I’m not ashamed that I give myself The 100 rewatches (perhaps too often?), as I enjoy re-exploring the show’s many offerings. And may I remind you that the dystopian series has plenty of Praimfaya flames to contain in terms of storylines, characters, and twists. So, it’s an ongoing journey as you uncover embers that are still flickering.
With my latest rewatch of one of the best shows ever to hit the television waves, I caught even more material that truly brought out the thesis. With my sincerest apologies for sounding like I’m bragging, I’ve rewatched The 100 an infinite number of times. Each “adventure” hits a little differently as new elements slither in. Moreover, the emotional roller coasters are dangerously curved. This is because we invest solely in the characters and their stories.
Again, I apologize for sounding like I’m bragging.
That said, I narrowed the material to five core elements. Think of this article as one of my “Top 5 OMG Moments” from the episodes, but catered to the series as a whole. You might be surprised (or not) at the chosen selections.
These 5 The 100 things shouldn’t be ignored
Whether you’re participating in a rewatch for the plots, the well-developed characters, or re-experiencing your favorite ships falling in love again, your reasons are valid. But as I said prior, unexplored and flickering territory becomes unearthed during such an occasion. It’s just the natural scheme of things.
Okay then. Here we go!
The villains were just as iconic and complex as the heroes
Creating and structuring villains can be as challenging as creating protagonists, since they have just as much depth. The 100 is a primary example of this element. It all began with the Grounders in season one, although, in fairness, war is all they know. Anyone who indirectly “moves in” on their territory will receive a bloody arrival, so to speak.
The predicament can be said for ALIE, Charles Pike, Cage Wallace, Russell and Josephine Prime, and even the Disciples, whose core reasoning was to survive and preserve their version of humanity. However, their approaches in maintaining the savored humane apple had a rotten aftereffect. Not everyone was on board with their agendas. And rightfully so, because there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.
For instance, Cage endured a horrible but a justifiable end in the second season finale. He refused to listen to Kane’s plea to consider bone marrow donation instead of the former’s sadistic measure of acquiring it. Cage’s goal, theoretically, was to rise to the ground and preserve the last of his people. Nonetheless, his approach was far from humane.
And I give props to Kane for offering to donate, as bone marrow hurts like a mother.
But character development is one of The 100‘s more vital assets, and the son of President Dante Wallace is at the very top of notoriety. And the most notorious often crashes and burns the hardest.
The Butterfly Scene in season 1 was a definite foreshadowing
Octavia Blake went from being that sweet little girl from under the floor to being the savior of humanity (Thanks to her brother Bellamy). How she got from Point A to finally Point D was nothing short of a transforming journey. For seven seasons, the audience witnessed Octavia in numerous roles. This intelligently evolved her character.
Speaking of which, season 1, episode 2, “Earth Skills,” depicts a gorgeous bioluminescent butterfly scene where Octavia is surrounded and awed by the blue and violet papilionoidea. Little did fans know at the time that one of the most memorable eyescapes in the dystopian sci-fi drama was a foreshadowing of events to come. Butterflies are the symbol of metamorphosis, so it made absolute sense to utilize the winged creatures that would flit into Octavia’s narrative.
Best of all, being Octavia was one of Marie Avgeropoulos’s favorite roles. She was so determined to get the coveted character that during auditions at Warner Brothers, the actress stepped on a chair and screamed out the iconic line,
“WE’RE BACK BITCHES!”
And the rest is history.
The Bellarke Block of it all
Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin were the definite heart and head of The 100 toward the end. Because of their intense and often overbrewing chemistry, Bellarke became a top shipper favorite. I’ll be blunt; I’m a Bellarke neutralist, meaning that I would have been okay if they became canon or not. Even when Becho and Clexa slipped into the Chat. Furthermore, I thoroughly enjoyed many of Bellamy and Clarke’s adventures. That added an extra dose of angst.
However, 60% of The 100‘s shippers bowed down to Bellarke and had a hope that their desired pairing would set sail. There were several instances when it was obvious that Bellamy and Clarke could have⎯ the gazes, the deep conversations, the hugs⎯ gotten together. And even with the disagreements, they were the definitive front-and-center on-screen best friends/platonic couple that nearly everyone loved.
But there was a glitch in the partnership, and fans noticed. While written as romantic in the scripts, Bellarke never became more than just best friends on-screen. It either riled up the Bellarkers or fueled a hope of whether they are or are not.
Either way, it didn’t dispel the magic that Bellamy and Clarke possessed, which is still brewing very strongly today.
Dry humor and “Murphy-isms” brought light to rather ominous situations
One of the golden highlights of The 100 is its use of dry, sarcastic humor throughout the show’s run. Enter John Murphy, the cockroach who always survives no matter what. Added to his skittering existence are his trademark one-liners. Or as I like to call them, “Murphy-isms.”
Among his iconic collection is “Do I get a gun now?” from season 2, the whole conversation with Bellamy in season 7, episode 13, “Blood Giant,” and his snap
Given just how bad things got, and with our favorites passing on in unexpected ways, Murphy’s prophetic words eased the pain somewhat. Sometimes, you just have to crack jokes and offer some enlightenment to make life easier to cope with. Call it a natural reaction within humanity, and yours truly has cracked a few or many to get through the toughest times.
Anyway, Murphy’s “Murphy-isms” and several other characters’ sharp tongues created a somewhat relaxing tone in otherwise ominous situations.
Being committed to faith and love made the survival themes even more prevalent
When life becomes nearly too much to bear, people will lean into some semblance of faith or positive manifestation to push through. It gives us a sense of security and hope that things will improve. Especially when all the bad stuff constantly pours down like acid rain. And when things feel like we’re drowning in despair, we lose ourselves. It happens to the best of us. However, take my word that it’s only temporary, and there’s going to be something greater.
Gaia Kom Trikru was revealed to be the last Flamkeipa in the fourth season, and she kept her faith alive, even when the Flame was destroyed. However, she struggled a bit with her identity, as there was no one to protect her Keeper days were over. Some good stemmed from it, though, because Gaia reconciled with her mother Indra. She believed that her daughter should follow in her footsteps as a warrior and find Gaia’s choice as a Flamkeipa shameful. In the end, it was faith that brought them together. Ultimately, this led to a final, permanent peace.
Extra One: Bellamy’s faith was bittersweet
Bellamy’s newfound faith may have atoned for his past sins and atrocities, but it also led to his demise. Which, in general theory, should not have happened, as it’s free will. But if said faith is used to harm another living species, then it’s not really faith. It’s considered abuse.
Yet, it turned out that Bellamy was right all along. (But I knew that already). While he clung to his faith like a Sacred Cloth, his love for his sister, Echo, Clarke, and his friends never faltered, although they failed to see it. He just shifted priorities, and if it brought him his self-forgiveness, then so be it.
Just don’t practice it in front of a raging Mama Bear, because you will not win.