The 100 just finished its second season Wednesday night on The CW, and I’m both happy and sad, because while the series ended Season 2 on an incredible high note (what a finale!), it now means that we’ll have to wait months until Season 3 begins. During this season, The 100 provided fans with many interesting storylines and compelling characters, as pretty much every single individual on the show grew and developed in some way, from Jasper to Octavia to Murphy. However, the most satisfying of all the show’s arcs in Season 2 was Clarke’s, and Wednesday night’s finale reaffirmed what pretty much every episode of Season 2 has proven: that the character, perfectly played by Eliza Taylor (seriously, she’s not just giving one of the best performances on The CW but on TV right now), is unlike any other teenager on television, tasked with making impossible decisions that require an unbelievable sense of strength and maturity. Simply put, Clarke Griffin is the strongest female character on TV.
In the first season of The 100, it was clear that Clarke wanted to be a leader; while the teens on the ground certainly turned to her for wisdom and perspective, there was also a large part of her that believed that she was the best candidate to lead the people on the ground, a mindset that had in her constant conflict with Bellamy. For much of Season 2, we also witnessed Clarke gravitate towards the idea of being the Sky People’s leader, even after Abby, Kane, and Jaha arrived on the ground. She knew the people, the land, and all of the threats that both offered better than almost anyone else and took it upon herself to rescue her friends from Mount Weather.
And while Clarke never believed that being a leader would be simple or easy, nothing and no one could have prepared her for what she would have to do throughout The 100‘s second season, as she was required to make choices that were best for her people at the expense of others’ lives and at the cost of any shred of hope or innocence she had left in her. Clarke’s actions, from killing Finn in order to save him from a more painful to death and to ensure the alliance between the Sky People and the Grounders to following Lexa’s plan and allowing for Mount Weather’s missile strike against Tondc (which killed close to 250 people), were cold and calculated on the surface, but underneath they came from a place of love and dedication. Everything Clarke did, no matter how dark or twisted it may have seemed, was because she cared about her friends and wanted to them to be safe, and that love overpowered any sort of moral conscience she had, culminating in her most difficult decision yet in the Season 2 finale, when she, along with Bellamy, pulled the lever, sentencing all citizens of Mount Weather, innocent or guilty, friend or foe, to death in order to ensure that her people remained alive.
Throughout The 100 Season 2, we saw Clarke go from simply craving independence and power, which she wanted to use in order to not simply keep her people safe but also to do some good in this world, to understanding what the true price of being a leader means: putting others before yourself, even if that ‘self’ includes your soul. And that right there is why Clarke Griffin is the strongest female character on TV: she puts aside any type of worry or concern about herself (both physically and emotionally–let’s not forget that she could have so easily died many times this season while trying to help her people) for her friends and family. To Clarke, it doesn’t matter how much pain and grief she must suffer through because of her actions, as long as though actions help those she loves.
Even Clarke’s final scene of Season 2 illustrates this, as she leaves everyone she cares about behind at Camp Jaha, believing that she must carry her guilt and suffering by herself. She sees the happy faces of her friends and their families, as they have finally been reunited, and understands that her job is done and that, whatever happens next, she must do it by herself. And we know that she is strong enough to do so.
While Clarke is, of course, under extreme circumstances (it’s not as if The 100‘s world is like our present day), there’s no denying how impressive it is to see a character like her on television, a 17-year-old girl, who is not caught up in a love triangle or in need of any type of approval, from a boyfriend, friend, or parent, but instead actively and independently makes incredibly tough, selfless choices that accomplish the goals that she has set out for herself. Jason Rothenberg and the entire writing staff of The 100 deserve much credit for creating a character that embodies so many different qualities, from compassion to intelligence to resourcefulness, and for not simply allowing her to remain dormant but constantly challenging her in new and different ways, ones that Clarke faces with more maturity, grace, and, of course, strength than any other female character on television.
What a great character. What a great season of television. The 100 Season 3, get here quickly. I need Clarke Griffin back on my TV.
[Photos via The CW]
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It will be very interesting to see how they write Clarke in Season 3. They didn’t have a problem with putting Jaha on the back burner for most of the 2cd series. I wouldn’t be surprised if they do the the same with Clarke in the 3rd. Although, it would probably be a mistake. There are some very compelling characters in The 100, but none of them carry the hearts and minds of the audience like Clarke.
So far, the writing has been exceptional. No sophomore slump for The 100. I really hope they can take it forward. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see…
I’m not usually one of those people who says I’ll stop watching if they do this or that, but I watch this show because of Clarke, so I think it would be big mistake to put Clarke on the back burner for S3. She is the heart of this show, it just won’t be the same if she’s not the lead.
Don’t worry they won’t. Clarke is the lead of the show, she will never be on the back burner. Jaha was becqause he’s not the lead.
There is no “probably” in your “be a mistake” comment. #Uberfail yes! Clarke is the soul of the show. If you cut out the soul…what’s left?
They won’t do that same with Clarke. Clarke is THE lead and protaganist of the show. Jaha is not so they put him on the back burner. Writers have said Calrke is 1st rank and lead, then Bellamy and Octavia, then 3rd rank are all other main characters.
Agreed!
If you listen closely to what Jason Rothenberg has said, you will get a glimpse as to what is to come in season 3. He talks about Clarke wondering the wilderness and whoever she meets or wherever she goes there are recounts of what happened at Mount Weather. As with many ‘stories’ sometimes the facts get a little jumbled. In
this case the news has traveled and the ‘Legend’ has become that Clarke, Leader
of the Sky People, single-handedly, against overwhelming odds, destroyed the
long time enemy of Mount Weather and rescued all her people. Now that the
Mountain Men have been destroyed, there is no reason for the unification of the
12 clans to continue. And now in their eyes…there is a new force to be
reckoned with…the Legendary Warrior Leader of the Sky People who destroyed
their enemy of almost 100 years. Someone who actually followed through with
actions that exemplify their code of justice. ‘Blood Will Have Blood’. Does
this sound like a leader the grounders would follow and respect? It does to me.
And now, after the missile hit on Ton Dc there is a vacuum of leadership for
many clans. I can see something happening in Clarke’s travels that she becomes
a Leader of many Grounders. I can see her being the ‘Legend’ worth following
and she has already proven she can and will see them as her own. Lexa will be
facing issues of her own in the aftermath of Mt. Weather. Many may not see the
‘betrayal’ of the Sky People as honorable plus she never allowed them justice
nor was able to destroy their life long enemy who had tortured and killed so
many. I can see the clans being split between these two…..and considering how
the creators and writers of the show seem to enjoy torturing it’s viewers…..I
can see a show down coming between Clarke and Lexa. Both strong and proud and
unwilling to give in. And how do Grounders choose a leader? In a fight to the
death. I can see this happening next season.
I would not be on board with Clarke trying to be a leader of the Grounders. If she did that would probably put her at odds with the sky people, her people. It would make no sense for her to join the Grounders like Octavia did.
Yes! Yes! To everything you said: yes, please! That would be so awesome!
Probably in season 3, Clarke will indeed be recognised as a strong leader who defeat the MM so she will probably get a free pass to enter Grounders camps. Still, her becoming a leader of Grounders would make no sense at all; it will be interesting to see the Grounder capital and how the end of MM will impact the 12 clans alliance, already so precarious. Clarke loyalty has always been to the sky people, why would she want to be grounders leader. Besides this opposition to Lexa doesn’t feel right. Yeah. She has been betrayed but Clarke is not someone who will seek revenge on her. Lexa made the right decision to spare her people, and that’s basically what’s Clarke did too : the consequencies are just different; Clarke will definitely understand her choice (or already had).
I don’t think she ‘actively’ wants to be any kind of leader and have all that responsibility. Unfortunately, her strength and character make her a person people look to and she won’t back down from it because they need her. Clarke wouldn’t pursue a grounder leadership role but I can see if they needed help from the ‘Legendary Hero’ of Mount Weather and looked to her that she would comply. This does not mean she is dis-loyal to her people. And I don’t see her as seeking revenge on Lexa. I think she will understand her decision but I can see them being at odds over some future event and people are going to have to pick sides. It’s just the type of thing the writers would throw out there.
ok, now that clarifies. And it it comes to this, it would be interesting. But that means the Grounders will change their belief on how they choose their leader : they believe in reincarnation. So two sides but in which aspects, they could be so differents ? So differents that they would be in conflict ? At odds but different sides, I’m not sure.
The season 3 is supposed to bring to an another level : others ark stations, other Grounders clans, and this ALIE threat.
I don’t see Clarke at all leading grounders this season (maybe later seasons, right now there isn’t enough relationship development between clark and the other clans) nor would expect that any grounder want to be led by someone from the Sky. While what she did may garner the respect of some grounders, she is still notof their culture and way of life. She and the arkers are not of them. Other grounders may view them as another “clan” that they will have to contend with. Actualky, given what we have seen of the strategic mindset of Lexa and that she always plays the long game in making decisions, I see Lexa the Uniter may try to bring clark and the sky peep into the fold as the 13th clan as a way to eliminate clark and sky as a threat to her. Another strong possibility is that while Clarks legend will bring admiration, it also generates fear and makes her and the sky people a moving target. Some of the clans will likely see her and the sky people as just another replacement threat of the technology-laced MM and attempt a preemptive strike. But this is all fiction people and the SHOWRUNNER and his writers get to tell their story no matter what.
Exaclty, the potential for political intrigue on the level of Game of Thrones is wild with this show. The fact that Clarke is now a world famous commander is gonna cause a lot of problems for the Arkers. It should be really interesting to see where they take the characters next.
Interesting to hear about Clarke becoming a legend. In my opinion, it was a terrible mistake by Lexa to go behind her back. A truce that left the Commander with several dozens of Grounders freed from Mount Weather, but the Mountain Men with all the power (secure stronghold, superior weapons) to continue exerting their dominance in the future. I was expecting the Grounders to turn on Clarke once Mount Weather was captured, and to massacre all the inhabitants against the prior agreement (“blood must have blood”), but Lexa settled for far less. And she failed even there – the fortress is now in the hands of the sky people, the former allies she betrayed and left for the terrible fate of having their bone marrow harvested. Difficult to ever get them to any form of cooperation again! As one Grounder wisely said: the sky people have more in common with the mountain people than with the tree people. Lexa, you may have doomed your people in the long run!
Plus, of course, you have the story of Clarke doing alone what Commander Lexa could not do with the whole Grounder army – take Mount Weather. That is one heck of a story to tell at the campfires! Clarke would not even need to become involved with the Grounders in any way, it still is a severe blow to Lexa’s standing with her people.
And here I thought the obvious parallel in history – new settlers coing into the territory of the eastern US to stay and their interactions with indigenous people perceived to be savages – would be picked up by the writers at one point in time. But Lexa is no Pocahontas, Clarke no John Rolfe, and arranged marriage apparently no political instrument in the world of The 100.
Look at it from Lexa’s perspective. Most of her inside men were useless, they had all been going through severe blood draws with no medical assistance, so they were in no fighting condition. If Lexa had gone through with the attack, there would have been casualties among those they were trying to rescue. By taking that deal, she ensured the safety of all of her people, stopped the creation of Reapers, ensured that her people would never again be harvested, and then placed her trust in Clarke to eliminate the Mountain Men for good. She knew that the betrayal would push Clarke over the edge. It was a cold, calculated decision that fit extremely well with her character. If Clarke prevailed, then the Mountain Men are gone and they might have to deal with a new threat, which is a risk she was clearly willing to take due to the fact that the Mountain Men were a much more potent threat. If the Mountain Men prevailed, then the threat of the Mountain Men and the possible future threat of the Sky People were both destroyed simultaneously. The MM would harvest the Sky People and the need for Reapers and bleeding Grounders would vanish with the marrow treatment. Either way, the Mountain Men are gone and they have a more manageable threat that might be realised in the future. It was really a very smart decision on Lexa’s part.
So agree! Not to knock any other females characters on the show, because they’re all greast, but Clarke is f*ucking amazing!! I’ve been saying she’s on of the best females on TV and season 2B showed that even more. Such a great character and lead.
Great discussion!
Clarke Griffin Is the Strongest Female Character on TV… and the only protagonist guilty of genocide too. So in all your admiration of her ‘strength,’ let’s not forget that.