Reviews

‘The 100’ 3×06 Review: “Bitter Harvest”

Things are getting pretty complicated on The 100, aren’t they? Our minds and those in the show are being pushed to try and pick sides in a never ending battle to live while not giving into the enemies wishes or hands. This episode tests our thoughts on loyalty, revenge, and how much we’re willing to give up of ourselves to avoid pain and sometimes cause it.

Let’s take a look at the mind boggling and utterly fascinating moments of The 100’s “Bitter Harvest.”

Clarke is Using Lexa

Clarke not caring for Lexa is a bold statement to make when The 100 is developing a romance between these two leading ladies. But before you click away take a moment think about how the last couple episodes have shaped themselves around these two. Clarke doesn’t care for the Commander in the same respect that Lexa does. She still remembers the pain of betrayal and how letting feelings into your heart destroyed her. So she’s playing a game with Lexa, keeping her close and making sure that the Commander does what she wants to keep her people alive. Trying to save her from death when she had to battle Roan was for her benefit and that of her people. Her assassination attempt towards the Ice Queen for herself and her people. And lets not forget, advising Lexa to not answer blood with blood. That again was for herself and her people. I can see caring and endearment for Wanheda in Lexa’s eyes for Clarke but I don’t see it the other way around. Clarke is playing her like a fiddle as a means to an end. Even when it came down to Emerson you could see Clarke breaking away from what she pushed Lexa towards. She wanted her revenge and would have taken it if not surrounded by so many people of the Counsel. Wanheda has to sell what she is serving up to Lexa, if not she will die and so will her people.

The more I see of the Clarke and Lexa relationship the more it doesn’t make sense. Clarke is definitely getting a sense of Polis by staying there. But didn’t she separate herself from her people because of what she did at Mount Weather? Because of the impossible choice that Lexa left her with? Where’s that anger? Where’s the girl who spit in Lexa’s face and declared that she would never bow down to her? Where’s the girl who was upset by the fact that Lexa kept her there prisoner for a week against her will? She’s still there inside, covering up what she has to do with doe eyes that make the Commander feel connected with someone for the first time in ages. Clarke is immersing herself in this new life because she still can’t face her own demons, how she’s changed, and the ones she’s trying to protect. It’s a power move that will destroy the Commander when Lexa realizes that once again she’s been fooled by this world into caring for someone.

If Clarke is to ever truly sell me on her caring for Lexa she has to face her past and stop being this shadow of herself. She’s fractured and not as valiant or strong as she was before. Maybe then they’ll have a chance. Maybe then Lexa will see the real person under all that pain and they can come together as one unit ready to save all of their people. Maybe. But…let’s be honest about the kind of show we’re watching. It’s about twists and turns and doing everything you can to protect your people. It’s never going to be that easy. And if Clexa is ever going to work they’ve got a long road ahead of them.

Octavia’s Inner Battle

Octavia reached out to the local village that was going to be destroyed for two reasons. One, she didn’t want her brother and her people to commit an action they would never be able to take back. She knows how close they were to having war break out after having being given a chance by Lexa. And two, she didn’t want the life and culture that she identified with now to be wiped out. This home with the Grounders has finally given her a purpose in life, it’s made her a warrior. No way in hell is she letting it be destroyed. This episode has started her off on a journey where she can’t pick the Grounders and Arkadia. Her allegiances to both are not trusted by either side, her good will looked down upon as betrayal and naivety. My guess is that she’s going to pick the Grounder way of life. Lincoln is going to be the thing that throws her overboard and away from Arkadia. A storm is brewing that will match up with the Season 3 preview that showed the Blake’s fighting and Octavia declaring she was done with her brother. Lincoln’s passing has become even more likely since his lead role in American Gods was announced. Prepare the tissues ladies and gentlemen! Linctavia and the Blake’s are going to make us weep!

Lexa’s Decree Will Be Short Lived

There’s no way that Lexa’s ‘blood will not be answered by blood’ decree will last. It’s foolish to think it would. First off all you have an outsider involved in this decision. From what we’ve seen the counsel does not recognize Clarke of Skaikru. If Lexa hadn’t killed the Ice Queen and Ronan had won they would have thrown Clarke out or killed her. Probably the latter. Titus is already showing his displeasure and he’s one of Lexa’s most loyal men. He believes that Lexa listens to Clarke above all because her romantic feelings are clouding her judgement. There’s no other explanation for his Commander’s shift into a way of life they’re never even fathomed. Indra is hesitant in following this new order as well. When you have your most trusted advisers and warriors questioning your decisions it’s time to take a step back.

Another reason that this new decree will not last is that Skaikru/Arkadia isn’t making it easy for Polis to shift their revenge hungry ways. Instead of pulling back and seeing the chance that they’ve been given after destroying hundreds of people…they’re going for more. Every act of violence that they contribute to makes it harder for Lexa to hold ground with her new decree. Her people will see her not taking action as bias towards Clarke because of her feelings and a backhanded way to say that she doesn’t care for them anymore, that she’s not capable. Of course Lexa does care, this is why she’s trying something revolutionary, but a swift change like this can only be seen with distrust based on their culture and the actions of Skaikru.

It’s admirable that Lexa wants the Grounders to thrive and not just survive. But she’s expecting way too much in the short amount of time given.

Bellamy and Jaha’s Awakening

Both of these men have been scarred and torn apart by the pain they’ve experienced. Instead of facing it head on they’ve fallen under the influence of someone who promises to protect them and give them what they want, reassurance and peace. Bellamy follows Pike and has been promised a way to keep his people alive. The new Chancellor assures him that the old ways of dealing with the Grounders is wrong, that he must follow Pike’s every order for Arkadia. Jaha follows ALIE because she gives him purpose and a light at the end of the tunnel. With her everything that they’ve done to survive in space and on Earth, is validated and rewarded. Both men are avoiding their pain. In this episode we saw pieces of them waking up and looking beyond their grief. Monroe’s death showed Bellamy that the new path he’s taken isn’t working either. It leaves him marooned and lost on how he’s to take care of his loved ones. Going back to Pike was his way of not following through on this moment of clarity because he’s made a decision and he’s sticking to it. He hasn’t grasped the concept that it’s ok to change your mind and admit that you’re wrong. It’s hard but not impossible.

Jaha’s mental state is highlighted by him not remembering his son. Whatever ALIE did to him when she assimilated him into the City of Light has cut out the love he held in his heart, the one thing that kept him going when all was lost and he was alone. It’s replaced his affection/devotion as a father with a need to supply ALIE with additions to her digital world. He actually paused at the thought of his son, sparks firing in his mind at why he felt that disconnect, before ALIE squashed it with the control she holds over him. That man who chose to stay behind on the Ark to allow his people to survive is still living inside. He, like Bellamy, only have to reach out again and grasp at their own values as a means of survival, not someone else’s.

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Other Observations:

Kane and Abby are the MVP’s of this episode. From the shadows they’ve been moving pieces to ensure that things don’t fall apart. They work within the constraints put on them and haven’t crossed the line yet in the eyes of Pike or Jaha.
Miller’s boyfriend Bryan appeared, only briefly, to have an awkward moment with Miller. They’re on opposite sides of the battle around them. Miller, under the guise of following Pike’s orders, is working with Kane. And Bryan is part of Pike’s militant force trying to wipe the surrounding land of Grounders. Would love to see more of these two and how they plan on enduring/overcoming the hardships facing them.
ALIE doesn’t care about the people she’s pulling into the City of Light. She is after a piece of her programming that will enable her to finish what she started. She’s going to end the world…again. Except this time she won’t be alone.
It was fantastic and yet eerie seeing Raven smiling. I’m happy that her pain has been alleviated but the cost is too great. Pain shapes and guides us to make life altering decisions for the better, to cherish the things around us because we never know what comes next. Without it she will fall into ALIE’s cold and analytical hands and destroy the world in no time.

Loved Clarke or tired of her? Think Bellamy’s about to break free from Pike’s hold? Want to see more smiling Raven? Leave us your thoughts or comments in the section below!

The 100 airs Thursdays on The CW @ 9/8c.

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