t mean that you personally were attacking people, just that in general that fandom can go on the attack at times without realising that we’re all different people and can identify with the show for many different reasons, In general I agree with people who would say that the writers have decided to put a queer character in and therefore absolutely have to think about how they should represent that character going forward. But I also don’t think that other fans should be questioned if they happen to see that character in a different way or a different light, if that makes sense. We’re all just fans enjoying the show for how it speaks to us personally.
Danni
(That was me, by the way, not some random anonymous person, lol)
qkuc
Prepare for a long run, :))).
We discussed it many times on twitter. The show catches so well the sides of human nature and behaviour, that we really feel attachment to the story and the characters, . Definitley, any of the events could happen with us, and let’s be honest, knowing our on nature, we would do the same mass. This show goes deeply into moral questions, what let you give the room to play around what you would questions. As 99% of us are not saints, nor devil, there are no black and white characters (cough, excepton Pike, cough), nor black and whit story. We are int he the very grey arey, where there are no good decisions nor good guys, just consequences. And it is up to ypu to bear those consequences. That’s why I heart this show, .
Emerson, he is the second (third, more, I cannot count anymore) character, where you world turned around in episode 6. The perspective was changed, as there are no good guy, but there are ALWYS reasons behind every actions. Tobey was brilliant, as we learnt his story, that he lost his entire universe! This man lost everything what a man(or woman) can have in life, he wanted to take revenge and go to Valhalla, út even death was taken away from him. A mercyful death …
( I bet will at least understand Pike later, thanks for trickygames of changing perspectives, thanks writers, it build my don’t judge for first concept further.)
I will reflect for this later, but these emotions, feelings, memories, losses, suffer, and joy shapes us, our thinking our way in future, so if we lose them partially, we lose what makes us humans, the difference of rest of all living being.
For Raven, we got some joy foreshadowing the huge cost what she will have to pay for her salvation? Salvation by the devil maybe …
And we reach Priest Jaha, who paid the largest cost as he doesn’t remember for his own son. Even he died, even it is painful, he lost a large piece of his humanity, of his soul. How can he understand the meaning of loss anymore without remembering for the pain losing his son?!
I don’t know if it is a side effect or it is the nature of making world better (I vote for 2nd option), buta s you stated, if you cut out the bad part, you cut out something very core, something which leads us to make better decisions, to understand other people, other situations better. Losing memories, emotions, feelings, experience means what makes u sas what we are, human beings. Without them, we have an empty body, doll of an artificial intelligence. We are capable for doing so many bad things, but never forget, we can do so many beauty! Without emotions, there is no art, no music, nothing which can drive or elevate you, no mercy, no regret, nothing … Just emptiness, the missing place of „soul”.
I will use the parallel from Ghost int he Shell, the context is different, but this quote covers the core issue with ALIE’s concept:
Major Motoko Kusanagi: Can you remember your mother’s name or what she looks like? Or how about where you were born? Don’t you have any happy childhood memories? Do you even know who you are?
Puppet master: It can also be argued that DNA is nothing more than a program designed to preserve itself. Life has become more complex in the overwhelming sea of information. And life, when organized into species, relies upon genes to be its memory system. So man is an individual only because of his intangible memory. But memory cannot be defined, yet it defines mankind.
It describes nicely, what will be eliminated when you remove the personal and social memories.
As closing: I love your articles, the gentle fun, and the way as you describe the situatins and characters. It is as living as the show itself. I can agree with so many points in ypur list, leaving the drama behind, :). Go on, I cannot wait to read your next one about our crazy, loved, depressing, horrific, so simply, filled with true life and characters show.
Meg Morley
“Definitley, any of the events could happen with us, and let’s be honest, knowing our on nature, we would do the same mass.” Thiiiiiiiis. Honestly, one of my favorite things is being like okay what would I do in this scenario and ngl, I could definitely see myself making some fucked up decisions for the sake of the people I care about (apparently I’m a slytherin don’t judge me) (this assumes I would make it through season 1 which, realistically, I would not)
Tobey was SO. GOOD. I legit never expected to have any kind of sympathy for a Mountain Fucker (as I took to calling them) and yet here I am having a lot of emotions for Emerson and his lost children and death wish. Go figure.
“I will reflect for this later, but these emotions, feelings, memories, losses, suffer, and joy shapes us, our thinking our way in future, so if we lose them partially, we lose what makes us humans, the difference of rest of all living being.” THIS THIS THIS. They’ve said before that the overarching theme of the season is what does it mean to be human and for as much as it all hurts, I AM LOVING IT SO MUCH.
“So man is an individual only because of his intangible memory. But memory cannot be defined, yet it defines mankind.” I hadn’t framed it like this in my head but SO. TRUE.
Thank you and thank you for commenting <3333
Chiara
Thank you, A lor of the fandom agrees with your interpretation of it all.
Meg Morley
THANK YOU. That’s honestly so nice to hear. There’s been so much negativity in the fandom recently it’s starting to get to me and I’m like okay so if I’m still enjoying the show does that mean I’m doing this wrong?
Kate Copeseeley
I’ve seen a lot of people upset at Monty, but you know, there is a scientific basis for this sort of thing. It’s called the Milgram Experiment and it basically points out how many people will continue to follow given orders, even when it seems that the order will deeply hurt another person. Monty is just a teenager, and seeing as how all the people he has admired and looked up to: Pike, Bellamy, his own MOTHER, are all telling him he needs to participate in this thing for the good of all, I don’t think it’s too surprising that he would.
When we look at history, without being callous enough to call out specific events, we can see perfect examples of a group of people entering into blind obedience because someone they respect told them to commit a certain act.
I don’t for a moment believe that this is what happened with Bellamy, and I continue to question the way the writers set that whole thing up, but I completely believe Monty going along with it. (sorry monty lovers)
The LGTB+ issue is so tricky, because I deeply admire how The 100 has chosen to portray these issues as not relevant to the world they live in. Unfortunately, the world WE live in is not like that, so interpretation will be shaded by what we all experience today. In that way, I think The 100 is ahead of its time, and I have loved watching the Clexa romance unfold. ADC is an amazing actor, and she really conveys the depth of respect and love that her character is feeling toward Clarke.
But I’ve said from the beginning that I don’t see how it can work out longterm. These two women are being pulled away from each other, and even if we get them together for a time, they come from different worlds and different belief systems. I love that ADC has changed and grown for the better, but I have yet to see that in Clarke. Even if ADC manages to miraculously survive this season (she is only one of many that I fear for), their relationship will have real problems to come, because of Clarke’s inability to move on from her pain and self-blame.
This is one of the reasons, also, that I think people tend to pair Bellamy and Clarke together. They have gone through so many of the same life events, experienced the same types of pain. They’ve both lost parents, they both took up the mantle of leadership for their people, both of them struggled with feelings of isolation, they’ve both destroyed countless lives through their decisions (Bellamy with the reaping, and Clarke with the missile), and both of them are actively running away from their pain right now. Neither are a fit partner for anyone right now. As much as I would EVENTUALLY love to see Clarke and Bellamy happen, my wish is that it will be right at the very end of the show. Then no one will die or break up and I can go on in ignorance of what happens after that final roll of the credits. 😀 *sob*
Kate Copeseeley
Damn that was super long. lol
Fogh
Why can’t people like you, Meg, Natalie, Danni, me and others of the same belief in digger deeper form a forum? Let’s call it “The 100 – digging deeper”. I would love that. I need that.
I loved you analysis of Monty. I’m just gonna link to the Milgram Experiment every time people say he is a murderous asshole – which many people do.
You know what, I’m gonna find a way to set up a forum for educated, rational, logic thinking people!
Kate Copeseeley
Do it and I’ll totally join. 🙂
Meg Morley
YES PLEASE TO THIS FORUM I WOULD BE SO IN
Meg Morley
I’m not really upset at Monty, more sighing and chalking it up to another thing we’re supposed to put together on our own (agree with your take, the combo of Bellamy and his mom plus Pike the fuck weasel’s manipulatively worded logic). I do love that, like Bellamy, the show takes the time to show via reaction shots that he’s not entirely on board.
(totally agree that the pacing was rushed, they really needed a Pike’s influence spreading ep but I’m giving it a rest for now until I see what they needed the time for later on and then I’ll decide if the pay off was worth it)
“The LGTB+ issue is so tricky, because I deeply admire how The 100 has chosen to portray these issues as not relevant to the world they live in. Unfortunately, the world WE live in is not like that, so interpretation will be shaded by what we all experience today.” This, basically. Bless their idealism but hello cop out.
Super agree with your thoughts re: the longevity of Clexa. I can see them having an HEA under different circumstances, but I have a hard time seeing how that could happen in the show as it is, you know?
(Obvs you know how I feel about Bellarke but yeeeesssss supportive opposites attract balanced partnership ships are my JAM)
Diane
I’D FORGOTTEN THAT JAHA HAD FORGOTTEN WELLS HOLY SHIT YEAH THAT HAPPENED
I still absolutely adore Monty, and I love that the show is showing us (ha) a kid who really, after all this horror, is clinging to his parental figure. Bellamy and O’s mom is dead, Clarke loves Abby but is separate from her, and the closing thing Lexa has to a parent is Titus. (Ew, Titus.) Monty’s relationship with Hannah serves as a real reminder that our heroes are still children, really, even if it breaks my damn heart.
I don’t want to agree with you about Lexa, because she’s super important to me, but I think you’re right. Plot-wise, the most exciting thing that could happen would be her death. Probably in the season finale. Preferably having kissed Clarke again first. (I have my priorities.) I don’t want her to die, but it would push the plot in new directions. Not so much in regards to Clarke losing a romantic interest – been there, done that – but for the politics of the situation; this is, ultimately, a story about politics. It would give Clarke and the viewers a view into the nightblood conclave that we simply aren’t going to get any other way. (Ah, well. That’s why there’s fanfic.)
I’m also quite pleased with the narrative meaning. Mere episodes after Skaikru become the thirteenth clan, we learn that the grounders were the thirteenth station all along. I like symmetry in my stories, and that’s some of the best.
I’m a little pissed at the Raven plotline, as a disabled person myself. Do I understand why she took the pill-chip-thingamabob? Yes. Would I do it myself in a heartbeat, even knowing that ALIE’s up to now good? Probably. But it feels very out-of-character for Raven, who just two episodes ago was coming to terms with her leg (thanks, Sinclair!), to latch on to this easy fix. Maybe if we’d gotten to see her in the episode directly after the Mount Weather explosion, see her trauma first-hand and her reactions to the medical equipment that could have helped her being destroyed, but no, we skipped her that episode, so it feels like we’re missing a link. (I’m a little bitter we didn’t see Raven the week before last. Just a little.)
Overall, though, I still trust the show. The momentum feels generally positive. Well, not happy-positive, but we-know-where-we’re-going-and-how-we’re-getting-there-positive, which is the more important one anyway.
Meg Morley
CHILLS. ACTUALY CHILLS. THAT WAS I THINK THE MOST CREEPED OUT I HAVE EVER BEEN BY THIS SHOW.
Same, same, same to Monty and his mom, though I wish he had a less vendetta-driven let’s-bond-through-murder mom, but as we’ve established, this show does not believe in nice things. *mutters bitterly until the end of time about how amazing the dynamic between Anya and Lexa could’ve been*
Tbh, the biggest reason I’m predicting Lexa’s death is I just don’t see how they can keep her around in a meaningful way considering ADC’s other commitments and if they can’t keep her around in a meaningful way, I feel like this is the kind of show that goes for the throat, especially when going for the throat opens up so much, and to me that says bad things for the character. HOWEVER, I am very often wrong, so, what do I know? Nothing. (It’s true, fanfic is magical, Wells and Anya are alive, everyone’s faces are clean, people are friends and hug each other, no one’s terrified out of their mind for Lincoln, it’s beautiful)
Omg, the skaikru is the 13th clan and the grounders are the 13th station, I hadn’t framed it that way and that is so perfect. I love this horrible show so much.
I think most of the character’s storylines could’ve benefitted A LOT by an episode in between 3 and 4, tbh. I think the writers crammed things in probably for a combination of plot/schedule related reasons and are hoping that in the end we’ll consider it worth it once we’ve seen the whole season. While I’m nooooooot exactly sold on this approach to television writing, I will forgive a lot if the storylines and plot go where I think they’re going to. (I feel you on the Raven missing an episode bitterness (SHE JUST WHAT? DIDN’T FEEL LIKE GOING TO THE MEMORIAL?), it coordinates well with my NO SERIOUSLY IS LINCOLN EVEN ON THIS SHOW ANYMORE bitterness)
“we-know-where-we’re-going-and-how-we’re-getting-there-positive” THIIIIIIIIS. I have very high hopes for the season. DO NOT LET US DOWN SHOW.
Carina Olsen
Gosh, SO MANY COMMENTS o.O You are awesome Meg. <3 All the hugs. Love love love your episode reviews 🙂 But ugh. So many hateful comments too. PEOPLE SUCK. Do not care what any of them say 🙂 (Which is why I stopped reading comments after seeing about three of them, LOL, I can't stand negative people.) Anyway. Sorry for taking so long to comment 🙂 Not commenting too much, just a little bit. <3 But yeah. This episode was awesome.
Ahh, yesss. This show is so dark. I love it 😀 But damn it. I want some Bellamy goodness soon. <3 I need it. I deserve it. Probably. Yay for Emerson in a box. But.. well.. I would have liked it more if he had died. Sigh. I wanted him dead. Hmph. How mean of them.
My poor Raven. I just want her to be happy. But yeah, not like this. I feel like her leg will end up not good sometime soonish. I don't think this "pill" thing works forever. And I'm dreading when it goes bad. Ahhh. And Jaha not remembering his son.. that was MEAN. Stupid pills. Huh. I didn't see that Jasper scene like that. I felt like because of the memory loss, he wanted it EVEN MORE. Which just suuuucks. I don't want him to take it. Sigh. Waiting for Jasper to end up as a better person, lol. Soon, maybe?
And ah, I'm so curious about that other AI thingy. BUT MURPHY. I'm starting to like him a lot. But now he's being tortured. AND I AM NOT HAPPY. Hmph. Ain't someone going to save him soon? Sigh. I hope so. And ahh, yesss. I'm upset about Jackson too. But also confused. Why did he take the pill? Can't remember that we ever got to know about his past or anything, lol.
Ah, Monty. I adore him. And YES. His mom is the worst. Goddamn it. I haaate her. Monty deserves better 🙂 I don't like that people are upset with Bellamy, lol. Because I still love him the very most. And I do get why he is doing what he does. As you say, he believes he is doing what is best for his people. And I do get that a lot. So.. yeah. I'm not mad at Bellamy. Shrugs. But oh. Octavia. I love her so much. But.. I'm going to be so goddamn angry at her when she beats up Bellamy. There is NEVER a reason for beating him like that. And I will not forgive her for it. Sigh. I just.. I wish it will happen, so that it is over with, hah :p
I loved this episode so much. And I just. I also think Lexa will end up dead. And yes, I get that lots of people are upset about it, but I can't help but being SO HAPPY, hah. I want her gone :p I never liked Lexa, sadly. And she just.. bothers me. Hope you are right about her fate 🙂 SORRY 😀 (But not really.)
Anyway 😀 Your post was awesome, as always. <3 Thank you for sharing sweetest girl 🙂