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The 100: Damocles, Part 2

"Be the good guys."

It's the end of the world... again.

No. It's serious this time. They're done with earth. It belongs to the worms now.

There is something funny, maybe poetic even, that everyone ended up napping for 125 years. This season has had everyone on a neverending hamster wheel from the jump. Rushing rushing rushing... just to end up lying down. Silly.

If we had to lose Monty and Harper, I am glad that it happened this way. They got to be together, in peace, watch over their friends, eat terrible algae that Monty didn't stop talking about for thirteen episodes, have a baby, and die old and gray. They chose each other and lived happily ever after. How lovely for them. And watching them live out their lives through the video was just as promising and beautiful as seeing the new pristine planet for the first time. The messages Monty left for his friends were filled with hope and the promise that life doesn't have to be dark and hard and an endless series of horrible choices. I saw it as a revision of Jasper's suicide note. Maybe simply surviving isn't worth living for but that isn't the only option. They can thrive.

On the whole we've spent too much time on issues that in the end didn't matter anyway. Octavia drilled deeper and deeper into madness, becoming unrecognizable even to her brother. Even Kane saw her as an unsaveable villain. But now she isn't. There were multiple practically whole episodes about burrowing worms that never mattered. Clarke incessantly hovered over Madi. She started a war with Diyoza, called at keeping secrets from Octavia and Gaia and Niylah, betrayed almost every person possible. Then at the last minute, inexplicably decides to go against everything she'd been trying to do. It's hard to be mad at these things. I don't want Clarke or Octavia on the wrong side of things and overbearing mom is played out. And I certainly don't need those worms making a comeback. But I can't help feeling like this was a thirteen episode experiment in plotlines that didn't matter.

For next season, I hope that the new planet isn't inhabited. I need whatever tension there's going to be to come from a different place than the us vs. them confrontations that we keep seeing. And I'm saying that I need it, but what I mean is that this show needs it. It's time they got off this merry-go-round. Bellamy went so far as to counsel Madi into saving the lives of thieves and murderers because of the grounds that if they had done that in the first season maybe apocalypse 2 would've never happened and there'd be more left of earth than one tiny valley. And whatever Bellamy and Clarke's leadership roles are, I want them at the core of things working together because the core of what has always worked is those two as a team. Not on the fringes tearing each other apart.

There were some key 100 finale traits here with the 125 year twist, the loss of characters and yet another reset button. But this one burned a lot slower than any we've seen before. I can't really land on a rating that feels right, but it was a standard good showing at the very least.

3 out of 5 extra suns

Bits and pieces

Can someone please confirm if dreaming happens in cryosleep?

McCreary's supporters were hella loyal to let him launch the missiles right at them.

In part 1, I questioned Echo's spy skills. In part 2, I'm just glad that I'm not on the business end of her bow and arrow.

Are we holding out hope that Kane is alive? Did anyone hear anything about salary disputes? It didn't even occur to me that he could survive. As Billie would say, bad reviewer. No biscuit.

Jordan is such a lovely ball of pure and sweet energy. His smile so untouched by the war and bloodshed his parents hated.

I thought it a little odd that Monty and Harper didn't have more kids with all the free time they mentioned in the video message. They could've at least given little Jordan a friend. It also occurred to me how hilarious it would've been if Clarke and Bellamy had woken up to an episode of 19 Kids and Counting.

Madi's last name was listed as Griffin.

Harper asked Bellamy and Clarke to take care of Jordan. They are essentially adoptive parents to him now. Madi has a brother. Cute.

Jordan Jasper Green. It's an interesting parallel of the way people live on vs the virtual reality way ALIE wanted everyone to live on. This kid represents his parent and his namesakes. Four people live on through him.

Clarke, Octavia, Murphy and Miller are all that's left of the 100. Leaving only six if you count Bellamy and Raven, which I do, of the original crew. Wow.

Bellamy: "We’ve been here before. We landed in someone else’s home and we went to war. You can execute them because they’re the enemy, or you can break the cycle. You can be better than them. You can be better than us. The choice is yours."

Octavia: "Eden never stood a chance."

Bellamy: "A part of me will always love you."
Octavia: "Does the other part still wish I was dead?"
Bellamy: "The other part wishes a part of you was."
A part of me can't believe that Bellamy Blake said this to his sister's face. But all of me can see what he's saying.

Monty: "Be the good guys. May we meet again."

END BOOK 1

RIP Lovebirds

5 comments:

  1. That final part of the episode was some of the best of the 100 since season 2 ended. It's really telling that a video-blog monologue can be so much more riveting to watch then all the frantic running and fighting at the beginning of the episode.

    I too want a slower next season without the us vs. them hing. But I'm betting that the Eligius 3 crew is down there and already built a civilization that will try to kill our hereos...

    I don't know if you can dream in cryo but my observation is: 125 years pregnant must be a record. Wonder if the cryo chambers were designed for two.

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  2. While I've been frustrated by much of the season, the closing minutes were beautiful. But I think they really need to do something different with the next season. If they're just going to rehash the same kinds of plotlines again, I think they'd be better off ending it right here on a perfect note.

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  3. Actually, she’d be 225 yrs and 6-7 months pregnant! She was 100yrs and 5 months when they landed. They slept another 125. So, depending on how long they were down there trying to kill each other, the months may be differerent. Either way, that’s A REALLY LONG TIME!

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  4. Finally got to this finale, and I have to say that The 100 always goes big and takes story risks. No more Earth, only 412 humans alive, and here they are at a new planet after a time jump? If the writers of this show played it safe, they'd still be living in Camp Jaha fighting the Grounders.

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  5. I really liked this finale. Once it was about leaving Earth as quickly as possible, it kind of felt like the fourth season finale, which is one of their finest hours, and I enjoyed the tone. I also liked how it was about ending a big chapter. This could have been the series finale if it weren't for the many character arcs that are clearly not finished. The conclusion of Monty and Harper's story was terrific, just the end they deserved. And the actor who plays Jordan really looks like he could be their son, great casting there.

    McCreary bombing the valley showed how crazy he was and how ridiculous it was of Clarke to ever side with him.

    I'm betting that the Eligius 3 crew is down there and already built a civilization that will try to kill our hereos...

    I feel the same way. Ever since Raven stumbled upon their locked file, the one she couldn't crack, Eligius 3 has "next enemy" written all over them.

    I can't help feeling like this was a thirteen episode experiment in plotlines that didn't matter.

    I get your point, mostly when it comes to Clarke's arc. But, overall, I think this was a good season. Maybe taking long breaks between seasons makes the stories feel fresher. I noticed the story beats repeating themselves, but the clothing was different enough for the ride to be enjoyable.

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