In last week’s episode “Contents Under Pressure” of THE 100 it is hard to say which resonated louder: the softly spoken “thank you” offered by the Grounder (Ricky Whittle) to Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos); or when Chancellor Jaha (Isaiah Washington) said that there were space pods to transport only 700 of the 2,200 people still alive on the Ark. If you thought it was brutal when the Ark had to cull out 320 of their population to give everyone enough oxygen to survive for a few more months, imagine how everyone is going to react to finding out only 700 get to make the trip to Earth.
So there are some big secrets still hanging in the air as the show picks up this week in “Day Trip.”
Given Octavia’s soft-spot for the Grounder who saved her life and who has proven he will do anything to save her, including betray his own people, there is surely going to be more going on with that budding friendship/relationship (now called “Groctavia”). Will Octavia be able to stand by and watch her brother torture a man who so obviously cares for her, or will she feel compelled to help him get free? And what does that mean for the formerly budding romance between Octavia and Jasper (Devon Bostick)? Jasper just may find himself alone as Octavia gives her heart to another. But having survived a Grounder attack himself, it is hard to imagine that Jasper will give up on the girl he loves any time soon.
Plus, just listen to what Devon Bostick had to say about Jasper and his deep love for Octavia in this interview:
Devon also talks about Jasper and Octavia in this interview: THE 100 Scoop: Devon Bostick Talks Jasper’s Miraculous Resurrection and Portraying a Romantic Hero
Yet perhaps the best clues come from Ricky Whittle in this interview: THE 100 Scoop: Stars Bob Morley, Ricky Whittle and EP Jason Rothenberg Talk What’s Upcoming With the Grounders and Project Exodus
Earth may be a radiation filled planet with a suspect indigenous population, but it also offers a variety of people who are swayed by emotion, by fear, by ambition and by distrust. If the Grounders and the kids from the Ark can find some common ground and work together to deal with the external threats on Earth, then there just might be a chance at survival for all of them.
However, if THE 100 has proven anything is its willingness to depict how harsh a world Earth now is and how dire the circumstances are surrounding not only the kids sent to Earth, but those left on the Ark. With everyone confronted with life-and-death decisions, unfortunately, not everyone will make the right choice – a choice that benefits everyone as a whole. So it is going to be a test to see if the humanity that makes humans “humane” will be intact in the end or if it is going to be slowly chipped away with each day they struggle to survive.
Last week’s episode tore at the soul as we watched with horror at how easily Bellamy (Bob Morley), Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and Raven (Lindsey Morgan) were willing to set aside their own humanity to get what information they needed from the Grounder, by any means necessary. In their minds it felt justifiable as they had a friend dying without that information. But with one slice of the poisoned knife, Octavia proved that love is a more powerful emotion than fear or pain; for all the torture in the world was not going to persuade the Grounder to give up such valuable information as the cure to the poison he uses. But with Octavia’s life on the line, he did not hesitate to give it up. He proved he would do anything for her. His love was stronger than his allegiance to his people.
Love and fear are powerful motivators and there seems to be a constant struggle as to which will win in the battle for humankind’s humanity.
This week THE 100 is sure to offer yet another view on what humans are willing to sacrifice just to survive. With each episode, we become a little more terrified at the price they are willing to pay. Is humankind worth saving without its humanity?
All these questions are sure to haunt us and them with each new predicament and life-threatening situation. So be sure to tune in for an all new episode of THE 100 on Wednesday, May 7th at 9:00 p.m. to see how many more pieces will be lost in the process.
To hear more about the quandaries facing Bellamy, Clarke and Raven, be sure to check out these interviews with the cast at WonderCon:
Eliza Taylor:
Bob Morley:
Lindsey Morgan:
The TV Watchtower 