The 100 S3E2: "Wanheda Pt. 2" Recap & Review
Wanheda Part Two is the continuation and completion of last week’s episode. Last week’s episode set up all of the plot lines, and this week’s cranked it all into high gear.
Recap first, review and notes at the bottom!
TURNS OUT WE HAD A COMMON ENEMY: adventure squad and the newbies
We pick up with the Adventure Squad three hours after we left off. They are sitting ducks on the road, trapped between two felled trees. Bellamy decides that enough is enough. He pops out of the turret but doesn’t even have time to look up before he is grabbed by a grounder.
The Grounders demand that everyone in the truck get out, and proceed to throw them to the ground. The Farm Station beacon that Monty has starts to beep, and he’s hauled up.
One of the masked Grounders whispers, "Monty?"
"Mom?"
It's Monty's mom! Her name is Hannah, and she is part of a group of survivors from Farm Station that came down with the Ark. They are lead by Charles Pike (just called Pike), a former Earth Skills teacher on the Ark. The group is disguised as Grounders but are really self-labeled Grounder Killers, complete with a cheer.
The joy of reunion quickly gives way to sadness as Monty asks about his father. He didn't make it, Hannah says, but is hesitant to say more.
Pike and Hannah join the Adventure Squad to keep tracking Clarke. Pike sends the rest of the scouting party back to rendezvous with the survivors of Farm Station. He instructs them to go back to Arkadia, 50 miles away from where they are in Sector 7
The expanded Adventure Squad continues to head towards the trading posts. They arrive just in time to find Niylah being beaten for information by a gnarly Ice Nation dude.
Bellamy shoots and kills the guy. Niylah is wary of the new group hunting Clarke, but once she realizes that they are Skaikru, she tells them that Clarke spent the night but left before she woke. Niylah suspects that Roan, the partner of now-dead Ice Nation dude, probably took Clarke after she left.
Monty bursts into the trading post with good news: he's found fresh tracks! Then the bad news: they can't take the Rover. They have to walk.
As they cross a wide field of tall grass, Pike falls back to converse with Bellamy.
"Last report we got on the Ark you were being attacked by Grounders. What changed?" Pike, the Grounder Killer, is clearly flummoxed by the respect that Indra receives from Kane, Bellamy, and Monty.
"Turns out we had a common enemy," Bellamy says.
"What happened to them?"
"We won."
War drums sound in the distance. "Ice Nation," Indra hisses, just as she sees the body of the dead Ice Nation scouts Roan killed.
Then, the crux of the episode: through his rifle scope, Bellamy spots Roan and Clarke making their way across the field.
Bellamy bolts towards them. Pike has to bodily stop him. There's no time to rescue her, but there is a cave on the opposite side of the field from where Roan and Clarke disappeared into the woods. They can wait out the army there.
Indra departs to warn Lexa of the oncoming army, advising Kane to hurry up and rescue Clarke before she can be taken to the Ice Nation.
The Squad makes their way to the cave, dragging the Ice Nation corpses with them, lest their discovery alerts the army to shenanigans in the area.
In the cave, Monty gets his mother to open up about his father's death. She can't continue the story, so Pike tells them. When Farm Station crashed, they landed in Ice Nation. The children went out to play in the snow, and Ice Nation grounders began picking them off. Fifteen children died. Monty's dad was able to grab four back into the ship before he was killed. They've been fighting the Grounders ever since.
"That was Ice Nation," Kane says. "Not all Grounders are the same."
"They are to me," Pike says.
The discussion in the cave turns to Mt. Weather. While the story of the delinquents survival is being told, friction develops between Pike and Kane when Pike learns that the Sky People aren't living in Mt. Weather. They're just using it for supplies.
As the tension heats up, Monty walks to the front of the cave and discovers—oh crap—that Bellamy snuck off using the dead Ice Nation scout's clothing.
zen napping with jaha, murphy, and emori
Right after the credits, we are introduced to the City of Light. An urban, modern, sleek metropolis.
Thankfully, Murphy is still in this storyline to offer his sass. Emori, Otan, Gideon, and a turtle-pack are all waiting with Jaha and Murphy in a marsh/river area. Emori flirts with Murphy, who doesn’t know what to do with someone liking him.
Otan questions Jaha about the City of Light (COL henceforth) and Jaha takes him off for a come-to-ALIE-talk. Awesomely, we learn the Trigedasleng word for s**t is skresh.
While Gideon is “zen-napping”, Emori tells Murphy that she and Otan collect tech for ALIE. ALIE finds them by using the drones (it's unclear if she's actually in the drone) and then directs them as to what she wants.
But, TWIST!, Emori is actually here to steal the turtle-pack from Gideon because “they have other buyers.” Gideon wakes just as Emori has her hands on the pack and chokes her. Emori, ever resourceful, slits his throat. He dies.
Back at the boat dock, Emori is casually wiping blood off her face, while Murphy seems to be having reservations about killing someone. Oh, the irony. Emori calms him down with a cheek-kiss, thanking him for saving her. Murphy again has no idea what to do with positive affection.
Emori pops open the turtle-pack, and inside is grade-A ALIE tech, marked with an infinity symbol just like the COL chips. Murphy realizes that this is ALIE, just as Otan comes back, clearly having ingested the chip. Otan grabs Emori, holding a knife to her throat, as Jaha tries to convince Murphy to eat the chip.
Murphy isn’t having any of this skresh, and threatens to drown ALIE-pack. Oh, how I’m sure we’re all going to wish you would have, Murph. But he doesn’t. Instead, he bargains for Emori. Otan lets Emori go, but Murphy tosses the ALIE-pack across the marsh, yet still into water. Because he’s amazing.
Too bad he didn’t open it first.
Murphy and Emori putter off in the boat, hopefully to live a nice, quiet life.
Meanwhile, Jaha returns to the City of Light. ALIE, ever industrious, has another trick up her sleeve. Along with no pain, hate, or envy in this modern-glass paradise, there is also no death. The camera pulls back to reveal Otan, ALIE, Jaha, and the corporally-dead Gideon. Neither Otan or Gideon exhibit their facial mutations.
We’ll start with my people, Jaha says, not ominously at all.
I’m sure that’s going to work out just fine.
places aren't evil: arkadia and mount weather
Lincoln and Octavia are having some alone time in the woods when they spot Nyko, the healer of Trikru, riding along the fence of Arkadia. He has been stabbed by the Ice Nation and needs help.
Abby is in Medical with Jasper for his follow-up from the stab wound. Abby tries to talk to him about his emotions, but Jasper doesn’t want to talk. Abby presses the issue by bringing up Finn. Jasper turns his dead-eyed gaze to her and says, “Your daughter killed him, too.” A Mountain/Finn combo insult. Ouch.
Octavia and Lincoln bring in Nyko. Jackson types him and he’s RH-null. All of the Arkers, their blood being engineered, are not. Jackson quickly tests Lincoln, and he’s not a match either.
But who has a ton of medical and transfusion supplies?
Mount Weather.
Jackson is for it. Surprisingly, so is Nyko. Places are not evil, he tells Lincoln, people are. Lincoln and Abby reluctantly agree.
There is something poetic about them going back into Mount Weather to heal people, specifically by blood transfusions. It also clearly demonstrates when the political becomes personal. Politically, it’s a bad decision. But Nyko needs blood NOW, and Lincoln can’t deny that no matter how bad the optics are, they need to go there to save him.
They go, and Nyko is saved. When he wakes he and Jackson agree that Mount Weather should be opened up for both Grounders and Sky People to use. They convince Abby and Lincoln.
As all of this hopeful talk is happening, Jasper is spiraling into complete despair. He starts destroying the artwork in Mt Weather’s storage looking for Maya’s favorite painting, Whirlwind of Lovers by William Blake, representing Dante’s second circle of Hell. Octavia finds him and sits quietly as he talks.
“It’ll get better,” Octavia says after a moment.
“When?” Jasper asks, tears streaming down his face.
A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR NO ONE: clarke and roan
Tricky Clarke! She fakes fainting next to a river. Roan leaves her to fill his canteen. She jumps on him, catching him off-guard, and tries to drown him. He turns the tables on her by faking being dead, and gains the upper hand. Then he fakes drowning her, but only to wash the dye out of her hair.
Oh, you two. Become reluctant allies and go on adventures, please.
Also, cue the magnificent ‘80s zoom-in on his facial scars. He’s Ice Nation, and Clarke’s hopes are dashed even further.
Clarke and Roan make it to a field where they spot scouts for the Ice Nation army. Naturally, Clarke screams. Roan lets her go knowing she won’t get far, kills two scouts, and then uses a bow and arrow to kill the third who’s pursuing Clarke. The third falls on Clarke, and she steals his knife. When Roan lifts Clarke up, she stabs him in the side.
He acts like a mosquito bit him, but he’s limping by the time they make their way to a decrepit subway station.
Once inside, Roan and Clarke begin trading barbs about each other’s loyalty and hypocrisy. Roan has been banished, he says, but she chose to leave her people. She's a coward.
He is not impressed with the great Wanheda.
WE CAN'T LOSE HER: BELLAMY AND CLARKE
Bellamy, dressed in Ice Nation clothing now, joins the marching horde. He cuts across the field and into the woods where he saw Roan and Clarke disappear. Not long after he sees fresh blood on a lamppost, and stairs descending into the earth.
Creeping into the darkness, he sees Clarke’s hand tied to a post. He rushes to her, kneels in front of her, and sweeps her hair off her face. She can’t believe it’s him, and he can’t believe he found her. He’s allowed oh, about five seconds to hope that he can rescue her.
But today is not that day. Roan knocks him to the ground and positions his sword to run Bellamy through. Clarke begs for his life. Something flickers in Roan’s eyes. Empathy? Understanding? Whatever it is, he stabs Bellamy in the leg and knocks him out. Better than killing him, at least.
Next we see Bellamy, he is stumbling through the forest. He is determined to go after Clarke, and neither Kane nor Pike can deter him. Only Monty—one of the trio that brought down Mt. Weather with Bellamy and Clarke—can get Bellamy to stop.
“We can’t lose her!” Bellamy yells, tears streaming down his face. As an audience, we haven’t seen Bellamy in emotional crisis since “Day Trip” in season one. But the thought of losing his friend, confidant, and co-leader, finally undoes him.
Monty promises Bellamy that they will continue searching for Clarke, but not right now. Bellamy can’t even walk, and they need to go home.
HELLO, CLARKE: LEXA AND CLARKE
TWIST! Roan doesn’t take Clarke to the Ice Queen! Instead he brings her to Polis and to Lexa. Lexa is in her throne room flanked by Titus (an adviser) and Indra.
Lexa sends everyone out of the room. She gently undoes Clarke’s gag. Lexa explains that she couldn’t have Wanheda fall into the hands of the notorious Ice Queen.
Clarke’s eyes fill with murderous fury as Lexa talks.
“War is brewing Clarke. I need you,” Lexa says.
And…Clarke spits in her face.
The guards drag her out as she screams, “You bitch! You wanted the Commander of Death? You got her! I’LL KILL YOU!”
REVIEW
Wanheda Part Two took off from where Wanheda Part One left off and ran with it. All of the plot-lines for this season have been set into motion, and the themes that the show will explore are firmly in place. It's a compelling two-part opener, if over-stuffed, and works best when viewed together.
ALIE is the only story that concerns me at the moment. For such a sci-fi plot to work in the earthy world of The 100, the audience needs some information about how, exactly, “she” works and what tech enables her to power such an extensive virtual reality.
The emotional apex of the episode, and the two-part premiere itself, is Bellamy being unable to rescue Clarke and his subsequent breakdown. Bellamy’s only other emotional breakdown is in season one, and his character development has gone from “I’m a monster” to “We can’t leave her.” The first crisis is an inner, individual crisis; the second is one that concerns his place in relationships and the broader community. It’s great writing and thoughtful, consistent character development. That wouldn’t be enough, though, without Bob Morley’s fantastic performance. He gave us everything from Bellamy’s frantic determination, to momentary hope, to utter devastation. I’m scared for him, and I’m supposed to be.
That the script and direction served each character so well with so much plot happening is quite a hat trick. It also wouldn't be so successful without such a great cast. Monty finally has an independent storyline, and the introduction of his mom, Hannah, is a great moment for both of them. Pike is obviously going to be a source of tension in Arkadia, and Mike Beach brings charisma to a character that otherwise could just be your garden-variety villain.
Last, but never least, Clarke’s rage-filled eyes will haunt me forever. Clarke has never been more wild, more primal, and her screaming at Lexa shattered the very air in the room. An excellent way to end an already complex, intense episode.
NOTES
Jasper finding Maya’s favorite painting, The Whirlwind of Lovers by William Blake makes a new connection to The Iliad. The painting depicts the second circle of Hell in Dante’s Inferno. In the Inferno, Dante is led through hell by Virgil, the author of The Aeneid. The Aeneid tells the story of Aeneas, a veteran of the Trojan War, who is looking for a new home. Dante, in the second circle of Hell where souls are punished for lust and sins of the flesh, sees Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Paris, all characters in The Iliad.
The biblical connection grows stronger with the introduction of Hannah Green, Monty’s mom. The show now has Gideon, Becca (Rebecca), and Hannah as new characters this season, all important figures in the Old Testament.
Also, ocslayviablake pointed out the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in connection to Bellamy and Clarke last week. I couldn't help but be reminded of it when Bellamy had to leave Clarke behind, literally under the earth in the subway station. I think that myth might play out between them in ways large and small throughout the season.
