The 100 - S5E6 - Exit Wounds

Previously on The 100, “Shifting Sands”

Forming Dissent is Like Seduction, It Takes Time

After their defeat at the hands of Diyoza, Octavia has little time to lick her wounds before Diyoza drops care packages of the finest fruits and vegetables from Shadow Valley in Polis to create dissension among Wonkru. Obviously influenced by Kane, Diyoza offers any Wonkru defectors more food and shelter at Shadow Valley if they join her.

Octavia knows one way to deal with traitors and that is execution. However, with Echo looking to stick around in lieu of her banishment, Octavia tells her to find the names of anyone who wants to defect and bring those names to her. After interacting with a Wonkru couple who were originally from Shadow Valley before Praimfaya, Echo refuses to turn them in. Echo feels some remorse for what they had to go through in the bunker. No one will say what exactly happened, but Echo can tell they went through some tough times and refuses to give their names, among others, to Octavia so she can execute them.

What Echo does suggest to Octavia is that she use the flash drive that Monty created and “defects” so she can upload to Diyoza’s ship and take out their eye in the sky. Wonkru will be able to attack without being seen. As Echo and the other defectors run to Diyoz’a ship, Octavia has ordered Cooper to shoot and kill some of the defectors, to the surprise of Bellamy, to make the defection look more convincing to Diyoza. Once Echo and the others make it aboard Diyoza ships, they are briefly stripped of any valuables and fitted with shock collars — but not before Echo hides the flash drive in the bullet wound of one of the defectors.

I Hope You Know What You’re Doing

Madi reuniting with Clarke is great, but Clarke’s concern kicks in as she realizes Octavia’s leadership can be challenged by Madi. Madi being a true nightblood poses a threat to Octavia’s leadership of Wonkru and she fears for Madi’s safety. When Octavia asked Madi how she survived, Clarke quickly lies and claims she gave Madi synthetic nightblood. Madi later tells the lie about her blood to Gaia as well before Clarke can step in. Later in Clarke and Madi’s tent, Clarke’s old friend Nyla comes in and basically questions Madi’s synthetic nightblood. Once Nyla realizes that Clarke is lying, Nyla is attacked from behind by Gaia and is knocked out with formaldehyde.

Gaia warns Clarke that Nyla is of Wonkru first and foremost and will deal with any enemy of Wonkru accordingly. Gaia wants to protect the last true nightblood as she was taught, but Clarke will protect Madi herself. Once Gaia flees and Nyla wakes up the two of them agree that in the morning Clarke will tell Octavia Madi’s identity. Clarke is ready to defect to Diyoza’s ship to protect Madi, but Madi goes to Octavia and tells Octavia her true heritage before Clarke can. Octavia and Madi perform a ritual where they cut each other’s hands and embraced making Madi officially a member of Wonkru. Octavia tells Madi her training starts tomorrow. Octavia also tells Clarke that she understands why she lied to protect Madi, but she doesn’t have to protect Madi anymore and she will do it since Madi is Wonkru now.   

Another strong episode. Seeing Murphy and Emori begin to work out their differences is fine as I didn’t want to see the two of them — who have been close since the end of season 2 — be at odds for much longer. With the two of them capturing McCreary I can’t wait to see how they leverage this situation. After the Bellamy and Octavia sparing session, there wasn’t a ton of action in this episode. Nonetheless, I am always here for the mental game of chess and watching Octavia and Diyoza attack without laying a finger on each other was great.

Yes, Octavia may have made the defection look too real by killing her own people, but shooting that one Shadow Valley woman gave Echo somewhere to hide the flash drive or the mission would have ended before they started. When characters we love have their moment, as Bellamy and Echo had, before parting it usually means we’ll be losing one of them pretty soon. However, Echo is a badass in her own right and consistently has made the right call in tough situations so I’m confident she will be fine. Madi’s safety is another story. Octavia has made it clear she will do whatever she deems necessary for the survival of Wonkru. Octavia’s advisors of Gaia, Cooper, and Indra have pulled her in different directions throughout the season. Will any of them nudge them in the direction of eliminating a potential threat to leadership during this time of war?