There are no good guys: The greatest episodes of ‘The 100’
If you’re a fan of wacky dark plotlines and sci fi intensity, The 100 is likely your cup of tea. The series ran for seven seasons, including exactly 100 episodes (pretty fitting, right?) which ended back in September. The show attracted a loyal fan base who can’t stop reliving the best moments from the series.
Are you still missing The 100 after it was finished? We’re going through the show’s greatest episodes.
“Twilight’s Last Gleaming” (S1E5)
Easily the episode where The 100 came into its own, “Twilight’s Last Gleaming” transcended the structure of earlier episodes to reveal one of the most emotionally important narratives of the entire series. The dynamics between Abby (Paige Turco), Jaha (Isaiah Washington), and Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) are breathtaking and fascinating as they have to make devastating decisions that the younger generation will parallel later in the show.
“God Complex” (S4E8)
A defining episode for Clarke (Eliza Taylor) who is forced to reckon with the leader she is and the one she wants to become, “God Complex” features a lot of major plot points that play out during S5 of the show. Jaha finds the bunker, both Bellamy (Bob Morley) and Jasper’s (Devon Bostick) stories come full circle, and relationships are pulled into sharp focus and reprioritized. It’s non-stop!
“Die All, Die Merrily” (S4E10)
As the second apocalypse looms, “Die All, Die Merrily” puts Octavia Blake’s (Marie Avgeropoulos) story into sharp focus as the fate of humanity lies in wait. There’s plenty of powerful revelations (Octavia is neither Grounder nor Skaikru!) and poor Clarke is forced to make another devastating decision that proves difficult to watch. The episode is fantastic in every possible sense of the word.
“The Other Side” (S4E11)
The follow up to “Die All, Die Merrily” saw all of Jasper’s pain and suffering hitting a crescendo and his death is horrifying. The shot of his body lying in a beam of moonlight is nothing short of stunning and is full of emotion. Don’t even get us started on that heartbreaking final scene between Monty & Jasper or Raven (Lindsey Morgan) declaring “I choose life” because holy shit, we’ll probably melt from all the tears.
“His Sister’s Keeper” (S1E6)
One for all the Bellamy Blake lovers out there, this episode was the first to give the character some depth and showcased what an absolute honey he is when it comes to protecting the people he loves. As it bounds between past and present we’re given complex insights into the character that elevates beyond the one dimensional dude he started out as.
“Spacewalker” (S2E8)
Exploring the complicated dilemma of justice versus vengeance, “Spacewalker” is one of the first episodes of the The 100 that establishes it as being not just one of the best genre shows on TV, but one of the best overall. Characters are forced to contemplate the harrowing question of whether a town-slaughtering child should be violently tortured to death while a series of confrontations, interactions, and merciful decisions give it a boundless tension.
“Day Trip” (S1E8)
The main plot of “Day Trip” solidified the dynamic between Bellamy & Clarke but the subplot – in which the delinquents get high on hallucinogenic nuts – gives the show a rare comedy outing that has yet to be matched in the series. “You are the most beautiful broom in a broom closet full of brooms” is quite possibly one of the silliest but most standout lines from the entire show.
“Blood Must Have Blood: Part 2” (S2E16)
Showing Clarke reconfiguring her moral compass once and for all in a bid for survival, “Blood Must Have Bloody: Part 2” sees the character realizing that being good or doing the right thing isn’t always what needs to happen to save the people who need saving. It’s also the episode that provides the pivoting theme of the entire show. “There are no good guys,” which is a pertinent message as former enemies Bellamy & Clarke join forces to share the burden of saving lives (while destroying others).
“Praimfaya” ( S4E13)
Written by showrunner Jason Rothenberg, “Praimfaya” feels like a poignant farewell to the show The 100 used to be and a heartfelt love letter to it also. The episode is engineered to set up S5 and does so with intrigue and levity as we jump ahead six years to encounter the same characters on different paths to what we’re familiar with.
