the science fiction drama known as the 100 centers on a group of teenage offenders dispatched from a space station, the ark, to a post-apocalyptic earth. their mission is to determine if the planet is habitable following a devastating nuclear event that rendered it toxic with radiation.
upon arrival, the group discovers that earth is not uninhabited; humanity has survived the catastrophe.
among the central figures is clarke griffin, a character born in space. she served as a medical assistant, working under her mother, before being incarcerated for treason at the tender age of sixteen.
clarke was among the delinquents sent to earth and quickly assumes a leadership position within the survivor camp.
unlike bellamy blake, whose innate charisma allows him to take command early in the series, clarke evolves into a leader driven by a strong desire for peace and unity amongst her people.
during the second season, the narrative introduces significant plot developments.
a pivotal moment occurs when finn, another character, faces execution for his transgressions. in a profoundly emotional scene, clarke intervenes to spare him from a brutal death at the hands of the grounders, ultimately mercy-killing him herself.
this intimate and tragic connection between clarke and finn canonically established her romantic interest in men.
within the prevalent heteronormative framework of television storytelling, many viewers interpreted this as confirmation of clarke's heterosexual orientation, a common assumption for leading characters in popular media.
lexa, the formidable commander of the twelve grounder clans, is introduced partway through season two, captivating audiences with her strength and stoicism.
it is lexa who initially condemns finn to death for his actions against her people.
each character is driven by the responsibility to protect their respective communities. clarke and lexa forge an alliance to combat a common adversary: the mountain men. this group, operating from a military facility in mount weather, virginia, was discovered to be draining the blood and bone marrow of both the ark survivors and the grounders for their own survival.
as clarke and lexa's relationship deepens, clarke learns about lexa's past.
she discovers lexa's former girlfriend, costia, who was brutally tortured and killed by the ice nation. costia's death was a result of the ice nation's queen believing she held vital information, information tied to lexa.
the revelation of costia's fate and the subsequent development of the relationship between clarke and lexa ignited immense interest among fans.
this storyline offered significant lgbt representation within the series and opened the door for lexa to potentially find love again. a pivotal moment arrives when lexa kisses clarke, and clarke reciprocates.
this development had a profound impact on the fanbase.
many viewers on platforms like tumblr expressed renewed interest in watching the show, specifically after clarke's bisexuality was revealed. at that point, clarke, the central character in a series aimed at teenagers, was depicted as a teenage girl actively involved in saving the world, and her bisexuality was a key aspect of her identity.
by season three, the series featured two prominent lgbt teenage girls in positions of significant influence, a notable achievement for teen-oriented television.
the show not only presented a bisexual protagonist leading the narrative but also placed her in positions of power where her sexuality did not diminish her authority or capabilities.
in a society where acceptance of homosexuality is growing, bisexuality still faces significant societal stigmas, often unfairly associated with infidelity, oversexualization, and promiscuity.
however, clarke's character consistently defies these stereotypes, never embodying these negative traits or allowing her sexuality to define her in limiting ways.
intriguing questions emerge regarding the potential connections between advanced technologies and grounder culture, as well as speculation about the identity and inherited memories of the next grounder commander.
these narrative threads offer much for viewers to consider.
the writer acknowledges having previously outlined significant concerns with the current season in earlier posts, specifically addressing episodes one through four. before discussing lexa further, the writer expresses respect for any viewer who felt hurt or disappointed by her character's fate, or who experienced other emotional responses, validating their perspectives.
overall, the writer observed a spectrum of emotional reactions, including pain and appreciation, sometimes mingled with feelings of betrayal.
these sentiments were communicated passionately yet respectfully by many viewers. the writer notes that, like many others, they also harbored complex feelings about certain aspects of the episode, a sentiment shared by many who communicated with them, often through respectful online interactions.
however, it was evident from broader discussions that some fans were indeed experiencing anger.
the writer also voices frustration with the perceived lack of development for certain characters, such as monty and jasper, who received less screen time compared to characters like pike. the desire for more focus on characters like raven is also expressed.
in summary, the writing in the current season has frequently bypassed crucial plot points, left significant character developments unexplored, and missed opportunities to deepen character motivations and elaborate on important thematic elements.
the expectation of lexa's departure from the series was present, particularly given the actress's role as a regular on another successful show.
the writer anticipated that clarke and lexa would eventually become romantically involved, with the most logical timing for this intimacy being during a period of heightened vulnerability for both characters, perhaps when they believed they might not see each other again.
the intimate scenes, including their shared moments and the poignant deathbed encounter, were considered individually as powerful and emotionally resonant.
the writer's personal emotional response made it difficult to process the events. reflecting on the character of murphy, the writer then returns to the clarke and lexa dynamic.
the scene where two individuals, under immense stress and vulnerability, succumb to their long-held attraction and share an intimate moment is described as impactful. shortly thereafter, political maneuverings lead to the death of one of them. the narrative acknowledges that both characters understood their relationship was unlikely to be sustainable long-term, which lent a poignant sweetness and emotional depth to their brief time together.
the writer questions whether lexa's death would have been less impactful if it had occurred later in the season or if their relationship had progressed sooner.
however, it is concluded that the emotional toll was inevitable, given the depth of the characters and the skill of the actors portraying them.
the writer expresses a persistent feeling of unease regarding a particular storyline, particularly because it was, in their opinion, poorly written and felt out of place, even within a show that had previously featured unusual plot devices like a possessed truck.
the writer argues that a significant character, who was also a lesbian, received a poorly executed death in an episode deemed to be remarkably tone-deaf and ultimately pointless.
they state there was no justifiable reason for this narrative choice, which deeply bothered them in multiple ways.
despite these issues, the writer continued watching the season, even though the show had previously introduced other questionable plot points, such as the unnecessary demise of the character rufus.
the writer reflects that after the tenth season concluded, they realized that certain recurring narrative patterns had become overwhelming.
they assert that there was no valid justification for the show to proceed in that manner, attributing it to lazy and uninspired writing. the accumulation of instances of sexism, both overt and subtle, reached a point where the writer felt they could no longer tolerate it, leading to their decision to disengage from the show for the foreseeable future after the conclusion of season ten.
the writer acknowledges hearing that the show has since attempted to address and alter some of the elements that caused dissatisfaction.