iaria: (Nikita and Alex (Nikita))
[personal profile] iaria
Thirteen

So I ended up getting spoiled for the big moment of this episode before I could watch it ...and then ended up taking a month and a half break from the show (though not entirely on purpose).

• Even knowing that Lexa's death was coming it was still heartbreaking. I can't imagine how it would have been to come in unspoiled and unexpecting and I'm a little disappointted that I didn't. But at the same time I've had a month now to process the show killing her off before seeing it and I think it allowed me to enjoy the scene maybe more than I would have. Certainly the anger I felt when I heard about it is now gone.

+ I thought it was a really great scene. I liked the contrast between Lexa's acceptance of her death and Clarke refusing to until the very last moment. Their last moments together were genuinely sad and moving. I loved Clarke's tearful "I don’t want the next commander — I want you." I loved that Lexa was still trying to protect Clarke even as she was dying. I loved her telling Clarke 'not to be afraid'. I liked Lexa telling Clarke that she was right and there was more to life than surviving. I thought that emotionally this scene between them delivered. I loved it.

+ It's really unfortunate that the show did the Dead Lesbian Trope - and holy crap they couldn't have gotten it any closer to Tara McClay's death if they actively tried - and it does bother me. But at the same time this is The 100 and I've basically been worried about Lexa's survival since last season. Considering she's starring on another show I feel like her death was inevitable. So her death bothers me as the death of a character I love (and the end of a pairing I adore) but her dying (as a lesbian) not so much, if that makes sense? The two biggest issues with her death were the fact that she and Clarke finally got together just before and how she died.

+ The timing of 'sex than death' is super unfortunate but in the end I prefer how it played out rather then either:

a) them getting together an episode or two earlier. The build up of their relationship was, imo, perfectly done. They needed the time given for Clarke to get past Lexa's betrayal and forgive her. I love how their relationship progressed up to this point. I also actually think them sleeping together this episode made sense. Clarke was leaving, they would be separated possibly for good, on different sides of a war, with there being a good chance that they wouldn't see each other again. That pushing them into acting on their feelings as a goodbye worked for me. I think they'd have gotten there anyway but it would have taken a least a couple more episodes without that impetus.

b) them not sleeping together at all. I loved their goodbye leading to sex and then that scene with them in bed. It was utterly lovely and wonderful and I'd rather have it with the unfortunate implications then not have it at all. I'm glad that they had that hour of happiness together.

+ I am a lot more annoyed with how Lexa died. Even though I did love her death scene. Lexa being killed by accident [by a devoted ally who's trying to kill Clarke] instead of in battle like she very clearly should have been bugged me. In this case I do wish they'd done the reason for her death differently. Make it a consequence of 'blood must not have blood', or it being an assassination by Ontari or something similar. I'd much rather Lexa have died as a warrior and the Commander.

• Of course there's also the 'Commander's spirit'/AI - is Lexa truely gone? Could she be a part of ALIE 2? Commander's are 'reincarnated' - perhaps a part of them survives in a virtual reality much like the City of Lights? It does leave things a little open at least to seeing Lexa again. I'm also very curious about how much of the Lexa we knew (and who Clarke loved) was also the AI? If a Commander remembers all their 'previous lives' it could make Clarke's interactions with them very interesting.

• I am really going to miss Lexa. I loved her as a character in her own right and I loved everything about her relationship with Clarke. I thought she brought a lot to the show. She was smart and wise but also cunning, she was compassionate but harsh when needed, she was so strong and did what she thought was right even at great personal cost, and she was a badass. She was wonderful.

• Clarke/Lexa were a delight. They have so much chemistry and such an amazing connection and I am going to miss them. I liked Clarke admitting that Titus was right and she is biased while still arguing for her people. I liked that while Clarke was unhappy about the kill order she didn't get unhappy either at or to Lexa. I loved their shared smile before Titus interrupted them. I loved that Lexa knew before Clarke said a word that Clarke was leaving. Their goodbye was lovely. Clarke and Lexa in bed made me smile so much.

• I love that Clarke could apparently just walk into Lexa's room whenever she wanted without being stopped by Lexa's guards. And that there is seemingly a 'do not disturb' order in affect whenever Clarke is in there.

• Can someone please hug Clarke? Maybe given her a week or two of downtime at a spa. That lost shot of her standing devastated and hollow was so sad.

• I loved the all the backstory we got. I love how all the pieces are tying together.

- My favourite bit is that all Commander's are chosen by Becca's ALIE 2 AI! That is awesome. I love this so much. This explains the broken infinity tattoo. It also calls back to her conversation with Clarke in the ape cage in a way I love. Her spirit chooses the next Commander!

- Commander's are called Commander because that was what was on Becca's spacesuit. Becca was the first Commander! The Nightblood is what allows someone to carry the AI.

- The other stations blowing Polaris up was kind of shocking even though I knew it was coming because it was for such an utterly pointless and unnecessary reason. Like, good freaking god you assholes, you think you're the last humans alive, wtf are you doing?! Not to mention all the resources they just wasted. It's mind boggling. No wonder the Ark ended up so screwed up if that's how the leadership of it started. Yeesh.

- We also got a little more backstory on Lexa specifically - Titus was her teacher and the one who instilled in her that "love is weakness" and that Costia's head was left in her bed! Wow. I loved Lexa going off on Titus over questioning her ability to put aside her emotions.

"That's the second time she left us all to die." This was the only scene where I thought Octavia was off-point. What exactly is it that she expects Lexa to do here? To continue to allow Skaikru to attack her people as much as they want unmolested? To keep giving in? This was an unprovoked attack on a village (directly after an unprovoked attack that killed 300 soldiers). Not to mention she has once again gone to bat for Skaikru. She has done the exact opposite of 'leaving them to die'. By blockading them she keeps her villages safe from further attack while leaving it up to Skaikru to police their own. Everyone in that room wanted to immediately attack Arkadia and she knows that. This way the only way people are going to die is by crossing the line/attacking Lexa's troops. Frankly, IMO, Lexa's solution to the situation was really fair.

• Of course there are so many questions left like: How aware was Lexa (or any Commander) of the AI? Could she communicate with it? Have access to it's knowledge and memories of previous Commanders? What is up with the circles on Lexa's back and why is there only seven? How the heck were there people walking around when Becca landed on Earth?

• Octavia was pretty great and I love her telling people hard truths.

- Octavia/Indra! ♥ I love them. I loved Octavia get-it-together speech: "We all die. You can either do that here feeling sorry for yourself or you can come back with me and get your revenge." Them together again at the end was so great to see.

- Octavia and Clarke Take 2 was a great little scene. I loved Octavia taking Clarke's hand and telling her "We need you." It made me ridiculously happy. I also really liked that Octavia didn't get mad at Clarke for vacillating on whether to return to Arkadia or not. She saw through Clarke's excuses and met it with a measured response. I found her parting shot of "If you're not there, you're not the person I thought you were." interesting because of how many issues Octavia has had with Clarke [especially allowing TonDC to be blown up].

• I have to say I still love Titus's devotion to Lexa. I love that it was just as fierce and unwavering as I was hoping. His actions at the end reminded me of Justus - going behind her back to try and remove a perceived threat in order to protect her. Annoying and paternalistic but done entirely out of love. He saw she was on a path that he thought could only lead to disaster... and then he inadvertently caused it himself. Ouch. He was so broken up by what he did and when he asked Lexa, in tears, for forgiveness I felt for him. What he did is going to haunt him and is a worse punishment than anything that could be done to him precisely because he did love her.

• It really stuck out to me how very gentle he was with Clarke after Lexa's death. Is he going to honour his promise to Lexa? I'd like to think yes but to what extent will he be willing to go?

• The little bit we got of Clarke/Murphy was great. I was particularly happy over her calling him "my friend" (and I really hope he was awake enough to hear that) especially considering their last meeting.

• I loved Clarke's reaction to seeing Murphy in her room. It shocked her so much that it took her a couple seconds to even process it was him and it just really amused me.
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iaria

May 2023

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