It only took six episodes, but I think I'm finally starting to care about some of the characters on The 100. And by some, I mean Jasper. And maybe Clarke. And Finn, although perhaps "lust" would be a more appropriate word than "care."
This episode was all about deepening the viewers' affection for Bellamy and Octavia, and it kind of worked? Like, if Bellamy is the Sawyer to Clake's Kate, I might be ok with it?
Here's what happened:
- In a series of flashback scenes, we learn how Octavia came to be the girl who lived under the floor in the Ark. First, there's little Bellamy, watching his mom deliver the baby on her own, which was VERY TRAUMATIZING. How is Bellamy not MORE effed up than he already is?!! Major pants to all you moms out there but this may be the grossest thing I've ever seen on the CW. Bellamy decides to name the baby after Emperor Augustus' sister, and then his mom passes out. The flashbacks continue, showing Octavia as a little girl hiding under the floor while her mom lets the worst actor ever head guard sexually harass her in order to get Bellamy accepted into the guards. Later, Octavia is now a teen, and Bellamy gives her a glimpse of life outside of their room under the cover of a masquerade party. Just when she starts having the time of her life, there's a solar flare alert. (If I had a nickel for every time that happened to me in high school...) The guards require everyone to remove their masks, and Octavia gets hauled away by Bellamy's guard boss because she doesn't have an ID. In the final flashback, we see the same boss guy giving Bellamy the scoop on the 100 and guaranteeing him a seat on the drop ship if he shoots the chancellor. Mystery solved! Except... I don't really know who that boss guard guy is.
Bellamy, in his innocent, pre-threesome days.
- In present time, Octavia has been found by a Grounder who takes her to an underground cave and... heals her broken leg! She still tries to escape and manages to make it out, but then the same Grounder finds her again and returns her to a cave, where he chains her up. It seems like the Grounder doesn't understand English, but maybe he's just the strong, silent type.
- At the camp, the kids notice what looks like a beautiful meteor shower in the sky. Except, psyche, those are dead bodies from the Ark! Pretty! Clarke lays the blame pretty thick on Bellamy, as she should, for throwing away the radio, and you better believe he's thankful to have the distraction of his missing sister. A search party is assembled, including Jasper and Finn, rocking a new haircut from Raven. I'm starting to see why Finn dated her, because girlfriend is really good with her hands. (YEAH I WENT THERE.) The search begins, and there's just a lot of running and forest and some hanging skeletons, and then three of the kids get killed by the Grounders. Fun times! Eventually, Bellamy and co. find Octavia, who had actually knocked her captor out and was doing just fine on her own, thankyouverymuch, and then Octavia stops Bellamy from killing the unconscious Grounder. Except he's actually awake! And he stabs Finn! OH SNAP! Jasper knocks him out (nice one, dude) but things don't look so good for Finn. Well, dude, think of it this way-- if you die, at least you went out with a good haircut!
- Meanwhile, Clarke and Raven head to the bunker to find some parts to fix the radio. We learn that Finn has been in Raven's life forever, and that he took care of her when her alcoholic mother wouldn't. Yep, twist that knife in a LITTLE harder, show. But when Raven spies the origami deer that Finn made for Clarke, she suddenly realizes that something happened between her boyfriend and blondie. She confronts Clarke about it, and HOLD UP BISH, Clarke didn't know you existed! And Finn thought you were dead! So it was all kosher! But then Raven says, "He could've waited more than 10 days." Well... that's true.
- The search party returns with a dying Finn, and Clarke isn't sure she can save him without help from the Ark. (If this show kills Finn, I will be REALLY impressed. Aaaand will have one less reason to watch.) Octavia and Bellamy immediately launch into that ole sibling favorite, The Blame Game, about who's responsible for Finn's stabbing, etc. etc. etc.
Princess Count:
Death Toll: 3
The kills in this episode were fantastically brutal, thanks to 1. A Grounder swooping down, Mission Impossible style, and slitting a kid's neck. 2. A Grounder booby trap. 3. A Grounder spear.
Mother Nature’s Surprise: Grounder 101:
So Grounders are people... who may or may not speak English. They also might have some weird radiation issues but that remains to be seen. (NOT that I necessarily need to see it, show. That two headed dear was enough for moi.)
Say What:
The dialogue wasn't half bad in this episode! (Probably because the kids were too busy running.) I even made note of two lines I liked:
Clarke: "It's Octavia. She's probably chasing butterflies." DUBS TRUE GIRL.
And then this exchange, which was hawt:
Clarke: "It's nothing we can't stop."
Finn: "Are you sure? Cos I'm not."
But in terms of terrible dialogue, the award definitely goes to Bellamy for having to shout this crap at his sister:
"My life ended the day you were born!"
Burning Questions:
- Will Finn live? JK that's not a burning question.
- Is Octavia gonna hook up with a Grounder at some point?
- Will Finn's near-death experience cause Raven to let him fall into Clarke's arms? Or will Clarke and Bellamy end up getting it on?
Leave your answers (and any other questions/rants/raves) in the comments!