The 100 Review: Echoes

By Lindsey Ferreira
 
After a year filled with controversy, The 100’s season 4 premiere was met with mixed emotions from past and present fans and a drop in viewership. Even though I am one of the many fans who were hurt and angered by the problematic material of season 3, both on screen and behind the scenes, I am trying to put my feelings aside. The losses of Lexa and Lincoln, the unnecessary gore and violence, and the lighthearted rape scene in season 3 made it difficult for me to continue watching the show, but as I am still invested in the characters, especially Clarke and Raven, I will continue to watch season 4. Here are my thoughts on the first episode entitled “Echoes.”
 
Since the beginning of the show, the problems the characters have faced have evolved each season, from fighting against the Grounders in season 1, the Mountain Men in season 2, and the City of Light in season 3. This season, one of the biggest antagonistic forces the characters will face is Earth itself. Though the show has only been back for one week, there are already callbacks to the first season. The show began with Earth believed to be uninhabitable after the nuclear apocalypse. Now, after being on the ground for months, Earth is becoming what it was believed to be back in season 1, leaving the characters fighting against the imminent death that will occur in six months. Earth has now become a universal, common enemy, something that is unique to this season, but it is still a secret among a few of the Sky People and it will be interesting how that plays out in future episodes.
 
One of my favorite moments from “Echoes” was the scene between Abby and Clarke, where Clarke finally tells someone about her feelings for Lexa. I was always hoping that it would be Raven that she would talk to, since she saw Clarke and Lexa together in the City of Light, but both Abby and Raven know what it is like to lose a loved one, so both were good options. I would have liked Clarke and Abby’s moment to have been longer though, especially since we have known how Abby felt about Lexa since season 2, especially after the bombing of Ton DC. Abby didn’t seem to be a fan of Lexa by any means, so I would have liked for there to be more dialogue between her and Clarke. In that moment, it was clear to Abby how much Lexa meant to Clarke, but I wish Abby could have heard about everything Lexa had done for Clarke and her people. From a grieving standpoint, the moment was too short for Clarke, especially since it was probably one of the only times Clarke will be able to actually grieve and talk about Lexa with someone. But in typical Clarke-fashion, she will have to be selfless in order to help her people and she will have to move away from her pain and heartbreak immediately.
 
My other favorite moment of the episode was when Clarke gave Roan the Flame, something she never wanted to part with. Throughout the second half of season 3, Clarke was determined to keep the Flame safe as she believed it was still a connection to Lexa. Once again, Clarke sacrificed her happiness to save her people and she once again said goodbye to Lexa, parting from her for the fourth time in the show itself. Though she wanted to keep it with her, Clarke showed just how loyal she is to her people, something that Lexa really valued in her, something that made Clarke a strong leader. Eliza Taylor’s performance in that scene was so subtly heartbreaking.
 
When Roan was first introduced in season 3, I liked his character and I was interested to see how he would fit into the story of season 4. What I wasn’t prepared for was for him to completely recover after being shot in the chest at close range in the first part of the season 3 finale. “Echoes” showed Roan unconscious, but still alive even after being shot with the bullet still inside him. He did not receive medical attention right away and not only was he saved by Clarke and Abby, but he was also able to get up and walk around immediately after gaining consciousness. It was as if he hadn’t been shot at all. All of the fans know how fragile life is in the world of The 100, but some characters seem to survive any and all injuries, and Roan is one of those characters who miraculously recover as if nothing had ever happened.
 

Here are some other reactions I had during the season 4 premiere:

– To me, the animosity between the Sky People and the Grounders, specifically the Ice Nation, was resolved too quickly, but I am interested to see how the relationship between Bellamy and Echo play out later on in the season, especially after their short partnership in Mount Weather in season 2 and her betrayal in season 3.
 
– I’m so happy Indra was in the premiere! She’s such an interesting character and I missed her during the middle of season 3 (when she was missing for a huge chunk of the season without an explanation…). I hope she has a larger role this season and that her relationships with Octavia and Kane are able to grow and strengthen.
 
– I was surprised just how many times Lexa was mentioned during the premiere. Whether it was just to appease the fans or not, it was nice to see that her legacy as the commander still lives on, for now at least. We heard throughout season 2 and season 3 that she accomplished so much as the commander than her predecessors so it’s nice to see other characters recognize her for that.

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