The 100 Season 3 finale came, we saw, it transfixed everyone. It definitely was a bumpy ride, along with a lot of hurt, pain, reunions and death. In the course of the episode, the obstacle of season 4 was also uncovered, which is bigger than what they could have imagined - a global threat to humanity: If A.L.I.E.'s calculations were right, Clarke and everyone else on earth only have 6 months before 96% of the planet will be uninhabitable. BOOM. Mind blown?
!Warning!: this post could get emotional. Hey, don't judge! A person as invested in the show and its characters as me can only develop heartache. There's no other way possible. If you cried during the finale, you know what I'm talking about!
The most obvious contrast to the previous season finale was Clarke pulling the lever. The memories that brought back! It wasn't that long ago when Clarke ran from her guilt, only to once again be confronted with a similar choice. A decision vital in securing her (and humanity's) safety. One person can change the world. Clarke definitely proved that this season.
Humanity was also a pretty important topic this season - not only were questions like "What does it mean to be human?" posed, but we also got a deeper look into one thing that marks us as humans: our emotions. Every character this season went through some sort of loss and we got to see them deal with their pain. That and saving the world. The pressure! The interesting thing is that everyone coped with the pain differently. Some, like Jasper, grabbed a bottle, others, like Octavia (and partly Indra) with revenge. Bellamy chose a different path, pushing his feelings into the background, Clarke ran away from hers altogether, Raven forgot her pain only to get it back again and Monty... Monty just coped. The different stages of grief and how people deal with it were portrayed in a diverse and very real way.
The contradiction
This season, A.L.I.E. strayed from your typical villain. While we saw the horrifying lengths A.L.I.E. went to fill the city of light, she genuinely believed she was saving humanity. She was programmed to make life better for mankind, at any cost. She wasn't human, so she didn't understand that the path one takes to achieve a goal can be more important than the actual goal. And maybe next season we will see people long for the city of light. Not only to forget, but also to survive. Furthermore, A.L.I.E.'s destruction illustrated that calculations and observations aren't enough - When standing in front of a forked path, we, as humans, need to apply logic, as well as our emotions to choose the right way. And can I just point out how much I liked the good-bad / angel-devil angle when Clarke was in a room with A.L.I.E. and Becka? Old, but gold.
Reunions
During and after Clarke saved her people by ascending and taking the chip to find the kill switch, there were some pretty great (and heartbreaking) reunions.
- Clexa - I think everyone who didn't see the BTS photos weren't expecting this. I purposefully tried to keep away from social media this week, just to avoid reading a spoiler. Because once you start, you can't stop. I CRIED WHEN I SAW LEXA and I'm not one to get emotional easily. But this was like a blow in the guts because we had our reunion, it was all sunshine and rainbows until I realised that Lexa was dead. She wasn't going to come back with Clarke. So it was a reunion / good bye and a devastating one for all Clexa fans out there. But how badass was Lexa? I miss her so much. Click here to read my couple's counceling session with Clexa!
- Kabby - Kane and Abby haven't had it easy this season. I think we can all agree that it wasn't surprising when they shared that kiss earlier on in the season. Still, it was hard when everything really started going down and the question of a relationship between them remained open. But when Abby was at Kane's side, him crying... I lost it. AGAIN. I am excited to see what will happen with the two in Season 4. And if they become an 'item', how will Clarke take it?
- Clarke and Abby - this mother-daughter reunion was beautiful. It was so emotional and it for me all teared up. And this was the first scene! What is it with The 100 this season? The pain hits you in all the right places! Anyway, here's a look at the scene: Click here to watch!
- Jonty - their friendship has been a rocky one this season, which is totally understandable. Both had to deal with such tremendous loss, one of a lover, the other of a mother. As Jasper returns from the city of light however, we were reminded of their strong bond we especially got to know and love in season 1. Click here to watch the "Monty shoots Jasper" scene!
- Murphy and Emori - I feel like Murphy never gets enough credit for the things he does for other people. Putting your hand into a persons open chest and literally help their heart to beat is not an easy task. In my book, he has earned a medal. I like him and Emori because both of them have underwent some pretty brutal things in the past. They built up this wall around them, shielding themselves from the outside, just trying to survive. But for each other, the put their masks down. If anyone knows their "ship name", please let me know!
Artificial Intelligence
Obviously this was a topic this season, along side the questions about humanity. Though I enjoyed this season a great deal, more and more every episode, the aspect of A.I. took time getting used to. This show is in the Sci-fi genre, but with them all being on the ground for so long, the adjustment to 'full-on-SciFi-mode' as I like to call it was a bit difficult. Partly because I believe the plot wasn't as developed as it could have been. There were a few holes here and there, some things I simply didn't like. Sci-fi is a difficult genre, especially when dealing with subjects such as A.I. Nevertheless, the storyline convinced me in the end and I can report that I am a satisfied fan.
Death
As always, someone usually ends up being dead in a finale, in The 100's case it's mostly more that one person. This finale: Pike. I can't say I'm mad about it in any way. In the two-part finale, we did get to see some kind of remorse for what pain he caused Octavia, but it was clear from the very start that he needed to go this season. It was his time to die. Octivia, choosing a path of revenge, shouldn't be underestimated, especially when she's so emotional right now. When she cut his leg right before the chipped folk stormed into the room I was thinking something along the lines of "GIIIIRL WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME WERE YOU THINKING?!" but you know, everything worked out in the end, so that's that.
The finale also left one very important question open - one of (my) life and (my) death - Is Roan alive? Over the season, I have come to love Roan. I just admire his character and it does help that I find him ridiculously attractive in a "I have blood all over me and still manage to look hot" kind of way. Am I the only one shipping Cloan? Is that even a thing? I hope so. Anyway, if he's dead, I might die aswell so pleeeease be alive.
"You're dead to me" - Octavia
Ah, the Blakes. There's always something up with them. This season was a very hard and heart-tugging one at that. In the finale, they came to some kind of silent agreement of sorts, but that long doesn't mean O has forgiven B. That will take time and healing. Something both of them won't have very much of in Season 4. But if one thing has taught us anything, it's that the Blakes always find a way to each other.
Friendship - Clarke and Bellamy
I admit, when the show first aired, I was a major Bellarke shipper. The wave of endless fans pulled me with them. But now, as the series has progressed, I prefer them as friends. Everyone needs a constant in their life, someone who will be there no matter what. Even if both of them had a complicated ending in season 2 and a even more complicated start in season 3, it's safe to say that the depend on each other. I really enjoy watching their friendship blossom, it's just one of the aspects of the show that I have come to enjoy. While other series can overdo it with the endless love triangles and ships, constantly putting every character together, I like that The 100 also explores different relationships between characters like friendship. The bonds run so deep between our favourite characters, it's a delight to watch. In all of this chaos, I imagine one needs a friend.
In conclusion, the finale (and the season) was enjoyable, but definitely not The 100's best. However, with the threat to humanity coming our way in Season 4, the storyline will definitely stay fast-paced and exciting. What did you think of the Season 3 finale of The 100? Let me know! May we meet again!
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