The 100 returns to The CW tonight after a month-long hiatus. The fourth season is heading into the home stretch and the show has already been renewed for a fifth. In ‘DNR’, Clarke finds it difficult to keep the peace after the news of Jaha’s discovery spreads.
When last we left our characters they were looking for a solution with the Praimfiya radiation just days away.
The nightblood antidote needed to be tested and without any volunteers, Emori was selected in light of her deception.
Raven and Luna were uncomfortable with this decision and Murphy was seething with rage.
Clarke has often shown that there is no length she will not go to to protect her people. I don’t doubt if she had to sacrifice Emori she would have.
But this time, instead of bearing the burden of choices that got others killed, Clarke decided to put her own life on the line.
The episode was called ‘God Complex’ and given Clarke’s history, the title was apt, but here she showed she has a bit of a messiah complex as well.
The show continues to examine the nature of leadership by testing Clarke in different ways. Her decision here showed that she values the lives of her people more than she values her own and that the means matter as much as the ends.
Unfortunately the antidote was never tested as Abby smashed the radiation chamber. She would rather risk the lives of everyone than risk Clarke’s life right now.
This rash and emotional decision shows that Abby is not the leader Clarke is. Fortunately Kane and Jaha discovered a bunker underneath the temple in Polis.
But on a show like The 100, salvation is always complicated. Indra killed Azgeda soldiers to get into the temple and as a result there will be a fight over who controls the temple.
The episode preview shows as much and that the bunker holds 1,200 people. We don’t have hard numbers but I imagine that is not big enough for all of the grounders and Skaikru.
It looks like The 100 will be picking up right where it left off dealing with heavy themes and impossible choices.
Raven is now seeing Becca and with the stroke in her brain, it seems like she may not make it out of this season. It seems that Raven may be the one who sacrifices herself in some way to save everyone.
It also looks as though Sky Ripper Octavia is back in fighting form and in search of a meaningful death.
That appears to be the theme of ‘DNR’ and perhaps the rest of the season.
For the 100 who were disposable, cast to Earth as criminals, life and death both hold special significance.
These characters approach life and death with greater introspection and desire to find meaning in each.
For Jasper it appears that life in a bunker for five years is in fact no life at all and he is choosing to die on his own terms.
He is seen putting his hand against the glass which reads ‘DNR’ for ‘do not resuscitate’.
This is a nod to the ‘not Penny’s boat’ moment from ‘Lost’. It is nice to see on a show that stars Henry Ian Cusick and explores so many of the same themes as that seminal show.
This episode looks to be the kind of emotional and thematic gauntlet The 100 is known for.
War for salvation, the illusion of safety, quality of life, hope and sacrifice will all be painfully explored when The 100 returns tonight with ‘DNR’.
Here is an extended trailer for the episode:
The 100 airs Wednesday’s at 9/8c on The CW.