The 100 Review: “We Are Grounders – Part 1” (Season 1, Episode 12)

The 100 hurtles toward the end of its freshman season, setting the stage for a finale that will leave fans talking for months. On the first part of “We Are Grounders,” there are two important events taking place. One being the fight for survival on the ground, and one being the fight in space. For the most part, the two entities have been separate. With the exception of a small window of communication, made possible by the late arrival of engineering prodigy Raven (Lindsey Morgan), there has been minimal interaction between the ground and their former home, the Ark. Clearly that is about to change.

When the Exodus was hijacked by a rogue member of the council and nearly everyone aboard the Ark was killed during its evacuation, hopes for reaching the ground disappeared. With three main characters still stuck in space, it was hard to believe that the writers were simply going to let them all perish. Once again, they have found a creative solution to the problem at hand.

There’s some skepticism regarding whether the Chancellor’s plan to turn the Ark into a space ship as opposed to its original intended station status will work, and I doubt the entire remaining population will live to see the ground, but it seems like at least a good chunk now stand a chance. They at least have a better shot at staying alive than the 100 if they don’t follow Lincoln’s (Ricky Whittle) instructions and run.

There has been a lot of push and pull this season between Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and Bellamy (Bob Morley). Lately, they’ve managed to come to an understanding and been able to combine their individual strengths to become better leaders. When this episode ended though, they were at a stand still.

After experiencing the brutal nature of the grounders first hand, and getting a sneak peak at what encounters with the reapers look like, Clarke’s instincts are screaming for her to gather as many former space station teens and head East. Bellamy, on the other hand, is determined to stand his ground. His speech was a great testament to how far he’s come since the pilot, but I have to agree with Clarke. Clearly, if they stay, there are going to be massive casualties of faceless members of the 100. And, with a show that has such a heavy death toll, it’s only a matter of time before one of the main characters becomes expendable.