On the D/L – The 100
Season 2 Episode 12 – “Rubicon”
The 100 seems to be perpetually building on the levels of tension that already exist as part of the show’s set up. This episode gives plenty of surprises as far as character development goes.
Emerson running back to Mount Weather was the perfect way to open the episode. The fact that he nearly didn’t make it is a powerful plot point that sets up one of the main themes of the episode. Clarke was sending a clear message by limiting his air supply and ran the risk that the message wouldn’t make it. Cage discovering Emerson sets up the central conflict for the episodes to come. It’s going to be Clarke vs. Cage when all is said and done and that’s a conflict I am interested in seeing. His ability to walk on the surface really dials up his threat level. His father being able to do so as well and finally standing up to his son adds a further layer to this conflict.
Cage is proving himself to be a really compelling villain. He seems to enjoy inflicting pain and suffering on those around him and this episode establishes that there’s pretty much no lengths he won’t go to to make sure that he wins. His launching of the missile to destroy the alliance is particularly shocking and pretty much tears apart some of the advantage gained by Clarke and her allies over the past few episodes.
Cage enjoys the surface air
Bellamy seems to have his role as a spy nailed for the most part as he sneaks around Mount Weather unnoticed while gathering intel. It’s impressive to see just how sneaky he can be when he puts his mind to it especially since he’s mostly been known as a man of action. He’s also accomplishing a lot of useful sabotage when he exposes Dr. Tsing and her men to lethal radiation. Jasper stopping the elevator that would let Dr. Tsing escape was a moment that Jasper had earned. It might have seemed harsh but it makes sense that he would want to make her pay for all she has done.
Octavia continues to be a great character to watch as the show goes on. I like that she now identifies as a Grounder and has become a fiercely self sufficient individual. She’s still not fully accepted by those around her but that is bound to come in time when she proves herself to those around her.
I was a little confused by the use of Lincoln in this episode. A couple of episodes ago it seemed like he was sacrificing himself when he offered to become a Reaper so that Bellamy could get into Mount Weather. It turns out that he has an addiction that he is really struggling with. This is fine as addictions can make for good storytelling but I can’t help but feel that this sort of comes from nowhere. If it had been previously established that he was addicted then the use of it here would have been more effective.
That being said, I like what he has become at the moment. Making him a halfway house between Reaper and Grounder is an interesting development and Lincoln having his faculties intact while being unable to control his urges is an interesting development that has lots of dramatic potential. It’s like I’ve been saying all season when it comes to pacing, sometime The 100 needs to slow it down and let us appreciate what’s going on with the characters. This addiction subplot could have been bubbling for a while.
Dr. Tsing gets what’s coming to her
Lexa shows how harsh she can be in this episode when she makes sure that she and Clarke leave the camp before Cage fires the missile. She does so to ensure that Mount Weather don’t twig that they have a man inside. I can see the logic behind this decision from a tactical standpoint but it’s a really grim decision to have to make. I found it interesting that Clarke went along with it as it shows how willing she is to go to a dark place in order to survive.
It is a little strange that Clarke and Lexa didn’t come under any scrutiny for being the only survivors of a missile attack. It seems like someone might accuse them of wiping out all the leaders under the pretense of an alliance. At the very least either Clarke or Lexa would see it as a possibility. Maybe this is all due to come later we will have to see. It’s also a little convenient that none of the main cast were at risk from the missile strike but it’s interesting to see the characters making hard choices that have real consequences.
Overall
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Rubicon - 8.5/108.5/10
Summary
Another strong episode that gives the viewer lots of surprises and manages to move things along really well.
Cage is establishing himself as a formidable threat who seems to have no conscience. His decision to fire a missile at his enemies was nothing short of brutal and his casual attitude towards it makes him a really interesting villain.
I liked Bellamy’s status as a spy in Mount Weather and how he’s managed to stay under the radar so to speak. For such a man of action he’s great at the sneaking around. He also got a bit of a win for his friends when he flooded the corridor with lethal radiation to kill Dr. Tsing and her men. Jasper stopping the elevator and letting her die was a powerful moment that Jasper absolutely earned.
Octavia’s status as a badass continues to be interesting and I like the fact that she now identifies as a Grounder as she slowly earns the respect of those around her but has some work to do before she will be truly accepted as one of them.
The revelation that Lincoln is addicted to the drugs that make him more Reaper like sort of came out of nowhere for me. I thought that he was sacrificing himself a couple of episodes back rather than feeding his addiction. I think some time should have been spent establishing this fact to make it more effective. I do like Lincoln’s status as part Reaper though, I find it interesting to see that he’s still somewhat rational but not in control of his urges.
Clarke and Lexa leaving the camp prior to the missile strike so that Mount Weather don’t get wind of a spy in their midst was really cold. I understand why they did it from a tactical standpoint but I like that both of them are willing to make the hard choices for the greater good. I do wonder why nobody has picked up on the suspicious nature of them being the only two to escape but that might be coming in subsequent episodes.
