The 100 battle ended with massive fatalities after a blazing ring of fire burst out from under the dropship to kill all those outside, including potentially Bellamy and Finn. In space, Jaha sacrificed himself to save others on the Ark and it wasn’t in vain when Abby and Kane’s segment successfully landed on the ground.
As shocking as those moments were, they weren’t the biggest jaw-dropping ones of the season finale. The Mountain Men showed up at the end of the battle and Clarke woke up in a White Room at Mount Weather with Monty.
I spoke with Executive Producer Jason Rothenberg about the stunning finale and he provided insight into the cliffhangers and where season 2 will pick up.
Is there any chance that Bellamy and/or Finn have survived?
Sure, there’s a chance, but there’s also a chance that they didn’t. That moment for Clarke, I think is particularly poignant. Obviously, the whole season I think in some ways comes down to that moment. She realizes that she cannot save everybody. She has to shut the door to save as many as she can. If she doesn’t shut the door they are all going to die. It’s heartbreaking, but she’d shutting the door on the boy that she loves leaving Finn outside– Finn being the boy who she loves.
There was a dramatic shift to brightness and light in the final scenes for Abby and Kane landing on Earth and then for Clarke in the white room. Does that signify maybe a brighter outlook going into season 2 from season 1’s darkness?
Umm … no. I would say that although those two moments definitely are provocatively different certainly the white room is. Mount Weather, where that white room is, will be an enigma. I think we will be surprised constantly by what we find there. Some of it will be light obviously, as that room indicates if you look around. There’s art on the walls, there’s pillows, she’s been scrubbed clean, she’s got new clothes on.
There’s something weird happening in Mount Weather. I think that scene indicates that and I think it points to the fact that we know exactly where we’re going, which should be exciting for fans. I know if I was watching a show like this and that scene was the end of the finale, I’d be like, “Oh my God, what’s this. Where are they going,” but at least I’d be sort of confident in the fact that they knew where they were going.
Abby on the ground, obviously these people have been stuck up on a space ship their whole lives. That moment was meant to bookend when the door opened for the first time in the premiere with their first breath of this mysterious world. The difference of course for the people from the Ark who are now on the ground is they know they are landing in a dangerous place. They know that the kids are in trouble, that the 100 are in trouble, and that there are sort of monsters lurking in the trees. Whereas when the 100 came down it was the Garden of Eden. That illusion is shattered and I think in season 2, it will be no easier.
On the wall in the White Room with Clarke was “The Starry Night” painting and that reminded me of Clarke’s drawings on the walls in her cell on the Ark. Is there a significant purpose to that painting being in her room, that the Mountain Men put it there, or is more symbolic?
Excellent. I would say that it’s more symbolic, however it was 100% intentional and I’m really happy that you picked up on it. The season starts with Clarke in the cell drawing a starry night on the floor of that cell and the season ends with Clarke in a cell with The Starry Night on the wall. It was 100% designed as a bookend.
One of our writers came up with that as the painting that should be on the wall and her name is Kira Snyder and instantly we knew it had to be there. But, it wasn’t sort of put there because the Mountain Men knew Clarke liked the starry night skies. I think it’s safe to say it’s not the only painting — the only masterpiece — we will find in Mount Weather.
Jaha has one to two weeks of air left. Is that the last we’ve seen of him? Or, is there a possibility that we’ll see him again?
He does only have one to two weeks of air left, you’re right. I think he’s seems pretty ready to pack it in there at the end. He’s done his job. He’s got his people to the ground. He’s Moses who got people to the Promised Land and couldn’t go himself. Captain going down with the ship or in this case staying up with the ship. I could go on and on metaphorically, but I won’t.
In season 2, we begin things– how should I put this, I don’t want spoil too much. I think it’s safe to say that story hasn’t reached its ending yet. He’s not dead yet, but he might be very soon.
Where does season 2 pick up?
It’s definitely going to pick up the threads of this story. The characters are scattered at the end of the finale and part of season 2 will be the journey of bringing them back together and finding each other again. That’s all I can really say about season 2.
The 100 returns Wednesdays at 9pm ET in October on the CW.
(Image courtesy of the CW/ Carla Day)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
