Written by Federica Bocco
“We will meet again.”
“I’ll be waiting. Under the floor.”
If there is one thing that The 100 exceeds at is to make everyone, characters and fans alike, emotional with parallelisms. Praimfaya, the final episode of Season 4 of The CW’s hit dystopian series, starts with a touching goodbye scene between the Blake siblings. Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos) will stay on the ground – or rather under it in a bunker – and Bellamy (Bob Morley) will seek refuge in space as once again, the human race is divided between the Earth and the Sky.
Octavia, symbolically sitting in the Chancellor’s office, confesses her insecurity to Bellamy: she (a teenager with murderous tendencies with a precarious emotive state) is supposed to be the leader of Wankru, all that remains of the human race. Bellamy gives his first Dad Pep Talk of the episode and compares her to Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to give it to humanity. Octavia laughs since it didn’t end well for Prometheus. When she tells Bellamy she loves him, but the line is cut before she can hear him say it back and instead utter their sacred goodbye phrase (and Bringer of Tears), “May we meet again.”
Octavia expresses the same concern to Indra (Adina Porter) and her mentor reassures her: “The time of the Commanders is past. This is your time.” Nonetheless, she gives her the symbol of the Commander which Octavia proudly wears on her forehead as she addresses the crowd. If they stand together as Wonkru, the united people of the thirteen clans, she promises they will rise from the ashes.
In Becca’s lab, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) was hoping to use the radio to say goodbye to her mother, but she settles for a hug from Bellamy instead (which Bellarke fans were more than happy about). Raven (Lindsey Morgan) doubts their limited resources will simultaneously get them to the remains of the Ark and keep them alive in space. Most of all, she doubts herself: “Maybe I’m not smart enough.” Oh no Raven dear. Bellamy gives his second Dad Pep Talk of the episode, reminding Raven how many times she saved them, “Too many to count” and just how awesome she is. But time is ticking, and the episode continuously reminds us of the limited time the characters have to fix everything before launch.
Bellamy and Clarke have another one of their ‘Why Are They Still Platonic’ moments where Clarke believes she will not survive, and she gives Bellamy what is probably the closest to a declaration of love this show will ever allow for these two. But hey, Bellarke shippers will literally accept anything. She tells him how she didn’t like him at first, but how even back then she always knew every single stupid thing he did he was doing to protect his sister. She tells him he has such a big heart which is the reason he inspires so many to follow him, but he needs to use his head too. “But I’ve got you for that” is Bellamy’s reply. Cue the tears.
They need to leave Earth at least 20 minutes before the death wave hits so Raven assigns everyone important tasks. Monty (Christopher Larkin) and Murphy (Richard Harmon) go on a little bromance-building adventure to retrieve some indispensable machinery; Harper (Chelsey Reist), Echo (Tasya Teles) and Emori (Luisa D’Olivera) fix the inside of the ship to host eight people instead of one; Bellamy and Clarke need to get to the satellite tower to turn on the Ring’s power, but Monty was exposed to radiation and Bellamy goes with Murphy to save him, which leaves Clarke to run to the tower alone. Echo tries to commit suicide because she is too scared of the unknown and still feels guilty about being banished by her King, but Bellamy’s next Pep Talk helps convince her to go.
Meanwhile, Clarke realizes she will never make it back to the lab in time. Her hero complex kicks in and she hopes her friends can hear her as she radios to tell them not to wait for her. This is a pivotal moment for Clarke as this time she won’t have to choose who to sacrifice which she had to do in all the previous finales. This time she will sacrifice herself and whispers the Grounder death words, “My fight is over” since she doesn’t believe that her Night Blood will save her.
Her friends try to wait for Clarke, but when the time is right – everyone but Bellamy is already in the ship – they have to leave without her anyway. The radiation is already affecting the system and they won’t be able to leave if they wait longer. “It’s the only choice,” Bellamy says, echoing Clarke’s words from earlier in the episode. It is a clear reversal of the Season 1 finale, when Clarke had to close the dropship door and leave Finn and Bellamy out. His eyes stay on the door until the very last moment, and as Raven reluctantly launches the ship, he whispers another “May we meet again,” for good measure.
The next five minutes are an angst fest as Clarke can’t seem to turn on the power and Raven can’t open the door of the Ark so everyone is running out of oxygen. “I left her behind. I left her behind and we all die anyway.” (Honestly Bellamy, everyone knew you were in love with Clarke already, but if you’re going to be this obvious about it, why didn’t you make a move?). They make it into the Ark but there’s no more oxygen and down on Earth, Clarke has been exposed to radiation which causes her to vomit and faint as soon as she gets back into the lab. Back in space, Emori and Murphy share what oxygen they have left with Raven (whose reserve ran out faster because she consumed more on her space walk). With what looks to be his last breath, Monty tells Bellamy how to make the air system work, and we can finally stop holding our breaths as everyone on-screen starts breathing again.
Bellamy and Raven watch the Earth from a distance, contemplating whether they can survive without Clarke. They must, Bellamy says, or she died in vain and he’s not going to let that happen. “Are you with me?” he asks. “Always,” Raven replies.
6 years and 7 days later, Clarke is still alive. With no word from the bunker, but Clarke found a little Night Blood girl to keep her company. She has tried to radio Bellamy every day, not knowing if her friends could hear her or even if they are alive, but talking to Bellamy, even one-sided, kept her sane and anchored her to who she is. A ship suddenly lands near where Clarke and Madi are, except it’s not her friends like she thought. It’s a much bigger ship, that has ‘prisoner transport’ written on its side and Clarke prepares for a fight or flight situation, starting the Rover and loading the guns once more.
What a cliffhanger! There were a thousand different ways to end the season, but in my opinion this was the best one. Clarke doesn’t know if her friends are alive, but we do. Yes, six years have passed from when we saw them last, but rationally we know that The 100 isn’t going to kill off half its cast. We know that their contracts have been renewed and that Tasya Teles, who plays Echo, will be a series regular in season 5.
It will be tough, when Clarke finally reunites with her friends as they have been apart for six years now, which is more than they have ever spent together. We have been teased by showrunner Jason Rothenberg that Clarke will have to make a choice between Madi, the Night Blood girl she considers a daughter, or her friends and family. Clarke’s mantra “I am doing this *insert whatever genocide she committed each season* for my people” has become twisted in those six years.
What will the next crisis be? Another apocalyptic environmental tragedy, or a conflict with the new Sky People who just landed? The roles have been reversed, and suddenly these strangers are like the original 100 and Clarke is now a Grounder.
The 100 will return to The CW in 2018.
What did you think of Season 4? Let us know in the comments below!
amazing. You centered the point of the whole episode.
(Yes, yes it was intentional)