The 100 2x15 Review
May. 30th, 2015 09:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaBlood Must Have Blood, Part 1
Minus one thing it was a great episode.
Main Issue
Lexa's deal with the Mountain Men and betrayal of the Skypeople. I don't buy it. I'm having a hard time reconciling Lexa's choice here with everything we've seen of her before (especially the last couple episodes).
The twist is actually rather cool. We're expecting this big fight and an all out battle in the finale and then it's like 'nope!' I was okay with that. I like when the show does the unexpected. Lexa betraying Clarke and her people, okay! I'm fine with that too and I would totally buy Lexa doing that. It's a completely in-character thing that Lexa could potentially do. She is super pragmatic and her concern is her people. If a situation happened where she had to make a choice, or was given an opportunity to better her people she'd take it.
The issue is that I don't buy her in this situation, making this choice.
Lexa's reasoning to Clarke for her decision is that she's doing it to save her people. That "My duty to protect my people comes first." Okay. I buy that. Except two days ago (or so) Lexa let a missile hit a village full of her people, both leaders and civilians, so they could take out the Mountain Men. What are a 100 more?
What it comes down to it for me are the motivations they went into this battle with. Clarke's were very clear. She has been all about saving her people. That's why she's doing this.
But Lexa wasn't so obvious to me. Or at least I came to a different conclusion than apparently the show was going with. I thought Lexa was in this to take out her people's greatest enemy. And save her people. But mainly to destroy the Mountain Men. All her talk has been about finally defeating the Mountain Men. About all the damage they have done to her people. During the plan meeting I came away with the impression that Lexa would end up betraying Clarke by murdering everyone in the Mountain. I really thought that was her end goal. She wanted them gone.
I also don't understand how this is such a great deal from Lexa's POV? Yes, the Mountain Men have offered a peace treaty but why is she trusting them? She's not really a trusting person, you know? And weighing it up - leaving the Mountain Men there with the Sky People blood means they will eventually be able to leave the mountain which will only make them more dangerous. Why wouldn't Lexa take the opportunity, possibly the only one her people will ever get, to make sure the threat is dealt with?? Why would Lexa take the risk and trust that they would keep their word and that the treaty would last? I don't undersssstand.
So yeah -- I just can't buy Commander Lexa making this choice. Based on past episodes she'd attack, taking the chance to save some of her people but willing to sacrifice them in order to permanently take out their greatest enemy.
Great Stuff
• At the end Clarke's mouth may have said "It can't be over" but her eyes were saying "I'm going to murder everyone". I loved it. Determined, desperate, angry Clarke about to mess shit up is the best. I have no clue how she's going to salvage this situation but I believe in her.
+ Also that shot that the episode ended with - Clarke standing alone in the dark, dwarfed by the giant locked door into the mountain - was excellent. It looked fabulous. I 100% believe that she will somehow prevail. Because she's Clarke fucking Griffin.
• Clarke/Lexa were great as always. Okay, sure - betrayal. It happens! It just means that their next meeting is going to be a little tense. Lexa's "may we meet again" felt a little optimistic (of all things!) but I really hope they do. I can see them meeting up at some point in the future, forced to work together, and I want to see so much how they deal with this betrayal. Of course this presupposes that Lexa doesn't get killed in the next episode. I was so sure that she was a goner but now I'm feeling surprisingly optimistic about it. Also I love that Lexa said goodbye the Skye People way.
• I loved this exchange, though the end makes me wince a little in retrospect:
Lexa: You should come with me to the capital. Polis will change the way you think of us.
Clarke: You already have.
Love. I'm also very intriguied by the idea that the Grounder's have a capital city. I guess I always thought of them as a smaller nomadic tribe made up of a bunch of small villages and maybe towns. I really hope we get to see it next season.
• Clarke holding the detonator out for Lexa to press with her - for the ones they've lost. Sharing the victory with her. ♥
• "No! You stay with Clarke. When the shooting stops you get that door open." - Lexa. I loved this little moment. Her 'no' was so forceful. She really didn't want Lincoln to go anywhere. I firmly believe that her keeping him there was less about getting the door open (she had lots of people, including commanders, there to do that, plus Clarke) but more about him staying with Clarke as a bodyguard (he just saved her, he's loyal to Clarke's people). She knew she could trust Lincoln to protect Clarke no matter what and she wanted Clarke safe. It just makes me really happy.
• <>"Raven will get it done. She's one of us." - Monroe. ♥ I really hope she survives. When the next episode starts I also want her to show up behind Clarke, ready to do whatever Clarke needs to save their friends.
• Some excellent Lincoln/Clarke. Lincoln saving Clarke after the detonator fail. It was his very first thought when the gunfire started, instinctive even. Loved it. I also loved him pleading with Lexa at the end to let him help them and when she had him dragged away he fought. I'm torn between wanting him to renounce his people and join up with Clarke or Octavia to help take the Mountain and join them permanently or wanting him gone and thus safe from being murdered.
• Octavia/Indra were a roller coaster. I loved Indra being all verbally supportive and impressed by Octavia and Octavia just sucking it up. Then she calls her "Octavia of the tree people" and tells her that she is one of them and I was so happy. And then Octavia questions orders and refuses to abandon her brother and Indra disowns her... D:
• I enjoy Raven and Wick's bickering but I loved their more serious moments this ep. I really loved that little exchange after Wick kills someone for the first time. He's standing there, in shock and stalled, and Raven's sympathy and compassion towards him was palpable. But she's Raven so she just tells him "Welcome to the ground" and gets back to work. It was a great little moment.
• "It wasn't the Commander. It was Clarke." - Dante. I just loved this. I love that he never under-estimated the Commander or Clarke. I love that Dante clearly respects Clarke. I can't wait till their inevitable face-to-face next episode.
• I loved Lexa leading the Grounders storming the Mountain Men shooting at them. We so often just see her giving orders that it was nice to see her as the warrior, leading her people into battle, against the odds.
• "I have no home." - Octavia. Hee. She is such a drama queen. That was just such an angsty teenager thing to say that I'm far too amused by it. I mean she has her brother and Lincoln. And the 100.
Other
• I found it very interesting that Lincoln wasn't joining the chant of "blood must have blood" during the plan meeting.
• The other moment I didn't buy wasn't that big of a deal but it annoys me a little: at the beginning we have guard Paul looking for the 44 and after finding Jaspar/Maya he executes the couple hiding them. Seriously? Why would he do that? Willing to kill, sure. Execute, wtf? Even if they were aiding and abetting there are less than 400 people in that mountain so he probably knew them. Also when he comes upon Vincent obstructing him he takes the time to try and talk him out from interfering. It felt less like a believable choice the character would make and more just for the shocking! moment! of it.
• I have a hard time believing that Lexa isn't going to get some significant push back from this decision. Based on the reaction to Finn and with the knowledge of all that the Mountain Men have done to their people [Reapers, TonDC] are they all really going to accept so easily not getting "blood for blood" from the Mountain Men?
Minus one thing it was a great episode.
Main Issue
Lexa's deal with the Mountain Men and betrayal of the Skypeople. I don't buy it. I'm having a hard time reconciling Lexa's choice here with everything we've seen of her before (especially the last couple episodes).
The twist is actually rather cool. We're expecting this big fight and an all out battle in the finale and then it's like 'nope!' I was okay with that. I like when the show does the unexpected. Lexa betraying Clarke and her people, okay! I'm fine with that too and I would totally buy Lexa doing that. It's a completely in-character thing that Lexa could potentially do. She is super pragmatic and her concern is her people. If a situation happened where she had to make a choice, or was given an opportunity to better her people she'd take it.
The issue is that I don't buy her in this situation, making this choice.
Lexa's reasoning to Clarke for her decision is that she's doing it to save her people. That "My duty to protect my people comes first." Okay. I buy that. Except two days ago (or so) Lexa let a missile hit a village full of her people, both leaders and civilians, so they could take out the Mountain Men. What are a 100 more?
What it comes down to it for me are the motivations they went into this battle with. Clarke's were very clear. She has been all about saving her people. That's why she's doing this.
But Lexa wasn't so obvious to me. Or at least I came to a different conclusion than apparently the show was going with. I thought Lexa was in this to take out her people's greatest enemy. And save her people. But mainly to destroy the Mountain Men. All her talk has been about finally defeating the Mountain Men. About all the damage they have done to her people. During the plan meeting I came away with the impression that Lexa would end up betraying Clarke by murdering everyone in the Mountain. I really thought that was her end goal. She wanted them gone.
I also don't understand how this is such a great deal from Lexa's POV? Yes, the Mountain Men have offered a peace treaty but why is she trusting them? She's not really a trusting person, you know? And weighing it up - leaving the Mountain Men there with the Sky People blood means they will eventually be able to leave the mountain which will only make them more dangerous. Why wouldn't Lexa take the opportunity, possibly the only one her people will ever get, to make sure the threat is dealt with?? Why would Lexa take the risk and trust that they would keep their word and that the treaty would last? I don't undersssstand.
So yeah -- I just can't buy Commander Lexa making this choice. Based on past episodes she'd attack, taking the chance to save some of her people but willing to sacrifice them in order to permanently take out their greatest enemy.
Great Stuff
• At the end Clarke's mouth may have said "It can't be over" but her eyes were saying "I'm going to murder everyone". I loved it. Determined, desperate, angry Clarke about to mess shit up is the best. I have no clue how she's going to salvage this situation but I believe in her.
+ Also that shot that the episode ended with - Clarke standing alone in the dark, dwarfed by the giant locked door into the mountain - was excellent. It looked fabulous. I 100% believe that she will somehow prevail. Because she's Clarke fucking Griffin.
• Clarke/Lexa were great as always. Okay, sure - betrayal. It happens! It just means that their next meeting is going to be a little tense. Lexa's "may we meet again" felt a little optimistic (of all things!) but I really hope they do. I can see them meeting up at some point in the future, forced to work together, and I want to see so much how they deal with this betrayal. Of course this presupposes that Lexa doesn't get killed in the next episode. I was so sure that she was a goner but now I'm feeling surprisingly optimistic about it. Also I love that Lexa said goodbye the Skye People way.
• I loved this exchange, though the end makes me wince a little in retrospect:
Lexa: You should come with me to the capital. Polis will change the way you think of us.
Clarke: You already have.
Love. I'm also very intriguied by the idea that the Grounder's have a capital city. I guess I always thought of them as a smaller nomadic tribe made up of a bunch of small villages and maybe towns. I really hope we get to see it next season.
• Clarke holding the detonator out for Lexa to press with her - for the ones they've lost. Sharing the victory with her. ♥
• "No! You stay with Clarke. When the shooting stops you get that door open." - Lexa. I loved this little moment. Her 'no' was so forceful. She really didn't want Lincoln to go anywhere. I firmly believe that her keeping him there was less about getting the door open (she had lots of people, including commanders, there to do that, plus Clarke) but more about him staying with Clarke as a bodyguard (he just saved her, he's loyal to Clarke's people). She knew she could trust Lincoln to protect Clarke no matter what and she wanted Clarke safe. It just makes me really happy.
• <>"Raven will get it done. She's one of us." - Monroe. ♥ I really hope she survives. When the next episode starts I also want her to show up behind Clarke, ready to do whatever Clarke needs to save their friends.
• Some excellent Lincoln/Clarke. Lincoln saving Clarke after the detonator fail. It was his very first thought when the gunfire started, instinctive even. Loved it. I also loved him pleading with Lexa at the end to let him help them and when she had him dragged away he fought. I'm torn between wanting him to renounce his people and join up with Clarke or Octavia to help take the Mountain and join them permanently or wanting him gone and thus safe from being murdered.
• Octavia/Indra were a roller coaster. I loved Indra being all verbally supportive and impressed by Octavia and Octavia just sucking it up. Then she calls her "Octavia of the tree people" and tells her that she is one of them and I was so happy. And then Octavia questions orders and refuses to abandon her brother and Indra disowns her... D:
• I enjoy Raven and Wick's bickering but I loved their more serious moments this ep. I really loved that little exchange after Wick kills someone for the first time. He's standing there, in shock and stalled, and Raven's sympathy and compassion towards him was palpable. But she's Raven so she just tells him "Welcome to the ground" and gets back to work. It was a great little moment.
• "It wasn't the Commander. It was Clarke." - Dante. I just loved this. I love that he never under-estimated the Commander or Clarke. I love that Dante clearly respects Clarke. I can't wait till their inevitable face-to-face next episode.
• I loved Lexa leading the Grounders storming the Mountain Men shooting at them. We so often just see her giving orders that it was nice to see her as the warrior, leading her people into battle, against the odds.
• "I have no home." - Octavia. Hee. She is such a drama queen. That was just such an angsty teenager thing to say that I'm far too amused by it. I mean she has her brother and Lincoln. And the 100.
Other
• I found it very interesting that Lincoln wasn't joining the chant of "blood must have blood" during the plan meeting.
• The other moment I didn't buy wasn't that big of a deal but it annoys me a little: at the beginning we have guard Paul looking for the 44 and after finding Jaspar/Maya he executes the couple hiding them. Seriously? Why would he do that? Willing to kill, sure. Execute, wtf? Even if they were aiding and abetting there are less than 400 people in that mountain so he probably knew them. Also when he comes upon Vincent obstructing him he takes the time to try and talk him out from interfering. It felt less like a believable choice the character would make and more just for the shocking! moment! of it.
• I have a hard time believing that Lexa isn't going to get some significant push back from this decision. Based on the reaction to Finn and with the knowledge of all that the Mountain Men have done to their people [Reapers, TonDC] are they all really going to accept so easily not getting "blood for blood" from the Mountain Men?
