The 100 Round Table: In the Red
Amanda Festa
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Since Finn's untimely death, fans of The 100 know that nothing is off limits and no one is truly safe. But that didn't stop us from being frozen in front of our televisions, mouths agape during that last scene of The 100 Season 2 Episode 10.
Join TV Fanatics Lindsay MacDonald, Paul Dailly and Amanda Festa, along with super fan Marko Pekic, as they take a pauna-sized bite out of "Survival of the Fittest." Ready to join in the debate?
This episode had a lot of deep character development happening. Who do you think was the stand-out character of the episode, for better or worse?
Lindsay: Octavia, for sure. She's always been this bridge between worlds, never quite fitting into one or the other completely. I think she's making a big move, taking on the position as Indra's second. She's got the braids, now let's give her the fighting skills to match.
Marko: I agree with Lindsay, Octavia nailed it last night. Octavia was a prisoner her whole life. She started living the day she landed on earth, and won't let anyone take that from her. She wants her life to mean something and I love her development so far. The twist with Kane asking her to be a spy is just a brilliant. Looking forward to seeing how this will resolve.
Paul: I'd go with Octavia. As much as i'd like to go with Lexa, there just wasn't enough of her. Octavia has grown so much in the short time we've seen her. This week it seems like she is finally on her way to being accepted as a warrior. Obviously she has to get attacked a few times before becoming the strong person she will become.
Amanda: Octavia's development is definitely shaping up to be one of my favorite character arcs so far. I really like the way she is stepping into a warrior role, but on her own terms. Whereas Clarke and Bellamy have definitely stepped up to become solid, dependable leaders, they are Arkers through and through. Even when Clarke works with Lexa, it is two distinct methodologies coming together. Octavia is the first Arker to embrace the Grounder way of life, and I think there is a lot more to come with this storyline.
Let's talk about Jaha and Murphy. These two characters could not have been in more different positions on the Ark, and on the ground they seem like they have more in common than most. What do you think of the choice to put these two characters together? What's next for this relationship?
Lindsay: I thought it was a great juxtaposition of the hopeful and the hopeless. Murphy has literally nothing going for him, and Jaha is sometimes overly optimistic to the point of naivete. They really challenged each others world views, and it made for some amazing television.
Marko: I'm happy that Jaha is finally getting a real storyline this season. Connecting these two characters was a surprising move, and I was stunned that it worked so well. Jaha and Murphy are like water and fire and it was interesting to see them develop a relationship. Jaha's hope was so inspiring that even Murphy started to believe in a better tomorrow. I always appreciate those small gestures, like Jaha calling Murphy John, mentioning Wells and what really went down between them.
Paul: It sure is an odd pairing. I quite like it. It's going to be an unexpected friendship. Kind of similar to Bellamy and Lincoln. Going forward, they will progress to the City Of Light, but I'm sure they will encounter many perils along the way. I'd like to see them as allies.
Amanda: I didn't know what to expect from this pairing. At first glance, it seemed quite random. But when you think about Murphy's background, how he came to be part of the 100 – Jaha was a significant part of what led Murphy down the dark road that he's been traveling most of the series. For someone who has a camp named after him, Jaha's role as Chancellor when the Ark was dying prompted some pretty controversial decision-making that caused pain to a lot of people. Having him face up to some of these decisions through this interaction with Murphy was beautifully done. This was a game changer for Murphy's character. He is redeemable and there is a deeper story to tell there.
Lexa shares some Grounder politics about how they choose their leaders. What do you think about this process of election? How does it change how we think about the Grounders? What might it mean for the future of the alliance?
Lindsay: I'm always riveted when we learn about Grounder culture and tradition, but this development was pretty surprising. In a culture that focuses so much on war, violence, and aggression, you wouldn't think they'd value something like the spirit and the mysticism of reincarnation. I figured there would be a simple death match to find the next Commander. Wouldn't it be a plot twist if Octavia was the next to be Chosen?
Marko: I think that this was just a reminder that the Grounders essentially were a peaceful nation with strong believes. Eventually they had to adapt and became warriors to protect themselves from the Mountain Men and the Reapers.
Paul: It sure was interesting. I honestly think that Lexa wants Clarke to lead if she dies. The two of them are becoming really close and Clarke has proven she can lead her people and make tough choices if she needs to. Heck, she killed her sort of boyfriend!
Amanda: Grounder culture fascinates me. Between this revelation and also the story Lincoln told Bellamy about having to murder an Arker, I do really appreciate the little nuggets we have been getting. As for their method of choosing Commanders, I would need to see it in practice. How does the spirit enter the next leader? Is it a first come, first serve type proclamation? I am curious to see how it happens and what kind of fanfare is involved. Unfortunately for Lexa, who I really like, I have a feeling we will be seeing it in action at some point.
We should probably talk about the gorilla in the room. What did you think of this subplot?
Lindsay: Eh, it had filler written all over it, but sometimes you need a murderous gorilla to come storming through your show to keep things interesting. Right?
Marko: It was a bit silly. I mean the gorilla came out of nowhere and was a "cheap" plot device. The Grounders and Sky People live there for quite some time now and they just found the gorilla layer? Either way I loved the Lexa/Clarke bonding scenes and look forward to more of them in the future.
Paul: Loved this. I never ever expected to see a gorilla of this scale on prime time TV. More please.
Amanda: I was surprised that they went in this direction. A gorilla does seem a little out of left field. But thinking about it more, it's an interesting commentary on this post-apocalyptic world they are living it. They are in the Washington DC area, so clearly this is the descendant of caged zoo animals, and obviously radiation or some other unnatural element has had an impact on its adaptation. So, on one hand, while it seems like a silly twist, it does say something about what has happened to nature over the course of the years since the apocalyptic event occurred.
That last scene was quite the shocker. Were you surprised by Lincoln submitting to the red injection at Mount Weather? Can he possibly come back from this a second time, both physically and as a member of the Grounder/Ark alliance?
Lindsay: I'm worried. Not just for Bellamy, but for Lincoln's recovery. We saw how brutal it was last time, I don't know if my heart – or his – can take it again. More importantly, he's burned that bridge with Bellamy, and I shudder to think what Octavia will do when she finds out Lincoln turned over her brother for a fix. Not good.
Marko: I loved the twist! I mean they presented Lincoln's Reaper state as an addiction and him going for the shot was a shock at first but after a second or two I realized, he is addicted, he needs the rush! My heart broke as he knelt down and Bellamy's face changed. Lincoln barely survived the first time and the second time around won't be easier for sure, but still we don't know how drug will affect him the second time around. This is a major set back for the alliance but I hope there is a way to save Lincoln and the kids at the Mount Weather.
Paul: Not really. His body probably wants the red injection. I can only imagine what happens next. He will come back from it, but will he be the good old Lincoln? I don't think so. The grounders will be reluctant to trust him even more now.
Amanda: Bellamy's face in that last scene said it all. The expression of disbelief, and just the absolute knowledge that he is pretty much screwed in that moment was just perfectly portrayed. Honestly, as much as I like Lincoln's character, I think it would be incredibly hard to bring him back from this once more. First, he has pretty much hung both the Grounders and the Arkers (including Octavia!) out to dry. Second, since Finn's death, we know that nothing is off the table. I can't help but forsee a tragic ending for Lincoln. At the same time, the writers are so great at keeping us on our toes, so who knows what they have up their sleeves!
If you missed "Survival of the Fittest" or need to give it a second viewing before joining our conversation, watch The 100 online at TV Fanatic!
