
The 100 came back for season two with one hell of a bang, and that high stakes energy continues through this second episode, as we flit between Clarke and the Mount Weather mystery, Octavia and Lincoln’s return to a Grounder village, Bellamy and Finn under Kane’s command, and the result of that surprising twist with the crying baby on the Ark. Answers are given, but even more questions are raised.

The 100 is not afraid to show brutality and pain on screen, as evidenced by Murphy’s hanging last season, or the scenes in Mount Weather. It was a surprising choice to have Raven’s anaesthetic-free spinal surgery shown off-screen, but it worked: her screams echoing throughout the camp suggesting a horror that couldn’t be realised on screen. There is no magical cure here either. Raven may be alive and regained feeling in one leg, but there is still significant nerve damage to the other. Raven is a brilliant character fantastically realised by Lindsay Morgan, and watching her overcome this obstacle is sure to be compelling.
The two greatest redemption stories in this show are those of Bellamy and Kane, which shows they know what they’re doing with moral complexity. Perhaps the reason why Murphy’s attempt at redemption doesn’t sit well is that it’s not supposed to. The real problem here is pitting Bellamy against Kane. As viewers, we have been directed to be more emotionally invested with Bellamy, and our sympathies lie with him, which has the unfortunate effect of casting Kane once again in a negative light. The fact remains, though, that the two have the same goal, just different methods of achieving it, and both Bob Morley and Henry Ian Cusick continue to do great work with these characters.

Finally, we have Octavia and Lincoln, and happily Octavia has earned her badass credentials in rescuing her beau from execution by his people. Taking the village’s only healer as hostage, Octavia negotiates a trade for Lincoln’s life, but in a surprise turn of events, Reapers attack the exchange and escape with Lincoln. Now completely alone, the next few episodes are surely Octavia’s moment to shine as she faces off against possibly the biggest monsters on Earth.
The 100 is one of those shows where you’re just waiting for a misstep, because absolutely everything so far has been exceptional. But hopefully, that misstep will never come. With a constantly evolving, fast moving plot that also results in superb character development, the quality and the action show no signs of letting up soon.