The 100 Review: Nakara (Season 7 Episode 6)

We’re back to too many planets on The 100 Season 7 Episode 6, “Nakara.” This is an episode that again makes incremental progress towards giving us a satisfying payoff, but has some strong character moments that (almost) make up for it. 

I’ve mentioned before that it feels like The 100 is serving too many plotlines, and when they try to weave them all into the same episode, it ends up cluttered and doesn’t give the audience enough time to connect with the situation.

It doesn’t matter if they’re being digested, we’re literally going spend about fifteen minutes of airtime in this place. 

The last time the show was like this, was at the begginning of Season 5, and even then they were able to reunite quicker than this. Of course, there was also the benefit of a time jump for the characters to form new bonds to each other.

“Nakara” is about halfway through the season, and right now all we have is the revelation that there were survivors from The Second Dawn. (By the way, totally called it.) 

This season’s pace feels painfully slow, and definitely not of the same caliber that we are used to on The 100. While I can take a character-driven episode, these feel like the map is half drawn out, and they aren’t sure where to take the characters. 

It’s hard to figure out what the point of a visit to Nakara was, other than to get Niylah to recognize The Second Dawn insignia and for Clarke and Raven to have a heart to heart while they worry about being digested. 

While it can be informative to see how a society treats their dead, unless the humans on Bardo are worshiping a giant space monster that Wanheda is going to send them all to when she finally gets to Bardo, I don’t see why we spend time here. 

One of the highlights of this hour is watching Indra assume command.

I’ve been losing interest in the Sanctum storyline. It felt like there would be more of a focus on the powder keg that was left after the Primes, but the Bardo storyline has more resonance at the moment.

Having Indra finally deal with some of the unrest there is the perfect solution to pique my interest again. She has always had a good understanding of how the political lines between the clans have worked and it’s about time she got to call the shots.

Watching Adina Porter try to work behind the scenes to quell a possible uprising is interesting, but not nearly as compelling as watching her unite Wonkru.

After watching Indra’s exchange with Sheidheda this feels like a natural progression for her. She has a lot to lose, and doesn’t want to see the carnage she saw years ago. 

Coinciding with this is Sheidheda trying to get his grasp on the people of Sanctum.

JR Bourne’s timbre and self-assured micoexpressions are horrifying when he talks about killing their queen and the image fades to Clarke. 

Diyoza’s return to the series is also a welcome change. Her captivity varied compared to Octavia’s and seeing her reunite with Hope is the bright spot we needed on this episode. 

Yet, aside from the reunion not much happens on Bardo. They make an attempt to escape, get rerouted to the oxygen farm, and then Gabriel knocks them out. This accomplishes nothing except making me dislike Gabriel.

Granted, if the surface turns out not to be survivable he’s just saved them from a terrible fate, so maybe he can be forgiven.

Hopefully, now Clarke and her team are on their way to Bardo, this is the last transitory episode of the season, because with seven episodes left, it’s time for some movement. 

Stray Thoughts:

• Jordan is still holding out hopes for seeing an alien, at this point if there isn’t one lone Bardoan somewhere I’ll be sad for him. 
• Does it annoy anyone else that Clarke jand company just left a body out in the open like that? 
• Oh, Gaia’s gone! Anyone remember that? Because, I’m getting worried about her. 
• We haven’t seen much of Madi this season, and that’s okay. I honestly want that child to be a child, and without Clarke I think one of her main bonds is missing. While this could be time for her come into her own, she should be enjoying a game of soccer, not making life and death decisions. 
• Murphy and Emori’s pep talk to Indra was inspiring, and it’s so Murphy not to leave her alone. 

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

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The 100 airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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