Clearly, The 100 spent some money this episode and combined with a really tight script it paid off in a big way. With Azgeda approaching Arkadia, things and the clock quickly running out on finding a solution, things have become critical.
As we know, despite being stabbed in the abdomen and falling off a cliff, Octavia managed to survive. She was on her way to Arkadia when she fell off of her horse, only to be discovered by Ilian. Ilian takes Octavia to Arkadia where she manages to sputter out a warning about Azgeda before promptly passing out. With so much at stake, Clarke doesn't ask any questions and being a council, leaving Illian on his own. Clearly Ilian alone around so much technology is a recipe for disaster because he blames technology and Skaikru for the slaughter of his family.
Monty tries to contact Kane who of course cannot answer because he's been taken captive by Roan. Jaha reports that Bellamy's rover has been found abandoned. Miller Sr, wants to put gunners around the perimeter of Arkadia and then blow up what is left of their hydrazine when the Agzeda warriors get close. It's the scorched earth routine and Clarke is not on side, particularly because it doesn't make sense to set off an explosion so close to a ship they're trying to save. Clarke suggests that she ride out and have a little chat with Roan to discover what went wrong. Clarke has always been one to try and talk through the options first before becoming violent. No one sees this as a viable solution except for Monty who points out that they should take a lesson from Pike, who showed them the value of of surprise. Agzeda is marching to Arkadia with no idea that Skaikru knows that they are coming because they believe Octavia to be dead.
Clarke parks herself in a cannon right in Agzeda's path while Skaikru soldiers line the cliffs above, thus giving them a tactical advantage. Clarke calls out that she just wants to talk and Roan replies that it's too late for that and orders his archers to prepare to shoot Clarke. Clarke remains cool and she looks up at her soldiers. Echo follows Clarke's gaze and this is when she realises that Skaikru has lasers targeting Roan. Roan re-balances the situation by having Bellamy and Kane brought to the front in an attempt to create a stalemate. This is when Bellamy realises that Octavia must be alive because that's the only explanation for Skaikru being able to show up and confront Agzeda this way.
Clarke calls out that all she wants is ten minutes of Roan's time and asks to speak to him privately. When Roan steps forward a worried Echo questions if this is some sort of trap. Roan who has correctly summed up the situation and points out that it if is a trap, they're already caught in it.
Miller Sr, gives the order to allow Roan to pass by unarmed and everyone complies accept for Riley, who continues to target Roan. At this point, I have to wonder what the hell they were thinking bringing Riley along on this mission, especially given that Riley was once a captive of Agzeda. It's Monty who notices what's going on with Riley and does his best to talk him down.
Clarke and Roan head into a cave to chat about why they've reached this point. Roan responds that Skaikru broke the deal to which Clarke is quick to point out the various ways in which Agzeda is in violation of their agreement. This is when Roan reveals that he knows about the ship is there to take it for the Azgeda people. Clarke explains that the ship is simply a backup plan that that the real plan is to turn everyone into nightbloods. Roan isn't comforted by this because he sees it as a play for power and more specifically his crown. Clarke counters by pointing out that Octavia told them that the flame had been destroyed and therefor more nightbloods shouldn't be a problem. Roan is still not appeased because even if the nightbloods aren't a threat, Clarke is clearly building a shelter for her own people.
Outside, Monty notices that Riley is missing. With things as tense as they are if Riley should take a shot at Roan, it will mean war and in their current situation a massacre. Monty makes his way down from his position and with hands held high asks to speak to Echo. Monty explains that situation with Riley and says that he's trying to avert a war. Bellamy steps up then and offers to go and talk Riley down and Kane uses the radio to tell his people to stand down and let Echo and Bellamy pass. Monty is held captive in Bellamy's place and Echo warns that if Roan dies, Monty and Kane will be the first to die.
Back in the cave, Roan is still pushing for some sort of advantage and points out that her people will be the first to die, sensing that Clarke will be to weak to be responsible for that. Did dude forget who he is dealing with her? Clarke reminds Roan that she was willing to allow her own mother to die to defeat ALLIE. Roan proves his own resolve by reminding Clarke that he did the same to help her people. Roan finally hits a nerve when he reminds Clarke that Lexa knew how to put the whole over the clan. It's a good line and possibly the only one which would have gotten through to Clarke. Clarke agrees to give up 50% of the space on Arkadia to Agzeda. Roan agrees to this and adds that if the time comes, Agzeda will make sure that the doors are sealed.
Outside the cave, Riley is in position to assassinate Roan when he leaves the cave. Bellamy tries talking Riley down as Echo quickly looses patience and decides to take aim at Riley. Bellamy is forced to stand in front of Riley to stop Echo from killing him. Bellamy argues that Riley was saved for more than this but gets no response. Finally, Bellamy admits that war made him a murderer and advises Riley that he doesn't want this on his conscience. Just then Roan and Clarke leave the cave and though Riley struggles with his decision for a moment, he doesn't pull the trigger.
As Bellamy, Echo, Clarke and Roan gather together, this should be a moment of relief because of the averted war but an explosion sounds in the distance and they see a large column of smoke. Clarke is quick to realise that this destruction is happening in Arkadia.
At Arkadia, just before the explosion, Octavia wakes up to find Niylah at her bedside. Octavia tries to give a warning about Agzeda and Niylah explains that they already know and that Ilian found her in the woods. Knowing that Ilian is in Arkadia and is not being watched is enough to force the injured Octavia out of bed. Having dealt with Ilian in Polis, she knows all to well of his hatred for technology. Niylah and Octavia makes it to the control room to find that Ilian has splashed around gasoline and is standing their with a torch. Octavia calls out to Ilian that doing this is not going to bring his family back and warns that this will destroy the whole ship. Ummmm, Octavia, that's exactly what he planned to do. Ilian questions if Octavia was in the City of Light and when Octavia says no, he drops the torch setting the room on fire. For Ilian, this means that Octavia cannot possibly know his pain. The room bursts into flames and an explosion follows, knocking the poor weak Octavia down. It's Ilian who carries Octavia and Niylah out of Arkadia.
Clarke, Bellamy, Roan etc., rush back to Arkadia to find it engulfed in flames. Skaikru watches in horror as their lifeboat is destroyed for good.
In the lab, Abby and Jackson are working hard to try to find a way to make nightblood. They are both frustrated with their progress. Raven is watching from below when she finally finds herself floating as if she is in a zero G space. What Raven doesn't realise is that she isn't flying is in fact having a seizure. Abby and Jackson rush to Raven's side and administer aid. While Raven is out Abby and Jackson run a scan on her brain and discover that Raven potentially had a stroke. When Raven awakes, Abby explains about the seizure but Raven believes that her brain was simply moving too fast. She's figured out that they flying she was experiencing was her brains way of communicating with her. Raven realises that the only way to create nightblood is to do it in space.
Raven is stoked by this idea but Abby points out that they have no way to reach space. This is when Raven orders some doors opens and reveals Becca's two seater ship. It seems that because of her experience with the tech, Raven now knows everything that Becca/ALLIE did. Raven is racing in full throttle and Abby is finally forced to tell her about the results of her scan. Raven realises that the way she was severed from the City of Light is responsible for the brain upgrade that she has but is determined to keep going, unwilling to survive while everyone else dies.
Raven continues on with her grandoise plans as Jackson pulls Abby aside to point out that she was disconnected from the mainframe in the same manner as Raven. Abby promises to warn Jackson should she start to develop headaches. When Jackson leaves the room, Abby has a hallucination of Clarke, whose face is burned from radiation. Clarke tells her mother that they are running out of time. Abby doesn't know yet about the destruction of Arkadia and so this makes her vision prophetic.
If we have any luck at all Jasper died in the destruction of Arkadia but I must admit that we're probably not that lucky. That would be the only benefit of Arkadia being destroyed.
Things are truly in a bad place for everyone though it's worth mentioning that this doesn't mean that it cannot get worse. We all know that Octavia didn't actually destroy the flame and if this comes to light before they can turn everyone into nightbloods, Roan is going to fight against this. I have feeling that this will become an issue for too long.
The news about Abby and Raven is rough. I pretty much figured that Abby had a short shelf life because she's effectively been replaced by Clarke and beyond her relationship with Kane, there's no much relevance for her on the show. Raven however is a different story. We don't have a lot of characters of colour on The 100 and to lose Raven, who has grown so much since season one would be too much. I hope that they find a way to at least save Raven.
Am I only one who is beyond done with Echo? On one hand she wondered if there could be friendship between her and Bellamy and yet every turn she acts like the most disloyal friend ever. I get that her first allegiance is to Roan but she steps way across that line too often.
Bellamy talking about being haunted by his actions to Riley was more of Bellamy's redemption train. Last season Bellamy did some truly horrible things. The truth of the matter is that season one, Bellamy has a history of doing horrible things. He's really no better than Murphy in that regard, we've just been encouraged to believe that Bellamy can redeemed because his reasons for his actions haven't always been in self interest. I'm glad that the redemption train is taking awhile I just wish that it wasn't so heavy handed.
