The 100 season 5 episode 4 review: Pandora’s Box
If you tuned in for this week’s episode of The 100, you know the latest episode requires having a box of tissues on hand. Full of long-awaited reunions, “Pandora’s Box” thrusts fans right into the heart of the season: the war between Eligius and everyone else.
To say that last night’s episode of The 100 was an emotional one would definitely be an understatement. “Pandora’s Box” is full of moments that will tug at your heartstrings, from long-awaited reunions to painful estrangements between characters. Keeping a box of tissues on hand is not a terrible idea.
The episode opens with Kane’s turn in the fighting pit, a punishment we discover that he’s taking for Abby. Addicted to her medication, Abby has been stealing pills from Wonkru’s supply. Kane takes the fall for her crimes in order to spare her.
Despite his lack of training, Kane fares surprisingly well pitted against the grounders. He defeats every enemy, but Octavia still doesn’t feel he deserves to walk free. He’s told he must fight again the following day, a command he refuses to obey. He begs Octavia to be a more merciful leader, a scene that’s heartbreaking in its own right.
The episode then takes us above ground, where Bellamy is settling a deal with the Eligius prisoners. But we quickly discover that this truce is to be short-lived: Diyoza intends to break their agreement the first chance she gets. Even a tense peace will prove impossible with the inmates. Diyoza will do whatever it takes to assure her people are the ones left standing, and her determination is eerily reminiscent of Clarke’s.
Luckily, Bellamy does convince Diyoza to break open the bunker as a part of their brief agreement. And he arrives just in time to stop Octavia from killing Kane for his disobedience. Talk about great timing.
The reunion between the Blake siblings is probably the most heartfelt of the episode, especially since it offers a momentary glimpse of the old Octavia. Unfortunately, that appearance is as short-lived as Bellamy’s truce with Diyoza. The moment Wonkru lands on the ground, all hell breaks loose.
Diyoza and Shaw manage to stop the oxygen flow to their main ship, leaving Raven and Murphy no choice but to wake the hostages in space. Not only does this put the two of them in a dangerous situation, but it removes Bellamy’s leverage over Eligius.
The tense truce between the miners and the grounders abruptly comes to an end when Diyoza takes Abby and Kane as hostages. She reveals during “Pandora’a Box” that she needs a doctor to heal a mysterious ailment, one that will likely become a major storyline later this season.
The episode ends with Diyoza’s men disobeying her orders to stand down and strand Wonkru outside of the valley. Instead, one of them blasts Octavia with a gun, increasing tensions between the Blake siblings and officiating the war between the two groups.
Related Story: The 100 season 5 episode 3 review: Sleeping Giants
Eligius has definitely unleashed the contents of Pandora’s Box by releasing Octavia, just to begin a war with her. We’ll have to keep watching to see which ruthless army will come out on top, but one thing is clear: Many more lives will be lost before the valley can peacefully be inhabited.