Twilight's Last Gleaming (105)

[GateWorld]

THE 100 - SEASON ONE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING EPISODE NUMBER - 105 Clarke and Finn race to beat Bellamy to Raven's pod after it crashes on the surface, offering the potential of contact with the Ark. Abby takes matters into her own hands when she learns that Chancellor Jaha and Kane plan to reduce the population through an act of mass murder. VISIT THE EPISODE GUIDE >>

[Falcon Horus]

Previous tally: 95/101

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An episode that leaves me speechless yet again...

That moment where Abby releases Jake's video, and finally seems to realize that it's up to the people to make their own choices. When the volunteers come in my throat just clenched shut. I really love me those powerful moments and from a directiorial viewpoint are captured beatifully, and acting is through the roof.

While on the ground, Finn and Clarke connect -- in a manner of speaking.

And Raven in her pod - "please don't blow up!"

Bellamy knows he's done wrong, and it's only after he learns Jaha is alive that he comes round and helps them find the radio. Of course, now I wonder whether he would have left them to figure it out for themselves if Raven hadn't informed them Jaha was still alive. He probably wouldn't and continued his efforts to make the Ark believe they were all dead. Although, they didn't need the radio after all - though the message does arrive too late.

I remember the first time I watched this episode, I really wanted those rockets to make it on time and these people would have lived, but of course that wouldn't have taken away the drama of the Ark dying and people sacrificing themselves for the greater good of humankind. It's bettter that way. I probably would have liked it both ways.

And oh, our first good look of Lincoln...

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Tally:
Total teenagers left standing - 95

0 deaths
Raven came down in her pod from the Ark.

95 teenagers still alive of the 101 sent down + 1 addition from the Ark = 96 left standing of the 102 on the ground.

[garhkal]

The whole 'sacrifice' scene was imo one of the more tear jerkers in the whole series..

And raven's whole "rockets" to alert the Arc to her arrival, was a nice plan.

[jelgate]

Every review brings me a step closer to catching FH.

What is nice about this episode is that its Ark centeric. Most episodes focus on the 100 with something happening on the Ark as the B story. I feel this time the roles are reversed. The Ark and the killing of 320 people is centered cage with Raven on Earth is the B story. They are both interconnected to the same goal but the space station plays a more important role. Jaha always seems to have a Messiah complex (even worse in S2 but we'll get their later). Its not so bad this first time as we understand his noble concerns but it does get old fast. I understand why he was willing to sacrifice his life which makes more sense after Abby broadcasts the truth to everyone. This show is dystopian at times that I enjoyed watching getting enough people to sacrifice the loved ones. The main heartbreak is showing the emotional connection of a father ending his life to save his daughter. I know this real because we see all the time in the real world where parents risk their lives so their children. The real irony is the mass killing could have been avoided. Which brings us to the story of Earth. This is the last time I think we see the "jerk" Belamy. Its stated several times of why Belamy did what he did but the arrival of Raven brings home the fact the Belamy façade is so he could protect his sister. I can understand this, but at the same time is it worthy dooming everyone by throwing away that radio. I feel the rest of the episode is just lets create rockets to communicate with the Ark. So many shows would have made the 100 able to contact the Ark in nick of time. What really sets the tone for this show is that we are too late and 320 people die. An event that could have been avoided. The whole Octavia falling down a hill and being captured by a Grounder seems tacked on to set a dramatic ending and set up for the next episode. I will end saying that Kane's speech to Jaha about the Ark needing him is the start of his redemption. He is initially established as villian because of consequence but this episode starts to establish him as not a bad person.

[Falcon Horus]

I will end saying that Kane's speech to Jaha about the Ark needing him is the start of his redemption. He is initially established as villian because of consequence but this episode starts to establish him as not a bad person.

I kinda forgot his redemption starts on the Arc and continues on from there... Thought it took him longer to redeem himself.

[jelgate]

I kinda forgot his redemption starts on the Arc and continues on from there... Thought it took him longer to redeem himself.

Its one of those things you appreciate on a rewatch. The first time I saw it I didn't think much of it. What I know now of both seasons of how the Kane character changes it stood out more. He is initially perceived as a jerk but really its a deeper than that. Kane follows the law and these hard choices not because he wants too but because its the only way the human race can survive. I would agree that his full redemption doesn't come until S2.

[VampyreWraith]

I think there was a really good balance between the Ark scenes and the ones on the ground during this ep. This is probably one of my favorite episodes from the first season. The Sacrifice made by the people on the Ark was sad, but a the same time beautiful, because they were doing it to give more time to there the families and friends.

The council was planning on killing 320 people in a section of the ship during their sleep cycle. Jaha, Kane and the Council(and even Abby before this) believed that if the people on the Ark knew the truth; that there was a problem with the Ark that couldn't really be fixed, and that they were running out of air, that everyone would riot. That truth was why Clarke's dad was executed and why Clarke was imprisoned and put into solitary. Abby came to realize(like her husband did before her) that the people needed to know the truth, so she released the video her husband made before he was executed and told the whole Ark what was going on. She hoped that her husband was right and that it would bring out the best in people. Everyone was surprised when people started volunteering to sacrifice themselves. I was surprised as well. I was also surprised that again there wasn't a last minute save. I was pretty much of expecting the kids plan with the rockets to work and that the volunteers would be saved. Jaha and Abby did see the rockets, but it was too late and the 300 people were already dead.

[garhkal]

I think that is the more telling part of this ep.. That the sacrifice WAS not prevented.

[Falcon Horus]

I think that is the more telling part of this ep.. That the sacrifice WAS not prevented.

Shows usually do that "in the nick of time" thing where everyone is safe after all, and The 100 chose not to. I loved that. It was most chilling.

[VampyreWraith]

I also loved that they didn't do a last minute save like a lot of other shows would have done. I think it would have cheapened showing the sacrifice that the volunteers were willing to make if the were saved in the nick of time, and a lot of the emotional impact of the episode would have been lost (IMO). Also, I think it would have taken away from the consequences of some of the characters' actions (mainly Bellamy's).

[Falcon Horus]

Indeed.

[garhkal]

Shows usually do that "in the nick of time" thing where everyone is safe after all, and The 100 chose not to. I loved that. It was most chilling.

And that we have had many deaths in 'named' folk, even if the core characters are still alive is also refreshing.