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The 100 Nakara Recap-Review

by Evelyn Ulrich

The 100 Nakara provided plenty of chills, along with the heat.  While it may have been designed to be a filler, it certainly did not feel filler.  With so many storylines happening, it was hard at times to follow, but other than that, it was pretty thought out.  See the review for Nakara to relive the adventure!

The 100 Nakara Recap-Review

An Unforgettable Adventure(s)

Episode 706 Aired June 24

Written by Erica Meredith; Directed by PJ Pesce

 

When you take an unexpected adventure, you will bump into expected matters.  That is exactly what happens in Nakara, this week’s episode.  Clarke and her gang are scoping out the frozen planet, encountering many scary projectiles along the way.

While in Sanctum, the situation is not much better as there is a faction of problems.  It begs if there is any moral authority left, even if the characters vow to take a clearer path.  That is troublesome, but thanks to a newly risen leader, the problems might be absolved.

Bardo itself continues to be an interesting narrative and an emotional one.  We see someone that has been absent for a couple of episodes and uses their skills full force.

Then, there was an emotional embrace, one that will soften your heart.

Let’s chip away the ice on Nakara.

 

The Heat In Sanctum

Sanctum certainly built up its penetrating heat as a slew of issues arise within the community.  It feels like a crumbling manifest, with limited allowances of normalcy to smooth the frays.  Without them, then Sanctum will only possess disparity.

The case of the Missing Guns is on and it is up to Detective Murphy and Agent Indra to crack the clues to find the thieves.  Missing guns in an unpredictable community could only lead to one thing-it will not end well.

So, they go to Machine Gun Annie, excuse me, Nikki as she is the most likely suspect given her history and stereotype.   She makes a point of the latter; that just because she is a criminal, it also reflects that she is guilty.  Well, whilst that is the popular judgment to make, it turns out to be true.

“Tell Raven I said, ‘bang bang.’”

In total anger and revenge, Nikki and the other Eligius prisoners have stolen the guns.  About 2,000 rounds and 50 units.  That much ammo can certainly destroy a well-populated community if used accordingly.   But she just wants revenge on Raven of whom was responsible for her husband’s death.

Nakara

So, a rather divided Indra must take action if she wants to stop complete destruction.  Wonkru, the Faithful, Memori, and now Sheidheda and Nelson are all on the sharp glass.  The only ones who are not seemingly affected are the kids.  Madi is simply happy with not being responsible for reigning; she desires to be that typical teenage girl and not a dependent, overstressed leader.

The latter could not reflect truer.  While Madi had to lead Wonkru in battle in season five, it did not come without barriers.  She had to seek guidance from her elders, including Bellamy and his sister.  Her leadership was needed then, but it is not needed now.  Indra-by who has been a powerhouse this season- tries to negotiate Madi to become the Commander once more so that Sanctum can have a leader.

A major responsibility for such a young soul.

But does Madi want it?  No.  It is an intensive exchange between Indra and Madi, along with Murphy, Emori, and Jackson.  Jackson recognizes the Madi is displaying signs of an oncoming panic attack and advises Indra to let Madi not to fulfill leadership duties.  While this is a difficult stone to turn, Indra steps into the role (although she herself does not want it) that she is designed and well-deserving.  She has become a respectful and resilient leader through the eyes of many, and thanks to Adina Porter’s incredible acting talents and dynamics, she molds into the position with cat-like precision and craft it as her own.

Nakara

It doesn’t take a genius to know who was running things down there.”

Will Sanctumnites abide by her though-as this is something that has been unheard in Grounder culture?  They have been following the same tradition for centuries as they know no other way.

It is time for a change, even though no one wants it at first.

Indra clearly means that no one should dare to mess with her, and she clearly makes it a point.  Who would have thought that a staff could overpower a sword?

Even Knight is a bit impressed by it all.

The power that Indra holds.

Nelson and The Game

The heat is circulated around Sheidheda, of whom is locked up for everyone’s safety.  He is still allowed personal, if restricted visitations, which I believe should be eliminated due to their toxicity.

The earlier visit with Indra when they spoke that Sanctum needs a Heda.  Indra refuses to allow it to be him, but it does short circuits a fuse

After this especially important one.

Nelson steps in for an awfully specific purpose.  He wants justice for the people whose lives were destroyed under the Primes’ reign. Of course, the Children of Gabriel member does not know that he is no longer Russell Lightborne, but Sheidheda.

All too little too late when Sheidheda beats Nelson in a fighting match, whereas he could have easily beaten Russell.  This piques his mind that something is way off.

“Who are you?”

“Someone who knows who could give what you want. You can’t get justice without power.”

Sheidheda invites Nelson to a game of chess, which was a fun and fascinating sequence to watch.  Sheidheda pulls Nelson in into his web, that by working together, they can achieve what they want.

Nakara

Befriend the prisoners and take out the queen.  Just like you take down the queen in the classic board game.

What stood out about this scene though is the chemistry between Lee Majoub (Nelson) and JR Bourne (Sheidheda/Russell).  While JR Bourne presents himself as an evil villain and Lee is a traumatized soul who just wants justice for his people.  They are naturally in sync with one another; picking up on cues that are not seen by first light, but makes you go back because it is so damn good and well-connected.

More so, Nelson’s psyche and character foundation are more peeked into which is critical because even though he has a strong physical stance, he has yet to make a more appealing mental gravitation.

Do not get me wrong, for I think that Nelson is a swell guy, but we must have more insight to align with the looks.  For the audience to become invested in a character, the psyche must have a solid foundation to go on.

Nelson gave me an impression of a follower, as he followed Gabriel previously, and now he is going to follow Sheidheda’s betraying plans.

Oh, Nelson.  You surely went to the wrong guy for wanting your justice.

Cool As Ice

We have finally landed on Nakara, hence the episode title.  Clarke and her team scrounge the frozen terrains for their friends but quickly realized that they were not on the isolated planet.

“BELLAMY!  OCTAVIA!  ECHO!”

That felt like a total heart punch when she screamed their names (Especially Bellamy); the sounds canvassing over the high mountains.  The fact being that Clarke shouted Bellamy’s name first and foremost represents that he is the most important to her, how she is more than willing to risk her life to save him, and the high risks involved.

Whatever it takes to get back to her partner.  There is no obstacle too big to climb for either of them.

Nakara

We can add one more spooky tourist attraction- a cemetery. Not a great thing to have on the visitation guide if you are planning a trip on this planet.

Continuing, Raven (who also is a major key player) leads the group of what they assume was a cave, filled with catacombs to lead to the Stone.  It is a very precarious course as the cave is narrow and filled with the unexpected.

And it is a heavy emphasis on the unexpected.

Hearing a strange noise, the group gets all kinds of worry.  Something is hanging out in the caves.  Just when you think that all is peaceful and calm.

A bat-like creature takes all by sudden surprise and while everyone is unharmed, the helmet receives some damage.  It still functions, but not as well.

However, hybrid bats are not the only living organisms.

As they inch their way into the confines, the walls close in, secreted with this weird sticky substance that Jordan discovers is acid.

“You still think aliens are cool?”                                                                                                                                                

Clarke and Raven become separated from the group and inside the belly of a foreign living organism.  Just like that, the women accept their ominous fates.

Why does Nakara have to have a continuous loop of danger?

This also gives them time to bond-something that has not happened in a considerable amount of time.  It was well overdue for a conversation, as each episode is so compacted that lengthy conversations have compromised.  Without these conversations, situations may not rose as high as they did.

The 100 Nakara

Raven opens about her immense guilt, believing that this is what they deserve in the name of karma.  Her truth speaks volumes about her character arc and the emotional toll.  Very few have opened about their guilt, from an earlier point.  Once survival murder (not the same as cold-blooded murder), becomes a regular characteristic, then any remorse becomes a sliver.

“You’re a good person Raven. Maybe the best I know.”

Clarke and Raven needed this time together as certain situations have divided them.  The death of Finn, Raven’s impromptu leadership on the Ring, betrayal in season five, and Clarke’s absence in season three.  It was not until the season six finale that the two reshaped their relationship with the removal of Shieidheda from Madi.

“Clarke Griffin doesn’t break.”

We all seen Clarke break at one moment or another.  The thing is, she must remain strong so she can save.  It is a partial sacrifice for her and an unfair one at that.  Clarke has put her people above herself because this is who she is.  She wants nothing in return, but a little appreciation would be nice.  Those closest to her know her true emotions, even though Clarke tries her best to mask them

Nakara

With this renewal, the women will only strengthen their friendship and with their great minds, they will only heighten the heroism that is forming between them.

With persistence (despite Niylah’s doubt), the boys manage to open the walls to free Clarke and Raven.  I think if Raven were not drowning in pain, she might have figured the way out; it would have been a nice highlight to align with the negative but did not happen.  It is a hairline issue though because when you are in pain, your mind primarily focuses on the pain.

They finally made it to the Stone after a maze of conflict, but now to do the actual planet-hopping.  As Hybrid Bat has done some moderate technological damage, getting the code exactly right proves to be challenging.  Once mind-focused, Raven managed to the code and whoosh!  They are off to the next planet adventure!

Let us hope that the new planet (*crosses fingers for Bardo*) will not kill them or try to kill them.

Breaking Out Of Bardo (Well, Almost)

Hello there, Diyoza!  It is nice to see you again!

Yep, our fave freedom fighter and Navy SEAL is back!  When Octavia and she were transported to Bardo, they became separated.  We know what happened to Octavia-with the torturous M-capping, reuniting with Hope, and seeing Bellamy get “killed.”  Diyoza’s disappearance was a mystery.

Until now.

Diyoza is locked in a cell, using intense faux pain to block the M-capping, so that the Disciples would not pick her brain.  The whole sequence came out of a horror film; its colorization, lighting, choice of music, and brutal acting just scream Stephen King.

Nakara

I do not know much about military services, but there is no doubt that she used some of her training to play out her own definition of control.  She knows exactly how to take these bad guys down.  Once released, Diyoza takes the dead guy’s uniform and disguises herself.

When it comes to Diyoza, we know just how much of a fireball she can be.  And we love that.

Diyoza is there to take down the system and escape.  Along the way, she skillfully eliminates three more Disciples as they discover that she is not one of them.

And then, she nearly makes a fatal mistake.  Throwing the dagger, it strikes Hope’s helmet.  Luckily, it does not harm her.

“Mom?”

Then, a beautiful and heart-tearing reunion happens.  Mom, daughter, and aunt embraced after such a long time.  It was especially heartwarming for Diyoza and Hope for they have not seen one another for ten years.

The 100 Nakara

Echo is not let in on the family love and it emphasizes her loss much greater.  While she did follow Bellamy, he also opened the world for her.  A world filled with love, family, and the wonder-a world that can be felt beyond any emotional dream.

Grief is something that Echo is unfamiliar with; through her intense Azgeda training and espionage, affections were vaulted in, never allowed to be unlocked.

The grief is overwhelming but understandable.  The world that she became used to and adored was ripped away; her first family is gone, the love of her life is gone, and she feels completely alone.  On top of that, she receives no comfort and that must be the most devastating thing.

The Diyoza/Aunty O reunion is not the only one that happens.  Octavia is reunited with Levitt-who is now a janitor-and he gives her some survival tips to reach the surface, explaining why it was dangerous to use the Stone Room.  All the while flirting with her.

“To feel what you made feel.”

The group navigates to the outside as it is the access to the surface, but they bump into a bit of terrain.  An old Disciple comes in from the outside.  They will surely die reaching the surface without the rebreathers.

They trusted Levitt; surely, he would have mentioned rebreathers if he was on their side.  Octavia makes the grave of name mentioning and Echo knives him.

While I disagree with her choice as he was a helpless old man, but maybe he would have reported them to Anders as well as Levitt, which may result in his doom.  It was a definite risk, but there was also the chance of improbability.

It’s likely that Echo was watching out for the group and protecting in her warrior ways, even though some may not agree with her choice.  The thing about both Echo and Diyoza is that they are passionate about their people-no matter who becomes close to them.

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Then, we have Gabriel.  Soft, intelligent, and kind-hearted Gabriel.  He just wanted to learn more about the Anomaly and its mysteries.  He does not want to die with knowing the risks involved.  In his mindset, maybe Levitt was trying to kill them.  He just saw the dude for the first time, not knowing anything about him.  It was only a natural impression that since Levitt worked on Bardo-no matter the rank-he could be an enemy.

I cannot blame, nor judge Gabriel for his level of thinking and keeping his guard up.  He knows how to survive, despite not being pugnacious and contempt.

The others dispute Gabriel’s obstinance, but he neutralizes them, and they become prisoners of Bardo.

Which will only lead to more breaking events.

The Leaders’ Leak

There are few things I would like to discuss because as both as a fan and writer, it is only fair.  Let us start with the obvious elephant in the room.  Clarke Griffin.  As the empowering leader and first billed star, she has not been given a large amount of screen time, along with being sidelined.  It is unfair to the audience as they have invested their time and interest in Clarke’s evolution.  They deserve more of her character, more of Eliza’s impeccable talent, and storyline.  The 100 is not The 100 without the lead being distant.

The 100

Then, we have the questionable whereabouts of Bellamy.  Though I do know for certain that he is not dead, it feels out of focus for the characters (other than the three women who love him) to not mention him.  It is as though he did not exist which is damaging to Bellamy’s legacy.

That legacy must remain true and coherent as it is what Bellamy deserves.  He deserves more recognition and just like Clarke, The 100 is not the same with the lead being sidelined.

I apologize if I come across as biased or whining, but I just miss him and his incredible presence.  Does he not deserve more if he is the male lead?

Why, yes he does.

The 100

While I am neutral about Clarke and Bellamy becoming canon, their scenes together are monumental and a TV best.  Bellamy and Clarke are a major part of the show and their chemistry together, no matter how it is viewed, cannot be replicated.  It is extremely rare to have this partner symmetry on screen.

But this is The 100 and like Wells Jaha said, “anything’s possible.”

Bonus Bullets:

  • I loved the song choice that played during Diyoza’s opening. Evil by Interpol just made the whole scene better.
  • Is Diyoza part vampire or just have very strong teeth?  Also, was anyone else grossed out by the spooned-out eye?
  • Nakara encompassed a 60s/80s horror film aesthetic. Which was pretty cool.
  • There were remnants of the Second Dawn on Nakara. What does it mean and how did they transfer there?
  • Miller’s and Niylah’s quips gave the episode a comedic aura.
  • I figured that it would be bat-like creatures since the creature was sensitive to the helmet’s light, the screaming, and it flew. If it was anything else, let me know!  Though, I do believe they were bat hybrids.
  • There are many stages of grief and every person has their own way of expressing it. How one expresses it does not deflect their own humanity.  It does matter if aggression without reason is involved.
  • Rest in peace spiritual Bindi. You are no longer needed and that is a good thing.
  • Murphy’s and Jeremiah’s interaction was sweet.
  • For those wondering, Jeremiah was a prophet of God who delivered his messages to the people. He called out to those who worshiped false gods and how worshipping them will only lead to destruction.  Jeremiah is also an Old Testament book in the Bible.  (I actually had to bring out my Bible to retract this.)
  • You must love PJ Pesce’s directorial visionary. The transitions of the Black queen gambit to Clarke was the Chef’s Kiss. Other notable mentions:  Nakara Kru jumping into the Anomaly, Diyoza, and Princess Mechanic.
  • Madi sketched out the Anomaly Stone where she has never mentioned anything about it. Is this a foreshadowing?  Does she know more than we think?
  • You must love Murphy’s “Murphy-isms.”  That cockroach has the best oneliners.
  • Speaking of which, he and Emori must have binged on James Cagney’s pre-code gangster movies while on the Ring. It is also fitting for his Machine Gun Annie remark.  (I happen to love gangster movies myself, and James Cagney.)
  • Emori’s dress.
  • Jordan must be included in all of the adventures from here on out.  He deserves to be included.
  • I wonder if Nakara has the Aurora Borealis. Too bad that was not included in the travel brochure.
  • I have been waiting for more Princess Mechanic and they delivered.
  • Please excuse the lateness of my review as the past week has been overwhelmingly busy.

What did you think of Nakara?  Did you have a favorite scene or interaction?  What do you think will happen to the Anomaly Kru in prison?  Will Clarke and her team make it to Bardo or to another planet?   What did you think of Gabriel’s choice?

Next time on The 100, Lindsey Morgan makes her directorial debut in The Queen’s Gambit!


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