The 100 Review: Terms and Conditions (Season 3 Episode 8)

 

Oh boy, where do I even begin with this episode? Let’s dive in with the things The 100 does right this week, the highlights include: character development for Kane, Bellamy, and Raven, boyfriends, and internal turmoil. But I’m not letting this show off the hook for this week’s startling lack of Abby, the minimization of Lincoln’s role, and how utterly gross Jaha has become.

Marcus Kane hasn’t always been a man of peace, but the shift from law enforcer to peacemaker fits him alarmingly well. This is a man who had very strong convictions on the Ark about following the law and doing what was best for his people, no matter the cost. Season 1 Kane is not entirely unlike Chancellor Pike. However, Kane has been shaped and changed by his experiences on Earth–with the grounders, with Abby, and with the 100 delinquents–into someone who knows there’s a better way to keep everyone alive, a way that shouldn’t involve bloodshed.  

A lot of Kane’s actions and even his words, are strongly reminiscent of Abby. His desire to find a better way outside the laws of the Exodus charter, and his resistance to resort to violence against Pike parallel beautifully with Abby’s actions throughout the series–from arming the kids, to insisting that violence is their last resort. It’s no secret how much these two have learned from each other. While Abby’s absence this episode makes little to no sense as this plot effects her’s tremendously, it’s nice to see the influence she’s had over Kane.

Kane: These are times we have to look beyond the rules, to realize they were established to serve a world of the past, not the future. I beg you one last time to see the world as it is, not as it was or as you want it to be.

It takes Bellamy the entire episode to finally see the light, but within the last few moments of “Terms and Conditions” it becomes clear that there may be hope for him after all. Pike’s attempt to make an example of Kane by executing him to get the others to fall in line backfires before it’s even begun by driving Bellamy back to #TeamKane. Let’s get this Bellamy Blake Redemption Arc 2.0 on the road!

Hannah: It’s really not that hard choosing what’s best for your people, is it?

Bellamy: No, I do it every day.

Bellamy isn’t the only one who struggles to pick a side during “Terms and Conditions” and many loved ones find themselves on opposite sides of the rising civil war, including Miller and Bryan. I am extremely pleased to see more of these two: including their shared room, actual kisses, and being vocally in love with each other. While this doesn’t negate the abysmal way Lexa’s death was handled last week, it’s a breath of fresh air to see more LGBTQ+ representation being further explored on the show and handled in a better way. Let’s just hope these two both make it through the rest of the season alive.

Bryan: Is any of this worth lying to someone I love?

Thanks to some probing questions from Jasper, Raven becomes hyper aware of the problems ALIE’s City of Light chip is causing within her mind. While it’s very cool to see ALIE helping Raven through problem solving at the speed of a supercomputer, it’s also extremely unsettling. Upon realizing what ALIE has done to her memories, Raven immediately resists her influence and stops working for her and I’ve never been more proud of a fictional character in my life. Later, we learn that Raven’s resistance is entirely unprecedented.

ALIE has always gotten her way with the people she’s brought into the City of Light, but her core coding requires that she gain compliance through free will and consent. If Raven doesn’t want to listen to ALIE, she doesn’t have to and she’s strong enough not to. However, Jaha seems to think that he can circumvent these necessities. I can’t tell if this idea was suggested to him by ALIE or if he came up with it on his own, but either way it’s disgusting and I hope to God, Abby stops him before he can do any lasting damage.

Questions and Other Thoughts:

• Okay really guys, what do you think Abby’s doing that’s more important than counselling Kane on rebellion techniques and helping Raven find her way out of the City of Light?
• Why has Lincoln’s role been so drastically minimized? As the shining example of Not All Grounders, he should be playing a major part in the war that’s playing out within the walls of Arkadia, and yet he’s been relegated to a punching bag. Nothing about this is okay.
• Jasper Jordan has found his true purpose in life and it’s helping save Raven Reyes, thank you, good day.
• Will Bellamy break Kane, Lincoln, and Sinclair free? Will Abby keep Kane alive by sheer force of will? What will Octavia have to say about all of this?

 

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

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