The 100 3x01 "Wanheda Part 1" (The Return) [Contributor: Laura Schinner]

"Wanheda Part 1"

Original Airdate: January 21, 2016

In the long-awaited season three premiere of The 100, everyone had to deal with the consequences and fallouts of the decisions they made three months prior. After eliminating the whole population of Mountain Men to save their people, some of the survivors were not dealing with the guilt as well as others. For Clarke, the only option was to disappear and not have to face seeing the people she saved at the expense of so many other innocents. As she pointed out in the season two finale, she bears the guilt so that the others would not have to. Like Clarke, Jasper was not dealing with the fallout well either. His way of coping wasn't any healthier than Clarke's, as he chose to lash out and blame those who ultimately made the decision to end the lives of the Mountain People, particularly Maya. Many others seemed much better adjusted, moving forward without dwelling too much on the past, and focusing on what needed to be done to maintain peace with the Grounders. Overall, it was a solid return for The 100, and while most of it was simply setup for the rest of the season, it was necessary to address the consequences of the actions of last season.

THE CITY OF LIGHT

Surprisingly, The 100 picked the least-anticipated storyline to start the new season with, immediately taking us to the City of Light, where Murphy and Jaha had finally found themselves at the end of last season. While it may not seem possible, Murphy’s state graver than it has ever been. Sure, he had food and shelter now, but after being locked away in a bunker, his mental state was the worst we have ever seen it, and that is saying a lot. Finally, after many failed attempts to get the door open, it finally opened for him and Murphy was able to find Jaha in the City of Light.

It is entirely unclear where they are going with the plotline this early into the season. What we do know is that the holographic woman that Jaha met at the end of the previous season was the one responsible for ending the world, and we know that Jaha seems to have bought into whatever it is they are selling him. They seem determined to bring Murphy in on it too, or at least they feel they need him for whatever it is they are planning on doing. Of course, after knowing he was purposefully locked away, Murphy is not too thrilled with Jaha and is not ready to jump on board yet. With so many questions hanging in the air about what is going on, there is some intrigue to this story. However, it is also so far removed from everything else that is happening, that it's easy to just zone out whenever the two men are on screen. Hopefully we will get some answers soon and whatever is going on will tie into the main storyline, otherwise I am afraid people will start losing interest in this plotline.

THE ONE RULE

The show made up for the slow start this episode by transitioning to a scene that no one was complaining about, showing Lincoln and Bellamy training. While the shirtless-ness was a welcome distraction, it was more important to note how everyone was doing in the past three months. For quite possibly the first time in the show’s history, the characters seemed to be relatively happy. It was soon revealed that a truce had been made with the Grounders and though there is still tension between the groups, they are not killing each other. This did not mean that patrols did not occasionally go out to check in on their people and ensure everything was going smoothly. Leaders since the start, Bellamy, Monty, Nathan, Jasper, and Raven took up this patrol, with Octavia following along beside them on horseback. Their patrol led them to a group of Grounders and when Jasper foolishly and recklessly confronted them, Octavia was forced to break the no-kill rule to save his life.

At first, it seemed like the biggest fallout from this act would be the Grounders' fury that the one rule had been broken, but when the characters met up with Indra and she informed them who the group of Grounders had been looking for when the confrontation happened, the focus immediately switched to something more dire. According to Indra, many people are hunting Clarke, hoping to kill her and gain her power. This would be bad for both Grounders and Sky People, so it looks like they might have to work together to save Clarke. The Sky People and Grounders have worked together in the past but even that small amount of trust was broken when the Grounders betrayed the Sky People. It will take a lot for them to trust each other again but this might be something that brings them back together, at least temporarily.

JASPER'S PAIN

While everyone else had transitioned quite nicely to the relative safety (compared to what they've dealt with in the past), Jasper was not able to get over what happened at Mount Weather so easily. His girlfriend died because of actions that his best friend and other trusted allies had made, and he most definitely did not agree with the decision to kill so many innocents to save their people. He lashed out by drinking excessively, seeming to have no value for his own life. Between confronting Grounders and attacking a room full of his own people (who were using supplies they had gotten from the Mountain), Jasper is more of a liability than an asset right now. He does not even have Monty to lean on, instead driving away his best friend by placing all the blame on him. One thing is clear though: he needs someone to help him through this and he cannot go on behaving the way he has. If he does not figure things out soon, his obnoxious and reckless behavior may have grim consequences for those around him.

THE IDENTITY CRISIS

Fan favorites, Lincoln and Octavia, also have had to deal with the fallout of decision they made at the end of last season. Despite seeing herself as more of a Grounder, Octavia refused to retreat with them when they betrayed the Sky People, instead staying to help save her brother. Lincoln also made the difficult choice to turn on his people, the Grounders, and join the Sky People to help save them from Mount Weather. At the time, these were obvious decisions for the two to make but now they must deal with the consequences. Octavia does not feel like she belongs with the Sky People, having always been an outsider since birth. She has kept her distance from them, sleeping outside and in many ways fending for herself. She does help them with patrols, also wanting there to be peace between the two groups, neither of which she feels she belongs to.

At the same time, Lincoln has slowly become more and more of a Sky Person, adjusting well to their way of life. He enjoys training with them and feels at home with the Sky People. When Bellamy gave Lincoln a guard jacket, it became a symbol of his acceptance with the Sky People — something that was not lost on Octavia. She is not comfortable with Lincoln becoming a part of this group that she herself has never felt a part of and who have never fully accepted her.

This will surely cause a lot of tension for the two throughout the season, as they struggle with their identities and who they want to be now that they have made their choice. The Grounders won't take Octavia back in and even have a death warrant out for Lincoln, meaning these two will have to work hard to find out who they are both together and individually in the place they are now.

ACCEPTING HELP

Raven and Abby are also struggling to find their place in their new reality. In the interim between seasons, it is obvious that Raven once again pushed Wick away, wanting to be strong and stand by herself while also being afraid of making another connection. It is also clear though that she is still struggling with the pain in her hip and legs, something that Abby noticed and wanted to help with, but Raven has always had to take care of herself and she is not good at accepting help or advice from others. She would much rather grin and bear the pain than accept weakness, so when Abby suggested she get medical help, she lashed out. Like everyone else, Raven definitely has a place in their civilization but if she is not willing to accept the help she needs, she may not be able to help as much as she would otherwise.

In the heat of the moment, Raven also pointed out that Abby is struggling with both being a Chancellor and a doctor right now and because she is spread too thin. She is splitting, her time between both jobs, and failing. This hit Abby hard, as her goal in both pursuits is to help her people, but there simply is not enough time for her to do everything she wants to do and, soon, she will have to pick which is more important to her.

With Kane taking on a big role in helping make decisions for the people, it's likely Abby will stick with what she does best and what will help her people the most, and take over a full position as doctor. She would still be able to offer her insights and opinions to Kane, but would take a less active role in leading the people, taking some of the pressure and stress off herself. There is no guarantee that this will be the decision Abby makes but objectively, it is what would be best for her people.

WANHEDA

The big question everyone had at the end of last season was how Clarke would fare on her own, bearing all the guilt that seemed to be consuming her. This was not immediately addressed in the episode, instead building up the suspense and curiosity of what had become of her. In the end, much of what we saw of Clarke seemed to be setting her up for the rest of the season. While it is obvious that she is still dealing with the guilt of the choices she has made, the season premiere did show her letting someone in, at least physically. The woman she had been going to with her kills in exchange for food became someone Clarke could talk to, and when she discovered that all along, this girl knew who she was and that there were people trying to kill her, Clarke let her in physically. In the end, she could not escape the men who were after her though, and the episode ended with her being captured. Much of this season will likely revolve around Clarke dealing with the pain she has caused while also having to escape from pain herself. Whether she thinks she deserves it or not, she has people on her side who will do anything to save her, just as she has done for them.

The season premiere answered many questions we had at the end of season two, while also posing many more, as they set the stage for the rest of the season. With time having elapsed between seasons, the characters are all at a slightly different place now, as they have adjusted to yet another new reality that they are living in. While not everyone is in imminent danger now, a change from what we have seen during so much of the shows run, the stakes are still just as high. Between the unknown at the City of Light, the constant tension between the Sky People and Grounders, and the kill warrants out for Clarke and Lincoln, there is still plenty of danger and suspense in this season of The 100. Knowing this show, that is only going to build as the season continues to unfold.