Features

‘The 100’ 3×13 Roundtable: Discussing Join or Die

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 The 100 episode “Join or Die.” Join us as we discuss Bellarke hugging (after ages of being apart), family angst, and finding Luna. As usual, things aren’t going to get any easier.

Let’s dive right in!

1. Clarke and Bellamy finally had a heart to heart in “Join or Die.” Where do they go from now?

Lyra

Here’s hoping they use each other’s support to guide them back to the characters we loved before. Or maybe even better versions of themselves that UNDERSTAND pain, loss, and sacrifice. Pacing in character development has been fidgety for both of these two since the start of this season. Bring back the spark I used to feel when Bellarke came on screen. Make them partners, friends, and confidants. Do something besides the mess I’ve been fed all season.

Lizzie

Hopefully back to being the engaging/interesting characters I knew and loved? I don’t know – I want to believe they can move forward, but this is about so much more than them and their hurt feelings right now. Bellamy needs to deal with what he’s done. Clarke needs to deal with their grief. They care for each other, yes, but I think they need to walk a very long path by themselves before we can ever hope/dream of them coming together.

Caralynn

Oh man, that was the very best part of the episode! I loved that heart-to-heart and I absolutely love those two together (platonically, romantically, whatever). I agree with Lizzie that they have a long way to go — currently, they’re each in a bad place (Bellamy because of Gina’s death and all of the horrible choices he made after that; Clarke because of Mount Weather and Lexa’s death). I do think this was an important healing moment for the two of them. They make one another stronger because neither is willing to give up on the other, and they’re each willing to offer forgiveness to the other when they need it most.

2. How are you feeling about the Blake’s? Should Octavia forgive Bellamy yet?

Lyra

Octavia should NOT forgive Bellamy after the events of “Join or Die.” Certainly, the Blake’s can move towards a path of understanding and forgiveness after this episode. I see it in the FARRRRR distance. But that can only happen if…Bellamy stops badgering Octavia. It’s been a couple days since the love of her life died. Lincoln was instrumental to the self aware and strong Octavia we see before us today. And Bellamy expects her to forgive him? Oh no Bellamy. I give the writers kudos for making Bellamy ask because he’s trying. It’s realistic. But he needs to accept the fact that he did some pretty bad stuff and was involved with the wrong side.

Lizzie

No. She shouldn’t. She has a right to her emotions, and she has a right to process them any way she wants to. Also, forgiveness is not about “earning” it or not, forgiveness is about the person you hurt feeling like they’re in a place where they can move on. Octavia is clearly not there, and if Bellamy cares enough (and I think he does) he will accept this and wait. Give her time. She’ll come around. She just doesn’t have to come around when he or we want her or expect her to. She has to come around in her own time.

Caralynn

It would feel incredibly disingenuous if Octavia were to suddenly forgive Bellamy for everything. Hardly any time has passed at all since Lincoln’s death. Octavia needs time to properly grieve Lincoln (I’m hoping there is another time jump between seasons 3 and 4, giving her a chance to work through her pain organically) and she also needs space from Bellamy. His being around all the time and being in her face about forgiving him is only making him come off as unlikeable. He needs to back the heck off of her for a minute. Which is not to say that the way he’s acting now doesn’t make sense — obviously, he’s desperate to win back his sister’s love and isn’t content to sit around and wait for her to come to terms with everything. But he still needs to to do that if he hopes for their relationship to actually heal.

3. Polis has been conquered by A.L.I.E. and the lengths she’s willing to go are horrifying in “Join or Die.” Would you give into A.L.I.E.? Or would you fight?

Lyra

This one’s a tricky question that comes down to family. If my siblings were on the line, I would gladly take that biochip and go on a merry ride to the City of Light. Perfect example: Kane giving in for Abby. He didn’t want someone he cared about to die because of him. Now if I didn’t have anyone and was cruising along detached, like Murphy, I’d fight. There would be nothing to lose besides my own neck. I happen to like my neck so I’d book it out of there and move to a land far far away. Like to the other coast of the US. There’s bound to be different Grounders not as crazy as the locals of Polis.

Lizzie

Everyone wants to say they’d fight. I will go on record as saying the same thing. However, I really do hope I’m never in a position to find out what I would do. Because I might just run away in fear. Hypotheticals are all fine and good, but I think this is one of those things we’ll never know for sure. But, yes, fight. That’s what I want to believe.

Caralynn

I’m not even going to go on the record saying I’d fight. I could barely watch as Kane had those nails driven into his hands and feet. I couldn’t imagine dealing with that kind of pain. If I’d been Kane, I would’ve given up the moment one of those nails came near me. “Nah, it’s cool, Clarke’s got this — gimme the chip and back away with that hammer!!” It’s not a very heroic-sounding answer, but it’s the truth. *shrugs*

4. How are they going to convince Luna to accept the Flame and help them?

Lyra

I’m trying to stay optimistic and say Clarke & Co. won’t do something horrible to get their way. (Like hogtie her and pop that bad boy in. They’ve done worse.) The key to getting Luna on their side is to show her what the threat of A.L.I.E. means for her people. Since Luna probably won’t leave her home the threat has to come to them. Fortunately, I think A.L.I.E will figure out their location and do all the convincing needed. The AI has a boat, flying drones, and an army. When this army comes knocking on Luna’s door, she’ll understand what she has has to do. Not for Clarke. Not for duty. Not for the Grounders on land. It’s for the people around her and the home they’ve created on this oil rig. So basically it’s out of our delinquents hands. Clarke & Co. just have to wait.

Lizzie

Can they? I don’t have much faith in their abilities to do anything at this point – and somehow, I don’t think logic is going to work that well. If I were Luna I’d be like, nope, there’s nothing you can say that will convince me. But since this is a TV show, and this is what’s needed to move the plot forward, they’ll find a way to get what they need, with or without Luna. Probably with Luna, but at this point, who knows? It’s not like there’s a lot of respect going around.

Caralynn

I feel like this can really go either way. If they want to go really dark, they’d have the group sort of force the Flame on Luna as a last measure. It would be despicable and a huge violation, but at this point, nearly every character has done despicable things in the name of the greater good. I hope it doesn’t come to that, though. I think Luna will need to see the A.L.I.E. threat in action in order to understand the gravity of the situation. My guess is that A.L.I.E.’s army will show up on Luna’s doorstep and she’ll realize she absolutely needs to accept the Flame (once Clarke and everyone explain to her the entirety of the situation — which, by the way, they totally should have led with last week, when they first met her!!).