The ultimate season of The 100 let down its leads and the connection that drove the story for six seasons.
With one episode or the final 5 minutes of it, The 100 discovered itself ruining the legacy that it spent all this time constructing.
Bellamy Blake was the center of the present; he made the viewers care greater than anything might have. Bellamy and Clarke’s love for each other at all times made certain that issues made sense, it doesn’t matter what was occurring that season.
Bellamy and Clarke’s connection drove every season, whether or not by way of battle or them working collectively to get to the top. The showrunner himself admitted that their relationship drives the narrative and that their bond is the middle of the story.
So it was stunning, to say the least, to see the precise reverse of that in The 100 Season 7 Episode 13, with Clarke making the ridiculous option to kill Bellamy. It did not make any sense, and it additionally was a really weak method to ship off such an necessary character.
Primarily, The 100 Season 7 might have gone about all of this one other method, a number of other ways. Even when there have been particulars that needed to keep the identical, the ending might have allowed the male result in get the respect he deserves.
It additionally would not have ruined the long-lasting bond between Bellamy and Clarke, and it would not have left Clarke a shell of her former self.
It was an enormous misstep that made many query if the present knew how one can honor characters that created the love and the hope that The 100 desperately wants heading into its collection finale.
That’s the reason TV Fanatic has created a number of choices that would have been explored in Season 7 that would not have left every little thing feeling so hole. From a major plot twist to a easy rearranging, all the potentialities are right here with no painful unwanted effects.
Bellamy Blake deserved higher. Bellamy and Clarke’s legacy deserved higher.
However possibly the actual message of The 100 is that it does not know how one can do higher.
Bellamy Blake’s Disappearance Being The Precise Focal Level of the Season and Clarke’s Storyline
To be clear, this is not about rewriting the construction of Bellamy’s storyline this season. These situations might have occurred round canon choices like Bellamy being lacking for a lot of the season after which getting killed off early.
It is not about not having him on display screen, though not having Bellamy Blake in virtually each single scene of the season was one of many largest errors the present ever made.
However what if Bellamy’s disappearance really performed a task within the season? Not the faux function that we heard about when Jason Rothenberg was promoting the season and promising that Bellamy would matter even when he was off display screen.
As a substitute, we could say a situation the place Bellamy did disappear, and everybody that cared about him was targeted on getting him again. As a result of after seasons upon seasons of Bellamy stopping at nothing to avoid wasting each single particular person in his life, it’s about time they returned the favor.
What if Bellamy Blake bought the identical remedy that Clarke Griffin bought in The 100 Season 6? Granted, the present did not precisely make many characters care about Clarke when she was body-snatched, however the message of the season was nonetheless all about Clarke’s worth and the way Bellamy will cease at nothing to avoid wasting her.
The place was this vitality for Bellamy?
Simply consider the probabilities if Clarke was simply as hyper fixated on discovering Bellamy and bringing him house. It is not like Clarke even existed on display screen or had something driving her this time round, so swapping that nothing in with Bellamy Blake would have been good.
That method, Bellamy’s reminiscence would nonetheless play a major function within the closing season, and it will all harm much less when he returned and needed to maintain such a distance from his family members. At the very least there would have been the reminiscence of everybody that Bellamy issues to targeted on bringing him again.
And never only one character whose relationship with Bellamy leaves lots to be desired and whose seek for him this season was largely egocentric.
However what about his sister, who spent ten years on Skyring enthusiastic about how she would get again to him? What about his soulmate who constantly wants him in her life as a co-leader and a finest pal? What about his pal since Day One, whose final scene with Bellamy was lower?
What about one in every of his individuals who cared about him and confirmed him probably the most quantity of kindness this season? What concerning the son of his associates who ended up with the identical perception system as Bellamy did? What concerning the man who shared his cardigan with Bellamy?
In the event that they spent all season attempting to carry him again, the fallout of him becoming a member of Cadogan would not be so unhealthy as a result of at the least there can be a celebration of the love that Bellamy creates first.
Bellamy Blake Becoming a member of The Bardo Void From The Very Starting
A prevalent concept amongst the fan inhabitants was a tackle a Bellamy that we’ve not seen earlier than, one the place he’s extra void Bellamy than anything.
This is able to be a shift from how the season approached Bellamy’s storyline in that he would even have one.
The 100 Season 7 Episode 11 was an important episode as a result of it lastly let the viewers spend time with Bellamy once more, one thing that ought to have occurred the entire season. However that did not make the plot line he was compelled to hold any higher, particularly when it looks like there wasn’t a lot thought put into it.
Bellamy launched us to the idea system that supposedly impressed Cadogan’s Final Struggle concept, and he skilled a number of visions to get him to imagine the identical factor. However given The 100’s not so nice historical past with religion and people who discover consolation in it, Bellamy’s arc did not stand an opportunity.
It wasn’t clear why Bellamy seeing a imaginative and prescient of his mom can be sufficient to make him imagine within the idea of transcending into gentle aliens on a random planet. His perception relied closely on him being bored with combating, which was a sensible thread to comply with.
However as an alternative of exploring what violence and ache might do to somebody’s psychological well being long run, Bellamy was used to promote a narrative that wasn’t even totally shaped. Having Bellamy imagine in it made it in order that fewer questions had been requested.
The male lead was primarily a bandage for an even bigger drawback that the present is barely fixing within the present’s collection finale.
This is the reason it will have made extra sense simply to have Bellamy be a part of Bardo in a different way.
Even when The 100 nonetheless needed to faux that Bardo was “good” till the final minute, Bellamy becoming a member of out of power would nonetheless depart room for that. It wasn’t clear why Bellamy was a part of Cadogan’s cult after we noticed his time on Etherea, so the identical precept would apply if he appeared on Bardo’s facet with out a proof later.
It might even give extra thought to episodes like The 100 Season 7 Episode 5, the place it felt like there may very well be extra beneath the scene’s floor. Many questioned if the untrustworthy give attention to Octavia’s reminiscence meant that it was altered or that Bellamy was already his void model enjoying a task.
Sadly, these sorts of complicated theories had been no match for the mediocre reminiscence sequence that was only a reminiscence. Possibly there was meant to be extra beneath the floor, or maybe it was filmed to be suspicious with no follow-through.
Regardless, there can be one thing surprising in having Bellamy working for Cadogan out of the blue as a warning signal of how darkish issues can get in Bardo. It will permit Bob Morley to have a brand new performing problem to indicate off within the present’s closing season, and it might have left extra of an impression.
May have, would have, ought to have.
Bellamy Blake Being an Inside Spy
Now, what if as an alternative of forcing Bellamy to hold the burden of a storyline that wasn’t even totally developed but the present allowed the male result in be true to himself.
If the purpose of Bellamy being despatched to Etherea was to introduce transcendence, why not maintain it at that however not let him imagine in it so blindly?
Paradoxically Bellamy’s journey on this planet was all about getting again to his individuals, and even what the narrative needed to faux Bellamy was hooked on did not work.
Supposedly Bellamy began to imagine for all mankind when he was on that mountain attempting to get to Bardo. But he saved his Conductor pal, which was him selecting one particular person who he cares for over the idea of everybody.
Then he got here again to Bardo and saved saying that he was following Cadogan as a result of he needed to make it possible for his individuals had been capable of finding a peaceable life forward.
Everybody in Bardo adopted these guidelines as a result of they needed to transcend within the subsequent life. It wasn’t concerning the higher inhabitants when everybody selfishly needed to verify they might see this Final Struggle and would reap the outcomes.
However Bellamy wasn’t enthusiastic about himself; as an alternative, he was targeted on ensuring his individuals bought to the purpose of security and happiness. He needed them to discover a method to cease the homicide, and violence of their lives grow to be the one focus.
Bellamy even questioned Cadogan’s motivations, lied to him, and went towards correct Bardo protocol as a result of every little thing he did was for his associates and never towards them.
It was an inefficient method to faux Bellamy was on the Bardo Kool-Assist when he did not even comply with the principles that got here with that.
An precise method to discover this mythology, if we will name it that, and have Bellamy introduce it, is to have him be an inside spy.
He might have spent all that point on Etherea identical to he had, besides he would proceed to comply with his intuition to not imagine in false gods. He would create the phantasm that he was coming round on Etherea, and will even faux in entrance of Cadogan, solely to disclose that he was doing it for a motive.
As a result of there may be actually no motive to faux that this season went out of their method to discover an arc for Bellamy. They did not.
He was a puzzle piece meant to create battle and decelerate any progress the others might have made on Bardo. So if there wasn’t going to be a lot funding in Bellamy as a personality who deserves improvement, progress, and care, then at the least use him true to type.
Bellamy enjoying the function for the higher good of his individuals, would have at the least communicated that The 100 knew and cared about their male lead.
Bellamy Blake’s Final Minute Dying Scene and Past Being Approached With Forethought
Let’s assume that Bellamy’s storyline completely wanted him to be gone for greater than half the season after which comply with the Cadogan cult till the top.
That also does not excuse the shortage of respect in the direction of Bellamy’s loss of life and the repercussions that got here with it.
There was no actual thought put in the direction of Bellamy’s final episode or the legacy he leaves behind. There was no actual thought in the direction of how he would die and what it will imply. There was no actual thought behind the aftermath and the glory he deserved to get from the opposite characters.
In accordance with Jason Rothenberg himself, the decision to kill off Bellamy was a last-minute adjustment.
Which means now we have to imagine that general, The 100 Season 7 Episode 13 wasn’t written realizing that this was Bellamy’s episode. Arguably if there was a call to kill Bellamy off on the final second, there nonetheless ought to have been extra time devoted to it than the final 5 minutes of the episode.
However even the selection to do it as a last-minute swap does not imply the best way it went down was okay.
Having Clarke shoot Bellamy over a guide was silly and actually ruined a relationship that the present invested six seasons into. Their bond was what pulled The 100 from season to season, so to deal with each of the characters and their relationship so callously was one other instance the present dropping all sense of path.
It wasn’t truthful to Bellamy to have that be his ending, and it wasn’t truthful to Clarke to saddle her with that out of character alternative.
Simply because there wasn’t time to completely put together a loss of life scene does not imply there wasn’t room to make it practical.
Sheidheda was proper there to say the sketchbook to Bellamy that began probably the most random loss of life motive of all time. As a substitute of pretending that Bellamy would take the recommendation of somebody he is aware of is a hazard to everybody, together with Madi, the battle might have been created round it.
There’s a literal villain in Sanctum, two toes away from Bellamy and Clarke. His vengeance towards Madi might have been used. His makes an attempt to outlive might have been used. He’s evil, and his selections do not should make sense might have been used.
It will have been so easy to make Sheidheda threaten Madi in some way and have Bellamy die on account of attempting to maintain her and/or Clarke secure.
If this loss of life was written final minute and there have been points having to movie it, this feature would not power some other forged members to come back again to set. It’s all about utilizing the forged within the scene and their dynamics, however in a method that provides up.
There isn’t any method that Bellamy thought Madi can be in peril for even one second. He was at all times looking for Clarke and Madi, so it will make a lot sense for him to threat his life for them as an alternative of combating Clarke concerning the hypothetical hazard that Bellamy would not permit Madi to expertise.
Utilizing Sheidheda because the catalyst for Bellamy’s loss of life would supply extra room for correct characterization and a correct goodbye to Bellamy and Clarke’s relationship.
The main points would not even have to make sense; it is not like Season 7 may be very involved about continuity to start with.
Bellamy Blake Dies Just like the Hero He Was and Will get The Respect He Deserves
All the earlier factors had been actually main as much as this.
Bellamy did not die the best way he deserved, and it was as if The 100 did not know the character they had been writing off. It seemed even worse when Gabriel bought a well-earned loss of life proper across the nook from Bellamy.
Gabriel was an unimaginable presence on the present, however the best way he died surrounded by everybody and with Octavia sharing The Traveler’s Blessing with him did not add up. It wasn’t truthful that these identical individuals consoled Clarke for killing Bellamy, even going so far as telling her she did the fitting factor.
It was upsetting, insulting, and disrespectful to the center of the present.
So the actual method that The 100 might have averted ruining every little thing over a last-minute adjustment would have been to place within the work.
Bellamy Blake deserved to have his final moments matter to him and the present and his followers.
If he needed to die, it ought to have been just like the hero he was, not as a result of Clarke is obsessed along with her gun.
It got here out of nowhere for her to see Bellamy as such a risk when it was obvious that he was attempting his finest to maintain all of them secure. It was even worse to spend not more than 5 minutes parting with a personality that outlined the present for seven seasons.
Then losing The 100 Season 7 Episode 14 by having everybody pat Clarke on the again for her actions and having nobody actually mourn Bellamy was the final straw.
Even small adjustments would have made this a lot simpler to bear, and would not have ruined a relationship that was the DNA of The 100.
However to not damage these facets of the present, you must care concerning the message you permit behind.
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What did you consider the best way the present dealt with Bellamy this final season? Had been there easy adjustments that would have been made? What do you would like would have occurred?
How do you suppose his loss of life might have been structured? Do you’ve gotten any hope left for the collection finale paying some respect to the male lead of the present? Which of the above methods would you’ve gotten appreciated to see Bellamy’s journey explored?
For any The 100 followers on the lookout for some nostalgia because the collection concludes, TV Fanatic has a shock interview collection for you! “Wanting Again On The 100” facilities on monumental forged members and characters from the present that left their mark.
We spoke with Eli Goree about his time on the present, as well as Michael Beach concerning the journey he had, and we even took a stroll down reminiscence lane with Christopher Larkin and Aaron Ginsburg. We even checked in with Zach McGowan about that surprise return to the show.
We additionally spoke with Leah Gibson about #GinaWasReal and Nadia Hilker about creating the character of Luna.
Chai Hansen also looked back on the present with us when it got here to his time on it as Ilian. And Charmaine DeGraté expanded on her writing journey with the present, in addition to what it was like to write down for Bellamy and Octavia Blake.
Eve Harlow spoke with us as well about Maya’s pure presence on the present and about Maya’s relationship with Jasper. Ivana Milicevic reflected on the message that Diyoza left behind after her exit. Lee Majdoub also shared about Nelson’s connections and his closing moments on the present.
Hold checking TV Fanatic for extra upcoming interviews with shock forged members from seasons previous!
The 100 airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Stick round TV Fanatic for extra options, slideshows, interviews, and the collection finale assessment of the season, and watch The 100 online if it is advisable atone for the journey.
Yana Grebenyuk is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Observe her on Twitter.