*cries*
*cries*
*cries more*
Wheeeee The 100’s back, she sobs. As per usual, everything hurts and I’m dying. This ep was a lot, some of it good, some of it obvious and some of it…well. Overwhelming? Painful as all fuck? Tragic but kind of amazing? Hopefully I think of the words I’m looking for by the time I get to the end of this recap.
Here there be spoilers, you’ve been warned.
We return to Clarke and Murphy still stuck in Polis, locked in Clarke’s room because grounder hospitality is the best. It’s been 24 hours and I’ve decided they’ve been bonding because Murphy suddenly knows a lot about what Clarke’s been up to. Also because picturing them sitting together on the floor sharing secrets and playing with each other’s nasty hair makes me happy and I need something happy since the rest of this episode is decidedly not.
Titus shows up with a suggestion that they gtfo. He’s still alive and in charge because apparently being Flame Keeper is hella job security. Murphy agrees (I never thought I’d say this but why oh why won’t more people listen to Murphy?). Clarke, however, has decided to (finally) start doing stuff and says nah, not without ensuring the tiny child Lexa chose as her successor says our people are safe (I’m sorry y’all but I cannot take the nightblood kids seriously). Fortunately for Clarke, Lexa made all of the squidgets swear they’d protect the Skaikru.
Unfortunately for Skaikru, this is The 100 which means everything immediately goes to shit. Azegda shows up (HI ROAN, MISSED YOUR FACE, MISSED YOUR VOICE) with Ontari, their own feral, decidedly anti-Clarke/Skaikru Nightblood. GOSH I WONDER IF SHE’LL BE THE NEXT COMMANDER. Yes, obviously she will, and in a move many people saw coming, she decides fuck waiting for conclave, slaughters the children and sets herself on the throne. I know she’s, like, super evil and stuff but I kind of love Ontari. I’m fucked up, this isn’t news.
My aesthetic.
Meanwhile, back in Arkadia, everything is THE WORST. Lincoln starts the episode with screen time so you know everything’s going to go to shit for him (*cries forever*). Pike shows up and declares all of the prisoners will be killed for their part in the rebellion. Bellamy’s trying his newly rediscovered defiance on for size and points out that yo, that’s kind of super fucked up, we’ve got them locked up obvs they were going to try and run away when they got the chance . Pike’s all fine, just your favs then. Fuck you Pike. I’m glad you’re here so I have someone to uncomplicatedly hate.
Harper and Miller’s endless sass was the only good thing about this scene.
Bellamy and Monty head off to join Team Rebellion. Unfortunately, Harper and Miller are not having it. I totally get why they’re suspicious and unwilling to trust their ex-friends but it huuuuuuuuurts. Bellamy runs off to try and convince Octavia he’s a good guy again and it’s painful not having it round two, this time with tranquilizers. IT HUUUUUUUUUURTS.
The Blake sibling pain train gets going with Indra and Octavia standing guard over a chained up Bellamy in a cave. Octavia calls Bellamy out on having his head up his ass most of the season and tops it off by saying she doesn’t need him. OUCH. Sidebar, loling through my tears that the writers literally had to lock Bellamy out of the plot so he couldn’t fix it.
And the pain just keeps on a-coming. The good ship Briller hits an iceberg as Miller discovers the traitorous redshirt planted the bug on him (casually ignoring that he later switches to the good guy side for personal Minty reasons, leave me alone). Meanwhile Kane and Abby share an excruciating goodbye where Kane begs her to stay out of it and Abby says she can’t go through this again. Cue Meg ugly baby sobbing on the floor. @ GOD WHY CAN’T I FALL IN LOVE WITH NICE TV WHY AM I THE WAY I AM?
The plot kicks into high gear when Pike shows up to escort the Lincoln, Kane and Sinclair to their execution (just assume I’m crying from here on out). The delinquents have a plan and it’s pretty awesome. They stage a series of misdirects to get Pike and the guards away from the prisoners while OCTAVIA HIDES THEM UNDER THE FLOOR TO MY ENDLESS DELIGHT. Even better? ABBY’S IN ON THE PLAN. I’m so happy Abby finally decided to get out of medical and get involved. I understand that the writers were tying her into the CoL plot, but her absence in 3×08 was pretty glaring.
Meanwhile, in Polis, Clarke decides to steal the Commander Flame. Who saw that coming? Pretty sure everyone. Speaking of things tons of people saw coming, Luna’s the missing eighth Nightblood (is it just me or has this season been incredibly predictable? $20 says Clarke ends up inserting the chip into her neck to take down the City of Light and ends up having to destroy it along with the Commanders. Titus’ line about the chip killing any non-Nightblood to take the chip felt an awful lot like that brick of foreshadowing back again). Ontari busts up Clarke and Titus’ little infodump pow-wow and decides to keep Murphy. Titus decides that he actually has a less favorite person than Clarke, hands off the Commander chip and sends her on her way. Abrupt turnabout but okay. PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE LET CLARKE GO HOME NOW.
Jumping out of order for a second, the Polis arc wraps up with Titus killing himself (I guess he was jk when he said he’d get Murphy out) and Ontari sending Roan after Clarke and the Flame. In the meantime, she’s just going to lie and pretend she’s the Commander. Cool, whatever. Bye Polis, won’t miss you.
Back in Arkadia, the plan takes a turn for the worse as the guards block the prisoners’ escape route. Monty has a heroic moment and, in front of his mother, directs the guards in the wrong direction. I deeply hate to give Hannah credit for anything but it turns out she does have a heart buried underneath all the awful and she keeps her mouth shut to protect her son. The prisoners seem to make it out unscathed, though Abby demonstrates that apparently heroic self sacrifice is genetic and stays behind to take on Jaha.
OH YEAH AND THEN THIS HAPPENS
WE KNEW IT WAS COMING FROM THE TRAILER BUT STILL SCREAMING ABOUT IT.
If you’ve been keeping up, this is our cue that everything is about to go immediately awful. Sure enough, Pike radios in announcing he will kill the remaining grounder prisoners if someone doesn’t turn themselves in. Because Lincoln is a beautiful, precious, heroic person far too good for this world, he decides it will be him.
*sobs FOREVER*
Alright, I know this is getting long but I have some shit to say about everything that comes next and it is maybe not the shit you think.
I thought Lincoln’s death was amazing and poetic and in a fucked up way, absolutely perfect for the character.
Yes, it was graphic and brutal and I completely understand anyone who is horrified and triggered by it (though personally, I found the hangings in season 1 and the bone marrow stuff in season 2 far more upsetting, but that’s because those are more my triggers). I also understand anyone who was horrified watching a peaceful black man get shot by an authority figure (I see the context being very different and key but I also get that this is not exactly the greatest of social climates to air that kind of imagery in). Basically, I get a lot of the outrage, I do.
That said, here’s how I see it: Lincoln chose his death. He chose it for very good reasons and died for what he believes in. He said his goodbyes and walked to his death with his head up knowing that he was doing the right thing and that the world did not turn him into a monster and that last part, more than anything, was what I wanted for the character. His last words to Octavia were I love you and his last words were for her in the language of his people, representing to the end his desire to mesh both cultures and find peace for both. As much as I hate that he’s gone, I do think the show at the very least tried to do right by his end.
His death was pretty thoroughly spoiled for people active in the fandom and going into this episode I had two major fears: that his death would be a plot driven side effect with no character agency, rushed and without the gravity this character deserves and/or that he would rage out and go down fighting and that his last acts would be those of violence, something he’s spent so much of the show trying to avoid. I am so, so glad that neither of those came true. I’m going to direct you to this post by Rosymamacita who far more eloquently breaks down all the things I want to say about Lincoln’s send off.
Octavia watching from afar was awful and heartbreaking and hurt so fucking much I can barely stand it but I’m not mad at the show for it. I don’t know about you but one of the reasons I love this show is because it breaks my heart. It isn’t a nice show, it is intentionally trying to hurt its characters and its audience, it has never pretended otherwise and I love that. I’m constantly confused by fan backlash when it’s centered around how dare you put these characters/the audience through so much horrible stuff. I’m not trying to be a dick but I have to ask, what did you think this show was about? It’s been pretty upfront about its brutality since 1×03. Furthermore, once you realized what it was about, if that wasn’t for you (and I totally get anyone who doesn’t want tv to repeatedly rip their heart out through their nose, like I said before, I’m fucked up), why do you continue to watch? I can’t believe I’m saying this (seeing as I am a person who takes entertainment way too seriously) but at the end of the day, it’s a tv show. If it’s fucking your head up, stop watching. Don’t do that to yourself unless you want to.
Anyway, good bye Lincoln. I was not initially sold on your kidnapping stalker self in season one but you quickly became one of my favorites. I love you. I’ll miss you. I cannot wait to watch Ricky Whittle kill it as Shadow on American Gods.
Things to note:
- Once more, Murphy’s sass saves a storyline. Sorry but I continue to be largely super bored with the Polis stuff.
- I SEE YOU ROAN. YOU TOTALLY WANT TO BE CLARKE’S BFF DON’T LIE. Real talk, I very much love his dynamic with Clarke and how they understand each other and where each other is coming from.
- Seriously, can we please keep Roan? I love Roan. I love Zach McGowan. MOAR ROAN.
- I really enjoyed Bellamy and Indra’s sidebar scene. They’re two characters that don’t get many scenes together and I’m glad we got to see them addressing some of their shit. I loved their fucked up non-bonding over Octavia.
- Octavia to Kane re: hiding under the floor: “try doing it for 16 years” BEST
- So bathtubs do exist in Polis. Why hasn’t Clarke washed her hair?
- I crackship the shit out of Murphy and Ontari. Sorry Emori.
- There was a lot of blood in the water this episode. It feels significant but I can’t figure out what it means. Thoughts?
- Love Ontari’s fake it til you make it attitude.
- Stg if Clarke isn’t on her way home, I will riot.
- Lol at Indra just leaving Bellamy chained up in a cave.
- My one complaint about Lincoln is that the gravity of his death and his presence in this episode really highlighted how absent he’s been from most of this season. Technically Ricky Whittle was main cast but lol, you couldn’t tell from his s3 screen time.
- I am so very incredibly not looking forward to next week and the Blake sibling showdown to come. Fair warning, if you come into my space talking about how you can’t wait and Bellamy deserves it we will have words.
- As always, Natalie Crown has thoughts and they are on point.
Alright guys, let me have it. What’d you think?
Kate Copeseeley
I agree with pretty much everything in your recap and totally see Clarke as getting the ALIE 2.0 and mind melding it with 1.0. It has to happen. Blood on the water? Luna will die. GOD I CAN’T WAIT FOR ANOTHER CLARKE ROAN SCENE. (please tell me it’s coming)
I was really irritated by Bellamy’s part in this ep, until I remembered that he’s gonna have to stay there, alone, thinking about the wrongness of his decisions. Like a Bellamy time-out.
I LOVED LOVED LOVED how Monty stood up to his mom. It really felt earned, you know? Like he had worked himself up to that point and it totally just paid off.
My biggest disappointment from the ep(besides the obvious) was that Brian and Miller stayed together. (obviously because MINTY NEEDS TO HAPPEN POSTHASTE)
I didn’t feel that Clarke was so great this ep, but I did feel like she was making steps in the right direction.
MURPHY WAS GOLD. Like how can I hate him for season 1 when his snark is so on point in season 3? The interplay when Ontari was getting out of the bath and he was just like, “Nope, I’m not the guy who looks away” and she was like, “Well, I’m the queen who lets you keep looking.” hahaha what was that??
I’m sad that Lincoln is gone, but I thought his death was beautiful and I’m sooooo glad that after all he’s been through the past year he has a new home, a new fandom, and a new role for himself. It would just SUCK if he was still out of work after getting tossed into JR’s “Game of Thrones” wannabe world. 🙁
Meg Morley
OH MY GOD BELLAMY IS SO ON TIME OUT I HADN’T THOUGHT ABOUT IT LIKE THAT AND I’M CRACKING THE FUCK UP.
Very much agree to monty and his mom feeling earned. I was also grudgingly impressed with Mama The Worst for not turning him in (my opinion of her is p much rock bottom and yes I know this is unfair and double standards and blah blah blah).
I’m not sure how much my lack of enchantment with Clarke this ep was Clarke and how much was I’m just so thoroughly over Polis. I’m super glad she’s doing stuff again and I’m SUPER SUPER SUUUUUUUUUUPER GLAD she left Polis.
Omg I’m so immediately head over heels for Murphy x Ontari, slightly disgusted at myself, ngl (but also omg they’re so great).
Your Lincoln/Ricky thoughts x 2
Vinny
I don’t know why but the fact Bellamy’s feelings still haven’t changed about the grounders, points to the fact that he never really trusted them and kind of explains his arc. He reminded Indra of what happened in Mt.Weather when she was leaving and i am happy that even though is not on Pike’s side, he isn’t over hos animosity towards the grounders either.I don’t think he ever will as they killed the only grounder he ever liked and considered among his people (And the show is killing them as well. If they touch Indra i will scream) His sole motivation has always been protecting his people. But the thing is that Lincoln was the only person since the beginning of the The 100 that was so up for the peace between Skaikru and grounders. I mean everyone has fought for survival and changed but Lincoln was the only one who has always fought for peace. (I cried my eyes out when he said May we meet again)I cant wait to see how they get back Arkadia from Pike now and if Octavia’s expression is anything to go by at the end, Pike will have to run for his life. (PS: I cannot and will never watch the Blake showdown. No matter how good or well acted it is.)
Meg Morley
Yeah, I very much agree that Bellamy’s convo with Indra reinforced where his head’s at. If you separate Bellamy POV from audience POV, it really does make sense. We know the grounders aren’t traitorous asshats (for the most part) but in his experience, with the exception of Lincoln, they are. And if you only have one person to hold up as an example, it’s really easy to fall into a trap of thinking what if this person is the exception, not the rule.
I think we saw a lot of that in his convo with Clarke in 3×05. For him, the war with the grounders that started in the pilot never ended. As far as he’s concerned, these people have been trying to kill his people since the day they set foot on Earth and the only times they’ve let up ended up in abandonment and betrayal.
So yeah, basically, 100% agree with your synopsis of his headspace!
(LINCOOOOOOOOOOOLN)
I am so so SO here for Octavia being the one who takes Pike down.
(Showdown what showdown there is no showdown everything will be FINE. FINE. NEXT WEEK THEY’RE ALL GOING TO GO MEET LINCOLN ON VACATION AND EVERYTHING WILL BE RAINBOWS AND BUTTERFLIES)
Jessica
Great Review! I have to say that i was irritated as well about Bellamy’s part in this episode, mostly because i wanted to see him begin to redeem himself…but then like you i thought about the fact that if he was free to do something most probably Lincoln wouldn’t have died, we wouldn’t have had the Blake siblings showdown next week and Bellamy would have already kind of redeemed himself, like Monty and Brian did in this episode, and so we wouldn’t have had what i probably assume will be an epic breakdown in the next weeks (basically the writers want him to suffer as much as possible, tearing him apart and leaving him with NOTHING apart his own guilt, and only then they would probably build him up again, letting him redeem himself and making him the hero once again, hopefully for the last time lol). Bottom line: they wanted the situation to suck as much as possible and they couldn’t get it if Bellamy was free. So yeah it was frustrating, but plot wise i get it. And the better part is that they didn’t have to completely twist the characters and the situation to get it. I mean i can totally buy the delinquents and Octavia not trusting Bellamy anymore after the last events. I mean WE know he wasn’t completely okay with Pike’s policy and WE know that his motivations were good (he was trying to save his people), but the people in the show don’t know that, also even if he had good intentions he totally fucked up, so yeah…it’s realistic that he will have to make an extra effort to make those people trust him again (having said that, Octavia beating up Bellamy next week is still going to be totally unnaccettable and unneccessary, and definitely not looking forward to that).
I was happy to see glimpses of the old Clarke in this episode, and hopefully now that she’s going to return to Arkadia we are going to see the old her permanently (because she’s returning next episode, right writers???). Mostly i’m happy she has a plot again. FINALLY. And yes, W Murphy and his capability to make everything bereable. It’s sad to think about the fact that i was so excited for the Polis storyline before this season started and now i’m like: ENOUGH, I’M OVER IT WRITERS!
I’ve liked Lincoln’s death too. Like you i thought it was poetic in a way. I’ve expecially loved that Lincoln died as a hero basically or at least doing what he has always done in his life: sacrifice himself for others. What i didn’t like was the lack of screentime this season, and you know even in this episode since when you thought about it i don’t think he had more than 5/10 minutes of screentime even in this episode to be generous. So yeah i liked the send off, but NOT the treatment before that.
Danni
Great review! As always.
I’m sorry… I’ve left the Minty ship. I’m officially team Briller. Those two actors actually have great chemistry? It’ll kill me now if they kill Bryan.
So, I thought this episode was excellent. A great send off for Lincoln and I was so glad that he chose such a noble death – it was entirely in keeping with his character. It’s a shame we didn’t get more of him this season, but oh well, what’s done it done. And you’re right, if anyone feels like they get triggered by shows such as this that kill a lot of people – stop watching! You pretty much cannot kill someone on this show without them being a member of a minority. At some point the show is going to kill off a character you love and identify with. It’s what shows like this are all about. Don’t like it? Go watch a comedy.
I felt Bellamy’s lack of agency in this episode was perfectly done. I love Bells, you know I do… but the boy needs to learn some lessons before he can be trusted to make leadership decisions again. We *want* Bellamy to be a proper hero, not just the guy who charges in blindly to every situation, throwing himself in the firing line with little judgement. And for this, he’s going to have to have this T/O and learn some lessons. Will he ever regret that massacre? Probably not, unless at some point he learns that Clarke was involved with Lexa on a non-platonic level. Otherwise, he’s never going to change his mind about that. But hopefully he’ll figure out some of his trust issues after all this. And yes, LOLed at Indra just leaving his ass there. Very funny.
What I loved most about this episode was that it continued the roll that the show has been on since 3.07. The pacing has been slower, the character moments better developed, and finally we are started to see Clarke get some agency back, and Bellamy *trying* to get some agency back, and the delinquents slooooowly coming back together… and Roan is back! I have high hopes for 3B.
Gillian
“Also because picturing them sitting together on the floor sharing secrets and playing with each other’s nasty hair makes me happy”
oh my god
“I cannot take the nightblood kids seriously” I misread this as neighborhood children and that only reinforced how very much I can’t take them seriously
ilu Ontari hai new problematic fave
“Lincoln starts the episode with screen time so you know everything’s going to go to shit for him ” i would laugh if I weren’t still traumatized
HARPER’S SASS FACE god I love her so much
“The Blake sibling pain train ” *agonized caterwauling*
Octavia saying she doesn’t need him for the first time in her life was both glorious and FUCKING PAINFUL
i actually kinda liked that Brian Red Shirt (almost left the r out in shirt, whoops) switched sides because now when Miller gets with Monty it won’t only be because the hot redshirt was EEEEVUL
KANE ABBY GOODBYE NOPE CAN’T SCROLLING PAST NOPE x A MILLION
“while OCTAVIA HIDES THEM UNDER THE FLOOR TO MY ENDLESS DELIGHT’ *gross sobbing*
Team Delinquentttttttttttttttttttttt
“Meanwhile, in Polis” *energy deflates*
very obvious, very brick of foreshadowing, very wasted Clarke
tbh this whole season has wasted our proactive apocalyptic princess, and while I would have been okay with that if the true reason was her trauma over murdering an entire civilation in the s2 finale, it clearly wasn’t that after the opening 2 eps. (Hell, she was still in FINE Clarke form in 3×02, and she was still completely ruined at that point.)
basically, I miss Clarke. And her hair. And her interactions with the delinquents she supposedly rules.
LET CLARKE GO HOME 2K16
Titus killing himself was the only part of the Polis Plot I didn’t see coming
“In the meantime, she’s just going to lie and pretend she’s the Commander.” this is why i love Ontari
probably because she acts like evil Clarke or at least a more calculatingly ruthless Clarke (whichiswhatLexausedtobeandwhatshewassupposedtobewhenshewasfarmoreinteresting I mean what)
MONTY HEROIC IN FRONT OF DEMONMOTHER I SOB I WAIL
love that hannah protected him, adds dimension to the second worst character after MOTHERFUCKING PIKE
KISSKISSKISSKISSKISS WHAT A KISS WHAT A KISSSSSSS THAT WAS SUCH A KISS
“Because Lincoln is a beautiful, precious, heroic person far too good for this world, he decides it will be him.” no but I actually just burst into tears how dare you use that still of his walk of glory
HE IS SYDNEY CARTON OF THE APOCALYPSE
IDK IF YOU’VE READ A TALE OF TWO CITIES BUT OMG I LOVE SYDNEY CARTON MAYBE THIS IS WHY LINCOLN’S NOBLE WALK OF SACRIFICE SPEAKS TO ME SO WHOLLY
I AM SPECTACULARLY UN OKAY
also food for thought I think Octavia, while CLEARLY now having a very strong motivator to want to go into the City of Light, will be the person least tempting. Because that girl is motherfucking STEEL and she will tear Pike apart slowly with her bare hands and we shall ascend as a nation
i mean her FACE AFTER LINCOLN….TOOK A NAP. Oh god tears again just leave me here don’t touch me
“and in a fucked up way, absolutely perfect for the character.” YAS
oh dear GOD the bone marrow stuff (and yes the hangings got to me too, possibly bc I’ve become desensitized to film shootings)
Lincoln agency choosing sacrifice honor sobsobsobsob ” walked to his death with his head up ” TIS A FAR BETTER THING IDK I CANT REMEMBER THE QUOTE BUT I AM TELLING YOU. SYDNEY CARTON.
“I had two major fears: that his death would be a plot driven side effect with no character agency, rushed and without the gravity this character deserves and/or that he would rage out and go down fighting and that his last acts would be those of violence, something he’s spent so much of the show trying to avoid. ” YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS I AM SO GLAD NEITHER OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AND NOW I NEED TO GO DRINK MYSELF TO SLEEP
“I’m constantly confused by fan backlash when it’s centered around how dare you put these characters/the audience through so much horrible stuff” this has literally been the show from the pilot which ended with jasper getting SPEARED. and the pilot is the lighthearted peak of the show.
“Once more, Murphy’s sass saves a storyline. ” FURREAL
yesss the way Clarke and Roan totally understand each other and totally WOULD be bffs if circumstances were different STILL HOLDING OUT FOR IT THEY CAN BRAID EACH OTHER’S HAIR once Clarke’s hair becomes HAIR again
BELLAMY INDRA SCENE OMFG MY HEART
““try doing it for 16 years”” my empress
MURPHY ONTARI NEW OTP OF PROBLEMATIC FAVES
omg blood in the water YOU’RE RIGHT holy shit
not. fucking. ready. for. the. Blake. pain.
Carina Olsen
As always, such a lovely review Meg. <3 You are the sweetest. Thank you for sharing all of your thoughts about this episode 😀 Yesss. I'm going to comment on a little bit of it this time. <3
I am pretty curious about Ontari 😀 She seems pretty awesome. Yet brutal. Ugh. I hate her, lol. Yet like her too. But.. as my sister said, why didn't we get to see the head of the dead boy? I told her this isn't Game of Thrones, lol. But then we got to see L get murdered in such a brutal way, and I don't get why we didn't get to see the head. Shrugs. It just bothers me a little bit 🙂
I do not approve of how Octavia is treating Bellamy. I just don't. I don't see why everyone is blaming him for everything. But even my sister blames him for getting Lincoln and them locked up, lol. I just don't 🙂 Can't help it. I love Bellamy the most, and I just can't stop loving him. Shrugs. <3
But.. the Bellamy beating is coming in the next episode for sure now. And I DON'T WANT IT. Damn it. I am going to be angry and upset about it, lol 🙂 But it will be over fast. I hope. I just. I get that everyone loves Octavia. And I do too. But I HATE that she is going to beat Bellamy like that. I goddamn hate it. Like someone said ages ago.. if he had beat her like that, no one would have forgiven him. So why is it okay that she will beat him? Just, not okay for me :p
But sigh. Lincoln. I must admit, I didn't feel sad when he died. I just. I didn't care all that much o.O Which is because I knew it was coming weeeeks ago, like we all did. And so I was just waiting for it to happen. Shrugs. Like my sister said, he didn't have anything else to do in the show :p Sigh. She's pretty negative about just about anything, though, lol 😀 But I do feel sad that he is dead. I'm just not heartbroken about it at all.
Just, yeah. Loved reading all of your thoughts 😀 Hugs. <3