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‘The 100’ 3×09 Roundtable: Discussing Stealing Fire

Every week, Fangirlish writers (and sometimes guests) sit down to discuss new episodes of The 100. We share our thoughts, feelings, and speculations on everything and anything in what we like to call Fangirlish Roundtables.

Today, we’re breaking down episode 3×09 of The 100, “Stealing Fire,” where we discuss our thoughts on Lincoln’s execution, Octavia’s devastating loss, Ontari’s play for control, and the awakening of Bellamy from Pike’s crazy hate trap. Looks like The 100 isn’t slowing down anytime soon!

P.S. Special shout out to Ricky Whittle, who played Lincoln. You managed to make us all fall in love with the brave, loving, gentle, and adaptable Grounder. You will be missed!

1. Lincoln’s death, we all knew it was coming but were dreading it! (We love Ricky Whittle!) How did you feel about his death? And why did he stay and not run off with Octavia?

Lyra

I have a mighty need to erase Lincoln’s death from my memory right now. Is there a way to do that? No? Dang it. Fine, I felt like his death wasn’t necessary and Pike was grasping at straws to keep control of Arkadia. More importantly, I felt like they cut Lincoln out because he was forced out. This season, his scenes have been significantly cut down and his journey dwindled until you had no idea where his journey was going. It was a misuse of a character who started off great and kept on fighting no matter what came at him. Despite this unsuitable ending, I can’t deny the honorable thing that Lincoln did when he stayed. He didn’t run off with his bae Octavia because he didn’t want his people to die. So when push came to shove, Pike being a trigger happy jerk, he decided that his life (and his love for Octavia) wasn’t worth more than the people trapped inside. He died as a hero for the people he cared for. Now that I’ve answered this, I need fanfiction to wash all this Linctavia pain away!

Lizzie

UGH. Yes, we all knew it was coming. And we all knew the reasons. But even then I expected them to give the “characters” a proper send-off, and if you ask me, they didn’t. When the things happening behind the cameras affect the story, then we’re reached the point of no return, and that’s what I think is happening with The 100. I think Lincoln stayed because he felt he had to, because these people depended on him, because that’s the type of guy he was. Do I buy it? Yes and no. You can be that guy without sacrificing yourself. But this, as I said, wasn’t about Lincoln as much as it was about Ricky, and that’s the hard part.

Caralynn

I’m so sad about it– I adored Lincoln, and my screen will be so much less pretty now that Ricky Whittle isn’t on it every week (until American Gods premieres, at least). His actual death scene was beautifully filmed and completely heart wrenching. I even understand why he did it–Lincoln isn’t the type of person who would have skedaddled and left his fellow Grounders to be killed in his stead. Nope, it made sense. The actual manner of his death was lame though. A shot to the head, execution-style? There were a million ways that Lincoln could have gone out that would’ve been more satisfying. Like, for instance, trying to take Pike down with him, knowing his own life was forfeit at this point. A warrior’s death more fitting a badass character like Lincoln would have made this pill easier to swallow.

2. How will Lincoln’s death change the story, scope, or direction of The 100?

Lyra

I’m hoping Lincoln’s death will show the people of Arkadia how twisted Pike truly is and set the man’s leadership on a path set for implosion. In my dream of dreams, the Arkadians (who aren’t hopped up on Jaha’s crazy City of Light juice) will take note that Lincoln was a person just like any of them, who stayed for his people. He wanted them to survive and would do anything to protect them. So far Pike’s made the Grounders off as the ‘other’. Because of this, the Arkadians have been able to ignore and justify a massacre with an ease that was disturbing. The problem wasn’t home for them, on their doorstep. It wasn’t about people like ‘them’. This time around they CAN’T be blind to the fact that there is no ‘other’. The Grounders and the Arkadians are all on a mighty dash to survive this world and protect our loved ones. Let’s hope they realize all of this before the Grounders from Polis crush them like an itty bitty bug. (Maybe I should start praying now.)

Lizzie

It’s going to make the show darker, that’s for sure. The thing is, I don’t know that the show needed to kill him off to achieve this – I think they could have taken the show in the direction they’re taking it WITHOUT killing Lincoln. Because I disagree with killing Lincoln. Have I said this? Lexa’s death, though tragic, at least moved the story forward. This? This does nothing. This is just shock for the sake of shock. It’s disrespectful to the character and the audience.

Mostly, I think it’s a thematic change. It doesn’t necessarily affect where the story was going, as much as it affects who the characters are, and the tone of the show. Especially for Octavia, this is going to be devastating, and a chance, and if what we saw from her is to be believed, she’s going full-on warrior mode. Bye bye. That’s it.

Caralynn

It’s absolutely going to affect Octavia and change her plot going forward more than anyone. I agree with Lizzie that Lincoln’s death seemed to be more for an emotional sucker punch than an actual plot driven reason. Like, we already know that Pike is an evil out of control bastard who needs to die. We didn’t need the death of one of the show’s most pure hearted and innocent characters to set the stage for Pike’s death. We were all already there, rooting for that!

3. Octavia witnessed Lincoln’s death. (Remember that look on her face immediately after, cold.) How will this change her? How will this change her relationship with Bellamy?

Lyra

In those last moments where Octavia stared off at Lincoln’s body, at Pike, at Arkadia, she was planning on what to do next. She was promising Pike a long death by her hands. She was throwing away all her ties to the people that wronged her in Arkadia. But most importantly, Octavia was saving that last image of Lincoln to her memory. His pain, love, and final moments will be what keeps her going when things get tough. As for Bellamy, he’s going to be the target of Octavia’s anger. Until she gets her hands on Pike, Bellamy will be the one to bear this burden. In her mind, he was part of the problem, that caused Lincoln’s death. Maybe he should pay the price. (God, I’m not looking forward for what’s coming with their fight!)

Lizzie

I think the human side of Octavia is something we can bide farewell to, at least for a while. Death affects each of us in a different way, and I think Octavia is going to close herself off. It’s just too painful, and she can’t take it, so she’s going to cover her feelings with anger and she’s going to be a warrior – because that’s what Lincoln taught her. How to be strong.

Caralynn

Oh boy, that quick switch from complete devastation to cold and steely really got me. She’s going to shove her sadness and grief down and funnel her emotions into fuel for taking down Pike. She’ll deal with it at some point, but for now she’s all business. She doesn’t have the luxury of falling to pieces, in this world.

4. Bellamy has finally awakened from his days of following Pike. Just as he was trying to win back the trust of his friends and Octavia, he was locked up and made to watch as everything unfolded before him. What was Bellamy’s state of mind during all of this? Is he ready for the return of Octavia?

Lyra

Bellamy felt trapped while Octavia went off to Arkadia to rescue their friends. He wanted to help, to be by his sister’s side, and right the mistakes he made while under Pike’s guidance. More than anything he hoped that his sister would accept him, not with loving arms, but with understanding. He thought she would give him a second chance because they were family. (That’s what family does right?) Unfortunately for him, she didn’t. By the look on his face as he sat on that floor, he believed he deserved being chained up. If not, he would have fought harder until she set him free. Instead he took it all and made weak protests. It doesn’t mean he won’t stop trying though. How do I know that? Because Bob has a way of conveying emotions through those eyes of his that make me feel like I’ve got my heart in my throat! And on the being ‘ready’ for Octavia’s return, he’s not. Bellamy is stuck in a state where his mind is scrambling for solutions for the mistakes he’s made while blaming himself. He won’t stop her when she let’s loose her anger.

Lizzie

At this point let’s assume NO ONE is ready for the return of Octavia, okay? No one. But, ugh, Bellamy. His arc at the beginning of the season was so rushed that his sudden realization seems absurd and just ….you want to shake him and go, DUH, Bellamy. DUH. Which is clearly not the reaction the writers were expecting to elicit in us. And I love him, or I’ve loved him, but I can’t even explain what he was thinking. Bellamy’s train of thought this season completely eludes me. Is he even thinking?

Caralynn

I’m sort of the opposite on this. I think that the guilt of Lincoln’s death is going to destroy him. And he BETTER be fully aware that he’s at fault, and not the people who didn’t trust him enough to let him help with the escape plan. They had good reason not to trust Bellamy, but this makes it all the more tragic–knowing Bellamy was probably right and that using him to stay close to Pike would have been a more effective way to take him down and prevent the executions.

5. We all know why Clarke stayed in Polis after Ontari went crazy and slaughtered all the night-bloods. (That girl is brutal.) But why did Murphy stay in Polis with Clarke and eventually Ontari herself?

Lyra

The simple answer is, he doesn’t want to die. From the moment he stepped foot into Polis he was beat, threatened, and questioned. He knows he won’t be able to outrun Ontari and her band of Ice Nation crazies because he doesn’t know the way out. (Plus he was pretty hurt. Imagine him limping out of Polis? He wouldn’t make it.) Clarke was his only ally for the brief time they were together after Lexa’s death. And once Clarke blew that popsicle stand he knew that he was stuck. So he retreated into himself and acted docile so no one would see the fire inside of him. No one’s life is more important to Murphy than his own. By Ontari’s side he’ll live another day until he finds a possible escape. Don’t worry about Murphy. He’s planning and will survive them all.

Lizzie

BECAUSE THIS SHOW MAKES NO SENSE? I don’t even know, I swear. Because he felt he had nowhere else to go? Because he’s part of nothing?

Caralynn

Actually, this made sense to me. What else would Murphy have done? He kind of just got stuck there. Once Lexa died, he was trapped by Titus in the room with Clarke. Then, after Titus ordered him to take Ontari to the cleansing ritual, he got stuck in the room with her too. Everything got chaotic when Titus revealed that Clarke had the flame and died and by then there wasn’t much of an opportunity for him to escape. Roan brought in Titus and absolutely would have killed Murphy had Murphy tried to escape. Murphy’s only real chance to GTFO would have been if he’d left when Roan took them to the wall. But clearly, he’s grown enough as a character that he wanted to have Clarke’s back so he stayed behind with her.