The 100 Review: Red Queen (Season 5 Episode 2)

The 100 Season 5 Episode 2 “Red Queen” is one of the most intense hours of television I’ve ever seen and easily one of the best episodes of The 100 so far.

An absolutely riveting origin story, “Red Queen” reveals how Octavia becomes Blodreina, and brings back the nail-biting political drama that has been touch-and-go since Season 1.

Written by Terri Hughes Burton and directed by P.J. Pesce, “Red Queen” is an exquisite look at the emotions, motivations, and complex relationships among several of our favorite characters on The 100

The changes in the characters in the bunker are perhaps the most jarring over The 100’s six-year time jump.

Where “Eden” was able to jump back into the current timeline fairly quickly, “Red Queen” takes us back to a pivotal incident in the bunker and gives us all the puzzle pieces to patch together in order to understand where they are now.

“Red Queen” is so seamlessly perfect, I’m almost overwhelmed by the way each line and scene is used so succinctly. It all moves the story forward, every word tells us something we need to know, every scene shows us the heart of the characters we love so dearly.

BLODREINA

Octavia Blake wasn’t born a leader, in fact, she wasn’t supposed to have been born at all. So it’s understandable that it takes her a solid month and a half to get her bearings. But boy when she finally does, it’s beautiful to watch. If you can say that about an absolute bloodbath.

Leading 1200 people who don’t get along in the first place is difficult enough when you have an expiration date on how long you have to do it, but Wonkru learns pretty quickly that they aren’t getting out of that bunker anytime soon without some kind of miracle. (I’m looking at you spacekru).

“Red Queen” introduces us to a new character that I am already in love with, Kara Cooper. She’s a scorned Skaikru farmer, a hell of a fighter, and she’s got a bone to pick with her own people.

Kara instigates a coup with her fellow Skaikru to take the food supply, creating a pretty big problem for Octavia.

This episode really brings Octavia’s story full circle in an incredibly riveting way. The girl under the floor was raised on Greek and Roman mythology, and at the start of “Red Queen,” Niylah brings those stories back into her life with the gift of “Metamorphoses.”

If Season 3 told us anything, I think that means Niylah and Octavia are girlfriends now.

Octavia: You should go with them, you’ll be safer.

Niylah: Safety’s overrated, I’m with you.

On the ground, Octavia has become a warrior, it’s what she’s good at, it’s what she feels comfortable being. On “Red Queen” she learns how to use that part of herself to become one of if not the most powerful commander yet.

Jaha teaches Octavia the necessity of sacrificing the few to save the many, something he’s always been aware of as a leader. It’s something that hasn’t always made him popular, both among the viewers of The 100 and his own people.

But he may have taught Octavia the most valuable lesson of her life, or at least of her time as a leader.

Octavia figures out her population problem and her justice system all in one go. She combines the justice of the Ark, with the Grounder justice of blood must have blood. It’s a brilliant move, life in the bunker can’t be a replica of what it was on the ground or in the sky, it must be a combination of both.

Octavia: You are Wonkru or you are the enemy of Wonkru. Choose.

Jaha’s isn’t the only voice that helps to shape Octavia into her true form as Blodreina. Gaia also helps Octavia come into her own, even though she had been wholly against her “red-blooded” commander before.

Octavia does what it takes to survive, she does what it takes to get her people in line, and that wins over the conflicted flame keeper immediately. Gaia helping Octavia shed the symbols of the previous commanders to create something new only solidifies her rule as Blodreina.

Gaia: Leave it, let them see her like this. The blood of our enemies is her armor.

I love literally everything about Blodreina and her origin story. Octavia was just a girl with no place in the world, and now she’s the queen of almost everyone left alive. If “Red Queen” is any indication, Octavia’s journey on The 100 Season 5 is going to be utterly breathtaking.

MAY WE MEET AGAIN

It’s no secret that Thelonious Jaha has never been one of my favorite characters, that statement is probably true for most viewers of The 100. But his arc through this episode and his legacy in the scope of The 100, are both riveting and lasting.

Jaha has always been a controversial character, but when you look at his motivations, his actions, and the way he leads, he’s both successful and a lot like the central heroine of The 100, Clarke Griffin.

Both Clarke and Jaha have always had a knack for seeing the big picture. The two of them can see the full range of humanity and make the choices that need to be made in order to keep the majority alive and in-line as long as it takes to survive.

Now thanks to Jaha’s dying words of wisdom, Octavia can too.

Jaha: Make them listen. You don’t have to be a commander to command.

When you’re trying to survive in the world of The 100, death is the enemy. Jaha instills in Octavia that any crime that threatens the lives of Wonkru, anything that pushes them closer to death is punishable by death itself.

Jaha teaches Octavia to use her own gifts, her own skills, to do what it takes to lead. His legacy will live on in her.

On “Red Queen” Thelonious Jaha earns a hero’s death. I’ve been expecting Jaha’s exit from The 100 since he was left behind on the Ark in Season 1, but I couldn’t have dreamed of such a perfect ending to his story as we witness on this episode.

Jaha dies doing what he’s always done, saving his people.

He knows that the lives of his people and the unity of Wonkru are more important than his own life. Jaha dies in the arms of the two people that could be considered his true friends on The 100.

Jaha: Take me home, Marcus. Take me to my wife, take me to Wells.

The symmetry of Abby being unable to save him, when she risked her own life to do so in the pilot is devastatingly beautiful. And Kane granting him safe passage to the other side through the traveler’s blessing in the tradition of their people bookends Jaha’s story perfectly.

LOVE ENDURES

Secluded from the majority of the action on “Red Queen” but still deeply entwined at the center of the story it tells are Kane and Abby.

The last time we saw these two, Abby had asked Kane to leave her out in Praimfaya, to give someone else her place because she felt she didn’t deserve it. Against her wishes, he saved her life because he loves her.

Because he took that choice away from her, things are understandably tense between the two of them. Abby needs time to come to terms with being prevented from taking her own life, and Kane has been giving her that space. But the weight of that separation has been bearing down on them both.

From their very first scene together on “Red Queen” we learn that it’s been a month since they’ve even spoken to each other, but the love there is still very evident.

The room to breathe that their story is given on this episode of The 100 is astonishing to me, and as a known kabby fan, I couldn’t be more grateful. Kane and Abby’s love story continues to be one of the most well-written romances on television today.

In one of the greatest tropes ever, Kara handcuffs the two of them together in the hydro farm away from everyone else because they threaten her coup. Which gives them both the much-needed alone time to begin repairing their relationship.

Seriously, did Burton read my dream journal before writing this episode? It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.

For the audience, it’s been about 5 years since the events of the pilot, but for the characters on “Red Queen,” it’s been less than 10 months. Things like Kane nearly floating Abby, coming to the ground, and the beginning of their romantic relationship are all still fresh and new.

But even in that short space of time, Kane and Abby have come to love each other more than anything and anyone.

Kane: How did you ever think that I could carry you outside and shut the door? Abby, I’m sorry but I’m not that strong, I would do the same thing a thousand times. Did you ever regret opening the door to save me?

Abby: No.

“Red Queen” allows these two to face their demons both within themselves, and within their relationship. Their ability to communicate with each other so honestly, to be completely vulnerable with each other, makes what Kane and Abby have one of the most healthy and realistic depictions of love on The 100.

The way that these two heal here tells me that they’ll stick together through anything. Their bond is truly unbreakable and not even the threat of imminent death can tear them apart.

That bond, that love, looks like something they’re going to need to hang onto as “Red Queen” closes out six years later with Kane in the center of Octavia’s gladiator ring.

Marcus Kane has been a Known Rule Follower in all the time that we’ve known him (aside from a minor case of rebellion in Season 3, but who hasn’t lead a coup at this point?). Knowing the consequences of breaking the law under the rule of Blodreina, what could he possibly have done to get there?

In her review, Hypable’s Selina Wilken confirmed our suspicions of Abby’s growing dependency on her pain medication. Where is she on the other side of those six years? Let us know your theories in the comments below!

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• MACKSON IS REAL. Everything about this is amazing thanks so much. The 100Season 5 is truly giving us everything we want.
• I’m 100% here for Jackson and Kane becoming the “Protect Abby Griffin” squad and getting on a first name basis with each other. I’m going to join them, can we get t-shirts?
• Octavia whispering “for Jaha” as she kills the man who fatally wounded him actually broke my heart a little. Where did all of these feelings come from?
• Jaha is an incredible father. I may never stop crying about this. I don’t know how to feel about that.
• Kara picks up the sword in the first gladiatorial battle for her life, and 6 years later she’s at Octavia’s side. We may have just met this woman, but wow am I already a big fan.

 

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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