By the end of this season finale, I wasn't sure who needed a life support system more: the characters on the show or me, because DYING. CAN'T BREATHE. DYYYYYYYYING.
HOLEEEEEE SMOKES YOU GUYS. WHAT. HOW. WHAT. I CAN'T.
I hope you're prepared for a recap written mostly in all caps, is what I'm saying.
THIS WEEK ON THE 100
Conveniently, radios can still transmit between the lab and the bunker, so Bellamy can tell Octavia about their space plan and give her a pep talk (Bells' Pep Talk #1) about leading her people underground for the next five years. Incoveniently, it breaks before Clarke can say good-bye to Abby, but that's a small price to pay for the BELLAMY AND CLARKE HUG that follows.
Gif via neondarkos.tumblr.com
Seriously, WHO NEEDS A RADIO? And Bellarkru said AMEN.
Back in the bunker, Indra reassures Octavia that she can take charge and gives her the small gear to wear on her forehead, which most of the 1200 people probably can't see from where they're standing (and really, it looks more like 200 people so I guess the majority are about to miss out on an inspiring speech) but that doesn't matter, Octavia knows it's there and that Indra believes in her and SHE CAN DO THIS. Gah, I'm so glad this pair gets to stay together for the next five years.
After a whole season of talking about it, Praimfaya is finally here, and The OG 100 only has one hour to take off and then one hour to orbit and dock on the ring of the old Ark. But Raven's in charge, so no big deal. Except something malfunctions on the rocket, and now there's like zero extra oxygen and no comms, so they can't dock the ship or turn on the power on the Ark. I don't really understand how that all works but RAVEN KNOWS and she's all Bad News Bears, until Bellamy gives her a pep talk (Bells' Pep Talk #2) and she of course discovers the solution, which again, I didn't fully grasp but it involves using a satellite that's nearby, so Clarke heads off to get whatever that is done.
Meanwhile, Jasper and Murphy are retrieving an oxygen recycling thing (look, I'M NOT RAVEN OKAY?) from the lighthouse, and Monty has to take off his gloves in order to pull it out from the wall, because he is and always will be the most decent and compassionate and self-sacrificing character to ever grace this show. His hands get super gross, but they successfully obtain the oxygen thing, only to have Monty pass out on the way. Murphy leaves him behind to carry the oxygen thing to the lab... but comes back for him with Bellamy! They all prepare for the rocket launch except for Clarke on her satellite mission and Echo, who would rather just commit suicide because SHE SUCKS. Bellamy dishes up a pep talk (Bells' Pep Talk #3) and she agrees to head up into space, which is like fine, whatever, I guess, but THERE BETTER NOT BE ANY INTERSTELLAR HANKY PANKY, YOUNG LADY.
Clarke only has like 10 minutes to fix the satellite and get back to the ship, and of course, the dish isn't aligned. What is this, Rogue One?! GIVE ME AN EFFING BREAK. Realizing that she won't make it back, Clarke climbs up to the top to try to save her friends, who she sees rocketing up into space. And it is HEARTBREAKING. But that doesn't stop her from fixing that damn satellite, an achievement she doesn't realize because she's too frustrated and distracted by the IMPENDING FLAMES OF DEATH. She barely makes it back to the lab and collapses with blisters all over her exquisite martyr face.
In the rocket, Bellamy is devastated that they had to leave Clarke behind, but he knows that's what Clarke (sob) would want them to do. Raven does her fave thing, spacewalking, to reach the ring of the Ark, but the power still isn't on. As oxygen levels creep down to the single digits, and all hope seems lost, lights come on (thanks, Clarke!), and Raven gets the rocket docked, but that's only half the battle! Because there has to be at least one more moment in this episode where I am TERRIFIED that EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE. Fortunately for my mind, body and soul, Bellamy and Monty get the air on, and everyone breathes in a huge sigh of relief (literally).
After the crew is settled, Bellamy finds The Baton bottle (the scotch that Jaha opened at the end of Season One--nice touch, writers!) as Raven wonders aloud if they can survive without Clarke. Uh, I'm not worried about you guys without Clarke, I'm worried about ME.
And then this happens on the screen:
And then this happened in my living room:
Clarke is alive! I REPEAT, CLARKE IS ALIVE. AND BLISTER-FREE. And rocking a shorter 'do with a red streak to show the passage of time. She's staring up into the sky with a satellite radio and trying to contact Bellamy on the Ark, which apparently she has done every single day, with no response.
Bellamy Blake Protection Squad said it best:
So….you mean to tell me…that Clarke Griffin….radios Bellamy Blake…every day…for six years.
6 years.
72 months.
312 weeks.
2190 days.
Even though she wasn’t getting a response?!
But they’re not true love?! They’re not soulmates?!
And Bellarkru said AMEN.
Not only has there been radio silence from the Ark, there also hasn't been a peep from the bunker. Clarke's been raising a Nightblood named Maddie (so that black stuff helps after all!), but who knows who else is out there.
I mean, besides the prisoners that are about to land in a spaceship right in front of Clarke. OH GREAT.
MOMENTS
- Bellamy and Octavia comforting each other over the radio. "I love you, big brother." AND WE LOVE YOU, BLAKE SIBLINGS.
- I already talked about it but THE HUG.
- Clarke wanting to prepare Bellamy for her death and Bellamy NOT letting her, leading to a little jog down memory lane and the admission that he's the heart and she's the brain, and everyone knows that one can't exist without the other so basically this is just confirmation that THEY BELONG TOGETHER. And Bellarkru said AMEN. Also, I never thought wiping away someone's sweat could be that AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL.
- Murphy distracting Monty, overcome with pain, by bringing up Harper then chuckling over how love changes people. The CUTEST. Then, later, Monty hugging Murphy because he chose to carry the oxygen machine back before returning for Monty.
- Bellamy's gorgeous, tortured face as he walks back to the rocket and closes the door without Clarke inside.
- Emori and Echo's reaction to Zero-G. ADORABLE.
HOLY SH*T X 100
- Clarke almost died! THAT IS NOT OKAY, SHOW. NOT OKAY.
- The crew actually made it to space!
- We just fast forwarded through SIX YEARS. I mean, I'm not bummed about missing out on all of that algae but WHAT.
- No word from the Ark OR the bunker?!!!!!
- That offhand comment about the space prison that fans have been wondering about being a possible thing is finally going to be a thing. FUUUHHHHH.
ARKADIAN OF THE WEEK
Look, everyone in this episode was awesome, but I can only give this award that we totally made up to ONE person, so I gotta go with the gal who was ready to sizzle in that Praimfaya to give her friends a chance to live. And yes, Clarke, this does make up for that time that you locked the bunker with all of the innocent Grounders outside and shot a gun at Bellamy.
SAY WHAT
"We will meet again." - Bellamy
"I'll be waiting... under the floor." - Octavia, cueing up the waterworks."You suck at talking people into things, you know that, right?" - Murphy to Raven, because it wouldn't be the end of the world without a trademark Murphy Smartass Comment.
"Good. Now we know the many ways we might die today. Why don't you tell us what we have to do to live?" - Bellamy, serving up the only kind of pep that works on Raven.
"Eight people alone in space for five years, and one of them's John Murphy. I should have drank the tea." - Monty, totally foreshadowing the fact that Murphy is his new Jasper. (What, too soon?)
"Grounders in space. It's an oxymoron." - Bellamy, referring to the name of The Office-style 100 spin-off that we've been fantasizing about here on FYA.
"How many times have you saved our asses before you ever even heard of ALL-E?" - Bellamy
"Too many to count." - Raven. Damn straight, girl."Of course he gets the hug." - Murphy, as Monty wraps his arms around Bellamy. Who can blame him?!
"I may not hate you anymore." - Monty to Murphy
"Give it time." - Bellamy"My fight is over." - Clarke, speaking in Grounder and causing me to shout "NO. NO. NO NO NO NO NO," in garbled English at my TV.
"Wouldn't it be easier just to walk outside?" - Bellamy, offering an alternative suicide to Echo. Is it bad that I wish she had taken it?
BURNING QUESTIONS
- WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE BUNKER KANE, INDRA, ROAN AND OCTAVIA?
- Okay, so which couples are still together on the Ark? And who hooked up? And is anyone pregnant? AND IS BELLAMY STILL SINGLE?
- Related: If Echo really wanted to die, coudn't she have sacrificed herself by aligning the satellite? That would've been, like, a super noble death.
- It's been safe for Bellamy & Crew to come down for a year now. So WHY HAVEN'T THEY?
- How many people on the Ground are still alive?
- How awesome are these prisoners going to be as the new Big Bad?
Join me in the comments for a communal freak-out, to share your predictions on Season Five and to place your bets on what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real on the Ark.
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