In the twelfth and penultimate episode of the first season of The 100, Clarke and Bellamy clash on what to do with the grounder attack, and Murphy attempts revenge. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch The 100.
Trigger Warning: For body horror/gore, cannibalism.
This show hurts.
Murphy
WHY CAN’T HE DIE. YOU KILLED WELLS, WHY CAN’T YOU KILL HIM OFF INSTEAD. Oh lord, this whole plot was incredibly upsetting, and I know that the show wasn’t actually going to get rid of Bellamy. It’s just miserable to watch someone who is so unlikable and so wrong get away with being unlikable and wrong. As much as The 100 might be about adaptation – and we’ve seen plenty of characters change over the course of the show – I think it also shows us how people like Murphy might thrive (albeit temporarily) in an environment like this. He’s selfish in a way that demonstrates that he believes he’ll always get away scot-free, and I bet that kind of entitlement developed over a long time. He was most likely a terrible bully on the Ark, and now he’s a bully on the ground.
That’s not to suggest he shouldn’t be mad for nearly being lynched. But Murphy doesn’t want growth or healing or justice. He wants the kind of retribution that’s only about causing pain. He only wants to put himself at the center of attention. He wants everything for himself, and he doesn’t care how he gets it or who he harms in the process.
WHY ISN’T HE DEAD YET.
At least Murphy’s actions give us some lovely moments, like Raven telling Jasper to shut up, or Jasper running up to Bellamy and hugging him. And now we know there’s some more fuel/accelerant below the drop ship!
Lincoln
One of the things I find so entertaining about The 100 is that most of the time, I can’t figure out how anything will be resolved. With Finn nowhere to be found and Clarke set to be executed, how could either of them get back to their camp to save their people?
Obviously, that was going to happen. The show might be bold about certain characters and tropes, but there are certain things the story has to have. At the very least, Clarke is the protagonist. Killing her off at this point would be ridiculous and probably pretty terrible for the narrative. The writers know this, so how do they keep our interest? How can they build tension with an inevitable conclusion hanging over us?
The journey. They make one hell of a journey. I figured that Lincoln would make some sort of a return, but taking Finn and Clarke through a network of underground tunnels? Introducing the Reapers? Showing us definitively that the 100 have no fucking clue what they’ve unleashed? I WASN’T READY FOR IT. I adored Lincoln’s change of heart because it’s such a fascinating parallel to what’s happening over at the 100 camp. Hell, for Finn himself, it’s a similar story. Both characters are faced with a reality that would require them to be more violent than they’d like to be. Finn never wanted a war with the Grounders. And now? Lincoln doesn’t want the Grounders to go to war with the 100. He thinks it’s wrong.
EXCEPT NOW THERE ARE REAPERS, TOO, AND WHERE DO THEY GET BODIES FROM, AND ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THEY ONLY EAT LIVING HUMANS? WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE 100. I HAVE BEEN ASKING THIS QUESTION IN EVERY REVIEW AND NO ONE WILL TELL ME THE ANSWER. G O D.
Two Roads
If I understand it correctly, the 100 are now split: half are going with Clarke to meet Lincoln’s contact out by the sea in the east, and the remainder are staying with Bellamy to fight it out. I predict that approximately 0% of this will go well for 100% of these characters. I guess Clarke’s plan could at least bode well for her group because the Grounders aren’t going to expect them to split up. But we still don’t have an idea of the Grounders’ forces. I thought Anya was in charge of all of them, but apparently there’s a commander???
I am nervous.
The Ark
I can’t even imagine how upsetting and terribly sad it must be to know exactly when you’re going to die. With the drop ship gone and a total waste, the surviving occupants of the Ark are left with just 51 hours before life support services are gone. That’s it. They’re dead with no other option. What do you do with your time? How do you spend your last moments of life? Jaha watches videos of Clarke and Wells; Kane tries to run simulations of possible escape scenarios. Most people spend time with their family and friends.
It’s hard to watch, and that’s why I’m cautious about my excitement for Jaha’s plan to save everyone. It’s a longshot, and this show has given us successful longshots before. But what if it doesn’t work? What if the Ark can’t sustain entry into the atmosphere? However, I think that’s the point. In less than two days, they’re all going to die anyway. There’s no changing that. So why not die trying to live?
UGH WHY AM I YET AGAIN CLIFFHANGER’D FOR ANOTHER TWO-PARTER? This is evil.
The video for “We Are Grounders, Part I” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– IÂ will be at numerous conventions in 2016! Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be seasons 1 & 2 of The 100, Death Note, and Neon Genesis Evangelion. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
- Mark Does Stuff is on Facebook! I’ve got a community page up that I’m running. Guaranteed shenanigans!
