Put up your hand if your heart is confused right now; so delighted by all the series callbacks, the emotional growth, and the kickassery, but then it’s also JUST SO SAD. This show insists on attacking our every emotion on a weekly basis, and we LOVE THEM FOR IT.

Remember last recap when I gave a heartfelt thank you to actor Henry Ian Cusik in what I thought to be his last episode? A fair assumption, in my defence, considering the whole body swap thing. I was like, “oh wow, that was sad,” but then What You Take With You was all, “hahahhahahahah hold my Jo juice.”

Kane took the nightblood goop and poofed himself out to space so that neither he nor Abby would lose their souls for a happy ever after in another man’s meat sack. We all knew he wouldn’t be pleased with this turn of events, but I honestly thought we’d have more than one episode with Beef Kane*.

So, THIS TIME, let us say goodbye not only to Henry Ian Cusik, but to our soulful, layered dreamboat. You were a good man, Kane. Or at least, you tried to be, and that is what counts. Rest in sexy peace, KaneAndAbbysSexualTension.

But hold on to your butts, because this episode of The 100 wasn’t ALL heartbreak and ugly-crying into our mint ice cream! It also brought some pretty big victories as Octavia had a Nevermind all her own, the Clarke we know and love took the wheel of the ferrari, and INDRA DEFROSTED! *fireworks explode within my heart*

Gabriel was having a serious case of FOMO about the anomaly, but Octavia just plum did not remember the entire party. So, like any mad scientist would, he busted out some psychedelics and told her to look within herself to find her purpose, but more importantly, the wacky deets on that sick party he missed.

She followed the white rabbit down the hole and was presented with a choice: a red box or a green box. Our girl wasn’t THAT interested in what happened in the anomaly (despite Diyoza’s voice whisper-calling her name), so she chose self-reflection instead.

The red box contained an awesome, bloody montage of Octavia’s life (including the radioactive butterflies from season 1!), and she was NOT digging it.

Beef Kane was understandably struggling with the concept of his new flesh hotel, but Abby was like, “it’s fine,” and Beef Kane was like, “is it, though?” and Abby was like, “yeah, duh,” and Beef Kane shook his head all, “I dunnoooooooooooo”, and Abby kissed him, which was weird as hell for everyone (but especially us).

Jo pointed out that the Children of Gabriel want nothing more than to brutally murder all Primes and possible hosts, so Bellamy was like, “NO PROBLEM, BABE!” and put some of his blood on her forehead. Way to start a trend, dude! Oh, and she had a seizure, which I’m sure isn’t important for any character-victory related reasons. *wink*

The Kids of Gabe snatched them up and chained them to a cave, despite Bellamy’s charming attempt at a getting-to-know-you-game. They DID, however, text Gabriel to see if he wanted to join the party, after finding out about the nightblood serum.

Jo and Bellamy had a heart-to-heart about their respective soulmates, and Clarke Morse-coded a sweet burn on Jo, so they knew she was listening. Jo gave Bellamy the opportunity to speak to her, and he gave a very impassioned, “I won’t let you die.” In case you’re wondering what that sound was last night, it was the giddy squeals of a million shippers around the world.

Meanwhile in space, Raven was very busy being morally above everyone and everything, and got a front-row seat to the Beef Kane show!

This lady revealed that Kane’s muscley airbnb used to be her husband, a fact that he did NOT take well. After all, the people giving up their lives for the longevity of the Primes are being lied to about what happens after. They think they get to live in a glorious Spice Girl’s song instead of being full-blown mind-murdered.

INDRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA… I don’t watch promos, but I will admit I saw on Twitter that she was returning. That knowledge did not make this moment any less glorious. OF COURSE Kane’s first stop on his resurrection tour was to wake up his bestie. OF COURSE IT WAS.

Meanwhile, Indra’s other bestie Octavia’s already unpleasant trip got even worse (so much better) when an old foe showed up to tough-teacher her into admitting what she really wants – redemption. (WE ARE HERE FOR IT, GIRL!!)

Pike!! It’s Pike, you guys!! This was brilliant. The show could have made Octavia see Lincoln, or her mom, or heck, even Bellamy, but no, that would have been easy on her, and The 100 doesn’t baby its characters. Instead, they made her face off against the one person she hated the most, and subsequently stabbed to death. *chefs kiss*

He pulled out all the stops, yelling in a controlled, exhausted kind of way, like he just didn’t have time for her bullshit because he had to coach soccer after 5th period. This scene was a FREAKING JOURNEY, and both Marie Averopoulos and Michael Beach nailed it.

Pike’s speech about how far she’s willing to go to find redemption was cut short by Blodreina sauntering in feeling very murdery. What followed was a GD BEAUTIFUL sequence that invoked Lincoln’s last words, and the darkness that has followed Octavia ever since. BUT THEN,

Octavia fought her past self and WON SO HARD. She ran Blodreina through, essentially admitting that she doesn’t need the darkness anymore, that she can be who she is without it.

Huzzah!

Indra was sort of into the whole Primes as Gods thing, but her ride-or-die attitude towards her bestie won out, and she pledged her awesomeness to his mysterious plan to make everything right again.

Aaaaaaaand this scene brings me to my one and only beef with this episode (and maybe this whole season): Raven being set up as the next Kane.

Hear me out – all season long she’s been extolling her own virtues, her moral superiority, reminding everyone that she’s never (had to) make one those life-altering, soul-damaging decisions. She’s never mass murdered. She’s never chosen HER people over others. She’s never betrayed her friends.

We have to believe it isn’t just Raven’s opinion of herself she’s spewing – it’s the show’s. And in this episode, it was Kane’s. “Raven, you’re strong. You’ve always known what’s right.”

I would’ve bought it if the show subtly slipped Raven in as the voice of reason, the moral compass that always points towards the right thing. She (and the show) is correct – she CAN usually be counted on to do the right thing. The audience didn’t need the constant reminders this season – the sanctimonious posturing – that ultimately hurt her character more than it reminded us of her strengths. I wish the show had trusted us enough to remember who Raven is.

Maybe she can grow to be the next Kane, but one of the things that made Kane so believable as the “good” guy was that he didn’t believe himself to be. He recognized his own faults, and was always trying to do better, always struggling to find the right thing. He knew he made mistakes, and he owned them.

We haven’t seen that from Raven yet, but I truly hope we do before she steps into the role of the Adventure Squad’s moral police.

OKAY BEEF OVER PUT AWAY YOUR A1 SAUCE!

Now that the walls were crumbling around Jo’s mind palace, she had access to Clarke’s memories, which she used to take Bellamy on an emotional journey through his tumultuous relationship with his platonic soulmate. They discussed where they could possibly go from here and their differing views on how things could work out. It was strangely… fun? I like Jo, you guys. Is it weird that I want her on the Adventure Squad? In someone else’s body, of course. Or maybe as a computer??? OR A ROBOT??? A JOBOT?!?!??!?!? You’re welcome, The 100 Writers, go ahead and use that.

Anyway, the Kids of Gabe figured their prisoners had had enough time to emotionally bond, so they came in to rough them up a bit, and noticed that Clarke/Jo had “the blood.” So “off with her head!” it was, except…

Clarke is back!! Jo gave up control so that Clarke could kick the poop right outta those Kids! Then she slipped Bellamy the keys to his shackles and skedaddled through FernGully, letting the Kids and the Sanctumites duke it out (with guns). Then she popped Jade on the ol’ noggin and stole her motorbike! Hahaha, what a lovable scoundrel.

Then Jo tried to convince Clarke to give up control again, like a very put-upon babysitter trying to get a 4 year old to go to bed.

Clarke is off to see Gabriel! She sent him an RSVP and everything!

Back at Gabriel’s leisure cabin, Octavia was about to vamoose in order to fulfil her newfound destiny when they heard the warning from his Kids, and Clarke’s RSVP. So Gabriel convinced Octavia to stay and see how things play out.

Meanwhile in space, Raven, Indra, and Niylah (hi Niylah!) took the nightblood goop by gunpoint. Abby was all, “HUH?????”, and Raven was like, “stay here!” and Abby was like, “no thanks,” and Raven was all, “okay.” And thus Abby found Beef Kane in an airlock, about to jettison himself into space.

For real, you guys, this was beautiful and horrifying and sad and my heart hurts.

Nuh uh, quit it.

Uuuuugggghhhhhh STAWWWWWP

WHY THOUGH OMG JUST STOP IT!

HOW VERY DARE YOU.

I imagine there will be debates about this. Did Kane have to die? Should he have taken the second chance, and continued to help his people? Could his insight into the procedure help to enlighten the mind-washed masses? Did his death mean enough?

In the end, this was true to his character, and I think that’s the story The 100 needed to tell. Kane was a good man. He couldn’t live in a stolen body, no matter how “willing” the sacrifice was. He couldn’t help to perpetuate a ritual he believed to be wrong.

Rest in peace you beautiful, noble, dreamy soul.

I don’t think I’m being hyperbolic when I say that season 6 is DESTROYING ALL EXPECTATIONS AND ALSO OUR HEARTS BUT THEN REBUILDING THEM AND THEN DESTROYING THEM AGAIN. This season knows what it is, because it knows where its BEEN.

Season 6 is taking us on a journey to the past, but it’s not stuck there. It’s not wallowing. It’s recognizing the past in order to move on, in order to build a future. The show needed this. The characters needed this. WE needed this.

*tips hat*



SOME STUFF

*Beef Kane is courtesy of May We Geek Again – thank you for all you do.

Teeeeeeeechinically, the drive is still in Beef Kane’s head, so they could probably do a fly-by scoop-and-save, and reload him into another body. But I don’t think that’s the route the show (or Kane) wants to go.

HOW IS JORDAN THOUGH

HOW IS THE BEAUTIFUL CREEPSTER THOUGH

Clarke was never a badass fighter until after the time jump, which can only mean one thing: MADI TAUGHT HER HOW TO FIGHT. *heart eyes*

What happened in that anomaly, and where in the sweet heck is Diyoza???

Yes, that was a Dazed and Confused reference, because DRUGS.

He may not have had a lot of time to show it off, but Greyson Holt nailed Marcus Kane. I’m a little bummed we won’t get to see where Beef Kane could have gone.

The respect in Indra’s tear-streaked face as she said goodbye to her bestie DESTROYED ME.

It was honestly a treat to have Michael Beach back. “Redemption!” – “Ding! Ding! Ding! A gold star for Ms. Blake. I was trying to earn mine when you put a sword through me.”

Great line! It’s a testament to this (incredibly well-written) scene, and the amazing way Michael Beach was bringing his A game, that the line had me thinking, “yeah, good point!” for a split second before remembering that he was the worst and absolutely deserved to die. His performance made me mourn the layered, compelling Pike we could have had, if his season 3 character wasn’t the absolute worst.

Pike scolding Octavia on getting 400 people killed is PRETTY RICH coming from him!

What do we think Bellamy’s doing? He doesn’t know where to go, so is he just wandering around, taking in the sights, trying not to get eaten by a tree? WILL HE RUN INTO GAIA???

What reunion are you most excited about? Bellamy/Octavia? Clarke/Octavia? Josephine/Gabriel? The Ghost of the Mutated Gorilla and the Ghost of Riley??

“Things are about to get weird.”

OKAY BYE THANKS STAY SAFE OUT THERE!

