Oh come on, now that's how you do a beautiful episode. A little push, a little pull. All the while inexplicably barreling along like a freight train.
You could say that this episode felt really familiar. Like maybe we've already seen it play out in this series once or twice before and I don't totally disagree. On The 100, the focus is on the characters and how they grow, learn and evolve. That's been especially true this season and I think the trade off is a mild sense of deja vu.
Bellamy has been weighted with the responsibility of having a sister since we met him. They were the only siblings on the Ark so there was never any frame of reference for what having a sibling meant. Octavia was forced to be completely dependent on her mother and brother. And Bellamy became a caretaker. Responsible for whatever fate fell on his sister. On the Ark, he struggled and made sacrifices to keep her safe. He murdered almost anyone he thought could be a threat to her. Everything he has done is in her name even when it drove her away. Now that responsibility has shifted. Octavia is still his sister and therefore still his responsibility but now it isn't about saving her. It's about saving people from her. Bob Morley deserves acting stars for that final scene. His facial expressions alone were pure gold. Luckily Monty discovered the coma inducing algae soup because even for Clarke, I can't see him outright killing her.
Clarke is the same kick-ass, quick-on-her-feet survivor that she's always been. Once she realized that Octavia was going to keep Madi too close to extract her, the wheels started turning. She brokered a deal for peace, decided to overthrow a government, came up with a plan B to the queen assassination, convinced Monty to help them, unleashed the worms killing Cooper and convinced Bellamy to take out his sister. Okay, I think that last one was accidental. She was probably genuinely asking him to take care of her daughter. But wow. Impressive as ever but now she fights for Madi first. I have to say watching her struggle with the same choices Abby was faced with when we first started this journey is incredibly compelling. It'll be even more interesting to see how Madi reacts to all the decisions Clarke is making on her behalf.
I guess we have to talk about Abby now, huh? No no no no no no no. Not Raven Reyes. Raven warning Abby not to try comparing pain with her and reminding us all that she is arguably the most tortured character in the verse made my heart hurt. She hasn't really stopped getting tortured since she crashed on earth. It really is so unfair that she be expected to help shoulder the burden of even more pain for someone else now. And holy smokes, Abby is off the rails. It could make things very interesting to have such an easily manipulated pawn in the fight between McCreary and Diyoza. She will literally work for whoever can supply her the highest dose. I think that's what her electrocuting Raven was supposed to tell us. She certainly can't be trusted. That Abby Griffin isn't calling the shots anymore – her addiction is.
Kane has shown such a flair for diplomacy ever since meeting Alexa that I am forced to wonder why he never showed any of that talent on the Ark. I know I have to chalk it up to early writing
I need Echo to be more of a team player so that she doesn't push all the friends she's made away. I really want to believe that the former gold medalist in double-crossing can do it but I'm not totally convinced. Keep your fingers crossed for her.
It wasn't perfect and I had to watch it twice to appreciate it as much as I do now but I'm enjoying where we are going.
4 out of 5 worm eggs. Ick.
Bits and pieces
I'm pretty shocked that Kara Cooper is dead. I shouldn't be. It is The 100 after all, but I thought she'd stick around for awhile. Not that it matters now but she earned points with me for showing kindness to Monty.
Speaking of Monty. As much as I'd hate to lose him and as much as I doubt it will work out, I like the idea of his character getting some peace and living as a farmer in Polis with Harper.
Emori stood up to Murphy again and I am into it. Ultimately I really like them together but not if they make each other feel bad about themselves. You go, Emori.
I wonder if Miller was ever sentenced to the fighting pit.
Did Octavia purposefully leave out the worm egg details as a test? It's interesting that Clarke, Bellamy and Indra were kept in the dark. All people she is suspicious of. But interestingly Clarke's is the only execution she called for.
Clarke finally washed the color out of her hair.
I really like Kane's ponytail.
Sweet Jiminy Christmas, she's going to name that baby Hope, isn't she?
Clarke: "Suddenly I'm the one letting my heart rule my head."
I had to use this quote to lead the review because for better or worse, everyone seems to be experiencing a change in who they are and what they believe.
Harper: "Everyone dies, Monty. Let’s show them how to live."
Abby: "Do you remember the pain after the City of Light?"
Raven: "Don't you talk to me about pain."
Kane: "I’ve seen the horrors we inflict on each other in the name of survival, Colonel. God knows I’m as guilty as anyone."
Kane: "The ends don’t always justify the means."
Good thing no one imparted this wisdom at the start of the series. There would be no show.
Bellamy: "My sister, my responsibility."
Octavia: "Here we go again. Pleading for the life of a traitor... who you love."
I'm convinced this was a tip of the hat to Bellarke shippers. Not that I question his love for her.
Bellamy: "By the time you wake up, we’ll be in the valley and we’ll have peace."
Um, a coma is nowhere near as final as death but this is still an incredible gamble.
Amazing episode..But lets not talk like Clarke was on some heroic mission. Bellamy and Clarke are plain hypocrites and just as bad as Octavia....and i love it. There is an argument to say that Octavia is better than them because she is an equals opportunist murderer at least...However that last scene changed everything.
ReplyDeleteI was heartbroken as Octavia let that one tear slide out in reaction to Bellamy's betrayal...For all intents and purposes Octavia is dead, the last piece of her humanity was Bellamy and that is broken now.. Shes going to be 10x worse when she wakes up and that worries me because that will only end one way..Which is Octavia's death...Her methods are too extreme for everyone else..She has to go before the show can mve forward. Like with Jasper when everyone was expecting him to 'snap' out of it eventually i can see the same road for Octavia here.
The HOpe bit was probably some cross-promotion. Mo way the child surives long enough to be born. This is the 100 where everyone plots to kill everyone for the greater good.
ReplyDeleteLike maybe we've already seen it play out in this series once or twice before and I don't totally disagree.
ReplyDeleteYes, we've seen the characters work their way to stop war several times now. But they also manage to revamp the storyline well enough to keep it engaging.
Harper: "Everyone dies, Monty. Let's show them how to live."
I loved this line so much. Nobody is paying attention to him, except for Harper, but Monty really is the leader these people need, a true peacemaker with a real sense of humanity.
Bellamy and Clarke's plan was too obvious. Even if Octavia hadn't kept information that would automatically make their plan fail, she probably would've seen through their actions.
I know many fans don't like Abby, but I generally like her, probably because she was the first decent older character we met on the show. But torturing Raven? Never a character lost so many points so quickly.
And wow, Bellamy actually poisoned Octavia. While Clarke has been doing everything for Madi, Bellamy seems to be doing it for the greater good. Good for him. I've had issues with Bellamy ever since that terrible season 3 storyline in which he became a mass murderer, but he has come a long way ever since. And, nothing to do with Bellamy's character development, but Bob Marley is looking extra hot this season.