Grace. Charisma. Courage. Strength. Talent. These are just a few of the qualities that the casting team of
The 100 must have been looking for when they set out to cast Lexa. They found all that and way more in Alycia Debnam-Carey and she made fans fall in love with Lexa. While this article is meant to honor Debnam-Carey’s February performance I would be remiss to not briefly mention her untimely exit from the series that occurred in March. I’ll get into that briefly at the end but for now let us look back on the magical performances she delivered to us in February. During the nominations round the four February episodes were almost uniformly nominated so I’ll spend a little bit of time talking about how she performed during key moments from each episode. I wish I could highlight every outstanding performance she delivered but alas there were too many so please feel free to discuss any great moments I miss in the comments section.
February gave Debnam-Carey a multitude of incredible storylines that allowed her to showcase her incredible talent. From the knife to the neck scene to the fealty scene to the fight scene and the all important “blood will not have blood” storyline she shone time after time. Even in the simpler moments like in
Ye Who Enter Here when Titus and Lexa are talking about Clarke she has incredible control over her character to the point you can feel what Lexa is feeling without her even vocalizing it. When Lexa stated that Clarke was “special” her exterior looked cold and calculated yet Debnam-Carey allowed her gaze to wander off into the distance allowing the audience to see and feel Lexa’s true feelings for Clarke. She delivered many nuanced performances like that and they are too numerous to highlight them all but each and every one of them was perfectly delivered.
Each February episode delivered moments for Debnam-Carey to shine but for the sake of this article let us focus on some of the truly outstanding moments. Starting with the first of two very powerful scenes from
Ye Who Enter Here (3x3) and the moment Clarke held a knife to Lexa’s throat. A less skilled actress may have tried to throw to much emotion into the moment or not enough. Debnam-Carey held her body in stoic and still fashion as she showed that Lexa was offering herself up to face whatever judgment Clarke passed upon her. Lexa’s eyes were full of remorse and dare I say love as she faced down the woman she was forced to betray. While Debnam-Carey is a very physical actress with immeasurable talent and beauty her greatest physical asset is her eyes which always speak volumes to the moment she is portraying her character in. She has incredible control over her body and makes very conscious movements when she is in character but it is rare to come across a performer of any kind with the kind of eye control that she has. I’m fairly certain she could be in an episode with not a single line and still evoke emotional responses from viewers just based off of the way she uses her body so skillfully.
The next moment from that episode was when Lexa swore her fealty to Clarke. This was probably one of the most important moments in the history of the show up until the point of its airing. Clarke was finally getting a formal and unbreakable oath of loyalty from Lexa. Forget for a second that Lexa is a woman and forget her feelings for Clark and just take a moment to see her as a leader of an immense alliance swearing loyalty to a former enemy commander and the weight of the scene is even more evident. This scene demanded Debnam-Carey to allow Lexa to be vulnerable and strong in the same moment. That’s not an easy task yet she pulls it off flawlessly. She was one half of this game changing scene and for just a second I have to throw out praise to Eliza Taylor who was an incredible scene partner for Debnam-Carey in this scene and nearly every other February scene. Debnam-Carey was able to constantly elevate her own performance because Taylor was always present and supportive of her. Together they delivered magical performances this being one of many. When Lexa dropped to her knees in front of Clarke and the oath was made Debnam-Carey delivered it with so much conviction that viewers could feel Lexa’s sincerity seeping through their screens. It takes a rare talent to portray that much raw emotion and yet still have their character seem strong and in control.
Next up was
Watch The Thrones (3x4) where Debnam-Carey got to show off her physicality during Lexa’s battle with Roan. The camera was able to stay on her for a good portion of the scene and there were very few instances in the fight where it looks like her stunt double may have had to step in. Having an actress that can handle herself in a fight scene makes it easier for the audience to stay in the moment with the character since the camera doesn’t have to break off and an editor doesn’t have to cut around her as much. Scenes are always more fluid and realistic when the performers can carry the scene on their own. Even more impressive is the fact that Debnam-Carey was able to portray Lexa’s joy at having Clarke standing in her corner then as soon as the fight sequence began she flipped a switch and took Lexa to a dark and laser focused place. It is that drive that she used to propel Lexa through the fight and right up to the moment she took out Queen Nia. The episode was capped off by a quiet moment between Lexa and Clarke which showed fans an entirely different side of Lexa. Gone was her armor and along with it went some of her tough Heda demeanor. Yes, she was still strong and determined but in that moment Debnam-Carey allowed Lexa to just be a woman trying to find a way to reconnect with someone she hurt yet still deeply cares about. Debnam-Carey showed audiences that Lexa was capable of being vulnerable and that is a side the Heda does not like to make known to many. She shows us a rare smile that seems to be reserved for moments with Clarke. The performance delivered by Debnam-Carey was raw and real adding to the overall theme of the scene and the episode.
(3x5) started the “blood must not have blood” storyline for Lexa as the Heda is forced to confront the horror of the massacre the Skikru unleashed on her forces. As the episode started off Debnam-Carey took Lexa from some subtle flirting between Lexa and Clarke to horror and anger in an instant when they stumbled across her fallen army. When Lexa and Clarke were poised over Indra there was this moment of shock and frustration which results in this jaw movement that Debnam-Carey has used before to portray Lexa in a frustrated state. I don’t know if this is just a natural movement for her in real life or something she brought to the character but it is a move she uses uniformly to portray this emotion and it works really well for the character. It’s one thing to use a body movement in a moment but to remember it and how it was used previously and then be able to recall it again is a sign of a truly gifted talent. When Lexa stands and delivers the order to rally the clans against Arkadia it was a powerful moment of acting from Debnam-Carey as she stood tall and strong as she delivered her lines.
The best moment in this episode for Debnam-Carey is when Lexa finds herself stuck between her perceived obligation to obtain justice for her fallen army and her sworn promise of fealty to Clarke. Because of that promise she felt as if she owed it to Clarke to listen to her when she returned from Arkadia. What I loved about Debnam-Carey’s performance in this scene is that she portrays Lexa as taking in Clarke’s every word. She portrayed Lexa’s pondering of the situation in such a way that it was realistic when Lexa decided to change her entire philosophy on punishment and vengeance. This scene could have ended up being convoluted and out of character yet the way she portrayed Lexa’s thought pattern made it believable when she declared that “blood must not have blood”. It was also brilliant how she stood so tall over Indra and changed the tone of her voice from the softness she’d used with Clarke to a deeper more firm and set tone with Indra. As I’ve said multiple times Debnam-Carey uses the most subtle of movements yet they allow her to create these bigger than life moments. The smallest changes can sometimes make the biggest of impacts. Lexa required an actress that understood how to stand as a leader and how to carry herself to look strong and commanding all qualities Debnam-Carey has in spades.
(3x6) capped off Debnam-Carey’s February pièce de résistance giving fans several outstanding moments. The episode launched with Lexa and Clarke enjoying a moment of peace and serenity until a nightmare jars Lexa awake. When Lexa shot up from the nightmare Debnam-Carey ensured Lexa’s confusion and concern were evident all over her face. She also allowed herself to react perfectly to Taylor’s gentle touching of her leg as she brought Lexa down to a more relaxed state only a short beat after Taylor’s hand came to settle on her leg. Clarke is an anchor for Lexa and someone she clearly deeply cares for so it was fitting that Clarke’s touch was allowed to calm Lexa. In this same scene Debnam-Carey took Lexa from worried and confessing her concerns to Clarke to defender as Clarke was attacked by the prisoner. Debnam-Carey flipped a switch and the moment Taylor hit the ground she took her cue and her entire demeanor changed into protector mode. This is something she would flip between throughout this episode as she tried to act as a confidant and teacher to Clarke. She tried to help Clarke understand the hypocrisy of her ways so that she could be a better leader the way she’d helped Lexa become a better Heda. Debnam-Carey skillfully transitioned Lexa through the softer moments and harsher ones with grace. Impressive given many of those moments occurred in the same scenes and required her to keep making that switch. Not an easy task for any performer but handled flawlessly by her.
I know this is an article for Debnam-Carey’s performances in February but I have a feeling most of you reading this also want my take on her exit from the series that occurred just one episode later in March. Unfortunately for the sake of the integrity of future articles I don’t want to go into great detail since she won for February. What I will say is I think there were other story options available and the show picked the worst possible option. Debnam-Carey handled her exit from the series with the grace and charisma that we’ve all come to expect from her. The love scene Lexa and Clarke shared showed how connected Debnam-Carey and Taylor were. From subtle lip trembles and deep breaths of relief to desire and unity it was everything one could hope for from two characters consummating a long simmering relationship. They were so in sync that the whole scene flowed making the scenes that followed all that much harder to watch. She made Lexa’s final moments filled with strength and acceptance which I think will ultimately make things that much harder on Clarke. This isn’t the first beloved character this show has killed off yet she made the biggest impact for the reasons I’m about to highlight.
While I won’t go into anymore March specifics I do want to allow a brief moment in this article to talk about Lexa and Clarke as a couple simply because their partnership and relationship was groundbreaking for television. Not only is Clarke the first openly bisexual lead character I’m aware of on a primetime network series but both women were strong leaders with the weight of the world on their shoulders who formed an unexpected alliance. They stood in union as equals regardless of the status either held within their own clans. They started off as mortal enemies before becoming friends and ultimately in the end lovers. Their first kiss was unexpected yet not surprising given how connected Debnam-Carey and Taylor always were throughout all their scenes. Lexa’s attraction to women was made evident very early on in her introduction and evolution but up until that point Clarke had only been shown with men. The best part about the transition for Clarke is that it wasn’t a big deal. Absolutely no one cared that she was forming this deep bond with another woman. In fact the only issue anyone had was that Lexa was the Commander behind the deaths of many of their friends. The fact that Clarke and Lexa’s sexuality wasn’t an issue was groundbreaking in and of itself in a television landscape that loves to hype up same sex relationships only to have them have to fight through coming out and discrimination. The show delivered a message that love is love and who you fall in love with shouldn’t be dictated by anything other than what is found in the heart. Through all the drama surrounding Lexa’s untimely death I hope the importance of this couple isn’t forgotten. This couple was groundbreaking and their love will live on through the internet and in Clarke’s heart.
As is common in this internet age the rage over Lexa’s demise was immediate and fierce. I like to call it the internet’s version of the mob mentality and sometimes it can become downright ugly. That’s why I was very impressed to see an organized and constructive movement emerge from the anger. Voices are always louder when they are unified and acting for a good and noble cause instead of calling for riots. Alycia Debnam-Carey will be missed from the show but a group of fans have organized a fund raiser for
The Trevor Project in Debnam-Carey’s name that will ensure Lexa’s loss is not in vain. Check out
this campaign and if you can contribute please do so and help this very noble organization that I’m positive Lexa would have approved of. I’ve seen a lot of fan uprisings regarding the demise of beloved characters but this is the first time I’ve fully approved of the route taken by fans. This isn’t a mean spirited or harsh campaign but instead it is meant to encourage awareness and change and I hope those of you reading this will at the very least help out the campaign by spreading the link around.
To see LGBT characters on television isn’t as rare as it once used to be, but unfortunately they are still so few and far between that when one is lost it is felt all that much harder than the loss of a straight counterpart. When a straight character is killed television is filled with hundreds of similar characters for people to relate to but for the time being that statement isn’t true for LGBT consumers. Network television has unfortunately seen a rise in queer baiting where shows intentionally play up subtext with no intention of seeing it through. Then there are the scenarios where a LGBT character is tossed into a story for seemingly no purpose other than some attention and ratings then ripped away in some unceremonious way. I don't believe that was the intention with Lexa as this character was given a very complex and deep storyline but the show could have handled the whole situation in a million different ways than they did. The issues surrounding her exit are complex but I believe largely stem from how the couple, and Lexa specifically, were promoted in the weeks leading up to her exit. Who knows what the true intentions were but fans felt led on and that did not end well for the show. Lexa’s loss comes at a time when the LGBT community has become fed up, rightfully so, with these far to frequent occurrences prompting Lexa and by virtue Debnam-Carey to become the face of the above campaign to change the way LGBT characters are handled. Unified voices working together for a good cause can help begin the very overdue process of change. I know there are lots of various fan campaigns going on regarding Lexa's unfortunate death but I hope all of you will partake in the above mentioned peaceful movement that seeks to inspire positive change. With the industry in a state of flux with the rise of online streaming networks such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu now is the time to let networks know what the viewers want. Use your voices, but please use them wisely and peacefully! As I’m sure Lexa would tell her army of fans “blood must not have blood”.
Let me conclude this article with an overall analysis of Alycia Debnam-Carey. She was the fans choice for February Outstanding Actress Of The Month because she delivered one outstanding performance after another during the month. She has a gift for subtle acting but when the scene demands it she can project everything her character is feeling and slam it right into the hearts of viewers. She can control her emotions and flip emotional switches mid sentence if that is what is demanded of her in the scene. While Lexa may be gone Debnam-Carey is going to be on our screens for a very long time. Her talent will allow her to always be employed because a talent like hers is exactly what casting directors and producers look for. Most of us got our first introduction to her on
The 100 but this is only the beginning of a very long career that promises great things for this talented actress.
This is Alycia’s second win in 2016 so she will be ineligible to be nominated for any future months. However, she will be on the year end performer of the year poll that will determine whom the fans believe is the best overall performer of 2016. Look for that in mid-January 2017. For now please head to the comments and talk to fellow fans about your favorite February performances by Debnam-Carey. Please feel free to highlight all the amazing moments I know are absent from this article.
Alycia Debnam-Carey was your fan pick as the most
Outstanding Actress Of February 2016. Hit the comments below to tell others why you think she earned this title and what you most enjoyed about her February performances.
PLEASE READ: This is an article to recognize Alycia’s work and to honor her performance in February on The 100. Shipper related bashing will not be tolerated in the comments even from Alycia's fans. Honor the performer and her performance. Have fun and be kind to one another.
About the Author - Aimee Hicks
Aimee works for a newspaper in North Carolina and has a BA in Broadcasting and Cinema. She has been a TV lover since before she really understood what TV was. She has a long list of shows that she loves to watch and can be found on twitter (@ahicks83) live tweeting about each new episode whenever she can. If the show is sci-fi, fantasy, comic book based, drama, or action the odds are good she watches it or has at least watched a few episodes of it. She also has a love for comedies 2 Broke Girls and Mom. She was the original creator and co-founder of LOST Video Island (lostvideo.net) which is still operating under the management of the very capable and skilled group she turned it over to.
You can email her at aimee@spoilertv.com.
