The 100 Review: Pandora’s Box (Season 5 Episode 4)

I’m not sure my heart rate will ever return to normal after The 100 Season 5 Episode 4 “Pandora’s Box.” After three excellent episodes of Season 5 exposition, “Pandora’s Box” finally utilizes all the players on the board. And then flips the whole table over sending all the game pieces flying.

The 100 fans are no stranger to emotional rollercoasters and “Pandora’s Box” is full of heart-pounding twists and turns, making it one of the best yet. Directed by Dean White and written by Charmaine DeGrate “Pandora’s Box” gives us everything we love, from intense action scenes to deeply emotional character moments.

We finally get to see the full extent of the devastation the last 6 years have wrought on those inside the bunker. Our adventure squad is back in action. And these new guys certainly aren’t messing around when it comes to making sure they get to keep Eden.

“Pandora’s Box” satisfies our eager minds by resolving the cliffhangers of the past two episodes of The 100 and then leaves us with an even bigger cliffhanger only a few minutes later. Now we really know what showrunner, Jason Rothenberg means by “BOOM OUT!”

“They gave Pandora a box. Prometheus begged her not to open it. She opened it. Every evil to which human flesh is heir came out of it. The last thing to come out of the box was hope. It flew away.” ― Kurt Vonnegut

EVERY EVIL TO WHICH HUMAN FLESH IS HEIR:

Despite Bellamy Blake’s most earnest attempts at making sure everyone can live happily ever after, Eligius has started a war with our heroes. Bellamy’s optimism is so strong it almost feels out of place on  The 100, but I guess that’s an indicator of how much easier Spacekru had it the last 6 years as compared to everyone else.

Finding Clarke alive has bolstered that optimism and perhaps allowed Bellamy to be a little more trusting than he should. This soft pragmatic dad has come a long way from the boy who came to his first official grounder meeting armed to the teeth in Season 1.

Octavia is also no longer the butterfly chasing-little girl that took the first leap off the dropship all those years ago. Nothing shows that more than how ruthlessly she rules within the bunker. Her gladiator ring has sufficiently eliminated the population problem she was faced with on “Red Queen,” by taking their numbers from 1200 down to 814.

Her gladiator ring might also have cost Octavia her soul.

Octavia: Only the guilty should fight in the arena.

Kane: We’re all guilty.

I’m both terrified of and fascinated by who Octavia has become. Blodreina has done what she had to to make sure that the human race stays alive, but in the process, she’s lost her own humanity. A feeling Kane knew all too well as a council member and leader of the guard back on the Ark.

It’s really interesting to see Octavia put Kane in the exact position he put Abby in on The 100‘s pilot episode. Sacrifice your humanity, or die. Only this time every relationship between these characters is deeper, richer, and filled with that much more desperation and heartache.

I really love how self-aware The 100 has become in Season 5. These characters know who they are, they know their own pasts and the things that they’ve done and how they’ve become who they are today.

Kane: We have a chance to do something better here, and we’re throwing it away. Octavia, please strength without mercy is nothing.

Octavia’s survival instincts are strong I’ll give her that, but she’s been leading all head and no heart for the last 6 years. Can Bellamy and Kane still reach her in time to show her how important it is to lead with both?

But Octavia is in the right when it comes to not trusting Diyoza and her men.

THE LAST THING TO COME OUT OF THE BOX WAS HOPE:

A huge portion of the story on “Pandora’s Box” focuses again on Kane and Abby. Hope has been a motif in their relationship since it started, and they’re literally the last thing out of the bunker. I see what you’re up to Rothenberg and I am 100% here for it.

On The 100 Season 5 Episode 2 “Red Queen” Kane told Abby he would choose to save her life a thousand times, and 6 years later he’s following through on that promise.

Within the first five minutes of “Pandora’s Box” we learn that Kane lied to Octavia in order to protect Abby. As Octavia literally says, “6 years is a long time” and it can change people and relationships in startling ways. Though Kane has become a soft pacifist and Abby’s become an addict, their love for each other is stronger than ever.

Kane would rather give up his own life than live in a world without Abby.

Abby: Marcus you have to fight, I’ll do anything. I’ll give up the pills, I’ll do anything. I can’t lose you.

Abby feels the exact same way about him. She tries to confess to save him, and she keeps choosing to save him once they’re outside the bunker. Kane and Abby are even willing to run away together into the empty wasteland as long as they have each other.

Married or not, Kane and Abby are bound together by a deep and lasting love that only comes from the hard work of commitment, from knowing what it means to choose another person over and over, every day, even when it’s not easy.

Kane: I love you.

Kane isn’t the only one who needs Abby, however.

Diyoza’s ulterior motive for opening the bunker is based entirely on her desire to get her hands on a doctor. “Pandora’s Box” comes to a climax in an armed standoff over Abby Griffin. Abby’s always been one of the most important characters on The 100, but for the past two seasons, her role has been somewhat on the back burner.

I am thrilled to see Abby back as a crucial part of humanity’s survival. It’s often said that if not for her everyone on The 100 would be dead, so it’s absolutely riveting to see her in the position to hold everyone’s lives, good or bad, in her hands again.

Abby is every bit a badass in her own right, she ends the standoff herself and plays both sides against each other to make sure she gets what she wants: Kane’s safety.

Diyoza: I see where your daughter gets it from.

Clarke and Abby’s reunion is beautiful, if all too brief. Eliza Taylor and Paige Turco nail every scene they’re in on “Pandora’s Box,” but their heartache and emotion here are nothing short of perfection. Mere hours after reuniting, Clarke and Abby are separated again.

Knowing Clarke has been on her own for the last 6 years, Abby is no longer the worried, over-protective mother she used to be. Abby has full faith in Clarke to take care of herself as she makes the deal to go with Diyoza. The shoe is most definitely on the other foot as Clarke looks terrified at the loss of her mother again so soon.

Clarke: Mom what are you doing?

Abby: I love you, Clarke.

Now that Diyoza has secured herself a doctor and the upper hand in the fight for the valley, things are looking pretty bleak for the adventure squad.

IT FLEW AWAY:

Six years of not having to fight for their lives may have thrown Raven and Murphy off their game when it comes to surviving.

Raven: Survival instinct sucks.

It’s fantastic to see these two bond and have a little bit of fun while they’re waiting to hear back from Bellamy about whether or not they need to pull the trigger on 283 lives. The strongest moment up on the mothership this week is by far when Murphy says he’ll be the one to pull the lever if the time comes.

Raven is always making sacrifices to make sure everyone else is okay, but rarely does anyone step up and sacrifice for her. Murphy is no stranger to killing and he knows what it can do to someone with a heart like Raven’s, so seeing him make that choice and be the one to do that for her says a lot about how much Murphy actually does care for his space family.

Now that they’ve awakened the prisoners, and Diyoza is on her way back, these two might be in for more trouble than they bargained for.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• WHAT DO DIYOZA AND MCCREARY NEED A CURE FOR?
• WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED DURING THE DARK YEAR?
• Bellamy choosing to go borderline dad-joke in the way he reveals to Raven and Murphy that Clarke is alive, is one of the most adorable things I’ve ever seen. Murphy’s sass and Raven’s grateful emotions are also perfect, I can’t wait to see the princess mechanic reunion on the ground.
• Indra is the real MVP. I’m a big fan of this loyal General who’s always known when to bend the rules to save her friends. Her giving Kane the keys to his handcuffs was a great callback to leaving Lincoln a knife in Season 2.
• THERE’S A NEW GROUNDER, ER I MEAN, BUNKER ANTHEM.
• Underrated reunion: Bellamy and Nate. That hug was so good!
• More of the prisoners are loyal to McCreary than to Diyoza, could she have a mutiny on her hands before the season is over? That’s an ironic twist.
• Octavia jumping into Bellamy’s arms like a little girl has absolutely destroyed my heart. Of all the reunions we’ve seen so far, I think the Blake siblings are my favorite.
• What kind of games do you think Madi, Echo, Emori, Monty, and Harper were playing during this episode? My money is on gin rummy. Maybe a good round of phase ten or connect four.
• Zeke and Raven have a hell of a meet-cute with that hack off and he’s clearly already very impressed by her skills. His loyalty to Diyoza is on the verge of fracturing, will Raven be the key to getting him to turn against her?
• I hope Niylah and Kara are having a great time now that they’re out of the bunker.
• Will Abby be able to keep her promise to Kane and stop taking the pills? Will Diyoza use her addiction and/or her love for Kane to make sure she gets what she wants?
• WHAT IS THE ALIEN TAPEWORM IN THAT PROMO?!?!?!?!! [insert put that thing back where it came from or so help me.gif here]

What did you think of this episode of The 100? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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

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