The wait is over! Two months before season 4 of The 100 comes back on CW, the trailer has finally dropped. Many fans want different things, but we all get the same thing, because death, is inevitable.
Death
Does this show always have to be so brutal? Probably. Part of what drew me to the show was the hope that it would be a teenage-centered sci-fi show that was harsh and not so romance oriented. But romance sells, and it also destroys fandoms, so here I am anyway.
The problem I have with showing us so many covered bodies, people running in black rain, and someone we don't recognize being vaporized? Well it's because it's too much at once. I'm already feeling myself become desensitized. Other than the moment Bellamy steps out to help people, there isn't really a moment where I'm on edge about this disaster. They'll have to build up to that. Which unfortunately means I'm going to lose one of my favorites; I have a lot of favorites.
Run
I'm pretty sure that's Clarke's voice that screams run so hauntingly, and it's possible that it's not even in the following scene where Raven is running with a group and gets shot at. I've seen some speculation that the radar is ALIE's drones from S3. This makes sense, except we don't know where they are. Do they try to return to the bunker that Murphy was locked in, or do these machines make it all the way to where they were? QUESTIONS.
Lindsey Morgan is a phenomenal actress, and her performance as Raven last season haunted me. I was in awe (disgusted, horrified awe) of what she did and how Raven developed and triumphed as a character. It was one of my favorite parts of S3. That being said, I think it's time to stop hurting her. She's smart, she's caring, she's dedicated, what more do we need from a character? But instead we see her almost get shot (and presumably get left behind) and then what I assume is radiation poisoning? I don't know what I'd do without Raven, and I'm worried.
People calling Clarke out
I really enjoyed seeing both Monty and Murphy get angry at Clarke. She carries around a lot of guilt, but it's because she has this weird hero complex that I can't grasp. "I bear it so they don't have to" was one of the lousiest things I've ever heard her say, because it should be obvious by this point that everyone has to bear it. Everyone has nearly died at this point, they've done things they regret, and Clarke can't keep acting like if she feels guilty enough, or makes decisions without consulting other people, it's protecting them.
And Monty picks up on this. "'It's all for my people'" he quotes back to her. I'm guessing that Clarke, once again, tries to make a deal with some other clan (read: Roan) for peace so they can "thrive" and it goes unsurprisingly south. Monty grew a lot during his time at Mt. Weather, and then losing his mother in S3...he's going to take matters into his own hands. I just really hope that doesn't mean he's going to die.
Murphy's scene at 1:49 was just a punch to the gut for me. Murphy has always been the outcast. When we see flashbacks to the ark we see that he's been this cynical for a long time, and when he gets to the ground the "bad luck" just doesn't stop. There's a moment where he goes too far, and it is hard to forgive him (except we don't actually learn to love the characters he kills) until he almost dies himself trying to save them, again and again. He doesn't get a break, and the only person that understands that is Emori.
Clarke is probably coming to him for help again, but Murphy always gets the short end of the stick, he never gets proper thanks. People still don't care about him. I don't know what his plans are in this season, but it was so satisfying to see him yell at Clarke.
Side note: Bless that we get more Memori, except it looks like Emori might be sick. Murphy doesn't deserve to lose her, but when she says "Survive? Please." it feels a lot like a death wish.
Jasper
I'm sorry people, this is the season that we have to let him go. Devon Bostick has been posting plenty of tweets that confirm this, and most of us know that the end of S3 was going to be Jasper shooting himself in the head. I'm glad they scrapped that, because that seemed way too dark for the series, and just so hard on the character. But he started off as a shining character. He didn't have the background Murphy or Bellamy did. He was innocent, and he nearly died, and then he lost the girl that he loved, and then he just couldn't take the pain anymore. What else is there for him? He wants to live. But what does that mean for any of these characters?
Every season there's a person we know we're going to lose, I think. And this season that's Jasper. I'm going to cry like a baby.
Octavia
I never thought, from S1, that Octavia would be such a controversial character. From debates about familial abuse to cultural appropriation, people put a lot of weight on her. I loved her arc with Lincoln, the idea that two people meet and realize they should be in each other's place. I loved the complexity of trying to find a home in a person versus a home with people, and how society treats their outcasts. But then the most painful death of S3 (for me) came and we saw the moment Octavia turned to steel.
Look at how they show her development - she looks much older (and yeah, Marie is much older than Octavia should be, but it happens) and people think the markings on her forehead are MEANT to match Lincoln's. I'm so excited.
Just like with Jasper, what else is there for them? They started off together, and in S3 we see them touch on the subject of dead lovers, and now both of them are doomed in a way. I love her outfit, and I really enjoy that Indra is proud of her for being "death on the ground". It's a conflicting arc, and part of me doesn't want her to be redeemed. I want to see how far she can go like this before being "saved".
Roan
Why is he alive again? Was there really a reason to bring him back from a gunshot wound? I know people like him because he's big and gravelly and looks like he could be from Vikings but he wasn't that interesting. And now that we see that he's going to work with Echo? Count me out. I don't know how that's going to go, but it won't end well.
The Hand
I don't know why this is what the entire fandom latched on to, but the very last scene is Clarke covered in oozing sores from radiation. While The 100 markets themselves as a "no one is safe" show, it's unlikely to see Clarke die. It's also unlikely for her to stand there calmly if she's near death. So, we concluded, it's a nightmare. But whose?
There are two contestants right now: Bellamy or Abby. (There could be someone else, but we're just going to stay in this realm of speculation.)
I have mixed feelings. I definitely think the hand is Abby's, but I think the scene would do much better if it was Bellamy's dream. Abby might be more exposed to people who are sick, though. But either makes sense, and there's only one way to find out in the end.
Questions
This trailer gives us a lot, but not a whole lot to work with.
What is up with Luna?
Who is the screaming boy?
Who is Kane protecting?
What is Jaha even doing at this point?
What is Niylah doing?
Who is the girl with the flame?
What is the answer?
Fans know from dedicated research that the screaming boy is Ilan, played by Chai Romruen. All we know is that he is a grounder who is facing the aftermath of ALIE, and that there are rumors going around that he's Clarke's new love interest.
I'll be honest, I think Bellamy and Clarke have the best on-screen chemistry, mirrored by Kane and Abby's blooming relationship (which I am so here for, I'm glad they're not afraid to give us Kabby in all of it's glory) but I would prefer Clarke stay single for the rest of this show's life than to see her with another rushed romance. Niylah's existence in S3 was to prove Clarke was bisexual, something that was done in later episodes when she sleeps with Lexa. So...can we agree that maybe it's time for her to calm down? In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the hand nuzzling thing that was 1:58.
The girl, on the other hand, is speculated to be a flamekeeper. I don't remember the actress' name (sorry!) but I'm really interested to see her character. I hope she doesn't die, because people have said she might be the next Commander and it would be nice to have an actual WOC in charge.
The rest of those questions?
Beats me.
This season is going to hurt. The fans that are left after S3 aren't expecting it to be easy. I'm honestly not sure what kind of happiness could come out of all of this, but I am so ready for the pain.
Who do you think is going to die?