The 100 Review: Coup de Grâce (Season 2 Episode 11)

After a chilling opening sequence, The 100 took off right out of the gate with one of its best episodes yet: “Coup de Grâce.”

Seriously, did you see Octavia in action? I’d be willing to watch a straight hour of her kicking ass.

Bellamy, decontaminated and locked up with the Grounders, makes frenemies with Echo, a fellow prisoner. With Maya’s help, they manage to kill Guard Lovejoy, putting Bellamy’s infiltration plan back on track.

I swear, as Bellamy promised to return for Echo, I could hear the sound of thousands of Bellarke shippers sharpening their pitchforks. I hope that’s not a new love interest I’m sensing, or this thing is going to turn ugly.

On the other side of the mountain, Jasper gets nervous over Monty’s disappearance, and decides that it’s time to get some answers for himself.

Jasper: “Time to do something stupid.”

He storms President Wallace’s office, attacking the old man and demanding the truth. Wallace fesses up about covering up the Ark’s landing, but he’s just as surprised to hear about the disappearing kiddos as anyone. He disarms Jasper and rushes to free Monty and Harper from Dr. Tsing. When he tries to go after Cage too, he finds that his oh-so-loyal soldiers are anything but. Cage states a coup and takes control of Mount Weather from his father, locking The 100 inside before Bellamy can get to them.

At Camp Jaha, Clarke, Abby, and Kane go head-to-head over a Mount Weather patrolman they’ve taken hostage. It seems Clarke learned her lesson about torture, so she’s not up for a game of pin the radiation on the Mountain Man.

Raven, still a bit testy over Finn’s death, challenges Clarke at every turn until they finally hear Bellamy’s voice over the radio.

I’m looking forward to more tense moments between Clarke and Raven in the future. They made excellent allies, but watching them butt heads with each other is it’s own special brand of awesome.

Clarke killed Raven’s only family. You can’t expect her to move on that fast.

I think the most powerful moment of the episode is Bellamy and Maya’s run in with the class of children in Mount Weather. It’s easy to villainize the Mountain Men when they’re all nameless, faceless guards, but it’s impossible to do the same thing with a group of 7-year-olds. The fact that the kid who chats up Bellamy ends up being Lovejoy’s son? Ouch — right in the feels.

Bellamy: “They’re just kids.”
Maya: “What did you expect to find in here?”

Maya takes the MVP award for this episode, for sure. She betrays her family, her people, and herself when it comes right down to it, because she believes that what they are doing in Mount Weather is wrong. Even though she needs the blood treatments, and a successful attack on Mount Weather could likely kill her and everyone inside, she still helps Bellamy through that whole ordeal.

I counted at least three separate instances where she could have turned tail and run, but she stuck with it. That girl has got a backbone of pure iron.

Clarke too steps into her new position of command admirably. Given authority by Lexa, Clarke orders the Grounders around as if she is a leader, even if Abby is technically Chancellor. I predict we have not seen the last of that particular issue.

What did you think of Coup de Grace? Be sure to comment below and give the episode your own rating!

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The 100 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.