Oh my god that episode was relentlessly tense. I am SO. GLAD. the show decided to focus on one location for the last two eps. It’s amaaaazing what you can do with enough time and space to pace out your episodes for maximum emotional resonance. Who’d have thought?
Anyway, last night’s episode of The 100 was fucking fantastic. It wasn’t big and flashy like last week’s, (if you think about it, very little happened from a major plot twist reveal perspective), but everything that did go down was a massive step in the direction I’ve been wishing and hoping the show would go since, mmmmm, early season 2? So, I’m totally cool with it (ps in case I haven’t explicitly mentioned it before, if you’re here for impartial analysis, this is not the blog you’re looking for).
Don’t get me wrong, the Grounders are cool and getting a look at their culture and politics and the way it broke the world open to allow for so many different stories has been neat but I imprinted on this show back when it was a Lord of the Flies-esque band of feral space children running around the woods and stabbing each other and I will always, ALWAYS be primarily here for the story of the Sky People. Above all else, my dearest wish has been to see the surviving members of camp delinquent finding their way back to each other and it’s happening, IT’S REALLY HAPPENING.
I’m getting ahead of myself. Everyone ready? Spoilery discussion ahead.
The episode opens with the Grounders gathering around Arkadia, putting the blockade into effect. Two messengers approach on horseback and Bellamy’s like yo I got this and marches out to deal with it. A lot of people have been (reasonably) disgusted with the way Bellamy has been going out of his way to avoid leadership for a bulk of this season and this moment was the first hint that the winds of change are blowing. Yes, he is still very much towing the Team Evil party line (those headshots were cold af) but so much of this scene showed that we’re working our way back to Bellamy stepping up and leading his people. I mean, barking orders at the guards and letting Pike back him up? That framing as the gates open and he marches out? The way the Grounders mostly talk to him directly even after Pike establishes who he is? The way he ignores Pike’s repeated orders to stand down until he’s ready to stand down and then walks back in leaving Pike to follow? These directional cues do not say lowly enforcer, they say this person is in charge even if he doesn’t want to be and yes. Here for it. Finally.
Is anyone else getting ‘you may be the chancellor but I’m in charge flashbacks? Just me?
(Finally being the overall theme of my thoughts about this episode. We are finally seeing the show get back to its heart, we’re finally seeing our beloved characters take action and/or start to come back to themselves. I’m so happy you guys, like, so fucking happy.)
The game of spy vs spy is afoot, this episode was like an espionage thriller in a box. Team Evil has a tense meeting about their rapidly dwindling rations and try to figure out how best to cut down on informational leaks. Pike wants Monty to establish camp wide surveillance because, as always, Pike’s the fucking worst! Cut to Team Rebellion listening in (sidebar, the editing in this episode was at the top of its game) and boy do they not like what they’re hearing (understandable). Kane is scrambling to come up with new tactics to keep his newly adopted children safe and Harper’s like or we could just shock-lash Pike, gift wrap him and deliver him to the Grounders because Harper is my girl.
Meanwhile, Team Cult is freaking out because they really need their easy bake cult cookie oven back to get Alie more brain power so they can find Alie 2.0. I like how the show casually slipped in a key detail that Alie, like zombies, feeds on brains. Team Cult establishes they need a hot mess to do something dramatic and get them into Pike’s office. Cue Jasper dramatically losing his shit over by the bar. Lightbulb!
Cut back to Pike going through Arkadia’s weapon stores and being thoroughly disgusted at the lack of bullets. It’s almost like Abby’s first priority wasn’t going to war with anything that moved, what was she thinking? Kane pulls Pike aside and makes a last ditch attempt to convince Pike to do the right thing and turn himself over to the Grounders. It’s adorable that I think a part of Kane actually thought that might work. Pike throws Finn back in Kane’s face (the ghost of Finn was strong in this ep) (and, point of order, Kane did not hand over Finn, Finn finally did something useful and turned himself in, but I can see why that wasn’t a fact Pike was keen to acknowledge).
I am so starved for delinquent bonding I will revel in any little bit we get.
Over in cult land, Raven lures Jasper down to engineering with the (false) promise of booze. I’m still in awe over how much I actually liked Jasper this episode. I haven’t felt this way about him since, oh, I don’t know 1×10? High five to Devon Bostwick, his self deprecating sass was on point in this episode. Raven offers him access to the City of Light, should he succeed in his break into Pike’s office mission, and Jasper is on it. I love love love any of the delinquents teaming up and working together and Raven’s matter of fact insistence that Jasper is more than a drunken idiot was heart warming. Ditto the fact that, in spite of the distance between them, Jasper still knows Monty better than anyone and is able to figure out the password to get them into Pike’s office.
As Team Rebellion listens in, Team Evil lays out a horrifying plan to trap the Grounders in a minefield. TWIST. Team Evil found their bug and the plan is actually a decoy to lure Team Rebellion into the open. Things seem to go off without a hitch and Bellamy nabs Sinclair apparently attempting to sabotage the Rover while Kane sits in the corner with a book radiating casual so hard I’m surprised he wasn’t visibly vibrating. TWIST AGAIN. Sinclair getting caught was actually part of team rebellion’s plan to get a message to Lincoln (hey look! Lincoln’s still on this show! I was starting to wonder) and the other grounder prisoners. This episode was like a drawn out, betrayal-y version of Pheobe’s they know that we know that they know we know line in Friends. I love it.
El. Oh. El.
Kane and Bellamy share a father/son bonding moment where Kane tries to talk Bellamy back to the light once more. Unfortunately, Bellamy is still determined to be stubborn and is having none of it. I get where he’s coming from, backing down on the pro-Pike garbage means he’s going to have to take a long hard look at some of the things he’s done recently but, like, fuck, come on. I know that he’s been pretty determinedly stupid for the last few episodes and I’ve given the writing a lot of leeway with it because I’m weak and I love this show, but they’re expecting us to accept that he genuinely has not considered that Pike’s plan for the prisoners will end with murder when so far all of his plans have ended with murder? Denial, okay, I could handle that, but this came across as it seriously hadn’t occurred to him and um, okay. Sure. I will say that I love that both men walked into the meeting hoping to be able to turn the other one around (they love each oootheeeeeer). Their relationship gives me a lot of fucking feelings and I’m going to be REALLY FUCKING UPSET if this is the last we see of it.
The red shirt looks like he’s sucking on lemons. I bet Monty wouldn’t look like that.
Speaking of moments, Miller and his red shirt get one too! I know that a lot of people have boarded RSS Briller but guys, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Aside from the bit where Bryan, you know, straight up coldly uses their tender sidebar to betray Miller, he literally wore a red hoodie all of 3×06 and the cut from Bryan saying he loves Miller to Monty’s face was telling (I SEE YOU MINTY I SEE YOU). Let me also take a minute to say I love how much we’re seeing of Miller these days. I love Miller, like, a lot. I am always here for more Miller.
I make this face when I think of Finn, too.
Cut back to Raven and Jasper to find Jasper actually using his brain (omg it’s been so long) and fishing around to see if Raven remembers Finn at all. Look, I fully understand the desire to forget Finn. If I could take a pill that would wipe his stupid, floppy, unable to wait 10 days hair out of my mind I would do it in a fucking heartbeat. But I am not Raven and the fact that she can’t remember anything about this person that was such a major part of her entire life was heartbreaking. Because Raven is amazing and the light of my life, she immediately realizes that there is something INCREDIBLY NOT RIGHT about her inability to recall Finn and breaks free of the Alie’s influence. I don’t know about you but I jumped off the bed and ran around the room screaming YEEEEEEEEESSSS. Raven is too awesome for you Alie, SUCK IT.
The battle of the beards finally comes to a head as Kane and Pike face off. Simultaneously, the prisoners start throwing shit at the fan and fists in each other’s faces. Bellamy falls for it and opens the door to break it up because at least he’s being consistently stupid? The prisoners rush the guards and the rebellion begins in earnest. Kane takes Harper’s advice and tases the shit out of Pike and tossed him in the Rover intending to throw Pike out like the garbage he is. Unfortunately, Bellamy hasn’t found the line he won’t cross yet and literally throws himself in front of the vehicle. Kane has found his line and sacrificing his children is on the other side of it and the rebellion fails. This is The 100, remember? No nice things.
AND THEN JUST WHEN WE ALL THOUGHT WE WERE DOOMED TO RESIDE IN THE DARKEST TIMELINE FOREVER THE MOST GLORIOUSLY HORRIBLE WONDERFUL THING HAPPENS. BELLAMY FINDS HIS LINE.
Yes, it’s horrible that Pike sentenced Kane to death but honestly who is actually surprised? Well, Bellamy. Bob Morley brings his A game as per usual and as hard as it is to wrap my head around, I absolutely believed his performance and that Bellamy was genuinely shocked and horrified that Pike would actually go that far.
And that was it, in one, tearful, emotion laden look between Kane and Bellamy (MY HEART), Pike lost the key to his political stronghold.
*high pitched keening*
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE. As emotional as I am over the fact that Kane was Bellamy’s breaking point, my absolute favorite part was that Bellamy’s first act of rebellion was refusing to turn in Miller and Harper. Guys, guys, guys, all along Bellamy has said he would do what needs to be done to protect his people and he has in a warped, twisted, incredibly fucked up way but then there are his people. THE SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN HE ADOPTED (with Clarke) IS THE LINE HE WILL NOT CROSS. I hate that it took so long to get there and that so much horrifying shit was done on the way BUT THIS IS IT. BELLAMY IS ON HIS WAY BACK TO US AND HE’S BRINGING MONTY WITH HIM. THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL AND IT ISN’T A TRAIN. THE PURPOSE IN HIS VOICE AS HE SAYS I DO IT EVERY DAY IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE. I’M SO FUCKING HAPPY I’M CRYING AS I WRITE THIS.
BELLAMY’S BACK BELLAMY’S BACK BELLAMY’S BACK
The importance of Bellamy hitting this point entirely on his own, without anyone talking him into it cannot be understated. Yes, it would have been great if Clarke could’ve talked him around. Yes, it would have been emotional as fuck if Kane had gotten through to him before everything hit rock bottom. Yes, it would have been fucking awesome if any one of the atrocities before this point had snapped him out of it. But in terms of Bellamy’s character, it is SO. INCREDIBLY. IMPORTANT. that he got there on his own. Bellamy has always been able to justify terrible actions for the good of his people, this season has been a relentless reminder of that. He’s also accepted, as 3×05 so painfully highlighted, that it makes him a monster and that he considers any of the good in him a response to other people’s pushing him in that direction. BUT THIS? THIS WAS ALL BELLAMY. This was Bellamy finally recognizing he has the ability to stand up for what’s right even when it means admitting he was wrong and deeply, deeply fucked up. I may hate that it took what it took to get here (and that it played out on/off screen in the way that it did), but I am so fucking glad this is the result. This is the first step in Bellamy rebuilding himself into the hero and leader we’ve always known he can be ON HIS OWN and that is absolutely crucial to him every developing any kind of self worth.
Assorted thoughts:
- OH MY GOD I SPENT THIS ENTIRE EPISODE ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT WITH LITERAL STOMACH PAINS LIKE OMG MY FAVS ARE GONNA DIE MY FAVS ARE GONNA DIE I KNOW IT AND THEN WE CAME OUT OF THIS EPISODE WITH NO NON-EXTRA DEATHS THE WRITERS ARE SUCH. FUCKING. ASSHOLES. YOU KNOW THEY LAUGHED ABOUT IT A LOT.
- Lol, did Abby just, like, not notice that shit was going down? Was she sleeping? I know that most actors aren’t going to be in every episode but no one even mentioned it?
- So….do I like Jasper again? Is that a thing? Do I want that to be a thing?
- Monty’s totally going to end up killing his mom. Poor Monty.
- HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SURVIVE THREE WEEKS KNOWING KANE, LINCOLN AND SINCLAIR ARE MARKED FOR DEATH.
- My brain is frantically trying to concoct scenarios where they somehow survive because I am a master of denial.
- SPEAKING OF 3X09, THE DELINQUENTS ARE TAKING OVER THE REBELLION I AM PURE JOY THIS IS EVERYTHING I’VE WANTED
- I HATE MIDSEASON BREAKS THEY ARE SO RUDE
- I love Charlie Craig. Have I mentioned how much I love Charlie Craig? He writes all my favorite episodes.
clarke gryphon
All the space parent/children feels. ALL OF THEM.
I agree that Bellamy’s thought processes regarding Pike have been really dumbed down — did he honestly think that Pike wouldn’t hesitate to kill all the interned grounders? As Kane said, this only ends one way. It seems like a disservice to Bellamy’s character to not show him think critically about Pike for a second. There are ways to spin this that make sense — he’s in survivor mode, he’s NOT thinking, he’s in denial — but the fact that we’re never shown proof of this leaves us as viewers to do a lot of putting together puzzle pieces to make the bigger picture make sense.
Anyway, that was a tangent I did not mean to get on: I know from experience that going down the rabbit hole of “well why didn’t they show X” will only make you bitter. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and totally agree that Bellamy coming back to himself BY HIMSELF was so crucial and important. I love this character with every fiber of my being, truly.
I’ve seen people who are upset that “now Bellamy’s going to get another redemption arc” but is it just me that really doesn’t think that’s where the show is going? I think this season has shown us that people don’t get redemption — their actions and their choices have consequences, and sometimes these characters make the wrong choice, and that’s something they all will have to live with. But they won’t be “redeemed” because in the end they’re all doing what they think is right. There’s nothing to be redeemed of, IMO. He has to realize he’s done something wrong and he has, and now he’s gonna pick up the pieces and try to fix things the best he knows how. And I feel like Dad!Bellamy is coming back in 3×09 and I am SO READY for the rebel king to rise once again.
TLDR: Bellamy Blake defense squad activate.
Danni
Great review Meg. I truly loved this episode.
I loved your point too about this is perhaps the first time we’ve seen Bellamy come to the correct conclusion by himself. In the end, he didn’t need to be ‘talked into it’ by Clarke or Kane or Octavia. Well, they tried… but, yeah. Bellamy, bless him, I love him, but he’s really not the sharpest tool in the box. But he got there in the end.
I’m glad, in a way, that he came to this conclusion BEFORE the really serious consequences of his actions come about. The pacing issues have left a lot of fans of the opinion that Bellamy should just die. I think they underestimated how horrified fans would be by the massacre of the grounder army. The show treated them like redshirts but the fans didn’t. But I think if Bellamy starts making the right choices now and STILL has to deal with the terrible consequences at the same time, it might bring people back on side. Nothing like a good bit of suffering to bring fans round after a character has made some dumbass decisions. (Here’s looking at you, Theon Greyjoy.) And I seriously hope, now Pike’s unleashed wrecking ball Bellamy, it will come back SWINGING in his direction.
I also loved all the fantastic delinquent camaraderie. Nice they’re giving some of them a time to shine. I wish Monroe was there, sob. Raven and Jasper were awesome. There were a lot of nice moments reminding us where these characters had come from.
I’m glad to you gave a shout out to the editing. My personal favourite was the alarm going off as the rebellion broke out, gradually morphing into the score. That was a BRILLIANT use of diegetic sound to ramp up the tension.
I’m not sure how much *trust* I have in the show for the quality to remain this high going forward. This season has sorely tested me at times. But I sincerely HOPE it will. Because this was one of the best episodes they’ve ever done!
Claudia
This episode was everything. I was so excited about it and I can honestly say i was not disappointed, not in the slightest. I love that we got more screen time for Miller and Harper, and even Bryan in this episode (I even started liking him, even if he bug Miller’s jacket, NOT COOL). Kane and Bellamy are my MVP’s this episode. Their scenes where literally FIRE and Henry and Bob are so damn talented. I’m even happier that Bellamy, the real Bellamy, is back… Bellamy makes me feel all the feels.
As for Raven, I just knew she was strong and would break free. Her interactions with Jasper were gold, and Jasper’s horrible pun about Monty’s favourite colour was THE REASON I’M ALIVE!
Also let’s not forget the brilliant world that came out of Harper’s mouth: “We should shock lash Pike’s fascist ass and hand him to the Grounder’s” BRILLIANT!
qkuc
All right, this will be the criticsKru, as the 5 mins fucked up mind so badly, :D.
Sorry, I didn’t focus full on the episode, because for me this was kinda boring a bit, but not all parts. (and other health issues, so was a hard week.)
So let’s start. First, again, there are issues with the writing as it seems someone got amnesia or I don’t really know, but as Pike acted as a surprised primadonna, that Grounders are making a blockade, like maaaan, you was a total jerk, you killed 300 sleeping people and now you are surprised that they want revenge?
“Something has changed.” Not my friend, Clarke bought time for Arkadia, to throw out the rotten apple (you Pike, you), but once you made the act of war you were in serious trouble. Even if I accept the hard times, it seems no tactical and strategic “sense” are built into our mess maker chancellor.
I see Julius Ceasar and Sun Tzs as they are shaking their heads that maybe it would have been etter to think abou supplies of wood, water and weapons BEFORE any confrontation. I understand that he is in dictator mode and a pocket Hitler, but that anti Christ at least thought about having a fully equipped army beffor getting the WW in Poland … This is again, I don’t know, bad writing? The Earth Skills teacher should know the basics of survival, and that war will tak off most of the resources, but anyway …
I would like to state here, that I really hate Pike’s we are the victims and the good guys point of view, no man, you made your dirty game as well, welcome to hell.
Bellamy … Again, this shoot down the messenger as adding a dark layer is a cliché, but oh well, go on …
What I really loved, Kane and the grounders as they fought together, and Miller and Harper being part of RebelKru, as they somehow understood that Pike fucked up everything, totally. I like that Kane could convince the grounders, even the risk was high that once they fall, they will be killed.
And the hero of the day is Kane. This maaaaaan. I hope that beard is a shield, which will protect him, because for Lexa, I had deeeeep sorrow, but for Kane, I will burn internet to ashes. I liked the plan in plan way as he could slip out and I liked it, that he couldn’t kill Bellamy, he realised that this will have a huge consequence, but he saved his “son”.
The most hated thing: Miller’s boyfriend (who sure has a name, but I don’t remember) betrayed Miller, why the gays again …? Oh fuck …
And here comes the last chapter. When Pike let Sinclair “go away” and stated they are not on Ark anymore, the first time was where I finally accepted this dick, as oh well pal you are on the path of enlightment. But Hannah, I could slap this woman till she can’t see teletubbies everywhere. She is really a reborn SS soldier, blind as fuck. Harsh circumstances, ok, but she is a MOTHER. It will have sense in my ending.
So, Kane and co and the trial … Kane arose as the pure Rebel of my kind (as some descendant of freedom fighters, I’m with this man.) He and Sinclair stole the episode as they accepted all shit what can happen with them, but Sinclair didn’t give up the RebelKru, Kane still convinced Pike and didn’t break. Some kind of hero (aaaand for Lexa, I accept this exchange, will be hard, but what else I can do). That guy marched out with a glory with a death sentence on his head. WOW!
Again, Pike and his magical bullshit about how Kane brought danger to Arkadians. No man, it is YOUR idiotism, YOU was the one who didn’t listen to anybody, made the massacre and then that little coup on the village. If everyone will die, it will be BECAUSE of you!
Still I don’t get this Pike/Bellamy Darth Sith and enlightment part, but FINALLY I got his feelings right and saw that crash inside of him.
Hannah, that woman, who has a child in an incredible heavy world, where morals are changing as as many times as many stars are on the sky, how on Earth can accept this police state so EASILY and forcing its “statements” to his son?
Summary: I won’t never understand, why everything was pushed into 307 as 308 wasn’t as high paced and well, I skipped a lot of parts (hmrhhh, it happend more in S1). And I don’t believe there are no scissors and soap in this universe. Someone could finally cut Bell’s hair.
So, I’m in CoL (but hopefully it will go to trash) and I’m a fucking RebelKru member from this point. (Sorry for wording, :D. + If I wrote anything wrong, it was the last day since monday, that I sleept more than 4 hours/per night, :D).
Plus Kudos: Harper and Kane. 1stfor that fascist ass sentence, 2nd using the lash and kick out that jerk.
(I skipped the CoL, red digital bitch, oh sorry, after my official Jaha chip, DM-d by Isaiah, she is my Goddess …, 😀 line, but again, if Raven doesn’t remember to Finn, then how the not remembering for kiss can affect her, but here I lost a line a bit. It was not as interesting line as the rest. The only one part, that Raven mental hacked ALIE, and I loved it. And oh yeah, Raven and Jasper as they penetrated the system. Hackers gonna survive, we are everywhere! :D)
May we meet again, as I will totally forget when the hiatus ends. /Issues with memories/
Carina Olsen
I know, I know. I am forever behind on commenting on this post. ACK! I am so sorry sweet girl. <3 But, well, I did not watch the episode until today, lol 🙂 Just had a busy past few weeks, and wanted to wait until the new episode was almost out, hih 😉 Just a few days left. <3 Anyway. Now I finally saw it, and I finally had a chance to read your review of the episode 😀 YAY!
As always, Meg, your review is stunning. <3 I loved reading your thoughts about this episode. Thank you so much for sharing it all 🙂 I.. I can't help but say that I found this episode a bit boring :\ Nothing much happened. And it was all inside, in the dark, and I don't like that all that much, lol. But I did looove looking at Bellamy for so long 😀 Yesss. I had missed him. <3
I am SO HAPPY that Raven finally realized that Alie is no good. That she had forgotten so much. Though it was heartbreaking, yesss. Though, lol, I could not stand Finn. But I also love Raven. And I want her to be okay. Ahhh. I am nervous. Also starting to love Jasper a lot. I love that he did not want to lose all of his memories. That maybe he is starting to get a lot smarter, lol 🙂 I can hope, anyway.
Ahhh, I am so happy about Bellamy too 😀 Well, I never disliked him, not ever, but I do love that he is getting "better" now 😀 He is always awesome, though. <3 But I did love him in this episode a lot. Yess.
But.. damn it. I am NOT ready for the next episode. Octavia is going to beat up Bellamy, I am 100% sure of this based on the preview. And goddamn it. I AM NOT READY. My Bellamy does not deserve it and I do not want to see it and I will not ever forgive Octavia for it. Ugh. There is never a reason for beating up Bellamy. Hmph.
BUT ANYWAY 😀 I did love this episode, despite finding it a bit boring, lol. I loved that you loved it so much. <3 Hugs.