Thursday, April 24, 2014

The 100: "His Sister's Keeper" Review


You know at this point I'm not really sure who we're supposed to be rooting for. Finn seems like kind of a bad guy considering how he's messed with two girls now and with no reason behind it. Clarke has sort of faded into the background doing the housekeeping. Meanwhile, Bellamy has gotten a lot of character development and has morphed into a fairly decent leader. Nobody rallies around him like a bunch of primitives anymore. The closing shot with everything established and the walls and what not seems like he has everything under control, something we never thought to see when the season began and the 100 first landed. It's like Bellamy is the hunter and Clarke is the gatherer. At least, that's how it's coming off.

And once again, we got some strong material coming from the Ark. Not only that, but it was also in the form of very interesting flashbacks focusing on Bellamy and Octavia's origins. We also got a reveal on who ordered the kill on the Chancellor--it was not Kane. Directly, maybe. Not entirely clear on that yet.

It was Bellamy and Octavia's stuff that was all around interesting this week, too. Clarke and Raven did their own little thing but that resolved into unnecessary and very poorly timed drama.

But let's get into it.

The episode starts 17 years prior where we get insight into the illegal birth of Octavia, as on the Ark families are only permitted one child. Bellamy and Octavia's mother makes the former swear he will never mention Octavia because it will get all of them floated. Jump forward and we are right where we left off last time, with Octavia in the clutches of the Grounder. Bellamy and Clarke sweep the camp looking for her but come up empty handed.

Bellamy decides to take action and lead a team out there to find her, recruiting Finn as a tracker so that they can know where the heck they are going. Jasper volunteers himself because he obviously has a thing for Octavia (also, Monty, where has he been?) and some others go to help Bellamy. Clarke is ready to go at first but with Finn going, she needs to show Raven the way to their little love-hideout to find parts in order to fix a radio and make communication with the Ark.

Before they can leave though, a meteor shower of bodies is spotted, and the 95 realize that their plan didn't work. However, with no time to argue over it, they decide to part ways and get on with the episode. One of the first logical things done this show!

The group continues on before one of their members is killed and they realize that they have entered Grounder territory. Only six more continue on, including Bellamy, Finn, and Jasper. Meanwhile, Octavia, down in the cave, finds her way out but an injury to her leg cripples her speed.

In the flashbacks, Octavia is a little older but she does not understand the severity of her birth. A random inspection occurs and we see that Octavia has to hide in a small rut in the room. But, the tail of her stuffed animal is sticking out, and to hide Octavia fully, Bellamy resists the rude guards. Yeah, they really aren't the nicest bunch and I can see why he wouldn't want to talk to them. However, Octavia is kept hidden.

The hunt for Octavia conitnues as the group is attacked by far more dangerous Grounders than the ones with Octavia, as they kill two more members. However, before Octavia can fall victim to one of the girls' deaths, her Grounder saves her life. Interesting.

It got me to thinking that there may be several more Grounder "clans" than just a generic bunch. Though the Grounder with Octavia and the three that attacked the search group did not come to blows, it did raise the question why other Grounders had not found his cave or joined up with him.

Bellamy and the gang continue to pursue Octavia, who is now chained up in the cave so she can't go anywhere else. But, Bellamy and the gang manage to find her and rescue her, and in the process Finn gets stabbed and the Grounder is left alive but unconscious as per Octavia's order.

Clarke and Raven manage to find the small bunker and before they can leave Raven stumbles upon the little two-headed deer figurine Finn made for Clarke, leading her to believe there was something between them. Here is where the stupid drama comes in that Clarke plays off but Raven tries to force. Go Clarke.

At the dropship Raven can't get her work done because Clarke and Finn and stupid drama. Like, lady! There are hundreds of lives on the line if you don't fix the radio, which you know how to do so stop being so dramatic and get over your stupid boyfriend! Clarke plays it off well, saying she hardly knew Finn and makes it seem like their little thing was just out of desperation and loneliness, something she points out makes a lot of sense. It was a heat of the moment thing. And given the circumstances of their friends and family both on the Earth and not, this Raven drama is ridiculous.

In the flashbacks, we get to see what happens when Octavia finally leaves the room. It's actually a heartwarming moment at first. Since there is a masquerade ball, Bellamy gets a mask for her to put on so nobody recognizes her. At first, everything is going great. She finally gets to see the Earth and the Moon and space and stuff and have some social interaction. Jasper and Monty also spot Octavia for the first time, obviously foreshadowing what is to come in later events. However, something goes awry and the party is stopped and IDs are checked. Bellamy can't get his sister out of there in time and her identity is revealed.

Years later, pretty much caught up to the first episode now, and we learn that Octavia is in prison, that their mother has been floated, and that Bellamy is alive but is now working as a janitor. His former commander comes to him telling him that 100 kids are going to be sent down to Earth and that he can have a spot on the drop-ship if he kills Chancellor Jaha. Interesting indeed.

Everything about the flashbacks and present come full-circle at the end of the episode. Finn is put into Clarke's care as she orders Raven to fix the radio (which if she hadn't been moping would have been done already!) so she can get help to save Finn from her mother. Octavia tries to leave but Bellamy won't let her, and when she says that all the bad things happening is because of him, he comes back around and blames it on her, saying that they are on Earth and that their mother is dead because she had to be born. Hmm. Tough but I mean, hey, tensions are high.

Bellamy's final line about a storm coming certainly seems to be coming true, as now the Grounders have struck again and we may be seeing Octavia's Grounder return to get her. Maybe even side with the 92 to fight alongside them in the imminent showdown with the rogue Grounders. I also wonder if we'll see like an army form to fight the Grounders, as every time they come across the Grounders it seems they are outgunned and pretty much dead on sight.

Things only seem to be worsening on Earth and though we did not see and present-day Ark shenanigans, it's safe to assume Abby and Jaha are going to be pushing the fact that they saw the flares and that there are beings alive on Earth. A storm is indeed, coming. Hopefully it will seriously lack the stupid drama, too.

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