The 100 – Wanheda Part Two

I have many questions from the second episode of The 100’s Season 3. But I don’t feel like asking any of them except:

Is Roan the new Bellamy?

Now, at first glance, the obvious answer is “No, lady. You are on drugs. Bellamy is a beautiful snowflake and can never be replicated in all of his tortured nerdish glory.” But remember Bellamy from season 1? Seemingly amoral jackass who serves as a counterpoint to Clarke trying to do the right thing? Constantly trying to assert that he actually doesn’t care about anyone besides himself? Lots of macho posturing which we finally learn is a disguise he wears to hide his vulnerable puppy heart? Yeah…that Bellamy. Not long into the first season we learn that Bellamy is actual a complex human being who, when faced with the consequences of his mistakes, will go to any length to make things right and protect his people. Season 2 is basically the season of Bellamy’s redemption arc, in which he goes to hell and back to save as many humans as possible.

So here we are at season 3 where we are faced with a new Bellamy. A softer Bellamy. A Bellamy who lovingly brushes the hair out of captured Clarke’s face and tenderly whispers “I’ll get you outta here”…all but promising her the world with his eyes…or something like that. I may be a little biased.

Enter bad boy bountyhunter Roan. Taking down three Ice Nation warriors before Clarke even makes it halfway across a field tells us he’s a guy you don’t want to mess with. He doesn’t say much, but when he speaks it’s usually something to show how little he cares that he’s bringing Clarke to her death. In this second episode we find out that Roan is more than just another morally ambiguous opportunist…he is the banished Prince Roan of the Ice Nation whose current objective is to capture Clarke and use her to restore his honor so that he can finally go home to his people. Sounds to me like the beginning of a redemption arc…

Lastly, one of my favorite parallels between season 1 Bellamy and season 3 Roan is that both of them respond to Clarke’s opinions with the same exasperation:

I can not wait to see what episode 3 will bring, but hopefully it will include more of the dynamic relationships for which I have come to depend on The 100.

Plus…Clarke spat in Lexa’s face and called her a bitch. She had it comin’.