Did you enjoy the finale? Because I LOVED THAT FINALE SO MUCH. The clock ticking down! The danger! The feels! The time jump! The cliffhanger! Holy shit, this finale gave me everything I wanted and more.

“Praimfaya” was written by series creator and showrunner, Jason Rothenberg, and was directed by Dean White. The season has really picked up speed, emotion, and urgency since “Die All, Die Merrily,” with the last couple of episodes demonstrating the show at its absolute best, like a peacock in full strut. LOOKIT ME! But make no mistake, the groundwork laid in the early and middle bits of the season all came to a head and found purpose as the season concluded.

This finale left me exhilarated. So much shit was a razor’s edge away from going sideways. And it left me hopeful – not only did Raven, Bellamy and crew successfully make it to the go-sci ring of the Ark, Clarke DIDN’T die and is fuckin’ back in black, y’all. I really wanted the season to end on a S1-esque cliffhanger of “what the fuck is going on?” and I got it. The finale was like a buffet of all my favorite things about the show. Season 5 is now open to so many possibilities and story telling techniques…are you excited? I’m so excited right now you don’t even know…

We just gotta make it through this hiatus.

Let’s get into it!

The Bunker Bunch

One of the things this episode HAD to do was commit to the idea that time was running out in almost real time as we were watching it, so it made sense that the hour was dominated by the goin’ to space story line.

We did, however, get a little of the bunker, as Bellamy has a GREAT conversation with Octavia. Bellamy gives Octavia a little pep talk, as she’s heading into uncharted territory of being a leader simply by virtue of winning a fight. Bellamy references the story of Prometheus which is, like, an okay movie but not the best of the Alien series if I’m being honest, and his reference didn’t make a TON of sense since the Engineers ended up being kinda murdery in the end. So you got a little off topic and esoteric there, Bellamy.

YES, THIS WAS A JOKE…I know Bellamy and O were talking about the Greek myth.

While Octavia is still the little sister, she’s not in Bellamy’s shadow anymore, nor does she need his protection, but you know what little sisters never grow out of? Getting advice from their big bros. I do it all the time with my brother. We didn’t grow up together since he’s 15 years older and was in the Army by the time I was could walk and talk. But we’ve grown close as adults, and I go to him for advice, whether it’s personal stuff or professional stuff (we work at the same company and he often walks by my desk and stares at me like a weirdo and has taken to calling my Funko Pops “dollies” which is SO NOT COOL, THEY’RE COLLECTIBLE FIGURES, GOSH).

You NEVER grow out of using your siblings as your sounding board, and with Bellamy, Octavia is free to share her fears about leading, having never done it before. And he fills her with confidence and hope and in turn she tells him that she loves him and that Blake healing catharsis we’ve been waiting almost two seasons for is here and I’m a puddle of emotion.

And this was just the beginning of the feels trip they took us on in this episode, so put your big girl panties on, because this review is going to be a feels trip of its own and I’m likely to cry several times.

And if you were wondering if Octavia is the new Commander, Indra puts that to rest by saying that the time of the Commanders and the Flame is over (and I doubt this will go over well with Gaia). But at the same time, Octavia dons the gear bindi and Lexa’s armor/cloak. So I don’t know exactly how to interpret this, but I’m glad that the Commander is no longer a thing and Indra recognizes that Octavia marks a new era.

Most leaders on this show either are drawn to power for its own sake or are born to leadership, either by blood or their nature. And some, like the Blakes, kinda have to grow into it. Their hearts drive them in the right direction. What Octavia as a leader looks like remains to be seen, but I think she’s smart (you are free to disagree, and you may have a good argument given her lashing out emotionally much of season 3 and 4) and her heart’s in the right place. Her instincts seem right now that she has greater responsibility than just being the steward of her own anger.

There’s no telling what goes on in that bunker for 6+ years. Well, you know where my mind automatically goes if you’re at all familiar with me:

I AIN’T RIGHT, Y’ALL!

What I kinda wanted to see was a little bit of Kane, Abby, and Jaha, but I realize that the timeline of the episode was pretty much as-it’s-happening and didn’t really allow for contemporaneous dual-location shots. By the time the radio goes dead between Octavia and Bellamy, the death wave is pretty much on Polis within the next couple of minutes, which the show depicts in the … next couple of minutes. And they had to squeeze in that great Octavia/Indra work and a Bellarke hug.

That Clarke has had no contact with the bunker in 6 years drives me crazy with worry about what’s going on in there. Can you imagine being stuck in a bunker, ostensibly buried under rubble that they can’t extract themselves from? There’s gotta be some panic and stir craziness happening, and how has society and our core characters – Octavia, Indra, Kane, Abby, Miller, Jaha, Niylah, Jackson, and Gaia – evolved? Will there be a crazy reveal about the bunker bunch?

Guys, seriously, I can’t be moved off of this cannibalism thing. This is becoming a crippling obsession.

How Is It That Monty and Murphy Have Never Interacted Before?

Monty and Murphy get to go on a mission together to retrieve the oxygen generator from the lighthouse bunker and have some great dialog along the way. But…this is really their first interaction in four seasons, isn’t it? Remember back in the day when Murphy wanted to kill an injured Jasper because he was making it hard to sleep with all his painful caterwauling? GOOD TIMES. Now, Murphy is a bit reticent for his asshole ways, but keeps being an asshole by saying that Jasper took the coward’s way out via suicide.

Now, I don’t like this message any more than Monty does. And this won’t be the last time suicide is referred to as an act of cowardice in this episode (Bellamy says it when confronting Echo). I do not like this message regarding suicide and mental health, and in this, the writing is puzzling. Because while I think Murphy may believe this, it’s odd for Bellamy, who let Jasper make his own choice earlier in the season, to now come to the same conclusion. It’s the weakest bit of writing in an otherwise strong episode, but I think we need to take pause here.

I’m confused at times what the show is trying to portray in regards to mental illness. Is suicide the result of depression or cowardice? I felt we got some really interesting character interactions and saw a lot of who we tend to be reflected in the writing. Like Monty, a lot of us don’t respond well to the unseen illnesses in others. We can’t comprehend why someone would want to kill themselves or spend so much time unhappy or unable to move past traumatic events. Monty doesn’t understand it…he tries to talk Jasper out of his depression and his decision to die, but Monty doesn’t understand how Jasper feels.

And this isn’t a bad thing. It is hard to empathize at times with the mentally ill, but we should also be cautious not to write off actions as cowardice or irrational or whatever simply because we don’t have the capacity to process what another person is going through.

Now, Echo’s case was different, right? I’ll talk a bit about that later, but I wanted to make sure to address how Jasper’s act is viewed by Murphy, who has, in the past, shown he’s often an asshole first and an empathetic person later. I just wonder at the choice of terminology here and have to step back a bit and consider character speaking and context.

Let me get back to Murphy and Monty. Monty is of course angry at Murphy for what he says about Jasper and then sarcastically says he’d should have drank the tea rather than face five years in space with Murphy. And Murphy has a reaction to this. Look at his face. It seems like his first instinct is to be a dick, but it hurts when someone says they’d rather die than hang out with him for foreseeable future.

Don’t tell me that doesn’t hurt Murphy, and that people’s aversion to him haven’t affected Murphy throughout the series. John Murphy: hard candy shell on the outside, chewy marshmallow that just wants to be loved on the inside.

Since this episode gave us Monty and Murphy, I want more Monty and Murphy. They hugged when Monty realized Murphy left him. Monty can appreciate making the right decision for the greater good. But that Murphy didn’t leave him to die was very important. Yeah, yeah, let’s forget the fact that they needed Monty for some technical expertise and recognize that Murphy saved the generator and got help for Monty.

“You can be impressed with me later.” – John MOTHER FUCKIN’ Murphy, y’all

No character has taken as wild a ride in our hearts as John Murphy and he’s earned a place among our show favorites because his evolution has been interesting, relatable, and very, very human.

From what we know of Murphy’s past, it doesn’t seem as if he’s had a great support system, so the cockroach has had to look out for himself. I’m hoping that throughout this ordeal and in the 6 years up in space, he’s learned he can lean on others and be a bit more vulnerable with them, and he, in turn, has a strength to lend to others.

Grounders…In…Spaaaaaaaaaaaace!

Now, if you were to write a sitcom version of The 100, shooting a couple Grounders up into space to live for a couple years would be a perfect set up. I tweeted this:

I want a flashback episode solely dedicated to Emori & Echo’s reaction to the Ark: “What’s this? What does that do? Can I touch it?” #The100

— ILLINI Jen (@CoolHandLukette) May 25, 2017

Emori and Echo will be not be familiar with any of the technology or the infrastructure of the Ark’s go-sci ring and it will be AWESOME. Everything they see will be new and weird and unknown. There will be A LOT of questions.

(gif credit goes to McKenzie and if I didn’t mention her, she would kill me)

I wrote in my last review that I have no issue with Grounders joining our little Adventure Squad jaunt into space, as the rules for Adventure Squading are fairly simple:

1. Be awesome
2. Love adventure

I also love the idea of Grounders in a completely foreign environment and having to learn how to cope with shit that will blow their mind. I hate the idea that Grounders can just be dismissed as “savages” simply because they’ve lost the knowledge of the “modern” world. They were dismissed by Skaikru far too easily and I think the show has turned the idea of what is a Grounder on its head, especially now that Clarke is in the position of being a Grounder with new people coming down from the sky.

This season has taken us through some crazy ups and downs, and many of them have involved Emori or Echo. And that they’re along for the ride is more than fine with me, as mixing up the group dynamic can lead to some very interesting, thoughtful, and funny places. Shit has gone down and Emori and Echo may not be original delinquents, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find room in our hearts for them.

Hey, remember when Clarke was going to use Emori as a Nightblood guinea pig, which likely would have killed her? But who was the person to ask if they could wait another minute for Clarke before taking off in the rocket? Emori.

FEELS TRIP!!! Clarke personally sacrificed twice for Emori (taking the injection of nightblood and then giving her the radiation suit helmet), and then a third time for the whole group. I think Emori is starting to understand what these friends are willing to do for one another, and she may have found a place with Murphy, but hopefully she’ll find a true home among Spacekru.

But what is Echo’s deal?

I have really enjoyed Echo’s storyline this season. Really none of the Grounders have been as swept up by the winds of circumstance as her. She’s tried to be a dutiful royal guard to both Nia and Roan, but when things started to change and Roan was a bit more progressive than Azgeda is used to, she’s forced to change in ways that make her uncomfortable. But she remained ever loyal to her king and to her people. Even when that meant making a decision to cheat at the Conclave…a very Clarke-like choice. Who can really blame her for working her hardest to make sure her people survived? If ya ain’t cheatin’, ya ain’t tryin’.

1 WRESTLING GIF PER REVIEW REQUIREMENT MET

Whereas Emori has been able to morph and change to best deal with her circumstances, Echo is a bit lost, as she’s probably been in a very controlled environment with a strict set of expectations. Emori’s outcast status meant she had to scrape by and do whatever was necessary to survive. Echo served the Azgeda royal family and was at their beck and call. Rolling with the punches isn’t much her style.

When she disappeared and smeared Azgeda war paint on her face, I think we probably all sucked in a collective breath because we’ve seen this ritual before with the Mount Weather assassin. But then it became apparent that the ritual is one performed before death, and Echo was going to end her life rather than go into space.

Echo’s trepidation and fear about the big unknown of space is understandable, but for someone who has fought to survive, even after being banished, and putting her life in the hands of people who didn’t trust her, I didn’t quite understand this sudden change of mind from this scrappy warrior.

She doesn’t feel she belongs anywhere, which yeah, I get it, but she didn’t creep on Skaikru and save the day last episode just to give up when the going gets…weird. I mean…space, y’all! I can’t fathom what it’s like to shoot up there in a rocket, let alone what it may mean for Echo. This whole sequence felt a bit odd from a rational perspective, but it did hit me from an emotional one.

Now, let’s address that cowardice thing. Remember, I said that Echo’s choice was different from Jasper’s and presumably not driven by depression, but rather by fear. So in Echo’s case, IS it cowardice? Was this perhaps a gambit on Bellamy’s part to appeal to Echo’s pride? Or was it simply an echo (BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!) of Murphy’s earlier sentiment in regards to Jasper? I can’t say I know exactly, but I’m not as dubious about this situation as I can recognize nuance and contextual differences between Jasper and Echo and won’t just default to a simple reading of the scene and its intention. So really, I guess, it’s up to you how to interpret how the word “coward” is used in both situations and what your reaction to it is.

I joke that Becho is endgame and that it triggers some people so thoroughly is a source of endless entertainment for my evil little heart.

If you take a look at her character and her complicated dynamic with Bellamy, I think there’s a lot to mine here. Grounders and Skaikru learning to understand each other, trust each other, and live side-by-side has been a key theme with mixed results…just when it seems they’re on the cusp of getting along, there’s a setback. But it’s been a constant source of hope for me…because even though I’m an unrepentant dick, I still want everyone to get along in the end and just cuddle.

Tell anyone about my gushy sentimentality and I will find where you live and viciously re-arrange your utensil drawer, mixing the big and little forks together!

Yeah, don’t fuck with me or I’ll hit you where it hurts.

I’m so glad that Echo didn’t die. I’m happy we got to see her being vulnerable. I’m also glad that Bellamy got another moment to display why he’s been an awesome character in season 4. His ability to connect to people and inspire them and empower them has been amazing. Echo is a great semi-foil to Bellamy because she can challenge him and test him in ways other characters can’t. Echo can be a vehicle for growth in Bellamy, and he, in turn, can push Echo to evolve. That’s interesting stuff.

Mixing up personal dynamics is vital for a show going into its fifth season, because it allows characters to display different aspects of themselves based on the characters they’re playing off of and it keeps things interesting. And it helps create new avenues for growth or presents different perspectives on familiar characters.

The other interesting thing about Echo is she is without a clan, having been banished by Ice Nation, and is without a king to serve now that Roan is dead. So she’s completely alone in a situation that must be excruciating for her because she cared so much for Azgeda. How does she adapt to her new situation of being out in space with a set of strangers? What is her role within Spacekru? Will she bond with the other loner, Emori? I cannot wait to see.

The best thing is Emori seems absolutely entranced by the space stuff…the look on her face in zero G was so fun. Echo is more skeptical and cautious. Imagine an enthusiastic Emori thrilled by all this new stuff and a grumpy Echo being all like “wait, stop, don’t touch that, you don’t know what it does!” up on the Ark.

This just in from the Grounder Network News Newsroom of News: Tasya Teles has been promoted to series regular for season 5. Great news!

I’m Now Ready To Move On From Clexa

While I’m not a rabid shipper – I prefer to think of myself as a human with light shipper tendencies – I really liked the Clexa dynamic and didn’t see Bellarke as anything other than platonic. Which JRoth JUST SAID is a perfectly valid read of their relationship…as is a romantic read. Until something is canon, it’s basically up for interpretation, and no one is wrong.

After Lexa’s death and the controversy of it, I thought pushing romantic Bellarke in any way, shape, or form last season or this year would be extremely distasteful. Look, you can argue all you want that Lexa’s death was just another death in a show about a lot of death, but that would make you so unwoke it’s painful. The manner and timing of it was awful, and tropey, and problematic. I was ignorant as to why it was so hurtful, but then I got off my high horse of “why don’t you love this show anymore that I love???!!!” and LISTENED to the people it affected. I shut my straight white ass up and listened. And then I got it.

I worked through my Clexa thoughts and why I believe in this show and think the writers are good people who made a mistake in my season 3 wrap up.

The show had to work through Lexa’s death and its effect on Clarke, who shut down emotionally in season 3 but started moving past her pain in season 4. But still, the timing was wrong…and for a myriad of reasons.

Let’s be honest: Clarke and Bellamy weren’t in a great space with each other as time wore on this season. You can’t force something when the timing isn’t right and the people are at odds.

But I think we’ve reached a point, both through this 6 year time jump, and the way Bellamy and Clarke seemed to resolve some things in the finale, where I can get with romantic Bellarke now and not feel squicky about it.

Pick your damn self off the floor. I know this is a shocking development.

I’m not suddenly a rabid Bellarke shipper. I’m not now spending my time thirstily trolling Tumblr for Bellarke gif sets or devouring Bellarke coffee shop AU fan fic where Bellamy is a history professor at the local uni and Clarke is an art student and OH MY GOD HOW DO PEOPLE READ THIS SHIT?!

I’m just saying that I think the show has cleared the runway for a relationship to develop if it wants it to and it won’t be problematic or insensitive in regards to Clexa if you completely divorce Lexa’s controversial death from the other aspects of the show. Of course, I’m only speaking for myself here, and as a boring straight white lady, I can’t say future romantic Bellarke wouldn’t maybe hurt some feelings, but I’m saying it’s reasonable to move on now.

But I will also say I’m not particularly interested in romantic Bellarke. Two things: 1. it’s boring because it’s everywhere and strong male/female friendships are not and 2. beware what you wish for, for what you wish for could end up being Olicity.

It’s clear that relationships – whatever form they take – are at the heart of this show and one of the things that fans keep coming back for. Clarke and Bellamy have a deep connection due to what they’ve been through together and obviously love one another (I’m talking non-romantically here). It is clear that their partnership is a cornerstone of the show.

They’ve often been out of sync, and there was a lot of need growth for Bellamy to do on his own. And for her part, Clarke was at odds with Bellamy because of her willingness to sacrifice anyone for “her people.” Including Octavia, who will always come first with Bellamy.

But this finale brought Bellamy and Clarke back to each other and gave us a couple meaningful interactions in which they both expressed how important they are to one another. Clarke brought up their history and how she didn’t like him at first, but that he’s always come from right place of trying to protect Octavia. It all felt earned. Things were a bit tenuous going into the finale, but Clarke finally got to say her piece and it got me over the hump of her stunted emotions this season. I loved their interaction and got me all feelsy.

One of the things that I’ve loved so much about this season is Bellamy’s growth. The “oxymoron” conversation felt like Clarke passing the leadership baton to him, as she recognized he’s best at inspiring people, but he also has to engage the brain. This is such an important conversation because the reverse must also apply to Clarke moving forward. I felt in seasons 1 and 2 that Clarke was more in touch with her heart and let us know as the audience that her decisions took a toll, but she changed in seasons 3 and 4. I I think she finally made peace with herself when she realized she wasn’t making it back to the rocket.

Clarke the Hero

I think the general feeling among the fandom out there is we got “our” Clarke back this episode. JRoth has a handle on this character, or at least the version we want, and delivered us the hero that saved rocketkru. She didn’t just save the day…she’s done that several times over. This time she made a personal sacrifice for her friends and it hit that sweet spot of feels and awe.

There was plenty of foreshadowing in this episode to Clarke’s “death,” with mention of Abby’s vision, which I think was only a manifestation of Abby’s darkest fear, not a true premonition of the future. So Clarke going on a lone mission to power up the Ark pretty much sealed the deal for me. Clarke was not going to make her flight on time.

And of course, nothing goes as planned when she plugs in the communication thingie to the satellite thingie.

“What did I do wrong?!”

Oh, nothing boo…you’re doing everything you can.

The dumb satellite dish needed to be manually realigned in order to transmit to the Ark and Clarke had to climb up the tower and do it herself. Which of course means there’s no way she gets back to the rocket in time, and she’s up on the tower still trying to turn the Ark’s power on as the rocket launches from Becca’s lab in the background. Imagine being Clarke and watching your only hope leaving you behind, but also knowing you are THEIR only hope.

It’s not apparent that Clarke gets the signal up in time as the transmission thingie goes dead mid-communication, so for all Clarke knows, her friends will die in space, unable to get into the Ark. Which is…NOT COOL. I was puzzled by this bit. It doesn’t seem in line with the rest of the episode. Why would she rip the communication thingie off the junction box in anger and lead us to think that she’ll never know if the transmission worked? Am I the only one bothered by this little thing?

By the time Clarke gets back to the lab, the death wave is upon her and she gets a nice unhealthy dose of radiation through her shattered helmet. This sequence leaves us to believe she’s dying, covered in radiation burns and coughing up blood. But Clarke’s the main character and has kicked so much ass throughout the series and in this very finale that there’s no way she’s dying.

That doesn’t mean her scene at the end wasn’t tense or frightening or had less heart because we logically know the show can’t kill her off. Not that shows haven’t done it before, and not that it wouldn’t have been a good death, it’s just that…it’s freakin’ Clarke. She’s still got more asses to kick before her story is done.

Buckle Up Kids, We Goin’ To Space

Watching Bellamy wait for Clarke was heartbreaking since we knew she wasn’t coming back.

Bellamy waited for Clarke as long as he could before they took off in the rocket, and we get a nice mirroring of the season 1 finale, when Clarke closed the dropship door, leaving Bellamy and Finn outside. This time, it’s Bellamy making that heart-breaking decision.

Once the show entered crunch time, the action was fast and furious. The scenes got very tight and driven, with small emotive moments or dialog to express the import of the situation. There wasn’t a lot of time to mourn Clarke when their own lives were still in the balance.

And holy shit guys. They used the rocket. THEY USED THE ROCKET. HOLY FUCKBALLS, THEY WENT TO SPACE!

But the real nail-biting drama revolved around getting into the Ark, which they did by the skin of their teeth as Clarke got the power turned on at what seemed like the very last minute. And then that crazy sequence of rigging up the oxygen generator. DUDE.

I don’t know about y’all, but with everyone running out of oxygen, I was certain someone was going to die. That whole sequence was fucking tense as fuck and I don’t know if I took a breath (ha!) as they started running out on their oxygen supply.

Man, the pacing of this episode, especially as we neared the climax, was perfect. Things started off pretty fast and furious with “Praimfaya,” but the tension really ratcheted up as each sequence of actions took place.

I’m so glad that no one died during the oxygen generator scene because it showed them all working together, sharing oxygen, and getting the generator hooked up at the very last second to save them all. In a show that sometimes is heavy on the despair and light on the hope, this scene was deliciously optimistic and wonderful as soon as the tension was released and we realized that they got the job done and everyone lived. That smile between Murphy and Raven at the end? I want to bottle that up and sell it on Etsy as a semi-sweet, semi-salty tonic that sarcastically heals your heart.

If you’re not excited by the prospect of some good Spacekru stories and/or flashbacks next season, then I honestly don’t know what to say. Because if you think about it, this particular group of people hasn’t had a ton of time together. Even Raven and Bellamy haven’t shared a lot of screen time independent of Clarke since forever.

But what’s NEVER in question is the dedication between Bellamy and Raven, a bond created by surviving a ton of crap on earth and depending on each other to get the job done, even when they’re separated by time and distance.

When Bellamy asked “You with me?” at the end, I IMMEDIATELY said: “Always.”

And then Raven said “Always.”

I have no doubt that life on the Ark is going to be rough, and Bellamy is going to need Raven to use that brain of hers to troubleshoot any issues and figure out how to make life a bit more bearable. And Raven is going to need Bellamy’s faith in her to give her occasional pep talks. And the rest of Spacekru is going to have their own value to add. I wish I could pick which story line I’m most excited about seeing next season, and I think it’s a close race between life in space and how Clarke survived/found Madi.

DAT TIME JUMP, YO! and Clarke the Cockroach

How exciting was the scene following the “6 years and 7 days later”? Clarke is alive! Clarke is also apparently shopping at the Road Warrior store (I approve!) and getting her hair styled and dyed at that chic corner salon (double approve!) and adopting little Nightblood kids from the Logan Store of Child Sidekicks (Bellamy is going to Clarke adopting a kid!).

Did I like this flashforward?

I was certain the show would do a time jump and wrote a defense of it in my last review. Did y’all find the actual length of the time jump surprising? I was thinking way too on the nose with a five year jump, but that we’re a year and a few days change over that is very interesting. I wonder what the extra year is for…I have a sneaking suspicion it’s to give some runway to folks being stuck in the bunker or space. Imagine knowing that you can return to the earth’s surface, but unable to do so. I’m refraining from inserting yet another Hannibal gif here, and you should know how hard that is for me.

In the flash forward, Clarke looks FANTASTIC. I think everyone loved her new look. The Grounder wardrobe, the short, red-streaked hair, the old Clarke swagger back. And a smile. A FREAKIN’ SMILE! She looked at peace. Did I spy a sketch book? The dramatic change in look really helped sell that time jump. She still doesn’t look close to her real age, but this show seems to employ vampires who all look 18, but who are truly more like 6 centuries old. Marie is thirty, you guys. THIRTY. There’s some shenanigans going on here…I’m telling you, they’re vampires.

And were y’all at all surprised that she radios Bellamy and the Ark every day?

OF COURSE NOT. Of course she radios Bellamy and the Ark every day. From this monologue, we learn that they never respond back. Nor does the bunker – although this bit is unclear. Clarke says they lost contact with the bunker and then says she hasn’t made contact with them. I’m going assume she’s referring to losing contact with them back before the death wave and haven’t heard from them since despite her efforts. And they’re buried under rumble which Clarke can’t get through.

Were you all also relieved to see that Clarke isn’t alone? She found herself a little Nightblood kid to take under her wing and this was a fantastic turn of events because we’re going to get feral mama bear Clarke next season if Madi is in danger, I guarantee it. Madi will put Clarke in Abby’s shoes. This completely new dynamic will be fascinating.

A cool little prop detail is that Clarke has etched the names of those who have been lost into her rifle’s strap. I wonder what the significance of adding those names to a weapon is…an instrument of death seems an odd memorial, but we are talking Wanheda here.

The episode ended on a cliffhanger, as the ship that comes down to earth is not from the Ark, but rather an Eligius mining company ship. Quick refresher: hints were dropped this season that Nightblood was developed to protect miners from radiation while in hypersleep. We also know that the mining ships were full of convicts. Seems this company liked to use cheap, imprisoned labor (is this legal in the future?). And, finally, contact was lost with a mining ship back before ALIE unleashed nuclear war.

So, we can assume that we’ve got convicts (hypersleep baby!) or their progeny aboard this lost-now-found ship coming back to earth after more than 100 years in space. Who are these people? What are their intentions? Are they dangerous? What are they expecting to find on earth? Have they been in contact with the Ark? Could SpaceKru actually be on board that Eligius ship as prisoners?

This finale ending is equivalent to Clarke waking up in Mount Weather, with an unknown entity entering the picture. And it also flips the script, with Clarke being a Grounder and these unknown people being new Skaikru. That Clarke is now in the position of having to defend her turf against invaders is quite the full circle. Does she have a spear handy?

How Does This Finale Stack Up?

Like. Dude. This finale was the bee’s knees.

Guys, I don’t have the words to express how much I loved this finale. I think prior to this episode, season 1 was my favorite because of the cliffhanger and the mystery of Mount Weather. The unknown going into season 2 was so exciting! This finale replicates that feeling and I’m so fucking hyped for season 5 because it’s green field, baby. SO FUCKING HYPED!

Can I also take a moment to mention the VFX in this episode? That they put a lot of money and effort into “Praimfaya” was evident, and I think it was one of the best looking episodes from a VFX standpoint. From the rusty tinge of the outside shots, to the rocket going into space, to the death wave bearing down on Clarke, it all looked great.

The finale was everything I wanted it to be and perfectly sets up season 5. Are y’all as hyped as I am for next year?

Programming note: I plan on doing a season 4 wrap up review, but it’ll be in a few weeks, as I need time to decompress and think about the season.

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6. Editorial guidelines: 0
7. Screeners received: 0
8. Feeling spared: 0
9. Fucks given: 0

This is a personally owned site. I write reviews because I love the show. And I put a shit ton of effort into this. As such, I will NEVER censor myself. My opinions and thoughts will be honest and sincere and controversial and will sometimes piss you off. I’m not particularly interested in tip toeing around ships or opinions or feelings at the expense of free expression. If we all thought the same and never wandered out of our safe echo chambers, life would be excruciatingly boring.

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Parting Thoughts

• My ship, Slarke (soap + Clarke) is still CANON…but I think I might be keen on a new ship: Highlarke – Clarke and those red highlights. Dude…
• I swear to god, if Murphy doesn’t crack a cockroach joke in regards to Clarke when they meet again in season 5, I will be very disappointed. “And you guys call me a cockroach,” he says with a smirk, BUT EYES A BIT TEARY UPON SEEING THAT CLARKE STILL IS ALIVE.
• Did you catch the exchange of glances between Indra and Gaia? I think trouble is brewing, with conflicting beliefs and complicated family dynamics likely to gum up the works.
• Helios is fine, guys. Proof:
  
• Becho is endgame, but Brecho could totally be a mid-to-late game move. Don’t tell me that Echo, Raven, and Bellamy isn’t tempting to you. Because I’d call you a liar. Now, be sure to screen cap this and post to Twitter as proof of me being an awful person.
• No bunker or Ark babies, please.
• No between-season offscreen deaths of named characters, please.
• There are weirdos out there that don’t like Echo ONLY because she could stand in the way of Bellarke. These people are trolls. This too will be screen captured by said trolls.
• I wonder if anyone will bring up Charlotte in comparison to Madi, if just in passing.
• I feel I ignored Raven this review, but make no mistake…she’s had a top notch season and kicked ass in the finale. There’s just so much to talk about and I have to keep this review under a billion words.
• Bryan Fuller is in talks with Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen about Hannibal season 4. COINCIDENCE? I THINK NOT. We now know who is in that prison ship.
• ROAN WATCH 2017: Y’all, he’s DEAD dead. I’ve given up the ghost. Unless he comes back as a radiation zombie, Zach has moved on to die on Agents of SHIELD.

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FINAL VERDICT!

“Praimfaya”: 9.5 out of 10 radioactive death waves

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TWEET/RETWEET: If you enjoyed this review, could you do me a favor and share / retweet / like it on twitter? I hate to ask this because I hate asking anyone to do anything for me, but I’d really appreciate it.

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST OF THE 100 MUSIC!: Hey people who like sounds entering your ear holes! I have a Spotify playlist, which is music from and inspired by The 100. You can find it right here and marvel at my musical tastes. I keep it up to date with anything featured on the show or in promos.

SHIT YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING WHEN NOT WATCHING THE 100*: 

• 12 Monkeys: Syfy is dropped all of season 3 last weekend and it was fantastic; Jennifer Goines is one of the best characters on TV right now.
• The Leftovers: watch this show before you die.
• I myself have to find some new shows to watch. I plan on dipping into Harlots and maybe doing a series/movie rewatch of Cowboy Bebop. That’s right…this old gal digs anime.

*will try to recommend new stuff each week

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There are some The 100 reviewers/recaps/writers you should absolutely be reading, and I offer them up for your enjoyment; I have no affiliation with any of them, save for being a fan:

• Selina Wilken – a mix of passionate fandom and truly professional journalism.
• Erin Brown – unfairly beautiful writing. Like seriously, stop being so good.
• McKenzie Morrell – recapping her damn face off and great interviews with the cast!
• Toni_watches – piss your goddamn pants funny photo recaps.
• Jo Garfein – Hosts The Dropship podcast and has some great fandom charity auctions

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If you’re a fan of the show, join us on Reddit for deep discussions, wacky shenanigans, Trigedasleng lessons, and clan flair! It’s the least toxic place you can find right now for The 100 fandom. Mods got that shit on lockdown.

Disclosure: this is my own indie site. I’m not a professional reviewer, I don’t get paid for this. This is a labor of love/insanity.