'The 100' recap: 'Stealing Fire'

Tonight felt like the first time in a long time that the show was making it’s way back to the show the audience originally fell in love with. Though the show has come under massive criticism with it’s treatment of the characters, the actors and the general dislike surrounding this season’s storyline, the recent renewal and promise of a season four has been propelling a hope for better times to come.

Besides, the viewers proved just how dedicated they were. After the death of fan favorite Commander Lexa, a fundraiser was set up in her name for The Trevor Project, hoping to encourage and provide a safe place for the LGBTQIA community that was deeply affected by her ending and, as a result, not only educated many people on the dangers of the “Bury Your Gays” trope so often found in media, but sparked a media outrage that has been discussed in countless outlets on the necessity of such an action.

Unfortunately, we still say goodbye to yet another fan favorite character this week.

Polis Politics
Locked in Polis, John and Clarke are finally getting out but Clarke is demanding to see Aiden first. Though he’s in the purification ritual for Lexa as he prepares to take her place, Clarke still gets her chance to talk with him. She wants to ensure that, if “Heda’s spirit” chooses him, he will still side with her. All of the Nightbloods will.

Also interrupting the ceremony is King Roan and Ontari, the servant who was loyal to his mother and thwarted Clarke’s assassination attempt. She tries to make a move against Clarke but is stopped by Titus and Roan. Regardless, she vows that when she becomes Heda, Skaikru will die.

Murphy takes Clarke to the room Titus held him prisoner in and the two watch as he packages away the A.I., Flame, that was created by Becca. He reminds them that if the chip chooses the Ice Nation, Skaikru will definitely see ruin as the chip does not take the souls of it’s prior hosts, only enhances what is already present in their personality. They’re brought back to the capital by the sounding of the victory horn. They run into the throne room, seeing a bloody Ontari on the throne who holds up a severed head. “I win,” she says.

Trying to repay his debt to Clarke for sparing his life, Roan leads Clarke and Murphy to a set of tunnels that will lead them out into safety, well aware of the threat Ontari poses to them if they stay any longer. Clarke hesitates, though, and Murphy aptly guesses, “we’re not leaving, are we?” Clarke confirms, announcing they’re not leaving without taking Flame, the A.I., with them.

They sneak back into Titus’ room where Titus walks in on them and stops Clarke. Titus explains that they cannot stop Ontari; she fought and won, which is the rule. She recalls that Lexa only had seven moons for the people she defeated to become Heda tattooed on her back, though there were originally eight she was supposed to fight. Titus calls her a coward but Clarke remembers Lincoln mentioning Luna. In a last ditch effort, they plan to work together. When Ontari comes in demanding the ceremony start, he hides Clark and sends Murphy to prepare Ontari for the ceremony.

After they leave, Titus gives Clarke the Flame and sends her back to Arkadia to find Lincoln and Luna, ordering her to perform the ritual to make her Heda before Ontari can officially take over.

Ontari is being “purified” while John keeps an eye out and she’s surprised he’s not scared of her. Her “purification ceremony” is interrupted by Roan and Titus, announcing the loss of the Flame. He tells them he’s not lost it but given it to Clarke; Ontari demands for his death. John reminds him they can’t do the ceremony without Titus but Titus sacrifices himself anyway.

Paying no attention to the fact that they no longer have the Flame, Ontari demands they announce her ascension as Heda regardless.

Revolt in Arkadia
In Arkadia prison, Lincoln is trying to encourage his people to stay strong while locked in with Kane and Sinclair. They’re brought worse news with the appearance of Pike and Bellamy; he’s charging all of them with treason. Lincoln begs to take the price of the crimes of his fellow Grounders, claiming they’re innocent. Bellamy backs him up and Pike declares that Lincoln, Kane, and Sinclair are set for execution at dawn.

In Miller’s room, he and Harper are having a meeting before Bellamy comes in with Monty. He comes at Miller with a knife... to cut open his guardsman jacket and removing the bug his boyfriend planted on him. He and Monty want to help them, having come to their senses regarding Pike. Unsurprisingly, Miller and Harper don’t believe them.

Octavia must get Bellamy’s message though, showing up at their old stomping grounds (the Dropship lives!) to plot Lincoln’s escape. She’s not interested in talking, sedating him as they embrace instead.

Upon waking, Bellamy finds himself the prisoner of Octavia and Indra. It’s clear that Bellamy’s feeling guilty for his actions and wants to make it better but no one’s willing to listen. Octavia leaves him, heading off to camp to help the others in the rescue mission. Also facing a major rift? Miller, who confronts Bryan about the bug he found and gives him an ultimatum: him or Pike.

Growing closer? Former enemies, Kane and Abby. He gets a visit from Abby, who promises she “won’t let this happen,” despite Kane’s begging to stay out of it. “I can’t do this again,” she cries. He can’t let her get in trouble for him, though, and accepts his fate.

In his last moments, he’s tracing the burn given to him by Lexa during his time in Polis when they officially became the thirteenth clan and feeling the irony over the fact that it was supposed to mean hope and unity. At this point, the guards come to take away their prisoners for execution. However, it appears the team has a plan, with Harper walking by and signaling to Monty that they’re on the move. Unfortunately, Monty’s mom is right over her shoulder and sends a heads up to Pike.

They lock the prisoners in a room, leaving a pair of guards out there while they run off to find the intruders. Outside, Bellamy is pleading with Indra to let him help. Indra’s not listening, though, angry at Bellamy for his actions when they murdered the army Lexa sent to help, setting off this chain of events.

Pike’s guards are searching the base before recognizing something is off. They try to check back in with Bryan and his team to see the status of the prisoners before storming in and finding nothing there. They run off angrily, leaving the door wide open when they find an empty room.

Octavia pops up out of the floor, bringing Kane, Sinclair, and Lincoln up with her. Unfortunately, Harper signals them that guards are coming, Monty and his mother still listening in. He blows his cover with his mother to protect them, throwing the guards off the trail momentarily. His mother is angry but covers for him when Pike shows up.

It’s given the crew enough time to escape, Kane and Abby parting with a kiss as he prepares to escape out the tunnels. As they’re readying for escape, Pike sends them a message that if they don’t turn themselves in, the other prisoners die. Lincoln can’t let them do that, though, sacrificing himself, giving Octavia one last kiss and confession of love before sedating her when she tries to come with him. He hands her to Kane and says his goodbyes.

The Fight Is Over For ...
Making her way back to Arkadia, Clarke listens as the horns are blown as they announce a new commander has been appointed. Indra and Bellamy hear as well and Indra runs off, leaving Bellamy chained to wait for the arrival of the others.

Octavia wakes after they’ve made their way out of the camp and stumbles off the horse Kane put her on, the crew following behind her to watch somberly as they prepare to execute Lincoln. In a rare moment of humanity, Pike tells him he can’t free the other prisoners but promises to keep them cared for. He asks if Lincoln has any words and he does, but not for him. “May we meet again,” he says to the wind, hopeful Octavia can hear.

Octavia watches, pained, as Lincoln gets a bullet straight in her brain but lets no tears fall and visibly hardens her resolve to take Pike down.

Look, Ricky Whittle made waves weeks ago when he confirmed in so many words that his time on The 100 was coming to an end. Even knowing that, I was not prepared for this final scene. Major shout out to Ricky and Marie Avgeropoulos (Octavia) for their phenomenal performance in this scene because I may or may not have been brought to tears by it.

Obviously this throws a very large wrench into Clarke’s plans to find Luna and with the abandonment by Indra, death of Lincoln and betrayal by her own people, Bellamy included, Octavia’s going to be angry and unlikely to be much help, at least at first. I’m definitely hoping to see how all of this plays out, especially considering the promo teased Raven coming to her senses regarding the City of Light and fighting against ALIE’s influence.

What are you hoping to see before season’s end? Share it in the comments below!

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