In His Sister’s Keeper, viewers are getting the first taste of a backstory other than the one attached to Clarke (Eliza Taylor), which has dominated the first chunk of the season. With Octavia missing, it’s the perfect opportunity to really highlight the bond that she and Bellamy have. It’s something that the other characters can sympathize with, but will never be able to fully empathize with. These emotions don’t compute with the others who have grown up in the company of close friends, as opposed to actual siblings. Bellamy’s situation isn’t exactly anything that anyone else has gone through, or will. His desperation to protect his younger sister in itself sets him apart, and it’s not the worst trait we’ve come across amongst this group – it does mean, however, that he’s willing to take risks that have proved to have real life consequences.
As a result, fans finally get their first authentic encounter with the grounders, who turn out to be just as savage as the 100 feared – with possibly one exception. If you’ve been tuning in since episode one, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. The background on all the characters and the implications that it has on what’s happening in space aside, this is what the show has been building up to since the premiere. Who are the grounders?
Until now, this race of potentially dangerous humans that somehow managed to survive the toxic environment has been shrouded in mystery. The only real information that the 100 has come across since they arrived on Earth stems from their early attack on the group attempting to reach Mt. Whethers. Other than that small nugget of not particularly helpful info, the grounders might as well have been ghosts since that’s exactly how much we’ve seen them.
There’s been little interaction between the 100 and the grounders since the initial warning shot through the heart (err, the chest). Even though the grounders had no qualms about stringing Jasper (Devon Bostick) up as animal bait, they haven’t done anything else to openly engage the new arrivals. Which may just be part of a plan to lull the newcomers into a false sense of comfort. Considering that Octavia’s captor/savior appeared to be working as a free agent, there may be some disharmony among the grounders when it comes to personal opinions on dealing with the situation. Obviously this one didn’t have a problem with aiding and abetting the enemy (fog horn sound familiar?). Even his tactic to chain up Octavia was probably more for her own protection than for restraint. Too bad they couldn’t have just opened up a line of communication before everyone went all native and starting with the punching and stabbing.
Ultimately, relations between the two now feuding groups will probably get worse before they improve. Do you see an alliance between the 100 and the grounders coming anytime this season? Let us know all your theories on The 100 in the comments section below!
