Going back to where it all started doesn't mean you will end up in the same place, but there's also no way to escape it.

At least if you're in Skyring.

It is safe to say that history will always have a way of repeating itself. 

During The 100 Season 7 Episode 2, the story explored the time Octavia and Diyoza spent on Skyring after they went into the Anomaly last time. Echo, Hope, and Gabriel arrived at Skyring and faced their future, determining what's next.

And for those keeping track, Bellamy Blake was still nowhere to be found. 

The same can be said for Sanctum, since there was no insight after that twist during The 100 Season 7 Episode 1. 

"The Garden," written by Jeff Vlaming, crafted a fascinating new world by blending the past and the present, all to create intrigue about the future.

In what was possibly the most visually and emotionally striking episodes of the season so far, this episode explored what was and what is and even managed to answer some questions in-between.

It also raised a question about parallels, especially when the comparison hits you over the heard more than it tugs at your heart.

Sometimes it isn't about how you can repurpose the same story twice over, but more of how you can connect characters while keeping their journeys original and different from one another.

That isn't to say that the episode wasn't a stand-out. It was. It brought together the familiar to introduce much of what the audience still needs to learn.

Overall, this was an episode that will connect with the audience, allowing both emotions and information to be thrown our way in equal efforts.

Two Snakes, One Garden 

When Octavia and Diyoza headed into the Anomaly during The 100 Season 6 Episode 8, no one could guess that they spent ten years there. Or Octavia did. Diyoza spent ten years there and then, depending on how time works in Bardo, possibly a few days beyond that? 

Although, it sounds like Skyring (or Planet Beta) has a time adjustment based on its position to a black hole. So depending on where Bardo is, it might be the same time conversion as on Sanctum.

Three years. Every day you tried and every day you failed. It would be boring if it wasn't so depressing.

• Permalink: Three years. Every day you tried and every day you failed. It would be boring if it wasn't so...

Regardless, Octavia and Diyoza's relationship was pushed forward quite a few years when they finally found each other, especially since Octavia became an aunt to Hope, a role she wasn't expecting sine her mind was still on Sanctum.

It made sense for Diyoza to want to stay where they were, but it wasn't fair for her to judge Octavia for her ties to Sanctum. Diyoza had her whole family with her on Skyring; Octavia didn't. 

But Octavia was family to Diyoza, long before either of them realized it, which meant her loyalties were being spread in every direction.

At that time, Octavia did accept her new place in this brave new world, which allowed the episode to be so memorable within the season.

The 100 works best when it focuses on the relationships between the characters instead of the next plot twist.

So much of the story that was told was riddled with parallels, and that usually works for the show. This time around, it didn't land quite as effectively, using parallels too much like a crutch than as a general jumping-off point.

Don't get me wrong, seeing Octavia in this new role was inviting because it answered so much about who she was when she came back. 

But Octavia doesn't need to go through the same thing as Bellamy to understand him. It felt a little too on the nose to make Octavia do what Bellamy did and to make that a blanket statement about how she gets him now.

Especially since Bellamy taking care of a child at six years old, which then went to define every fiber of who he was as a person, is nowhere near the same as Octavia being an aunt in her 20s. 

It was a nice attempt that didn't quite stick the landing because it mirrored too much instead of wondering how Octavia could reach the same destination her way.

Having her confronted by Blodreina and Pike felt so fresh and fascinating, that was a real push for her to reemerge as a more understanding person.

The direct copy and paste of a story we were already told wasn't the nostalgia that the audience may be looking for. However, Marie Avgeropoulos delivered it effortlessly, so you still ended up so invested.

Maybe because so much of Octavia's journey in the past was spent on pushing Bellamy away, watching her finally just miss him and see how special he is was the perfect way to end the day.

Or maybe we are all suffering from Bellamy withdrawal, and anything that highlights how amazing he is will set off the waterworks.

Also, this may be biased, but it was so easy to just give Hope the same storyline as Octavia (and maybe even Echo).

It is simple enough to mirror the same journey for everyone; it is different to create a new origin story depending on the character. 

Octavia's storyline worked because it was hers. But once it also became Hope's, it just takes away some of that individuality.

It is also easy to get invested the first time around, but those emotions for one character can't be transferred over to other ones in the hopes that the audience will just feel the same way.

It is an easy shortcut to make fans love Hope without spending too much time on her story, hopefully, that changes, and if we see more, it is an original journey that she goes through.

She's alone now in the past, and that mention of a friend that Orlando dug up for his tea party can't be a coincidence. 

It also wasn't made clear if that was the last time Hope saw Octavia and Diyoza. Octavia and Hope recognized one another quickly during The 100 Season 6 Episode 13, meaning they had to have reconnected once more time had passed.

Looks like he dug up the dead so he would have company.

Gabriel

• Permalink: Looks like he dug up the dead so he would have company.

We did learn that there is a structure to traveling through these worlds, which includes an Anomaly stone that Hope has no code to. She probably couldn't have come from Skyring to Sanctum; she even mentioned that she was tagging Octavia for Anders.

Meaning she ended up on Bardo at some point once Octavia came back to Sanctum; these are all questions that might have worthwhile answers.

Still, that quiet life in Skyring was nice while it lasted. For everyone.

The Dysfunctional Dynamic Present

As predicted, having the same goal doesn't mean perfect harmony when it comes to surviving to reach that specific goal.

Gabriel, Hope, and Echo may all be looking to get to Bardo, but they weren't friends before this. That means the way they exist and work together isn't effective.

Echo is trying to take on a leadership role, but as someone who is usually a follower, she struggles to figure out how to make it work. Being a leader means allowing others to work with you so you can lead them somewhere.

Echo: What is this place? Do you live here?
Hope: Octavia said you were smart.

• Permalink: Octavia said you were smart.

So for Echo, she is fighting against her own impulsive need to get to Bellamy without thinking it through, her dislike of Hope isn't helping either.

All three of them are bringing something different to the table; Hope is the one with the most insight about everything to do with this type of travel and with the planets.

They can't survive without her ability to guide them.

The same rule applies for Gabriel, his knowledge and his resources push them even further to getting answers that Hope may not have access too. That is why this group can't function with a leader right now.

The trust doesn't exist, and with no goal in sight (that we know of), those three work best when they just apply their strengths towards one small plan at a time.

That might get complicated now that Orlando, a man who keeps skeletons as friends, has ruined their one way out of there.

For now, at least, since Hope has a plan that seems to connect to Orlando's remaining sentence. 

It was a group that didn't initially make sense, yet over the past two episodes, something that is adding up with them. They collectively aren't linked to any storyline, so instead, they created one for themselves.

An approach like that opens it up for the audience to get more answers, while still creating that intrigue of what is to come.

They are a more realistic version of people stranded together and working towards one solution.

But when the time comes, this is an eerie reminder that each one of them has different priorities. 

Hope has made it clear that her priority is finding Diyoza and trying to figure out what happened to Octavia. The act of tagging doesn't sound like it takes Octavia directly to Anders, but it does make her easy to track. 

Chances are Octavia is in Bardo, so the assumption is that Diyoza has been there the whole time too.

Hope also did have a note to trust Bellamy, making her invested enough in him as well now because he might be the key to everything. 

As always.

Now Echo is only focused on finding Bellamy, which makes her want to get to Bardo too, but there is that question of what happens once they do go there searching for different people.

Then there is Gabriel, he isn't looking for anyone to save, although he probably is invested in Octavia and Bellamy and even Diyoza to some degree.

So far, it was only knowledge and questions that drove Gabriel along on this ride. He was the perfect addition because of his insight into the Anomaly and the technology he possesses to connect them to more answers.

His loyalties aren't clear, and that is what happens when three unlikely people end up on one mission.

He's a prisoner here. Five years. That is how long I plan for us to stay.

Hope

• Permalink: He's a prisoner here. Five years. That is how long I plan for us to stay.

For now, it is in their favor to work together, but all of them can be exposed to danger if they don't form an understanding, especially if they are going to be there for five years, as we all know that is a long time.

Counting on one another, truly counting on each other, that is their key to getting off Skyring,

#WhereIsBellamyBlake In The Bellarke Corner 

It would be nice not to have to be here again, but according to Jason Rothenberg, we will be here for an unspecified amount of time. 

That is is such a shame, regardless of why Bellamy isn't actuallyaround. It isn't clear what Bob Morley wants to say on the subject but his loss is great.

The 100 can't exist without Bellamy Blake, so the hole where the male lead used to be is growing larger the longer we go without seeing him.

Because even if he isn't around, the interest in where he is drives the story. It's not right that he's not with us in the finale season, and the heart of each episode gets lost in the process.

It's also just off because stories like Octavia trying to get back to Bellamy or the trio trying to get to Bardo only makes the question of where he is more intense. 

We didn't even get a glimpse of where Bellamy was taken or what he is going through, which limits the storytelling. Once again, the audience is stuck with "what ifs," and it's a ruthless pattern.

Bob Morley and the emotion he brings to the show is a driving force for many fans; it's such a disconnect not to have that to look forward to for who knows how long. 

Stirring curiosity within the audience is one thing, but it feels like Bob won't be in upcoming episodes any time soon, so there won't even be any payoff. He just isn't on the show, and it is meant to make sense, but it just doesn't.

The 100 isn't itself without Bob Morley and Bellamy Blake. 

This is why the "what ifs" grow more prominent, especially when the story begins to unveil what happens when Bellamy isn't around.

Fair warning: I'm about to discuss some hints from the writers about the future of the show and a potential relationship that might be explored based on a script release.

For those fans that may not have noticed, The 100 Writers' Room released a script that caught everyone's attention, mostly because it seemed to point the audience in a direction that was missed in the premiere. 

It strangely feels like the perfect time to bring this up, while The Bellarke Corner is treading water, waiting for both parts of the duo to return to their screen.

But this is also a warning because the script for the premiere was shared in what appears like an effort to point out to fans that Clarke's potential love interest and final relationship will be with Gaia.

It wasn't something that anyone picked up on originally, which is why the script appeared and clarified how that scene in the house was meant to be read.

This is interesting because Eliza Taylor and Tati Gabrielle are phenomenal actors, but somehow, the scene wasn't realized in the way it was structured in the script.

That isn't to say Eliza and Tati don't deserve praise; they very much do at all time. Even if no one noticed the seed planting, it was still nice to see Clarke and Gaia share scenes again. 

It is such an unusual place to end up because the show is solidifying the direction it is going, and it is hard to know how to feel.

The short version is that Clarke and Gaia are both wonderful women who deserve the most that the show can offer them.

Seeing Clarke finally happy at the end would also be a necessity, but since the progression to that point hasn't been seen, it is unfortunate that the show is opting out of the happiness they already created for her with Bellamy Blake for the past six seasons. 

It is this weird middle ground that we are at right now, but it also isn't worth analyzing if there's no content to examine.

It is worth mentioning that the show removes Bellamy out of the equation when they are trying to pair off Clarke with someone else.

And here in The Bellarke Corner, we have discussed many times that one is a coincidence, twice is a pattern, and three times is intentional. 

The fact that Bellamy wasn't around when Clarke's connection with Lexa grew, or that Clarke wasn't there when Bellamy developed relationships with Gina and Echo off-screen only goes to prove that exact point.

Even if it seems like the show will never openly admit what they were writing and teasing for the past six seasons, it is still quite clear in the storytelling beats and the way that it keeps happening.

If you have to make sure that Bellamy or Clarke can't be around when the other person gets into a relationship, maybe it's worth exploring why exactly that is.

Also, having a "what if" moment wondering if Bellamy was shelved to have Clarke pair off with someone else is interesting.

It's a choice that hopefully didn't actually happen that way because what a way to punish Bellamy Blake for having undeniable chemistry with his soulmate.

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.
  
  Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past!

• I am an otherwise sensible woman that is willing to die for Bellamy Blake.

• Did anyone else wonder if Gabriel needed to watch Colin's memories until the very end? Colin unlocking the Anomaly stone couldn't be his last memory before he died since he was still on Planet Beta in the end.
  
  There may be more details of the puzzle that Gabriel missed by not fast-forwarding to the end.

• Speaking of Gabriel, Chuku Modu was one of the best investments that the show has ever made. He brings knowledge, humor, excitement, and intrigue. It doesn't matter where Gabriel is going; I just want to follow him there.

• Bellamy Blake is just not allowed to hear any messages that are sent his way. First Clarke Griffin's six years worth of voicemails and now Octavia's letter? The show needs to let Bellamy see how much people care about him because this isn't it.

• It isn't clear why or how Orlando knows who Hope it, but it is obvious that he loves his skeletons. There's isolation madness, and then there's digging people out of their graves to have friends.
  
  It can't be possible that there's only one prisoner on the planet. Do they organize the sentences so that each prisoner is alone during their time on Skyring? Or did Orlando not venture over far enough?

• Heather Mason at TV Source Magazine pointed out the irony that Octavia Blake had to go vegan in Skyring, and that's all we should be thinking about now.

• This is the strangest issue I had with the show, but it hurt when Diyoza was grabbing tomatoes but didn't grab the largest one.
  
  There was a huge tomato right there, and she ignored it. It is the most irrational detail to fixate on, but this is apparently the hill worth dying on.

• Where did we land with the Cadogan theories? Anders probably isn't him, but maybe he leads these disciples elsewhere? Originally, the term "disciples" refers to a dedicated follower of Jesus.
  
  So who are these disciples following this time around? Could it be The Master that Orlando mentioned? Something tells me that the Second Dawn cult might make a return. 

• Speaking of the disciples, when they took Octavia and Diyoza, they put their masks on them because they wanted to preserve their memories.
  
  It is worth noting that memories keep being mentioned, especially the way they are being kept intact. From the disciples and their masks to the Anomaly, and it allowed Hope to remember everything that is destroyed.

• Also, in terms of memories, going from Skyring to Sanctum wipes the mind of your time there. But then going to Skyring from Sanctum doesn't take anything away; if anything, it restores it.
  
  But it sounds like going to Bardo from Skyring is also a threat to your memories if you don't have the mask. Just something to wonder about.

• It just isn't The 100 until Ivana Miličević returns to our screens, although we felt the loss of no Eliza Taylor too.

• Did anyone else fall in love with all of Octavia's outfits during her time on Skyring? The sewing skills really paid off.

• When will Diyoza's jellyfish cookbook be coming out?

• Octavia couldn't get to the bottom of the lake to get back to Sanctum, if that is how that happens. But the bottle she threw ended up down there and was found by the disciples.
  
  It doesn't seem like they made it to Sanctum during that window of time, which means the lights at the bottom of the lake are just the Anomaly itself, not the path specifically to Sanctum. 

• It was an interesting approach from the narrative side of things not to have Octavia be a mother to Hope. Their interactions were close without it coming off as if Octavia's possible maternal instinct was showing, which was quite refreshing.
  
  Sometimes it does feel like the easy way out is just to have everyone take on the mother role, but Hope had that, and Octavia does take up the space that reads more fun cool aunt anyway.

What did you think of the episodes? Were you on board with the parallels, or was it hitting the nail too hard on the head for you too?

Where do you think Octavia and Diyoza went from there?

Do you think Gabriel (and Hope and Echo) will figure out a way to work with Orlando?

And who else thought that memory reader was going to last with them on Skyring? Who else loved learning about Gabriel's past crushes as he reacted?

Is anyone else endlessly wondering where Bellamy might be?

Let us know what you think below!

Stick around TV Fanatic for more interviews, features, and reviews of the upcoming season, and watch The 100 online right here on TV Fanatic.

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