Right when I thought this season couldn’t get any better, The 100 drops a major bomb at the end of last night’s episode “The Four Horseman.”
I feel like every time I go to write one of these recaps for The 100 season 4, I say that there’s no possible way these episodes could get better and better, yet every single week, I’m proven wrong. But this one may be hard to beat. Not only because Octavia’s leather jacket basically took over the show (and my soul) but because some serious twists and turns happened that nobody saw coming. At the end of the 60 minute episode, I physically had to pick my jaw up off the ground and attempt to understand what had just happened. It was a tight episode that packed in as much movement as possible without overwhelming you.
So, let’s talk “The Four Horseman:”
We kick off the episode in Alpha Station where everyone’s new favorite OTP Bravenlarke are discussing the end of the world- as per usual. The hunting parties are coming back with less meat but thankfully, we know Niylah, who is an expert at meat persevering. They’re still only getting one meal a day for the next five years though. While they’re talking about rationing, Bellamy makes it known that he doesn’t want to be on the Ark when those doors close a few months from now. But considering Clarke is the one making the list (which she still hasn’t made and Raven’s kinda pissed about that), I’m willing to bet Bellamy is definitely going to be on it.
The 100 — “The Four Horsemen” — Image HU403a_0342 — Pictured (L-R): Bob Morley as Bellamy and Eliza Taylor as Clarke — Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved
They’re interrupted by an alarm signaling that someone is at the front gate. It’s Luna and what’s left of her clan and they’re showing symptoms of acute radiation sickness. “It’s already here,” says Clarke. It sure is.
Jackson explains to Clarke and Abby that the radiation is internal, meaning it was ingested by eating contaminated fish. They tell Luna that they’ll do everything they can to save her and the rest of her people, but it’s clear that there’s no real cure. They have medicine to control the symptoms but only works when taken within the first 24 hours of exposure.
Back in Raven’s “smart house” (aka her computer room), she’s realizing that there’s only 2 months to live instead of 6 months. Good. She needs Clarke to make that list of people so they can start protocols. “But choosing who gets to live or die is your specialty,” Raven tells Clarke. Sassy Raven is kind of my favorite Raven. Bravenlarke is interrupted once again (can’t these three just catch a break) by the sound of the Rover, which nobody should be using right now.
Shocking, it’s Jaha, with a map to a fall out shelter that could hold a lot more people than 100. Bellamy and Clarke want to go check it out bur Raven tells them they need the man power and Rover power back at Alpha Station. Clarke promises that if they go check it out and it turns out to be nothing that she’ll finally make the list. So off they go.
To make this part real short, they found it but when they open it, they found a whole bunch of burnt, crispy bodies. Clearly the bunker wasn’t sealed all the way and doesn’t work. But maybe Raven can fix it??
John Murphy shows back up at Arkadia while they’re gone. Him and Emori need food and Murphy knows exactly where he can get it. He ends up at the right place at the right time (in true John Murphy fashion) and overhears Raven and Abby fighting about the radiation medicine and the whole “end is near” conversation. Abby wants to give Luna’s clan a few doses but Raven’s being a stickler about supplies. So of course, Murphy steals the medicine and gives it to Abby because after all, Murphy has a healer’s heart. Abby gives the medicine to the young girl and decide that if her symptoms improve, they’ll treat the others.
The 100 — “The Four Horsemen” — Image HU403a_0362 — Pictured (L-R): Sachin Sahel as Jackson, Richard Harmon as Murphy, and Paige Turco as Abby — Credit: Diyah Pera/The CW — © 2017 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved
They don’t. In fact, they get worse, and the young girl dies in Luna’s arms. Raven storms into med bay while this is happening (probably to yell at someone for something) and sees the girl die. Clarke and Bellamy get back just in time to see all the bodies being wrapped up. Except for one- Luna. Luna’s lesions on her face are actually healing, so they begin to wonder what separates her from everyone else- black blood.
BLACK BLOOD FOR EVERYONE! From the ashes, we will rise.
Clarke keeps her promise to Raven and finally makes the list, adding Bellamy’s name. “If I’m on that list, you’re on that list. Write it down or I will.” Bellamy grabs the pen and writes down Clarke’s name too. They put the list in a drawer that obviously nobody will find (not).
Moving to Polis, Roan and Octavia team up (something I pretty much hoped and dreamed of) to find the flame that Roan carelessly lost. He tells her of the suspected person who took it- the new flame keeper. Octavia takes off to deal with Roan’s problems while the King tells Indra that people are calling Octavia Skai Ripper- death from above.
Image via Screenshot of Season 4 Trailer. Via The CW.
You see this new flame keeper make her way into the sacred chambers with the flame but Octavia follows her. They begin to fight and Gaia (flame keeper) weirdly compliments Octavia on her fighting style. “I know it well,” she says just before Indra stops Octavia from killing her and says that’s actually her daughter. SURPRISE. Indra is a mommy!
They have a nice little emotional moment where everyone is on each other’s side for a minute but they know it doesn’t end here. If Gaia just gives back the flame then Roan will definitely have her head. They’re interrupted by Ilian and his crew begin banging on the door of the sacred chambers. They’re stealing tech all throughout Polis so nobody can control their minds again. Can we blame them?
They burst in and the three ladies are ready for a fight. Ilian says that he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt- he just wants the tech. They throw their weapons down but the gang grabs them and takes Gaia’s backpack, which houses the Flame. Ilian takes the Flame, places it on a table, and takes a sledgehammer to it, shattering it into pieces. This is where I felt as though this show was killing Lexa for the third time in the series. Maybe it was to make up for the shitty first death she got?
The gang leaves and the three come out from hiding. Turns out, they had switched the flame for a replica of it that all flame keepers wear around their neck (convenient!). Long live Lexa! So I think Gaia and Octavia are like, sisters now.
Octavia returns back to Roan with the head of one of Ilian’s gang and a crushed up flame. She says he was wrong about the flame keeper and that this guy took the flame and smashed it before Octavia could kill him. Roan reminds her that it’ll be harder for him to stay in power now. “People fell in line behind the flame. Now they’ll fall in line behind the sword,” Octavia says. “Let’s hope Clarke finds a way to save us before they have to,” Roan responds.
Yes, let’s hope!
Once again, excellent episode. 10/10. I’m probably going to go rewatch it now.
Next: The 100 Introduces a New Character & She Wants The Flame
Catch the next episode of The 100 on Wednesday, February 22 at 9/8c on The CW.