The 100 Gimme Shelter

This episode had a killer twist and took a darkly comedic turn even as it explored the usual themes- you know, how do you live with decisions where some must die that others may live? That's a familiar beat here on The 100, and we're faced with it again- twice. First Abby (and by extension Clarke) need to decide if testing their new cure on someone- a test which may kill the test subject- is worth it if it will save everyone else.  And Bellamy- who can't catch a break- has to make a similar decision, risking his life to save some stranded Ark'ers.

We start with Octavia going off on her own after last week, and Ilian is following her. She's not too happy about that but when the black rain comes she gives him a ride. Go Helios! They find a nice cave to shelter in but black rain burns so they lickety split undress so they can splash themselves down- because every cave on The 100 has a nice pool in it. So Octavia and Ilian are largely undressed and alone in a cave. We'll return to this curious turn of events.

Meanwhile the black rain is also at Arkadia just as Bellamy returns, and everyone has to rush inside. Except wait! Someone stumbles and is trampled after clutching at Harper (yes Harper is back!) and starts to burn after being left behind- because no one bothered to help the guy- and Bell and Kane have to go get him. He's fucked though. And Harper is feeling bad she didn't go back for him. By the way did anyone else laugh when the whole Ark population seemed to be undressing en masse and splashing water all over themselves? I'm sure it was unintentional but it was actually hilariously bad...and we of course get a gratuitous shot of Harper stripping down to her civvies. Although I have to say... nice abs Chels.

Let's just talk black rain for a minute. Okay weeks ago we saw some kind of radiation wave sweeping through. We keep getting estimates of how long they have until the radiation hits Arkadia. But in the meantime "black rain" is here- and it burns. So do we just have periodic "black rain" storms now- you know, until the really bad radiation gets here? I mean they're playing so fast and loose with this stuff. Where were we? Oh yeah so even as chaos reigns (!) at Arkadia, Clarke has arrived at the lab and is reunited with Abby. They're discussing how Abby has a possible solution- inject Luna's bone marrow into people to make them Nightbloods and therefore immune to the radiation- you know the usual pseudoscience bullshit- but the test procedure is likely to be fatal, since the test subject has to be exposed to radiation. Emori (where's she been?) overhears this and immediately assumes she's expendable.

Later Emori and Clarke go to the big house where Murphy is jammin to this...

and he can cook! Who knew. See he could be a sandwich artist! Anyway Clarke is just settling down for a nice nap after a shower when someone breaks in- someone Emori apparently knows from not-so-better days? Some dude named Baylis who did her wrong once upon a time. She is not happy with him and wants to kill him, which Clarke tries to talk her out of. After all (since Emori's gonna snuff him anyway)- what if his death could serve a larger purpose? Remember that radiation test earlier? Yeah. 

Bellamy meanwhile tries to save some Ark'ers who are stranded out in the storm, and one of the guys is in rough shape- not going to make it without immediate help. Unfortunately Bellamy gets stuck en route and can do nothing. Bellamy's been through so much and to not be able to help is wrenching. I thought that whole exchange was so well done. Bellamy- like Clarke- just can't seem to get a break. 

Remember Octavia and Ilian? Half naked in a cave- you can kind of see this coming. Octavia is just so lost, at one point she tries to walk out into the rain, and Ilian stops her, but she's so desperate to feel something. I can imagine the howling that went up at this turn of events- after all it hasn't been that long since Lincoln- but under the circumstances maybe she needed this, and it doesn't mean she didn't love Linc. Now as to whether Octilian is going to be a thing- she does decide to give him a ride on Helios the wonder horse at the end-remains to be seen, but this will definitely be a topic in the weeks ahead. 

Random Thoughts

When the black rain hit and Kane's yelling "everyone inside" I was like oh for reals this time??? 

Jaha and Monty are in Sector 5 with 200 people. Is that like Sector 5 of Arkadia or are they somewhere else? It appears they were elsewhere but it's a little unclear. 

"Yeah he's a real catch" Clarke replies after Murphy makes some smartass comment about all the good guys being taken. The look on her face when she said it was priceless. I mean yeah we all love Murph but everyone- especially Clarke- knows he's an asshole. 

"Why don't you light a fire? You're good at that," Octavia tells Ilian when they first get to the cave. 

There's a little throw away line about how the lab has 5 levels. Will that play a role?  

"Why don't you stay out of it and let her have this Clarke?" says Murphy as Emori is beating the shit out of Baylis. Or, you know, whoever he is. Between Murphy being quite okay with that, and his admiration for her when it's revealed the guy was... some rando...those two make a scary ass couple.