Season three of “The 100” might have ended with Clarke saving the day, but as season four opens just moments after those events, she’s already got the next mission on her mind. She knows that radiation will eventually bring the world to an end, but she and Bellamy have more immediate worries as many of the Grounders blame Wanheda for their losses and Azgeda is out for blood.
'There’s nothing like a little pain to remind you you’re alive'
“The 100” is always good for those one-liners that stick with you, and Raven’s words when Jasper asks her how she’s doing are one of them.
The series is a show about apost-apocalypticc world that always seems to be on the brink of war or disaster, and it’s been called too dark by some. Raven’s line speaks to why we watch the dark and the dreary and the tragic though. Humanity shares on one another’s pain and it reminds us what it really means to live. No one knows that better than she does.
Echo is not messing around
Clarke, Bellamy, and the others quickly find that the Grounders in Polis want nothing to do with them after the events that occurred in the City of Light and the pain they’re feeling now. Echo, representing the Ice Nation, takes a particularly harsh stance in the midst of a power vacuum though, killing a member of the Grounder Coalition in the middle of the street and essentially declaring war on Skaikru in addition to making herself acting ruler since Roan is in grave danger.
Who would have thought Echo, a girl in a cage at Mount Weather, would turn out to be in the middle of a political power grab? Echo’s maneuvers lead to the core group of Skaikru characters stuck in Polis completing some risky plans that lead to some of the most intense standoffs the show has had.
Octavia has become Skaikru’s secret weapon
Instead of going straight to war with Azgeda, or running for the hills, those of Skaikru in Polis enact a bit of subterfuge. While Jaha supposedly brings Ontari to be laid to rest with other Azgeda dead, it’s really Octavia, wrapped in a sheet, who then takes out as many guards as she can.
Why? To get Clarke and Abby inside the building to save Roan while Bellamy is busy distracting Echo with a fake surrender.
It’s masterfully done, though it doesn’t necessarily work out as expected. In such a short amount of time, Octavia has become the one person everyone seems to be able to trust to get things done, no matter how difficult or dangerous. Clarke and Bellamy might pull the strings and be looked to for advice, but it’s Octavia who puts things into action. She’s had one of the best character arcs on the show.
‘The 100’ have six months
It looks like Allie was telling the truth about the radiation levels rising. Raven found the truth and she doesn’t seem to believe that there’s anything they can do to stop radiation from killing them all.
Given that “The 100” has only taken place over a few months since season one began, we might not even get to the end of that six months in season four.
Raven might not know of an immediate solution to their problem, but Bellamy has faith. As he tells Clarke at the top of the episode, “We didn’t survive this long just to let a little radiation take us out.” It’ll be interesting to see how the group can possibly take on something like worldwide radiation levels.
Of course, Jasper seemed to want out of this life sooner than six months. His story got very dark as he couldn’t deal with his pain last season. It looks like knowing he’s going to die might have lightened his load a bit.
The verdict and what’s next
With Roan agreeing to Clarke’s terms and the need for survival more paramount than ever, the season promises to be fast-paced and even more intense than last season.
4 out of five stars
In next week’s “Heavy Lies the Crown,” the CW drama sees Bellamy and Clarke struggle with their leadership positions.
