Friday, December 19, 2014

The 100, Season Two, Episode Eight: Spacewalker


Clarke returns to Camp Jaha in the company of a grounder escort.  She is met by Finn and immediately tells him that he cannot be outside.  Abby rushes forward and hugs Clarke and then Clarke announces that the only chance for truce, is to hand over Finn.  Raven is quick to say that this is not an offer of peace and Finn adds that it's a punishment - blood for blood.  The crowd surges forward, demanding that Finn be given to the grounders.  Clarke promises Raven that nothing will happen to Finn.  As the crowd gets rough, Raven ends up throwing a punch at Byrne and is restrained by the other guards. Someone calls out that spacewalker siphoned off three months of oxygen from the arc and should have been floated long ago.

Flashback time. On the Arc, Finn quizzes Raven for a test to become a spacewalker.  Raven is desperate not to spend her life trapped on the arc.  It's Raven's birthday and Finn gives her a present, a necklace with a raven pendant. The two kiss.

Back in the present, Finn is approached by Murphy, who says that Byrne actually gave him a gun.  Murphy tries to assure Finn that they will fight off the grounders like they did the last time and Finn points out that a lot of people died the last time.  Their little tête-à-tête is interrupted by Bellamy and Clarke,  who instruct Finn to head inside.  Finn is adamant that he is not going to hide but Clarke makes it clear that they have to think about keeping him safe.  Finn leaves with Bellamy and Murphy asks if Clarke has any orders for him.  Clarke tells Murphy to stay away from her, pointing out that Murphy was with Finn at the village.  Murphy tells Clarke that he tried to stop Finn and that if she wants to blame people, she should blame herself because Finn was looking for her.

Clarke and Abby head to see Lincoln, who is still restrained.  Abby asks if there is a way to make peace.  When Abby informs Lincoln that there are two riders just outside the gate, Lincoln says that they are waiting for Finn.  Raven questions if they are expected to hand over one of their own people and Lincoln makes it clear that Lexa wouldn't let her own people die to protect a murderer.  Abby asks if there is something else they can offer and Lincoln points out that Finn took 18 lives and Lexa is offering to take only one in return, making it clear that they should take the deal.  Clarke is shocked, reminding Lincoln that Finn was the first one to approach him for peace but Lincoln points out that Finn massacred his village and some of those people were his friends as well.  Clarke is quick to defend Finn, saying that it wasn't really Finn who killed those  people but Lincoln is not swayed, pointing out that people are all responsible for what the monster inside them does when it's let out.  Clarke asks what will happen to him and Lincoln describes a gruesome death involving dismemberment.

Abby heads into the holding area and Raven asks to be released.  Raven defends herself by pointing out that they were ready to throw Finn out of the gate.  Abby tells Raven that she is free to go but they have to trust each other.  Jaha warns Abby not to be too hard on Raven because she is a fighter and they are going to need all of their fighters.  Jaha then suggests considering handing Finn over but Abby is adamant that she is not sending a child to his death.  Jaha rightfully points out that they sent 100 children to die on the ground but Abby argues back that that decision was made by another chancellor at a different time. Way to run away from responsibility Abby.

Clarke finds Finn, who is packing his bag, saying that he is putting everyone in the camp in danger. Clarke reminds Finn that there are grounders everywhere and they will kill him but Finn says that this might be what he deserves.  Clarke argues that Finn was trying to find their people and to save them. Finn makes it clear that he was trying to save Clarke because he is in love with her.  Finn says that all that matters is that Clarke is okay and that she forgives him.  Clarke simply asks Finn not to leave. From outside, comes the chant of "Blood must have blood," from the Grounders.

Abby tells Clarke that they should pull back and go into the station but Clarke is adamant that they should prove that they are not afraid.  Abby heads to the gate and tells the Grounders that they are not giving up Finn and are ready to fight, if that is what it comes to.  The riders leave the gate.  Marcus makes his way out of the woods towards Camp Jaha holding his hands in the air.  Marcus tells them that it's safe for the moment and that he has bought them a bit of time.

Marcus and Abby return to the control area, where he says that in his time with the Grounders, he wasn't a prisoner but wasn't allowed outside either.  Jaha is brought in still wearing restraints and this shocks Marcus. Abby explains that Jaha has been detained for treason and tells Marcus that she is keeping the job of chancellor until this over.  Jaha snarks that Marcus shouldn't push Abby on this. Abby asks how Marcus bought them time and he says that he has gotten to know Lexa and now believes that she would open to the right proposal. Marcus believes that they should offer to put Finn on trial for war crimes.  Jaha says that if they put Finn on trial, they will have control over the entire process.  Abby realises that what Jaha and Marcus are really suggesting is that they kill Finn instead of the Grounders.  Marcus argues that they would certainly be more humane. Jaha snarkily asks Abby if she still wants the job.

Abby leaves the meeting and is immediately accosted by Bellamy and Raven.  She makes it clear that they are all trying to find a way out of this before walking off.  Bellamy tells Raven that it looks like Finn is going to be given up.


Flashback time.  Raven tells Finn that she aced the test and is the first person to achieve a perfect score.  Finn questions when Raven's first space walk will be and Raven says never because she failed the physical due to a heart murmur.  Apparently, they don't want to invest in training Raven, if there is a possibility that she is going to die.

Back in the present, Bellamy approaches Clarke and Finn and tells Finn that he needs to get out of there.  Clarke is not pleased, as she believes that Camp Jaha is the safest place for Finn.  Bellamy says that is not the case anymore because the people are turning against Finn.  Bellamy suggests that they all meet up at the drop ship where Finn can be protected.  Suddenly, they are accosted by the people and Bellamy is forced to knock one of out.

Okay, flashback time and this time, Finn gives Raven a piece of tape with her name on it.  Finn shows Raven a space suit explaining that he has arranged for her to go on a spacewalk.  They head to a bay and Finn opens the doors to the outside for Raven.  The suit is tethered to the ship. Finn tells Raven to have fun and she makes her way out into space.

Abby, Marcus and Octavia ask Lincoln if Lexa will accept them putting Finn on trial themselves, even if they decide that he belongs in jail.  Lincoln makes it clear that even if Lexa wanted to accept it, that she couldn't because she would be dead by morning. Octavia questions if the grounders would kill their own leader for being merciful and Lincoln makes it clear that it would be for being weak.  Lincoln again reminds them that Finn killed innocent people. Marcus says that he spent time with Lexa and she is a visionary but Lincoln says that this is why they are still alive and if it was up to Indra they wouldn't be.  Marcus says that Indra is dangerous and Abby is determined to speak to Indra, if she is the one blocking a chance at a bloodless solution.

Finn and Clarke make their way through the woods and Finn asks what happens when they get to the drop ship, questioning if the grounders will leave once they find out that he is gone.  Finn also asks if this is the best way to help their friends in Mt. Weather. A grounder suddenly appears and he knocks Clarke unconscious. A struggle breaks out between Finn and the grounder and Finn grabs the gun and tells the grounder to leave because he doesn't want to shoot him.

Bellamy and Raven are at the drop ship now and are worried because Finn and Clarke have not shown up.  Murphy arrives saying that Raven asked him to join them because they might need an extra gun.

Yes, another flashback.  Raven is still on her spacewalk and Finn contacts her to tell her that it is time to come back inside.  Raven has a huge smile on her face and she turns and makes her way back to the Arc.  Finn closes the outer doors and Raven takes off her mask.  Suddenly, an alarm goes off, saying that there is an outer door breach and a call to start emergency protocol.

In the present, Finn carries a still unconscious Clarke into the drop ship.  Raven tries to assure Finn that it's just a bump on the head and that Clarke is going to be okay.  Raven tells Finn that they will figure this out but Finn points out that this is just what Clarke said before he almost got her killed.

Abby meets with Indra and says that they have both seen to many of their people die.  Indra grabs Abby, placing a knife to her throat, saying that they saw Finn in the forest and that Abby is now here to distract them.  Abby makes it clear that she is there to protect her people.  Indra reminds Abby that she told the riders that they were ready to fight and that if Finn isn't found soon, she will get to prove it.  Abby asks for a way to end this without bloodshed and Indra responds that Abby has courage but courages isn't justice and only Finn can die for what Finn has done.

At the drop ship, Clarke is still unconscious and Raven and Finn sit over her.  Finn tells Raven that he never meant to hurt her and Raven says that she knows and that things change. Raven assures Finn that they will always be family.  Clarke wakes up and Finn tells her that when she went down, he thought she was dead because of him.  Finn adds that he has killed so many people but Clarke says that the things they have done to survive don't define them. Finn is not convinced and says that this is who they are now. Grounders are now circling the drop ship.

Raven and Finn work quickly to try and stop the alarms and Finn is forced to use the manual override. The computer calls for emergency support teams to head to the airlock.  Finn tells Raven that they need to leave but Raven says that all the exits are sealed.  Finn tells Raven to take off the suit and give it to him but Raven points out that the breach lost a lot of oxygen, adding that an unauthorized space walk is a capital offense.  Finn points out that he is still 17, which means he will go to the skybox for a few months before getting a review.  Raven on the other hand is 18 and will simply be floated.  Finn again tells Raven to take off the suit and this time she complies.  When the guards enter, Raven has hidden herself and Finn is wearing the suit.

Back at the drop ship, Murphy reports that the Grounders are not moving any closer and Bellamy suggests that they are waiting until it's dark.  Murphy suggests that if they attack the Grounders now, at least they would have the advantage of surprise but Clarke points out that they don't know how many are out there.  Raven then suggests handing over Murphy because Finn wasn't the only one at the village.  Murphy tells Raven that he came to the drop ship to protect Finn and then realises that this is why Raven wanted him to come. Raven argues that enough Grounders saw Murphy at the village to believe that he was the one who killed the people, adding that they can give the Grounders a murderer.  Raven points a gun at Murphy and Finn puts himself between Raven and Murphy, saying that now they are surrounded, and the only thing they can do is stay and defend this place.  Finn hands out assignments to the group as to where they are to position themselves.  Raven hugs Finn saying that they have this and Finn replies, "may we meet again." Alone with Clarke, Finn tells her to be careful.

Finn crawls through a tunnel in the floor of the drop ship when Clarke leaves and ends up in front of the gate with his hands up.  The grounders quickly surround Finn and drag him away.

Flashback time and this time Raven is told that the rejection has been over ruled due to her test results and she is now a spacewalker.  Raven holds the pendant Finn gave her for her birthday.

In the present, at camp Jaha, the group watches as the grounders place a post into the field across from the camp to force the former arc resident to watch what is going to happen to Finn.  Bellamy suggests an attack but Marcus points out that there are thousands of Grounders.   Raven begs Abby to do something.  Clarke and Bellamy make eye contact and then Clarke heads towards the gate with Bellamy by her side.  Clarke makes it clear that she is going to talk to the commander.  Raven hands Clarke a knife, saying that if they refuse to let Finn go, then Clarke has to kill Lexa. So essentially, Raven is sending Clarke on a suicide mission.  What exactly does she think the Grounders will do to Clarke if she kills Lexa?

Clarke makes her way across the field and Marcus holds Abby back, saying that they have to let Clarke try.  Abby approaches Indra, saying that she is there to talk to Lexa.  Indra places her knife to Clarke's abdomen drawing blood but does eventually let her pass.  Lexa tells Clarke that she cannot stop this and is now bleeding for nothing.  Finn is brought out surrounded by Grounder guards, as Clarke asks Lexa to show her people how powerful and merciful she is and not a savage. Lexa will not be swayed, so Clarke points out that she is also killer because she burned more than 300 Grounders, slit a man's throat and watched him die and asks to be taken instead.  Lexa says that Finn is guilty but Clarke cries saying that Finn did it for her.  Lexa makes it clear that Finn will die for her.  Seeing the futility of the situation, Clarke asks to say goodbye.

Clarke makes her way over to Finn, as a shocked Raven looks on.  Clarke kisses Finn, then tells him that she loves him too.  Finn says that he is scared and Clarke wraps her arms around him saying that he is going to be okay, as tears roll down her face.  Finn's last words are, "thanks princess." When Clarke steps back, her hand and the knife is covered in Finn's blood because during the embrace, she stabbed him.  The grounders start to get upset but Lexa calls out that it's down.  In the camp, Raven falls to her knees screaming and Bellamy holds her, trying to comfort her.

I don't know what it is with CW and their broken morality.  How many times did characters engage in a weak justification for Finn slaughtering 18 people and yet somehow, it's the Grounders who are savages.  It's ridiculous.  And the whole, Finn did it for love, is beyond nonsense.  If this is what he will do for love, what would he do for hate?  They don't get to brush it aside because Finn is 18 and in love with Clarke.  Unarmed innocent people died and I agree with Lexa, Finn has got to be held accountable.  On the Arc, people were floated for far less than what Finn did but suddenly now they care about him?  


Then there were all the flashbacks to Raven and Finn on the Arc, to remind us that Finn really is a good guy.  It might have worked if Finn hadn't jumped into bed with Clarke 5 days after knowing her, while Raven was desperately trying to get to earth.  She sacrificed everything for him but somehow it's all water under the bridge and she is fine with everything Finn has done.  I call BULLSHIT. In fact, I call epic BULLSHIT. Futhermore, the racial dynamics of Finn casting aside the WOC for the ever so blonde Clarke is beyond problematic. Finn is not a sweet sacrificing guy; he's a murder, full stop, don't collect 200 dollars.  Also, how long has he known Abby to justify his love her being worth murdering 18 people? Yeah, the problems abound.

There is also Abby's hypocrisy, saying that she won't send an innocent to die.  The name of this show is The 100, because 100 kids were sent to earth to die.   Abby attempting to shift blame to Jaha because he was the chancellor at the time, does not absolve her, as she sat on the council that made that decision.  If he is guilty, then so is she.

Speaking of Jaha, he has moved from annoying and feckless to a plain and simple snarking pain in the ass.  He clearly wants his power back and is still willing to undermine Abby, though I have yet to see the man make one good decision in a season and a half. I really regret that Lexa didn't simply kill him off.
I know that Finn's death was supposed to be the big dramatic ending but all I could think is what took them so bloody long?  It was clear from the very beginning that Finn had to die for what he did.  I suppose it wouldn't be a CW show without all of the terrible angst and suffering, it just made no rational or moral sense in this case.  In fact, it made the episode drag on to its inevitable conclusion and by the time Finn died, it was a relief already. There is simply no justifying a massacre and no amount of claiming that Finn was simply lovestruck even comes close.