If you've been online at all this past week, then there is a chance that you stumbled upon the trailer for Season 4 of the hit CW series 'The 100'. The show follows the lives of 100 teenage "criminals" who were sent back down to Earth years after a nuclear apocalypse to see if Earth can hold human life, as the ship they are on in space with about 3,000 other people is running out of oxygen to keep them all alive. Based on of the New York Times best-selling books by Kass Morgan, the show begins light-hearted and cheesy, but within the first twenty minutes of the first episode, it completely changes. 'The 100' is about what it takes to survive, and how far people will go to protect the people that they love the most.
A popular topic that is addressed, and recognized by viewers, throughout the series is the strong bonds between all of the characters. In their world, almost everything is a decision between living and dying. Arguably one of the most beloved and frustrating bonds is the one between two of the main characters, Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin. In the books, their relationship accelerates quickly, as they both profess their love for one another in the second book. In the show, however, more focus is placed on how their friendship develops and how they work together as leaders, allowing viewers to see how they function overall without necessarily being romantically involved (yet).
'The 100' and its characters serves as a reminder for how big of a role our friendships play in our lives. In the Season 2 finale, Clarke makes the decision to leave their established camp after facing the difficulty of killing hundreds of innocent people at Mount Weather, because she literally had no other choice. Her leaving takes a heavy toll on Bellamy, her family, and the rest of the people she has become undeniably close with. Season 3 ended earlier this year, and the timeline shows that it has been six months since the dropship carrying the original 100 landed and they first faced the Grounders- individuals who happened to survive the nuclear apocalypse and are not totally welcoming to them. All of the characters in the show have flaws, but the one that is played upon the most is Clarke taking responsibility for things that are completely out of her control.
The struggles that Clarke carries with her do not only rest upon her shoulders but also on Bellamy's and her friends' as well, even though she does not always realize it. For a couple of episodes in Season 3, one could argue that it appears that Clarke is abandoning her friends and her people, and it drives a wedge in the dynamic between her and Bellamy. When she finally returns, he is angry, just as he should be. This show points out one of the most important things that form any strong bond: trust.
The mutual trust that once existed between Clarke and Bellamy waivers for a few episodes, but it slowly begins to be built back up by each of them, although it is not yet completely restored at the end of Season 3. The most important thing is that the trust is still there, deep under the surface. This highlights the fact that the friendships we make are always tested, but that they do not always have to be completely destroyed as a result. Even when our friendships seem irreparable, the foundation of the friendship is not always completely destroyed.
Ultimately, 'The 100' shows that friendships can be tested and pushed to their limits in multiple different scenarios. Although the show takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, the message remains universal. The friendships that we make, even if they eventually fall apart, remain part of us forever.
***You can watch the trailer for Season 4 of 'The 100', airing February 1, 2017, here:
