Moving forward has never felt better, especially when the journey feels refreshing and promising again.

The perfect word for this episode, both before and after, was all about the expectation of it. 

There was so much worry with the characters that found themselves together again but now on different sides. But there was also excitement at what could be. The potential is on another level with the leads back on our screen again. 

But just like the group on Bardo that has been sent who knows where have learned, things are never going to happen the way you may have planned. Sometimes that can be a very good thing, though, especially with the risks that payout along the way.

During The 100 Season 7 Episode 12, Bellamy's support of Cadogan is explored further as he sees all of his loved ones again. He is put to the test when he has to find a way to keep his friends alive and support Cadogan's plan for all humanity. He suggests using the flame, and that leads the big players in Bardo right back to Sanctum, where they catch the middle of Sheidheda's reign.

Meanwhile, Sanctum is suffering under Sheidheda when another massacre breaks out. Murphy and Emori are trying their best to keep as many innocent people hidden as possible, but Nikki creates a problem that ends with Murphy sacrificing his safety. 

"The Stranger," written by Blythe Ann Johnson, is an episode that has a lot to accomplish, and it exceeds those expectations with its phenomenal dialogue and emotional beats. It is a reminder of what the entire season should have been while making this standalone story a unique surprise. 

This episode uses a collection of various pair-offs to push the characters further, and it also made room to finally explore some of the consequences for the actions that came before it.

The events that unfold create lasting impressions on the characters involved, and there is a natural ability to show the audience right from the start of the episode. It made us question our expectations, and it finally offered new worthwhile questions to consider in the long run.

It was a refreshing approach to the storytelling, providing quality growth, and yet making us wonder what this means for the last season. It didn't make the aftermath of Bellamy's choices any easier, but it made the characters involved (and the audience) feel the confusion that comes with the Etherea aftermath.

This episode stood out because of how unexpected it was, with every decision creating a new conversation around it. 

Bellamy's Confused State of Mind (Feat. Cadogan's Words of Various Wisdom)

This is a reminder that Bellamy was always loved, is currently loved, and will continue to always be loved. 

At the same time, it isn't fair that this has to be said because of how long it took to get him back and how much of a struggle his return has been.

It can be challenging to navigate this arc between knowing Bellamy went through a traumatic experience vs. wondering how much this version of Bellamy is just someone who needs to exist for the story that is being told.

While this episode works hard to allow Bellamy a voice and doesn't villanize him for wanting a peaceful life for the people he cares about, it isn't fair. It isn't fair that this one episode is meant to do the hard work of rationalizing a storyline that is being thrown out there at the last minute.

Echo: Is it more important than us?
Bellamy: ...Yes.

• Permalink: Is it more important than us?

It also isn't fair that Bellamy Blake seems only to deserve less than a handful of episodes to have this story. 

If this episode accomplished one thing, it was proving that this story could have been told, but it had to be a season-long arc.

Bellamy deserved to really have a personal journey and the room to explore what that meant. Instead, he is being rushed along because the narrative needs him to end up in a particular place in time for the series finale. His legacy and his relationships with all the other characters are suffering as a result.

This entire season was about people searching for Bellamy, and then it became an attempt to allow others to mourn the significant person that they lost. But the show knew he was coming back, so they didn't wade in those waters for too long, and now he returns to be a plot twist to create conflict.

This, of course, moves us into wondering if this story even needed to be told.

To be clear, Bellamy's reasoning for what he is doing does make sense. But you have to wonder why the show is putting him in this position; this has been a problem for a few seasons now.

Does The 100 think this is the best story for the character? Or is this character a puzzle piece to help facilitate a storyline because of an outside reason?

Bellamy Blake could have gotten tired of fighting every day of his life to keep his family alive when there was no end in sight for the constant violence and destruction. He could have wanted to find something to believe in that promises his people and him a happy and free life.

But he didn't want to trade his people in for the entire population, especially not to fight some last war because he saw Cadogan in that Annihilation cave. The 100 uses real trauma that Bellamy could be working through and manipulating it to make it relevant to a random storyline.

And frankly, the show is conflating those two points to offer Bellamy a story, yet at the same time to have him somehow bring it back to the Plot Of The Week.

The main point is that regardless of Bellamy's motivations, all of this was created for the show's sake and not the main male character. 

Still, this is Bellamy, and no matter what, he is driven by the exclusive love and worry that he has for those around him. 

And now I am trying to save you! All of you! Clarke, if you don't tell me where it is ... they will execute all of you. Please let me help.

Bellamy

• Permalink: And now I am trying to save you! All of you! Clarke, if you don't tell me where it is ......

It isn't fair though that he is cursed never to have an arc that revolves around him, and then when he is thrown something, it is to benefit the conflict and not the characterization.

A big comparison that can be drawn here is between Bellamy and Cadogan vs. Bellamy and Pike.

During The 100 Season 3, Bellamy was lost and was looking for a way to move on from the lives lost. Pike saw firsthand that peace wasn't possible when the Sky People were the enemy to the Grounders. He wanted to find a way to protect their people, and he enlisted Bellamy to help.

Bellamy once again believed in what this would do to help keep everyone he loves saved. His heart was what allowed this storyline to move, but the screentime didn't think it was worth focusing on.

Bellamy (and Pike's) actions were not explored like they should have been, and their voices were silenced in the scenes that mattered. There wasn't time for the audience to see why Bellamy came to the choices that he did. Instead, he was forced to explain himself after the fact.

Sound familiar?

This time around, the audience was allowed to see Bellamy's journey, but it didn't naturally think about what would make sense for his character.

Because Bellamy still isn't an actual member of this Bardo cult, he is breaking the rules left and right because he literally cares about his people more. He keeps breaking the one law Cadogan made, and everyone pretends not to see it because we have to pretend Bellamy is a threat.

It is fascinating how Bellamy only got off Etherea because he wanted to go back to his people, and he saved his mountain friend because that guy was his friend.

Then Bellamy gets to Bardo and wants to make sure his people don't get punished for what they did. A genuine member of Bardo wouldn't care if they were sent to Penance; it would be Cadogan's way.

Bellamy instead manipulates Cadogan's weakness for his family and lies about the flame to give his family a chance to survive. He then tries to explain to them that to survive, it is in their best interest to give the flame up, whether it works or not. It isn't about actually making anything happen for Cadogan's sake; everything that Bellamy is doing is still for his people.

Except now, he just has a new outfit while he does it.

But the show wants to pretend that Bellamy is this unrecognizable person, and yet the episode proves that he couldn't be farther away from that.

Bob Morley is capable of creating layers to a character whose feelings aren't prioritized by the show, but there is only so much he could do.

The actor and the audience shouldn't be questioning the reason for putting Bellamy in this position. The audience also shouldn't have to wish there was more thought put into Bellamy's journey because we seem to care more than the show does.

It is discouraging because the audience is willing to go on any journey that Bellamy is on, but at the same time, this isn't for him. Everything that Bellamy is is torn apart, and if he is dying in a few episodes, then it is even more upsetting that this is all The 100 thinks he is worthy of.

Bellamy deserves to be the priority in this story, as the male lead and the beating heart of the show.

It shouldn't be about what Bellamy can do for the Bardo storyline; what can the Bardo storyline do for Bellamy?

All it is capable of doing is diminishing the development he spent six seasons exploring and not genuinely letting Bellamy be the hero in his own life.

He keeps looking for someone to lead him because he doesn't believe he can offer that. But Bellamy is the leader that he is spending all this time looking for, and he is the person the audience wants to watch for. 

If anyone is capable of giving them a chance at more than just war, it is Bellamy.

If anyone is capable of finding that happy ending for the ones he loves, it is Bellamy. 

This episode tries as hard as it can to show the drive behind Bellamy's choices, but it can't fix the careless way that The 100 has let Bellamy Blake down this season.

Sanctum Has A Dilemma (Yet Again)

One of the biggest strengths in this episode was how it took expectations and threw them out the window.

Nelson was a dynamic and different character; there was all of this potential to find a place with our favorite characters. But at the same time, there was so much pain around his choices and his life. In a way, there was no other ending for Nelson this season than death.

His phrase about "death to primes" motivated his choices and his last sacrifice for his own free will.

In a chilling and very unexpected sequence, Nelson stands behind his words of never following a false god. His principal and the motivations for his people is to live a life where they aren't blindly following someone because they have no other choice. 

There is always a choice, and Nelson makes his with the support of the other Children of Gabriel.

Lee Majdoub delivered Nelson's final moments with remarkable strength; it was a reminder of who Nelson always wanted to be. 

The only regret is that Nelson didn't want to fall false gods anymore, and Gabriel's focus this season was moving away from that side of him as well. Nelson and Gabriel deserved to see each other one last time; it would have been an interesting reunion to explore. 

There is all this talk of leaders; some characters are looking to find one, and others are trying to pretend they are the leader everyone is looking for. Nelson is just trying to find freedom in his life, and those that follow behind him just want the same thing he does.

That is why it is so powerful that Nelson sticks to the lesson he learned before all of this. It is also meaningful to have that be the essence of his time on the show.

Just like Indra, we could not be more proud.

Someone we could be more proud of, though, is Sheidheda. He continues to create chaos because he heard that Sanctum is on a slower time difference than Bardo.

So he needs to keep wasting time explaining what was happening in Sanctum while Bardo had months of content, and the results left a little to be desired. 

Clarke: Today, I am standing in front of my best friend, who I thought was dead, and I don't even recognize him.
Bellamy: Clarke, I am the same person who brought you back from the dead. Who refused to give up on you.

• Permalink: Clarke, I am the same person who brought you back from the dead. Who refused to give up on you.

If there is a time difference, then obviously something needs to happen in Sanctum at a slower speed, but somehow Sheidheda's claim to fame just isn't it. The characters in Sanctum needed something to do until they can be added to the larger equation, but the Commander storyline felt out of place last season. Imagine how irrelevant it feels now.

There is no point in Sanctum except to waste time, and that shouldn't be how the final season is handled.

But yet here we are watching him get a new throne and a new partner to play chess. At least someone is having a good day in Sanctum.

Then there is Nikki continuing to stir just enough conflict to move things somewhere, but it isn't anywhere the audience wants to be. It is the same old thing, and if there weren't scenes outside where we saw the light sometimes, all of this could just be happening on the same night with no end in sight.

Again, the only substantial aspects are Indra, Emori, and Murphy with a side of Madi whenever possible. But strong characters and acting can only carry the show so far if there is no story. Sheidheda creating problems isn't a story, and neither is him killing a bunch of people. 

Indra, Emori, and Murphy carry the Sanctum story, but it is the bare minimum over there right now.

For a show that isn't about relationships because love is weakness and feelings suck, Murphy and Emori sure are proving that point wrong.

They are the safest couple on this show, and there is no obstacle too significant for them. On the one hand, it is nice to see that relationships can exist, and it does wonders for both of them.

On the other hand, it is hard not to choke on the irony of Murphy and Emori existing around one another even though the show claims it doesn't want to focus on that.

Moving on, Sheidheda's people go looking for Gaia because they also want to figure out where she ended up after all this time. But instead, they found an Anomaly Stone that may or may not be in perfect condition, even though it was offline, and it fell after Gaia left into it.

But the audience shouldn't question that because the show needed the stone to work again, so it does. 

Through it comes some of our favorites, and they have questions. Something tells me there won't be time for answers, but there are some solutions to be found in Sanctum.

Cadogan wants the flame, that will get messy if Sheidheda becomes involved. The overlap will combine with Sanctum's red sun and the characters on opposite sides trying to catch up.

We could talk about how using the red sun to create conflict in the upcoming episode is just another word for filler, but who has the energy to complain about that anymore?

Much like the people on Bardo who were sent to some random place until they are needed again, the audience is mainly in the same boat now too.

The Bellamy and Clarke Fight That Broke Thousands of Hearts

How many times can it be said that Bellamy and Clarke deserve better before the words lose all meaning?

Once again, the episode's expectations took an interesting turn because Bellamy and Clarke's relationship did get explored at the root of all the conflict. But while it is nice to see Bellamy and Clarke let it all out, the episode has a lot to cover when it shouldn't have to. 

Clarke is coming off of Bellamy saving her life and then her thinking she lost him. She had to sit in the feelings of loss, while she also tried to find a way to be herself without him around.

Meanwhile, Bellamy stopped at nothing to get back to Clarke and then joins Cadogan because he sees that as the best way to keep her safe. After all the chaos that everyone created in Bardo, their options are limited. 

Clarke wants to sacrifice herself for her people. Bellamy wants to find a way to keep anyone from being sentenced to Penance.

Now if only Echo didn't kill all those people in Bardo that everyone as a group has to answer for now. But that's a point for another day.

Bellamy and Clarke find themselves at an impasse, which usually should be a good thing for the show. If Bellamy and Clarke struggle to see each other's points of view, it is naturally a form of conflict.

Not everything has to be a big reveal about some random surprise plot that doesn't have enough context to land as a twist. 

Instead, it can be the main characters that are a unit, not knowing how to relate to one another. The emotionally-driven conflict between Bellamy and Clarke is an effortless way to form an obstacle, and it is more gratifying to explore how this gets resolved.

But instead, the audience sees where Bellamy is coming from, and they understand why Clarke is struggling to trust the process, but Bellamy and Clarke don't trust each other.

It is frustrating again that this fight is an amazing source of pain and emotion between the two; it is exactly what we love about them. This is an authentic portrayal of a relationship going through its problems, but the content doesn't back it up.

Clarke has to be on the offense, even if it makes no sense for her to not just hear Bellamy out. He keeps having to explain what he went through and yet it is him going through the motions.

Bellamy is talking, and no one is listening. For someone who has never had harmful intentions and always did everything he could for his people, it isn't fair that no one is trying to see where Bellamy is coming from.

It is one thing for Bellamy and Clarke to have different opinions, but right now, they are just pawns that need to be on different sides of the chessboard.

On the same wave, Bellamy forgets that he was in the same position that Clarke was. He didn't believe in any of this, and he wanted to see proof before he could support anything blindly. He got it, and now he is struggling to explain it to his partner.

But she is very much like him; Clarke needs to witness what happened so she could relate to his belief system. Bellamy only sees how he is trying to save Clarke, but he isn't thinking of how little Clarke saw about what he went through.

As always, though, the bigger issue is the way the show is handling it, it is rushing. There isn't much time, but they know they need to give Bellamy and Clarke the ability to talk. The endgame though, is them still being on different sides when they get to Sanctum, so the conversation is rocky.

Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor always manage to carry the emotional weight between their characters, and their chemistry makes this scene an undeniable angst feast. But there is potential for so much more if the show explored this relationship.

It isn't fair to the leads of the show that their relationship is being explored when there are four episodes left, and the plot is only starting to head somewhere. 

It feels repetitive to complain again that Clarke was ignored by the season until this episode and that Bellamy didn't even exist until he became "the stranger." 

Saying goodbye to these characters starts to feel hollow when the audience cares about them more than The 100 right now. But caring means exploring their pain with them, even when they are just as frustrated as we are.

Now the MCAP moment was something that fans really wanted to see, but it was brilliant of the episode not to let it have any more weight than it did.

Because as much potential as there could have been in putting Clarke in MCAP with Bellamy in the room, if there is one thing The 100 struggles with it is potential.

So if it was still going to end with Bellamy not stepping in, then spending more time with Clarke in pain would have been useless.

But it was interesting that Bellamy knows that Clarke is aware of where the flame is. Raven might not know exactly where it ended up, but Clarke made it clear she won't tell them.

As Clarke fights again MCAP though Bellamy can't watch, instead suggesting to Cadogan that maybe she doesn't know its location. This is a constant effort on Bellamy's part to shift the narrative to match what he wants Cadogan to do.

He mentioned to Raven and Echo that they are listening, which wouldn't be a concern for someone who is part of Bardo. Then he manipulated Cadogan with the flame. He tried to get Clarke's torture to stop by telling Cadogan she must not know where it is.

He is continuously showing that his loyalty is to his people, even if Cadogan refuses to see it, and the others ignore it.

It is hard to watch Bellamy and Clarke struggle to get on the same page, but the angst between them is still a reminder of what works. Relationships and emotions drive The 100 whether the show likes it or not, and it is only then that things start to make sense.

Bellamy and Clarke talking is more cohesive to what the show has represents then hitting us over the head about yet another war. 

The only worry now is if all of this angst will have time to be resolved before the series wraps. Bellamy and Clarke have never been more distant, yet their soulmate bond has never been more necessary for the show to go on.

The priority has to be on them and where they go from here, not how their sides will win a war. There is no doubt that all of this will be too rushed, and that relationship deserves better.

But at this time nothing can change the fact that this is the situation.

Now, The 100 needs to rise to the occasion and follow through with their most meaningful relationship.

It is all about how Bellamy and Clarke exist around each other, and there is no time to forget that now.

Perfect Pair-Offs and A Path Back To What Should Have Been

One of the best aspects of the episode was how it knew exactly what was missing this season and dug into it. Allowing characters to talk to one another about their feelings is something that has been lacking for a while, and this episode showed how it should have been this entire time.

Each look at a duo seems to represent something more than what meets the eye.

Jordan and Hope are children of the original characters who are left without guidance. 

While Hope is adjusting to no longer having the support system she spent all this time trying to get back, Jordan has been through that. The loss that Jordan felt was external for most of his time on screen. 

He had to work through that pain, and having him there for Hope was a perfect set-up.

The bonds on the show aren't always explored as they should be, but the potential still exists. So even if it doesn't last long, it was perfect getting to see Jordan be there for someone the way that he wanted others to be there for him.

Because everyone had their issues to worry about, and seemingly no one is checking in on Jordan. But he is someone who cares about others so much that he takes what he isn't being given and passes it to someone who needs it more. 

His connection with Hope creates promise for her to move forward and for him to make a new friend. 

It is also important for Hope to remember that she lost her mom but that Octavia still exists. Octavia is always there for Hope, and their relationship deserves more attention now more than ever.

From there, we move to Echo and Raven, a duo struggling with the choices they had to make and the anger they feel towards Bellamy.

This room was the hardest on Bellamy, and while he didn't make progress anywhere, this was the angriest place that he went into. It wasn't easy to understand why Raven wrote Bellamy off all things considered.

In general, it seems like Raven struggles to see Bellamy and Clarke's side more than she struggles with anyone else.

She just forgave Echo for the genocide she was about to commit, and forgive is a strong word considering she didn't show any issues with her choices. Raven understood and comforted Echo, a move she doesn't extend to Bellamy and Clarke.

Raven also excused Murphy's behavior when he sold everyone out to Russell because he wanted to protect himself.

She can see the reason behind their choices, but when it comes specifically to Clarke and Bellamy, Raven puts different expectations on them.

She can't reason Bellamy's selfless search for safety when it comes to their friends. He was trying to clean up the mess that everyone else made, and yet he is the enemy. But when Murphy selfishly was looking out for himself and Emori, it wasn't a problem for her.

She also can't reason Clarke's choices where she has to make a decision that might end up with casualties. But then when Echo was killing people for no reason on Penance, no reason on Bardo, and then torturing Levitt and trying to wipe out everyone Bardo, it was reasonable.

Raven herself just ended up responsible for the loss of Hatch and his people, but where is the room for Bellamy to make mistakes? If Raven really thinks he isn't right, that doesn't mean it needs to be approached that way.

This also isn't a slight at Raven; the issue is more with how the show views her. She is put through a storyline where people die because of her so that she can see Clarke (and Bellamy's) side more. But then a few episodes pass, and her screentime is forgotten, as is her compassion.

It isn't her fault, but it is unfair that she only exists these days to be mad at certain characters and support others. What about Raven's purpose?

Miller and Niylah also were meant to be rooming together when Bellamy would approach them about his new role in Bardo. That may have been cut, but the Team Gay vibes are still as present as ever.

Then we arrive at the final door where the people that Bellamy loves are waiting for him. This is where all of the emotion is waiting for him.

Octavia and Clarke have always come together because of their individual connections to Bellamy. So it was inevitable that they would find friendship again by both his loss and this reunion with him.

While Octavia didn't have a lot of room to talk to her brother, having her watch as he and Clarke went back and forth elevated the scene. It was Bellamy against the women that he loved, and it was difficult in that room.

Because while the others didn't understand Bellamy, Octavia and Clarke were the ones he thought would. He was more affected by them not seeing his side or understanding where he was coming from.

He didn't cry with anyone else, but trying to explain to Clarke that this was for her finally pushed him there. 

It was heartbreaking because these were the people Bellamy was fighting to get back to, and now they didn't recognize him, and he couldn't get them to see him fully.

These are the relationships that matter the most; all of them exist in that room. And those are the relationships that will need the most work to heal themselves before the end.

Clarke is the only one left around Bellamy right now, but the Blake siblings still need to talk after everything they went through.  

Octavia is again not being given a chance to work out what happened, and it needs to happen soon.

Clarke now has the weight of trying to find common ground with Bellamy, because nothing will make sense until they do. 

Stray Thoughts

• For any The 100 fans looking for some nostalgia as the series concludes, TV Fanatic has a surprise interview series for you! "Looking Back On The 100" centers on monumental cast members and characters from the show that left their mark.
   

  We spoke with Eli Goree about his time on the show, as well as Michael Beach about the journey he had, and we even took a walk down memory lane with Christopher Larkin and Aaron Ginsburg. We even checked in with Zach McGowan about that surprise return to the show.
  
  We also spoke with Leah Gibson about #GinaWasReal and Nadia Hilker about creating the character of Luna.
  
  Chai Hansen also looked back at the show with us when it came to his time on it as Ilian. And Charmaine DeGraté expanded on her writing journey with the show, as well as what it was like to write for Bellamy and Octavia Blake. 
  
  Eve Harlow spoke with us as well about Maya's pure presence on the show and about Maya's relationship with Jasper. Ivana Milicevic reflected on the message that Diyoza left behind after her exit. 
  
  Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past!

• It is very strange how little Bellamy and Octavia were allowed to interact, especially since she is his sister. She didn't ask about him seeing their mother or what he went through. Wouldn't siblings need to catch one another up? Wouldn't Octavia want to talk to Bellamy after she thought he died?
  
  Can someone let Octavia be a person who has feeling even if they don't relate to the storyline?

• Why does Cadogan keep trusting Gabriel? He keeps defending his friends and he isn't loyal to Bardo. But knows a lot of information about them and Cadogan keeps inviting him over.
  
  Cadogan really has a soft spot for men who aren't actually on his side. But who can blame him? Bellamy and Gabriel are perfect.

• Speaking of Bellamy and Gabriel, who saw that flirting? There is no heterosexual explanation for this entire interaction and I don't want one even if there was.

• Gabriel is aiming for a sequal dating show or something because right after looking at Bellamy like that he followed it up by looking at Raven. Gabriel just wants to date one of our favorite characters and he doesn't care who. Anyone. Everyone.

• Sheidheda has great aim for someone who (we assume) hasn't used a gun before. His eyesight should also be limited because of his eye patch but he hit every target perfectly and we pretend not to have any questions about it.

• RIP to all the Nelson and Emori scenes that could have happened from here. He was meant to help her raise her unborn child!

• Cadogan bringing up Reese to Bellamy felt like the best callout of all time. Bellamy and Reese would be able to relate to one another, and it is interesting that Cadogan connected them. There was so much emotion bubbling at the surface of Reese, it makes sense that Bellamy is the connection.
  
  Bellamy was probably the inspiration for him too.

• We also learned that Cadogan really never saw his family again, which creates barriers for the prequel if he would never be able to exist there? Once again it means Cadogan never comes back if the prequel gets picked up, and that would be a big loss of potential. Cadogan introduced us to the prequel and his family, he needs to be here and not traveling the universe.
  
  He is the reason the prequel opened its doors, so not having him creates a disconnect again.

You look good in white.

Gabriel

• Permalink: You look good in white.

• Where do we think the others were sent? Name a planet. Any planet!

• The way that the dude from Etherea heard that Bellamy might find another boyfriend in Gabriel so he decided to show up with his new look? Bellamy is like catnip to the men in white on Bardo. We have to respect that because same. 

• This really hurts. But it also confirms that Madi and the other children are meant to represent the future, 

• Did they have to bring the Anomaly Stone in the room like that? Couldn't they just roll it in? The logic goes over my head, but the way everyone was struggling when it didn't need to be that hard was hilarious. And none of them even knew what it was, just another decoration for Sheidheda's man cave. 

• Gaia continues to be nowhere to be found. Does this mean that perhaps the others being sent to an unknown location might find Gaia wherever they end up?
  
  Or has she been on Penance all along? Maybe Earth? Or does it not matter because the show doesn't know either?

• The way that Cadogan said he didn't think he was close to Anders because they only met twice was the best thing ever. Bill should give up his flock and just be a comedian at this point.

• It feels like there were more scenes removed than usual. There were official stills released from scenes that somehow didn't happen? Bellamy was meant to share a scene with Miller (and Niylah), but then also have a longer talk with Cadogan.
  
  This wouldn't bother me as much if it didn't feel like we are already getting shortchanged when it comes to Bellamy and his entire thoughts. Stripping us of more of that insight isn't the best idea. 
  
  But what do I know? Clearly we needed to spend more time on Sanctum doing nothing. 

• Murphy was with a child again. Emori and Murphy kept trying to have sex again. Yet somehow there is still no Memori baby reveal, which is the real shame in all of this.

• If the flame can't be restored, then is the next step using MCAP to take memories from people like Madi and Sheidheda and placing them in the spare minddrives? And from from there will they try to restore the code to channel Judgement Day? Or activate the final test? Or start the final war? Or let Cadogan check for Callie? Or all the various other forms in which the flame tech will be bent for this. 

• Echo saying "I scarred myself when I thought you were dead" is a weird thing to accuse Bellamy of. He didn't ask you to do all that? Literally no one asked you to.

What did you think of the episode? What did you love? What did you like? How shocked were you by Nelson's death? Was there anyone else you thought would die?

Where does everyone go from here? How much do you need Bellamy and Clarke to make up? How much do you need more scenes between the Blake siblings? How desperate are you to get Bellamy back on Clarke's side again? 

Yana Grebenyuk was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in April 2021.