The 100 - Inclement Weather - Roundtable Discussion + POLL

The second episode of CW's post-apocalyptic drama, The 100, kept the storyline moving at breakneck speed. Along with a brand new title sequence, we saw Jaha on board the Ark meet a hallucination of his son Wells, Octavia risk everything to save Lincoln, Abby operate on Raven to remove a bullet, and Clarke making a shocking discovery in the bowels of Mt Weather.

The SpoilerTV team is back for another roundtable discussion on tonight's episode. Questions by Jimmy are answered by Pablo, Daniel, Bradley, Robert and Ben. The episode poll is further down below.

Jimmy: Are you sad to see the Ark go? It was a major part of the first season, and the series is just 15 episodes old. Do you think its demise was too prompt?

Daniel: Actually, I am sad to see it go. Like you said, it was a major part of season 1 and I really enjoyed seeing the Ark stories. Personally, I have always been interested in space so it was great to see a show that was half set in space. However, getting rid of the Ark is in the best interest of the story and I can’t wait to explore more of the Earth.

Pablo: There’s something about it that will be missed as the whole space aspect of the show is gone for good, but it came to an organic end; it couldn’t be dragged out for long so the storyline went out with a bang. So no, I don’t think its demise was too prompt, I think it was perfect timing, actually.

Bradley: I am quite sad to see it go, but equally, it ran its course and was removed from the story at the right time. There was only so far the story could go without the adults going to Earth, and that needed to happen - which, unfortunately, meant the end for the Ark.

Robert: I am not too sad to see it go. I didn’t even expect to see it in the new season since mainly everyone is on the ground now. I was actually quite glad when the adults went to the ground, as there is only so much they could have done with it, which they did. If they would have continued using the Ark with now only Jaha on board, it could become boring to watch, and there wouldn’t be anything story-wise they could still do with it. I think it was a smart move getting rid of it so early.

Ben: It was a little sad to see the Ark go, but it allows so much of the Earth to be explored. I don’t think it was too early, it was the right time, good things must come to an end.

Jimmy: The adults have got themselves reasonably well established on the ground, but they were very hesitant to go on the offensive and find the missing juveniles. Do you think Kane took the correct approach, especially in lieu of the crucifixion of three of his men?

Daniel: I think Kane is making the right move. He has already lost three of his men and he can’t afford to lose many more. They also don’t really know their enemy yet so they can’t go out fighting without knowing who they’re up against.

Pablo: I don’t know, I seriously don’t know what I would do if I were him. I would probably decide to go on the offensive, but just with a group of people so they could find the missing teens. I think Kane is being too careful, but I can understand why - they don’t really know the enemy yet, he only had a 5 minute conversation with Bellamy about the grounders, so going after them with little info could be reckless, but doing nothing after three of his men died is going to look pretty bad among his people, so it is a really tough spot to be in. I think he should have at least formed a searching party to find the teens, but that’s about it.

Bradley: I do think that it was the right move. As much as they do need to go and find their people on the ground, it isn’t safe. When season 1 began, the kids went out to explore and Jasper was hit with a spear. Kane made the right choice not to go out into the forest immediately, but they do need to go and find them soon.

Robert: I think he did, as much as all the adults want to find the missing children they needed to know what they were up against. Now that they know what is out there they can go out searching for them more prepared.

Ben: Kane made the right decision here, he is playing it safe, he’s already lost 3 of his men, I don’t think he wants to lose anymore. I think Kane is getting familiar with his surroundings and he will go and try and find the kids when he is ready.

Jimmy: We heard Abby and Kane quietly commend the 100 for their courage. With Kane firmly in charge, do you sense that he is becoming aware that he may need to let the likes of Bellamy take charge?

Daniel: We’re still talking about Kane here. I don’t think he will let Bellamy take charge easily but he does need him and the rest of the 100 to get to know what’s on the ground. Kane might soon realise his style of leadership doesn’t fit the circumstances of the Earth, but I don’t think he will just let Bellamy take over the reins.

Pablo: I don’t know, Kane seems to be quite comfortable in the position of power, and also he seems very self righteous; since season 1 he always seemed to know what was best: follow protocol. Of course, that’s not always for the best, and through season 1 that has been proved. I think Kane is so worried to do the right things that he is a little bit blind as of right now and he can’t see how Bellamy has a natural talent for leadership, so he is wasting his potential. If the two of them teamed up they could lead everyone to victory, but since they are on opposite sides right now… well, let’s say it’s better that they find a way to overcome their differences.

Bradley: I’m not sure that he’s gotten to that stage yet, but I feel he will soon. He led the 100 before the Ark came to the ground, and given that he had no experience of leadership, he did a great job. He knows how to lead in these conditions. Kane may be a great leader in what we’d consider normal civilisation, but on the ground, where danger looms around every corner, Kane will soon realise he can’t do that job.

Robert: I think he might know that the 100 follow Bellamy, and that to keep him on side would benefit him. I don’t think he will let Bellamy take charge, but I do think that he will listen to Bellamy’s input. Especially in the early stages as he gets to grip with the new environment.

Ben: The 100 definitely have a lot of experience with the grounders and the surroundings, so having The 100 on Kane’s side is definitely something Kane wants. However saying that, I don’t think that Kane will simply let Bellamy and The 100 take charge, as far as Kane is concerned, he is the boss no matter what.

Jimmy: Jaha had a rough time all alone in space, and Wells was a welcome return given he was a fan favorite early in the series. What were your thoughts on his and Jaha’s storyline in tonight’s episode?

Daniel: I thought it was a bit weird having this as cliffhanger at the end of the premiere. I already figured back then that Jaha was hallucinating. However, I didn’t expect to see Wells return so that was a nice surprise for me. Jaha needed a push to go back to Earth and it was good that this came from his deceased son. I am very interested in seeing how Jaha will survive in the desert and what he will encounter on his journey.

Pablo: Oh, it was good, incredible actually! Jaha’s hallucinations were a pretty strong portrayal of his psyche and human’s will to live. I was beyond surprised by how the show developed this storyline and Isaiah Washington totally owned it; he played his whole storyline so well that it was deeply affecting. There was both great writing and great acting, and it made for a very poignant and brave moment. Along with the whole darkness the show portrays moments like this give people hope, and that’s what makes the show so effective at delivering powerful emotions.

Bradley: The baby thing annoyed me. As much as it’s great to have a way of getting Jaha to the ground, having the baby as a hallucination was just weird. I liked the return of Wells. He gave Jaha that much needed push to go to the ground. But seriously, couldn’t they have just had a Wells hallucination on the main bit of the Ark instead of a baby?

Robert: I knew from last week that the baby was a hallucination, as I didn’t think anyone would leave a baby in a drawer. It was really good to see Wells again, as I was very shocked when they killed him off so early on in season 1. I thought that his presence gave Jaha the push he needed to get to the ground, and to not give up. I do hope now after all his effort, that Jaha eventually makes it to his people.

Ben: The hallucinations with Jaha and the baby really helped Jaha get to the ground, but it was great seeing Wells again, as I thought he was killed off a little too early. With Jaha now on the ground, the space setting is gone, and the show is completely based on the ground.

Jimmy: Octavia and Lincoln continue their battle against Lincoln’s own people, who are currently very hostile towards them. What do you think the duo’s next move is going to be?

Daniel: Octavia is on her own now so her primary goal will be to find Lincoln. Obviously, she can’t do that on her own so it’s likely she will ask the Grounders for help. Octavia is still pretty new to the game and she has to learn how to fight. The question is how far will she go to save Lincoln, something that will hopefully unfold in the next couple of episodes.

Pablo: Well, Lincoln is out of the game for now, so it’s all about how Octavia handles it. She is still learning to fight, so the determining factor will be how she gets to the grounders. Lincoln’s friends is the only ally she has of a right now, so she got to figure out a way to get his aid to recover Lincoln. She already tried this episode and failed, so she needs a new tactic. I believe this time she will use him to gather some more info about the grounders and then she’ll try to find a way to get Lincoln back.

Bradley: I can see Octavia perhaps working with the Grounders to go after Lincoln and rescue him from the Reapers. That’d be an interesting dynamic, I think.

Robert: Well the first thing Octavia needs to do is to find Lincoln after he got taken by the Reapers. I can see her working together with Lincolns people to get him and his friend back. I don’t think Octavia or Lincoln’s people will like working together, but I think they will have to. Also once Octavia and Lincoln get reunited again I think they will go back to the drop shop, and then ultimately end up with the Ark group.

Ben: Octavia definitely cares a lot for Lincoln, and she will obviously do anything for him so I can definitely expect Octavia going to some extreme measures in order to save Lincoln’s life. But I think she may end up working with Lincoln’s people in order to save his life, that would definitely be interesting.

Jimmy: The game inside Mt Weather changed drastically with Clarke’s grizzly discovery in the dying moments of tonight’s episode. What were your initial reactions when you saw the caged grounders?

Daniel: I was shocked to find Anya there and what the Mountain Men are doing to these people. It’s a brilliant cliffhanger and again it is possible that two enemies (Clarke and Anya) will start working together against this common enemy. These final moments also confirm what Clarke has suspected all along: that Mt Weather is not what it looks.

Pablo: I was shocked; I felt like I was watching the final episodes of Dollhouse. It’s really creepy and breathtaking to see human beings used as livestock. Sci-fi at its darkest has done this multiple times; it shows how technology can be used against ourselves and it’s a very grim imagine that leaves you quite shocked. And that’s what I like about it: it’s so unexpected and at the same time it makes perfect sense considering what was setup during the premiere, so it all came down together to make for a perfectly executed cliffhanger.

Bradley: I was shocked. It took me a little while to work out what was going on, but when I realised, it shocked me. The people of Mt Weather clearly aren’t good people. I do wonder when (because it is inevitable) the members of the 100 will be caged and have their blood extracted.

Robert: I couldn’t believe it, it did confirm though what I was thinking about the Mt Weather people; that there was something not right about them. I still think if she confronts them they will lie their way out of it. I hope she sets all the Grounders free, just to prove to her friends that this place isn’t the sanctuary it was made out to be.

Ben: In those final moments I was shocked to find out about the Grounders, it does confirm my thoughts about Mt Weather and how it is too good to be true. This show has really succeeded in it’s cliffhangers thus far, it really makes me wonder what will come next!

Jimmy: Bellamy, Finn and Murphy have broken camp to search for the other members of the 100. Given the friction between the trio, do you think they’ll be able to side their differences and work together successfully?

Daniel: There is obviously gonna be friction between the three of them but I’m especially interested in seeing what Murphy is going to do. He doesn’t have many friends so maybe he is going to just help Bellamy and Finn. It’s too simple though and I’m sure Murphy will do something stupid down the road.

Pablo: Doubt it, maybe Bellamy and Finn can get to some agreements, but Murphy? They don’t trust the guy at all, and they can’t actually afford to trust him, he is so unstable that it would be idiotic. So it’s a matter of how much they can use Murphy without allowing him too much freedom to betray them. If they manage to do that, then between Bellamy’s ability to think things through and Finn’s quick thinking and wits they should be able to pull off quite an amazing team work. But that’s really hard to do, so I’m not counting on it as of right now.

Bradley: I think they’ll try to put their differences aside, but no doubt Murphy will do something stupid and make the others hate him. The alternative is that Bellamy and Finn put their differences aside until they find the other members, and then kill Murphy. I like the alternative better.

Robert: I think there is too much that has happened between them for them to overlook it, I think Bellamy and Murphy will come to blows a lot in the upcoming episodes. I am looking to Finn to keep things together, and to make sure they focus on the task at hand, and not on the past.

Ben: If the trio really care about their friends, they will sort out their differences and put the past behind them. But I don’t see this happening, these three are no doubt going to have some disagreements and the tension between them will increase. I really think that there will be some sort of fight, and it will

Jimmy: Lastly, we saw the brand new title sequence tonight! What did you think of it?

Daniel: Very, very cool! I really like them a lot. It’s very unlike the CW to have these opening themes so for The 100 to have we must be extra grateful. It’s a very fitting opening for the show in my opinion.

Pablo: I just loved it! It was like a high tech version of GoT’s title sequence! (but a lot shorter too, of course). It took me by surprise, and it was a really pleasant one; I think the title sequence really captures the essence of the show.

Bradley: I’m a huge fan of title sequences in general - often a title sequence is a key determiner in whether I like a show or not. My only complaint is: why hasn’t this been introduced sooner? It was a really cool sequence and I really liked it.

Robert: I loved the new title sequence, so much better than the season 1 sequence. I liked how it showed all key areas of the earth, quite similar to the Game of Thrones sequence which I absolutely love. The title sequence actually made me more excited to watch the episode.

Ben: I must admit I really like this new title sequence, it really brings the whole show into perspective and shows that there is a whole world out there that is still to be explored. But the title sequence was really nice, it fit the show very well.

That's our 8 roundtable questions done and dusted for 'Inclement Weather'! Below you can give the episode a rating!


Thanks for reading our roundtable discussion and voting in our poll for the second episode of The 100! We really enjoyed the episode, and think it was a great follow-up to what was an excellent season premiere last week. We hope you did too! Be sure to share your thoughts and theories on the events of the episode in the comments below, and feel free to share your own answers to our roundtable poll questions!

On next week's episode of The 100, Clarke encounters an old enemy, but could they become allies? The Reapers make a gruesome reappearance, while Kane plays dirty politics. Octavia battles for her man, and Finn begins to lose the plot.

Thanks again for reading! See you all back here next Wednesday night, and don't forget to watch out for our episode 3 advance preview during the next few days.
Jimmy, Daniel, Pablo, Bradley, Robert and Ben.