The 100 is an entertaining yet frustrating sci-fi show that includes several points throughout its seven-season run where audiences have debated quitting the show altogether. The CW show ran longer than it should have. Still, it contains a fascinating exploration of humanity and the morals of its main characters, which gets tested with each season's unique antagonist figures. However, this means many of The 100's characters are "ruined" through decisions and arcs that appear to come out of nowhere. This often leads to a complicated and unpredictable, exciting and irritating show.
The 100 takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, with its main characters being juvenile delinquents sent to Earth to determine its habitability. While on Earth, the core group of characters encounters other survivors, leading to some gripping conflict in each season. Throughout its seven seasons, The 100 took several narrative risks, which included shocking deaths, unexpected character arcs, and the introduction of unlikely locations and new characters. Many of these factors were divisive for fans, with some applauding The 100's ambition, but many more deciding their time with the show had come to an end.
10 Jaha And A.L.I.E.
A Divisive Character Went In An Unfavorable Direction
The direction in which The 100 took the character of Thelonious Jaha is frustrating, with the character's actions in season 3 being reason enough to quit the show. Season 3 explores the subject of artificial intelligence through the character A.L.I.E. Jaha has an especially strong interest in A.L.I.E. as the promise of the City of Light guarantees a life without pain. One of the biggest motivators for Jaha is a pain-free life without the reminder of his deceased son Wells, who he loses early on in season 1.
Jaha teams up with A.L.I.E. to recruit as many people into the City of Light by identifying others' pain, be it physical or emotional, and assuring it'll all go away, so long as they join him. Luckily, many of the characters who submit themselves to A.L.I.E. come out of the experience unharmed. Though Jaha was never a fan-favorite character in The 100, it's a shame he was never able to fully redeem himself afterward.
9 The Introduction Of Sanctum
A Departure From Earlier Seasons Didn't Fully Work
In many ways, The 100 season 6 is the start of the post-apocalyptic series' downfall. The introduction of the Sanctum setting mostly works. The new location is fascinating to further explore with every episode and additional characters make for some intriguing conflict. However, many of the storylines fail to garner the same excitement present in earlier seasons. A difference in pacing and a setting that's new and not entirely convincing is enough for some audiences to drop the series altogether.
Character arcs in The 100 had never been perfectly executed in previous seasons, but much of season 6 saw promising arcs be mishandled. That's not to say audiences completely detested season 6 and the introduction of Sanctum. The ambition was still exciting to a large portion of the fandom. One of the best episodes of The 100 season 6 saw Clarke go head-to-head with Josephine, which brought out a new side of Eliza Taylor as an actor that was refreshing and absorbing.
8 Bellamy Supporting Pike
The Move Was Uncharacteristic And Resulted In Tragedy
At the beginning of The 100, Bellamy Blake was a rebel who encouraged others to act in opposition to Clarke. Throughout the first two seasons, Bellamy grows an impressive amount and becomes a fan-favorite character, as he does everything it takes to protect those he cares about. However, after tragedy strikes in season 3, Bellamy's determination to protect the greater good gets the better of him. The switch in Bellamy's alliances came out of nowhere and wasn't welcomed by fans of the show.
In response to an explosion at Mount Weather, Bellamy takes the side of the newly appointed Chancellor Pike. Despite his extreme actions, Pike gains support from others and, with the help of Bellamy, successfully kills roughly 300 Grounders. The drastic measures taken by Pike were difficult enough to process, but seeing Bellamy blindly by his side through it all was an added burden audiences weren't prepared for.
7 Finn And The Grounder Killings
An Unlikable Character Commits One Final Cruel Act
Finn Collins' time on The 100 was short-lived. He was an integral part of season 1, but by the next season, Finn's actions had grown tired, and it's easy to understand why audiences might have wanted to quit the show because of it. This is especially true when Finn commits an uncharacteristic act in season 2. The Grounders are the first people the series' titular group comes in contact with in season 1, acting primarily as antagonists. However, the two groups eventually work toward an amicable relationship.
Forming such a relationship is made complicated when Finn takes out a large group of Grounders he assumes has something to do with Clarke's disappearance in season 2. At this point, Finn wasn't beloved by audiences due to his unsettled romantic feelings for both Clarke and Raven. Adding his murderous actions on top of that was the reason for many to feel as though they'd had enough of The 100.
6 Ontari Killing The Nightblood Children
One Of The Darker Moments On The Show
The 100 has its gritty moments here and there and immerses audiences into its fictional world with shocking moments that increase with each season. By season 3, The 100 got darker than audiences had anticipated and might have turned away from some viewers who weren't expecting such ruthless acts of murder. This particular act is carried out by Ontari, a Nightblood who is determined to be the next Commander after Lexa dies. Rather than follow tradition by participating in a battle to the death, Ontari murders all of her opponents.
Ontari proudly owns up to her actions by holding up the head of a deceased child to declare her victory. Ontari's actions shocked audiences as much as they did the characters within the show. Though the dark turn of events might have caused some viewers to quit the show, the direction The 100 was going looked promising to others. The Grounder culture further explored at this point in the show was exciting and effectively added to the series' overall lore.
5 Bellamy's Absence In The Final Season
A Beloved Character Was Missing For Inconsistent Reasons
Season 7 is often viewed as the worst season of The 100. The pacing was slower, and the new characters and settings introduced weren't given a proper amount of time to be explored. This meant many fans struggled to be invested so close to the end of the series. While a handful of viewers stuck it out and made it to the series finale, others quit, understandably so, especially when the main characters of The 100 started to be sidelined, including Bellamy.
Bellamy, played by Bob Morley, was largely absent in the final season of The 100 due to the actor's request to take a break from acting. Bellamy's absence provided one final mystery for the series' characters to solve, but it was soon revealed he had joined the Disciple's cause, seemingly betraying his friends. Such a move for the character was reminiscent of his alliance with Pike earlier in the series, undoing the lessons he was supposed to have learned.
4 Clarke Pulling The Lever
It Acts As A Final Straw For The Unlikable Protagonist
Throughout The 100's run, tough decisions have to be made by the series' characters. They are often put in situations where they're given two options and both have dire consequences. One of these decisions occurred in season 2, and it was in the hands of Clarke. To prevent the extraction of bone marrow from her family and friends, Clarke pulled a lever connected to Mount Weather's air filtration system and killed all the inhabitants. This decision continued to haunt several of The 100's characters for the rest of the series.
Clarke isn't a likable character, as many of the biggest life-or-death decisions are given to her to choose, and her selection almost always leaves others upset. In addition to some of the horrible, though minor, decisions she made before pulling the lever, it was the latter act that made other people view her differently. This includes characters within the show and audiences who found it difficult to follow a divisive protagonist, ultimately quitting the show.
3 Octavia Becoming The Red Queen
A Beloved Character Appears To Be Irredeemable
In The 100, the most intense character arc is given to Octavia Blake. From the beginning, audiences are made aware of the traumatic life Octavia has lived, starting with living under the floor due to the Ark's one-child rule. In season 5, Octavia fully commits to her leadership role in the bunker and punishes those who question or speak against her. After it's made clear that she is not a force to be messed with, Octavia is known as Blodreina or the Red Queen.
As Blodreina, Octavia makes appalling decisions that are unlike anything the character had done in the seasons before. This drastic shift in Octavia's personality was shocking, and with one violent act committed after another, it's understandable why audiences would choose to quit the show at this point. There are a few moments when it appears Octavia is beyond the ability to redeem herself, but the remaining seasons of The 100 wrap up her journey well.
2 Bellamy's Death
The Circumstances Surrounding His Death Were Poorly Handled
There weren't many deaths in The 100 that felt predictable, but one that truly shocked audiences was that of Bellamy. The character, as previously mentioned, had been missing from much of the final season. However, when he did appear, it was clear his goals didn't align with the rest of the group, especially Clarke. Believing sacrificing Bellamy was the best decision for those she cared about most, Clarke shot him. Bellamy's death occurred within the last few episodes of the series, with many fans still choosing to finish the show.
However, the handling of Bellamy's death is reason enough to quit the show out of frustration. Killing a character like Bellamy makes sense, especially for a show like The 100, where no decision appears to be too extreme. The issue with Bellamy's death comes from the way it was handled. In addition to his murder being carried out by Clarke, audiences were upset about how anticlimactic Bellamy's death was and how his character's beliefs undid much of the progress made up until that point.
1 Lexa's Death
Her Death Felt Unnecessary And Hurtful To The LGBTQ+ Community
During her time on The 100, Lexa proved to be a focused and tough leader who was respected by many. However, in addition to being a strong, admirable woman on-screen, she is most beloved by fans because of her romantic relationship with Clarke. The two had a unique connection from the start, but just as soon as they had a true romantic exchange with one another, Lexa was accidentally killed. Her manner of death felt unconvincing, and many fans considered it to feed into the "bury your gays" trope.
Audiences were upset that Lexa's death was unnecessarily tragic and came at the time that it did. The response to Lexa's death was largely negative, and many opted to quit the show when it was clear there was no way for Lexa to return. In response to the upset, showrunner Jason Rothenberg apologized to fans, stating the intent with Lexa's character was never to bait or hurt audiences. Still, despite being through unfortunate circumstances, Lexa's death led to a fascinating plot about the Flame and Nightbloods.
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
English (US) ·