I’m ready for a Brazil-style ending, with Clarke waking up in solitary, her dreams of the 100 and Earth painted on her walls and floors, even on her body. A guard arrives to take her to her execution. She sees the name on the jacket:
Tanya.
The face is familiar, she knows her, knows she cannot resist, this is the end.
Indifference stares at her, dragging her to the airlock.
She passes by faces she knows, faces she placed in a different context: Dr. Tsing, Carl Emerson, Jasper Jordan, Titus. Is this real life? Is this the dream? She doesn’t know anymore.
They reach the airlock – only one person is present, a face she knows so well, a face she thought she’d never see again. The name on her jacket:
Alex.
Indifference won’t leave her alone. She can’t bear to see it in this face. She is begging now, remember me, please, remember me.
Something, a spark, a glance. Tanya is gone and Alex is taking her somewhere else. Will you protect me? Please don’t leave me.
They enter a corridor she doesn’t know, her mother is there, Raven is there, Monty is there – Becca is there.
The escape pod is ready. There are supplies. They are going to save her.
Alex steps in first, you will not be alone, I will be with you.
Their fingers touch, their smiles meet, they will be together, they will live and love and there it is, the sudden, thrilling drop of it, the freeing fall of it –
And Abby, screaming, pounding her fists at the windows, helpless, and Raven pulling her away, it’s over now, she’s gone, it’s done.
His head bowed, Thelonious Jaha announces the execution of Clarke Griffin has been completed.
Then, tomorrow was another day The morning found me miles away With still a million things to say Now, when twilight dims the sky above Recalling thrills of our love There’s one thing I’m certain of Return I will to old Brazil
At some point, I might post about all the disquieting ideas this show brings up (colonialism, preference of intelligences, narrative disconnects, retcons, etc) – but it’s so depressing. I’ve been brought up to speed this morning, and a couple of things stand out:
– Is Raven dying? Possible, but look at the show. Is it going to be that simple? Is it possible that Alie’s ‘code’ remains in Raven and instead of her hallucinating Becca (as many of us thought), she’s being manipulated? The last we saw of Alie, she was on the Ark. I wouldn’t be surprised if that turns out to be the twist at the end of the season. Alie takes over Raven again – or did she ever lose control, just stayed hidden? Begs the question if Abby is in the same metaphorical boat. Don’t count Raven out just yet.
Just to add: Clarke’s list of clans showed over 5,000 lived in Polis (I believe). She tells the others the shelter can hold 1200 and they can ‘all’ survive there together. That’s a lot of people left out. Did they forget this detail?
So many narrative flip-flops here and all just to have a hunger games-style battle that needn’t exist, or undermine Raven’s storyline to show her still being possessed by Alie (if that turns out to be the case – I really hope it isn’t). And the Flame never meant anything (funny, since JR made a big deal out of its reveal and killed Lexa off to make it happen).
This show undermines itself so much. Such great characters and potential, wasted.
I’m giving a shout-out to this epic little story that I think needs more views and conversation – this takes place post 3×07, with Lexa near-death, visiting her past (and finding a greater understanding of herself) via a walk through the almost-afterlife with Anya. Aden fills in as Commander and Clarke has stayed in Polis to care for Lexa. The blockade of Arkadia is still in effect.
This story is quite rich in detail and emotion, filling in narrative gaps and expanding Lexa’s history, taking the turns the show didn’t. Lexa and Anya’s relationship is given a great spin here, a bit of a Greek turn on a kind of Stygian river, as they float through Lexa’s memories.
If you enjoy rewrites of the canon, with strong characterisations and angst, you might enjoy this very much.
This took me a good five minutes to read and a little longer to take in, so – I know it’s probably easier to type shorthand via phone, but it really isn’t that easy for some of us to read.
I don’t get sad, it’s not something I think about at all. I don’t think there is anything personal about it, but it is a business, those conventions are (I believe) studio sponsored to promote the show and if the show/network doesn’t want any Lexa brouhaha, it is possible they decline to invite ADC. It is a little on the cruel side, as it kind of deletes her contribution in a way (like erasing Lexa from the montages) and makes it difficult for fans to really celebrate that character in a way that isn’t hamstrung by the studio politics of it. Speculation, of course.
Keeping in mind how popular Lexa became (before and after her death), I can see the studio not wanting the character to overshadow the show itself – if you saw the fuss at the Copenhagen Comic Con, it was basically LexaCon. If that happens at an unrelated event – imagine what would happen if she did attend an actual related-convention? I can’t see anyone risking the fallout. Not while the show is still on the air, at least.
Hold up! Just look at her face. Look at that subtle raise of her eyebrows, the tiny, almost imperceptible, quiver of her chin and the intake of breath. The way her lips part and her eyes just gaze longingly with that ‘please-love-me’ stare. It’s like she takes one look at Clarke and time stands still for a sec.
You can almost hear the internal conflict. -‘God your pretty. That face. Those eyes. Those lips. Can I kiss you? I swear you’re an angel. Jok! Pull yourself together Heda!
Love is weakness, except, maybe my love of candles. Wait, what was you saying? Your beauty stumped me-’.
Lexa is so thirsty that straight after this she has to pour herself a drink.
The subtlety and intricacies of ADC’s expressions and the mannerisms within her portrayal of Lexa still amaze me.
I love how I get these as if I’ve ever had a correct theory about ANYTHING.
Yes, I’ve seen the photos now and all I can say is probably what others are saying: it looks like Raven is trying to solve a Big Problem and is likely hallucinating a conversation with Becca to help herself.
Clarke back in the old Commander gear suggests she’s probably going to ascend and the Grounders are probably all grumbly about it but Roan and Indra and some of the other ambassadors look like they’re agreeing on something, so, she probably does take the Flame again. I think this has been assumed for awhile now. Clarke unites all of their people. Or something.
Now that I’ve written this, everything will turn out to be completely wrong. :-p
I’m going to add to this: Clarke assuming Lexa’s role puts her in as dangerous a position as Lexa ever was. She’s not a ruler, she’s not a politician, either. I don’t think her being ‘Commander’ is for much more than show, to get everyone to cooperate. Emotionally, this symbolises a near-permanent joining w/the other Commanders (including Becca and Lexa), as, if she dies with it, her consciousness gets recorded onto the implant as theirs were.
If you wanted a Clexa endgame – this might be as close as you’ll get (also sets up the possibility – being baited in some media – of a return for ADC in s5, if only in Clarke’s head). Don’t get your hopes up for this, though, and don’t see this as a reason to return to support the show, if you’re staying away. I think this was a foregone conclusion from the beginning of s3, really, but it doesn’t undo the trope and it doesn’t make up for what they did (if any of this happens at all – remember I’m rotten with the theory game).
The Doctor Is Out 