S02.E09: Remember Me

[maraleia]

 

Clarke strikes a deal with Lexa and Indra. Abby and Kane begin to realize that decision making powers are out of their hands. A seething Raven is unable to control her emotions. A bold move threatens to destroy the newly formed alliance between the sky people and the Grounders, and a familiar face haunts Clarke. Meanwhile, back at Mount Weather, Monty comes up with a risky plan.

 

[bluebonnet]

While watching this I realized that I had somehow missed the mid-season finale where Finn died.  I had to stop and go watch episode 8 before finishing this one.

 

I'm finding the show is improving with age.  It feels gritty and a lot less cheesy than season 1.  It's hard to put my finger on it, but there's some sort of "IT" factor with this show.  Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Athena5217]

I'm tired of the Grounders-Ark people alliance falling apart 3 times per episode, and the Grounder response always being to kill. considering the original nuclear war and the trigger happy Grounders, I don't understand how anyone is still alive on the planet. Honestly, based on what we've seen of the Grounders and the Mount Weather people, I don't think humanity deserves to survive. Perhaps the 2-headed deer should be given a chance to run things.

[Carrie Ann]

I'm tired of the Grounders-Ark people alliance falling apart 3 times per episode, and the Grounder response always being to kill. considering the original nuclear war and the trigger happy Grounders, I don't understand how anyone is still alive on the planet. Honestly, based on what we've seen of the Grounders and the Mount Weather people, I don't think humanity deserves to survive.

 

I mean...I would include The Ark people in any discussion about whether humanity deserves to survive. They killed every adult who ever broke a law. They sent 100 kids down to Earth practically sure they would die. I hope the show is trying to demonstrate that every one of these societies, in survival mode, has adopted inhumane practices and beliefs. They were pretty heavy-handed with that message tonight: lots of "we're the same" kind of talk.

 

Anyway, I too feel a little fatigued by the constant breakdowns of any alliance, but I'm hoping we're in a detente for a little while anyway. And I do love that the show always complicates things and throws shit at the characters to figure out. So far, they've done a pretty good job of making the characters approach these issues in ways that feel right based on who they all are as individuals.

 

That said, it will be hard to figure Clarke out in the future, because they took her down a path I didn't expect for her. Sending Bellamy off with an "it's worth the risk" was pretty cold. I do hope they don't keep her in this mode for too long, because that emotionlessness can get tedious from a lead character. Also...I feel like Lincoln just marched off to his death. Again. I love him, and I don't want him to die, but I'm in constant fear for everyone on this show (aside from Clarke & Bellamy who I think are safe).

Edited January 22, 2015 by Carrie Ann

[placate]

I'm amazed, I was actually more into the Mountain arc of this episode.  I really hope we saw the last of Finn. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Oh noes !!!! Clarke has the guilts about killing Finn and is seeing him EVERYWHERE.

 

The Grounders seem to have been really defanged since the early days of Season 1 -- back then they were this ferocious group of marauders basically killing anything in their path.  And now, we're having dinner and drinks.

 

Now Raven has a 5 or more serious cuts on her arms and stomach to go with the marginally healed bullet wound and lame leg (that she doesn't even walk with a limp any more, at least they remembered to keep her wearing the brace).  And Raven dodges the death of a thousand cuts because Clarke figures out it was Lexa's bodyguard that tried to poison her.

 

Really Mt. Weather -- one guy in the control room.  What was it the night shift ? The weekend crew ?  And are the Mt. Weatherites so inept that they didn't pick up the fact that they were broadcasting in the clear after an incursion in the control room by unauthorized person ? Or the fact the jamming has been disabled ?

 

Now that they killed the traitor in the Grounders' midst, are they going to have a big bonfire for him too ?  About that big bonfire earlier, did they really keep the other 18 bodies wrapped up and awaiting the return of the Grounder army so they could torch them

?  Because I doubt that fire got hot enough to incinerate all those bodies.  Plus, its been a few days since those 18 Grounders were killed, they were probably getting pretty ripe.

 

Why would Clarke even turn on the radio in the first place ?  Or did they just leave it on all the time since there are Radio Shacks all over the place that survived the war for battery replacements ?  I would have been more impressed if the repeating message on the radio consisted of 6 numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) followed by an incremental counter </snark>

 

Seriously, they are in Washington, D.C. at the Grounders home camp, yet Bellamy and crew are all primed to stomp though the woods over 60 or so miles in the dark back to Mt. Weather.  They'll probably get there by morning.

 

Is Clarke going to spread Finn's ashes in the sex bunker ?  And how did Abby know they weren't the ashes of the other 18 dead grounders (or is a little mix of everyone one with some wood ash good enough for a symbolic ash spreading)?  Speaking of the sex bunker, are they ever going to bury that poor dead Grounder bastard lying on the floor of the sex bunker ?

 

Sucks to be Monty -- he's the newspaper lining the bottom of the birdcage for the person above him (let the steady stream of piss and shit commence).

[absnow54]

And are the Mt. Weatherites so inept that they didn't pick up the fact that they were broadcasting in the clear after an incursion in the control room by unauthorized person ? Or the fact the jamming has been disabled ?

I think Monty only disabled jamming on the frequency that they were transmitting their distress signal, so unless they're looking specifically at that part of the spectrum, it could go undetected for a while.

 

That said, it will be hard to figure Clarke out in the future, because they took her down a path I didn't expect for her. Sending Bellamy off with an "it's worth the risk" was pretty cold.

That part killed me! Especially since the episode revolved around grounder!Bellamy betraying grounder!Clarke. I'm sure something will go terribly wrong with the Mount Weather rescue, and Clarke's love for her people will prevail and she'll go back to caring too much, but for now, the look on Bellamy's face when she was like, "Meh, if you die, you die," broke my heart.

[FurryFury]

Not the most exciting episode (the plot was kinda predictable), but I guess it is to be expected after the intensity of the previous one. Not to mention it was clearly a setup for the upcoming events. I still liked it (thank god for character moments! So many shows forget them, but not this one), with the exception of the Mount Weather B-plot, mostly because I still don't really care that much about Jasper and Monty. They worked all right as comic relief, but they aren't interesting enough to carry out their own story. And Maya still annoys me.

Also, oh so many cliches! Covering a hole with a picture. A fake-out make-out. And Monty getting caught wasn't shocking, too.

 

I liked the way they set up Lexa, the Grounders' leader. She seems to be a visionary, and I really want to know how she's managed to unite the tribes and got her people to obey her.

 

Didn't care for the visions at all, but I enjoyed the first scene of the episode, when Clarke breaks down but wipes her tears and regains control in a second when Grounders come. That wasn't overdone as some of the later scenes, and thank god for not too many tears, for some reasons, nominally strong heroines are prone to having too much of that. A more internalized way of grieving is much more preferable for me than a hysteric, and more true to the character for Clarke. The dilemma of whether a commander should shut off their emotions felt right. I expect struggling with it to be Clarke's next character arc. However, the execution of this idea (which isn't the most original already) was flawed, too on-the-nose. I'd prefer if it was more subtle. Still, I enjoyed Clarke in this episode, and the resurgence of her issues with her mom's betrayal of her father was a nice touch.

 

Finally, they're starting to flesh Lincoln out. I guess it's better late than never.

 

Also, because it needs to be said: poor Raven. Not only is she disabled and has just lost her ex-bf and basically the most important person (at the hands of her friend, to boot), but then she's tortured and almost killed for something she hasn't done.  Her life really, really sucks.

 

Bellamy gets something to do! That's nice. I kinda missed him. I hope he'll get a story connected with him being basically the Gustus to Clarke's Lexa. This is a dynamic I'm interested in.

Edited January 22, 2015 by FurryFury

[driedfruit]

So we went from Bellarke squared to cubed. Well, ^2.5 now.

 

Maybe because it's been a while, but I thought the episode was pretty good. Granted not a lot happened, and we're still where we were at the midseason final, give or take a few miles. But I was happy to get character moments. This season has been moving so fast, there just hasn't been enough of those.

 

I never gave a damn about Finn, but I did feel for Clarke. Partly because Eliza is so great. The girl breaks my heart every time. Wherever this post-guilt stone heart thing is going to lead, I'm here for it. And finally, she and Abby had the daddy talk. Though Abby still far surpasses in the stone cold category.

 

I knew Clarke would snap out of it and rush off to rescue Raven. Because who else was gonna do it? Or really, do anything? I had to laugh at the shot of them all standing around useless... Which is like, what, every episode? But at least Abby, Kane, and Bellamy know their place now. 

 

Other characters also got some much needed room to breath, mainly Lincoln and Lexa. Good to see all isn't forgiven with Lincoln. Also good to see him cleaned up nice. It took me a while to warm up to Lexa, probably because I still miss Anya, but she had decent character moments and the actress certainly holds her own. But that sword was an unexpected surprise when the Grounder weapons are generally less elegant. Maybe they pick their commander in a sword fighting tournament. Because I still need to know why a twenty-something is in charge. 

 

I'd already been spoiled about Monty's capture, but it was still good to see him and the others do stuff. Jasper's girlfriend is growing on me, just not Jasper. I would've rather it'd been him captured over Monty or Harper. 

 

Looks like Bellamy and Lincoln will make themselves slightly less useless in the next couple of episodes. But more than likely they'll make a mess of it and need rescuing. And Jaha is indefinitely imprisoned.

[Coxfires]

Monty being abducted is becoming the "My God they killed Kenny" of each season. I'm surprised poor Harper is still alive.

 

I knew Clarke would snap out of it and rush off to rescue Raven. Because who else was gonna do it? Or really, do anything? I had to laugh at the shot of them all standing around useless... Which is like, what, every episode? But at least Abby, Kane, and Bellamy know their place now.

 

 

Yeah, Clarke's omnipotence is starting to get a bit too much for me, but in this particular case, I could get why the Sky People wouldn't do anything when Raven was tied up, because: 1) they would have been killed on the spot and 2) that would have ended up all chance of truce. But it wouldn't have hurt if the one figured out that the cup was poisoned hadn't been Clarke, but Abby, or Kane, for once.

 

Looks like Bellamy and Lincoln will make themselves slightly less useless in the next couple of episodes. But more than likely they'll make a mess of it and need rescuing. And Jaha is indefinitely imprisoned

This. We know they'll fuck up/get their ass kicked. And I'm all for badass leader women, but can guys be sometimes useful in this show?

 

Also, because it needs to be said: poor Raven. Not only is she disabled and has just lost her ex-bf and basically the most important person (at the hands of her friend, to boot), but then she's tortured and almost killed for something she hasn't done.  Her life really, really sucks.

 

Seriously, ever since she came with that pod to Earth, she just had shit thrown at her face day after day. I could see her snap and blow them all.

 

Other than that, the number of parallel and anvils in this episode was up the roof. Me thinks Clarke will ending having the choice to go Lexa route (no emotion, love/care is a weakness) or her Mom's (rely on the people you care about to go forward) regarding Bellamy. But it feels a little like a bis repetita of last year.

 

I never gave a damn about Finn, but I did feel for Clarke.

 

 

His apparitions were the weakest part of the episode. The eyes opening didn't bother me, but Clarke talking to him was too much. We get it: it haunts her, writers, no need to make it that obvious. Eliza can act it without the Finn cameo.

 

I'd already been spoiled about Monty's capture, but it was still good to see him and the others do stuff. Jasper's girlfriend is growing on me, just not Jasper. I would've rather it'd been him captured over Monty or Harper.

 

 

Ditto, except that I don't care about Maya either. I'd rather have more Miller than both Jasper and Maya.

 

And I'd like to see Murphy next episode.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Seriously, ever since she came with that pod to Earth, she just had shit thrown at her face day after day. I could see her snap and blow them all.

 

Away.  I think you meant 'Blow them all away'.

 

If not, this would be a really different show.I

 

ETA: I seem to recall they did a version of this mistaken workplay in an episode of Arrested Development when Michael accidentally put a prostitute in charge of the Bluth company.

Edited January 22, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Coxfires]

Away.  I think you meant 'Blow them all away'.

If not, this would be a really different show

 

 

Ha!! Yeah, sorry, I'm French, my English can get clunky at times. But, you know, if this show was on HBO....

[shrewd.buddha]

Yay! There has been peace long enough that the open wounds on people's faces have stopped oozing and started to heal.

 

Boo! These poor people never catch a break. They never have time to appreciate the clean air, the two-headed animals and glowing butterflies. 

 

What bad luck that all the Space People's ships  managed to land in the middle of a Grounder versus Mountain People war. Why has no one suggested moving to a less stab-y neighborhood? But I guess there's never much time to plan that, what with all the killing and going to war and all... 

Edited January 22, 2015 by shrewd.buddha

[thuganomics85]

I can't believe Kane has become my favorite adult after his behavior last season, but I really love how he's like "Well, clearly Clarke is running the show!" and seems totally fine with it.  I find it interesting that out of the three main adults, he seems to be more willing to accept that Clarke and the younger folks, are going to be the ones dealing with the Grounders, and stepping up leaders.  I can understand why Abbie is hesitant, due to her being Clarke's mom, but I think Kane is making the right call here.

 

Glad Finn's death was permanent, although I see they found a way to give the actor more screen time, by having him "haunt" Clarke.  I still am glad he's no longer around, although I did feel for Clarke.  Not surprised Raven took it hard, and was mean to Clarke, but hopefully she now realizes that Clarke actually saved him a lot of pain.  But, at this point, how much more damage can Raven take?  Lose her eyes?  A hand?  Poor woman is getting put through the ringer.

 

Not surprised the whole poison bit was a set-up.  I hope they quit with these fake-outs.  I really find myself liking Lexa and the balance the show has found with her, which means I still worry something bad is going to happen.  I'm still giving a major side-eye to Indra; I think she is going to try something.

 

Now that Bellamy is going to Mt. Weather to be an inside man, I hope this means he'll have more to do.  And, with Lincoln going with him, I hope this also lets Octavia do more then just worry about him.

 

Oh, Monty.  At least you got the message through, but you should have been more prepared.  Hope you can hold out till the gang arrives, because I doubt Jasper can bail you out. 

[TwistedandBored]

I am all for Clarke being an awesome female on TV but the character is getting on my nerves lately. I don't why but every time she figures something out or something…I just roll my eyes. Other than that the episode was fine. 

[Minneapple]

Clarke figures out it was Lexa's bodyguard that tried to poison her.

It was Bellamy who figured that out. Clarke only realized the poison wasn't in the bottle but in the cup. Bellamy had realized that Gustus would do anything for Lexa (because Bellamy would do anything for Clarke).

It appears that Bellamy will get a storyline of his own now, though. Which is good. He's kind of been stuck in neutral for awhile.

The whole story of Clarke killing Finn reminds me of Buffy -- Clarke killed Finn just as Buffy killed Angel, and Clarke is mentally running away just as Buffy physically ran away.

[FurryFury]

Yeah, Clarke killing Finn was even shot in a similar way to Buffy killing Angel. Although I think Clarke's issues are somewhat different from Buffy's, because for Buffy, the emotional trauma was much stronger. The world Clarke lives in sucks already, at this point, she has had quite a few tragedies in her life (her father's death, her mother's betrayal, having to survive on the ground, Wells' death, etc.), so she's kinda used to it, I think. Her problem is finding a way to be a leader without destroying herself emotionally. Buffy didn't have to be a leader (until s7, anyway).

Edited January 23, 2015 by FurryFury

[Kirsty]

The show framed Clarke's decision to send Bellamy to infiltrate Mount Weather as an ice cold coping mechanism in the wake of Finn's death. As though it was unhealthy, as though it meant she was shutting everyone out and trying to cut off all warm feelings for her people.

 

But I thought it was simply a sound decision and good leadership?! I don't think it was unhealthy; it's their best shot. I actually agree with her that insisting Bellamy doesn't go (as she did at the beginning of the episode) was weak. She *was* letting fear rule her then.

 

So what's going to happen to Bellamy in Mount Weather? Will he be captured and turned into a super soldier like Lincoln or do they only do that to the Grounders?

[Coxfires]

Well, going in Mountain Weather was Bellamy's idea at first, I don't think what hurt him was her agreeing on it but the way she sayed it. It sounded less "I agree, you should go" than "you're expandable". The décision was the right one, the way she worded it could have been better.

[patchwork]

And maybe he liked the idea of being important enough to somebody that he wasn't expendable, especially to Clarke.  

 

I hope Clarke okaying the infiltration plan means we'll be getting more Bellamy screen time, I like what they're doing with Clarke but Bellamy hasn't had much to do lately. 

[shapeshifter]

...I feel like Lincoln just marched off to his death. Again.

*sigh*

Well, it shouldn't be too many more episodes before Octavia gives him the talk. You know: "Now that you've got a baby to think about, you can't keep jaywalking across Vancouver Island."

...Why would Clarke even turn on the radio in the first place ?  Or did they just leave it on all the time since there are Radio Shacks all over the place that survived the war for battery replacements ?  I would have been more impressed if the repeating message on the radio consisted of 6 numbers (4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42) followed by an incremental counter </snark>

I hope they have crank or solar power radios like mine: http://www.npr.org/nprshop/downloads/FR400.pdf

[KittenPokerCheater]

The show is definitely improving, but I tell you, if they kill off Jasper or Bellamy, I am done.  I really like how their characters have grown.

 

Given the whole "snow queen" tribe (who I guess lives somewhere far away and snowy), I hope we don't see them.  They've got enough going on with Mount Weather, and what will happen when they defeat/make a truce with them.

 

How is Bellamy going to sneak into mount weather and blend in?  It's not as if they don't know know who they took in.

 

Can someone remind me who Harper is?  The other person in the cage?

Edited January 26, 2015 by KittenPokerCheater

[Carrie Ann]

I think she's the girl who was keeping watch in the scene where Jasper, Miller, Monty, and the Mount Weather girl (sorry, can't remember her name) broke into that office. When they went back out the door, she was gone, and at the end of the episode we see her presumably having her marrow drained. I think...?

[whirlingdervish]

The show is definitely improving, but I tell you, if they kill off Jasper or Bellamy[/b], I am done.  I really like how their characters have grown.

Can someone remind me who Harper is?  The other person in the cage?

 

at the end of the episode we see her presumably having her marrow drained. I think...?

 

Yes to both. 

 

I'm guessing the Queen of the Ice Nation (or whatever) is going to be the big bad of Season 3, if they get there.  

[SourK]

It was legitimately scary when Monty was in the cage at the end. I was scared.

 

Bummer that Raven ended up being tortured for something she didn't even do -- especially since they all made such a big deal out of not letting the grounders torture Finn for something he did do last episode. This time they all just kind of stood there like, "Well..."

 

I can't believe Kane has become my favorite adult after his behavior last season, but I really love how he's like "Well, clearly Clarke is running the show!" and seems totally fine with it.  I find it interesting that out of the three main adults, he seems to be more willing to accept that Clarke and the younger folks, are going to be the ones dealing with the Grounders, and stepping up leaders.  I can understand why Abbie is hesitant, due to her being Clarke's mom, but I think Kane is making the right call here.

 

I actually have a hard time suspending my disbelief about this one -- it seems to me like Kane of all people would be reluctant to let some random kids tell him what to do, even if they're right -- but he has become my favourite adult character, too. One of the things I liked most about the first season was the way the writers flipped things around with him -- first making us think he was just an asshole, and then showing us that he's a good person who's trying to do the right thing in a bad situation, just like everyone else.

 

But, every time he goes all, "Let's hang back and let your teenage daughter tell us what to do!" it pulls me out of the story. It's smart of the writers to have someone other than Abby be the one who believes in Clarke, and I get that it falls on Kane because there are no other adults with main roles, but I have a hard time with it.

 

Further to the same point, about how there are no other adults with main roles (besides Jaha, who's MIA most of the time), I sense a brewing romance between Kane and Abby. Just because there's no one else.

[Carrie Ann]

I actually have a hard time suspending my disbelief about this one -- it seems to me like Kane of all people would be reluctant to let some random kids tell him what to do, even if they're right -- but he has become my favourite adult character, too. One of the things I liked most about the first season was the way the writers flipped things around with him -- first making us think he was just an asshole, and then showing us that he's a good person who's trying to do the right thing in a bad situation, just like everyone else.

 

But, every time he goes all, "Let's hang back and let your teenage daughter tell us what to do!" it pulls me out of the story. It's smart of the writers to have someone other than Abby be the one who believes in Clarke, and I get that it falls on Kane because there are no other adults with main roles, but I have a hard time with it.

 

I kinda think Kane's playing a long game here--I think he's recognized that Clarke and the kids have some knowledge of the ground that he lacks, and he realizes that the kids (and probably some of the Ark people too, at this point) see Clarke as the leader. She's the person they trust. So I feel like he's sort of biding his time, throwing his lot in with the popular side for now. But I expect him to make a power grab again sometime soon.

[driedfruit]

I kinda think Kane's playing a long game here--I think he's recognized that Clarke and the kids have some knowledge of the ground that he lacks, and he realizes that the kids (and probably some of the Ark people too, at this point) see Clarke as the leader. She's the person they trust. So I feel like he's sort of biding his time, throwing his lot in with the popular side for now. But I expect him to make a power grab again sometime soon.

 

I don't see it. Aside from the pilot, Kane has never been particularly ambitious, and his journey has been all about accepting his own shortcomings and making peace with them. I really do think he sees a genuine leader in Clarke. And I would imagine after his encounter with Lexa, seeing how wise and capable she is as a leader of her people, he seems to have re-evaluated his own view of Clarke (who is what 18 by now?).

[Jordan27]

While the show is slightly better in S2, that's faint praise.  Instead of mostly 90210 rejects running around and being stupid, now we have a more even distribution of stupid with the Grounders, the Sky people, the youngsters and pseudo vampires. 

 

There's no real focus on anyone being smart.  Just a whole bunch of decisions that always don't end well.  Plus, we have the different factions not only abusing others but abusing their own faction.  I'm not sure this world needs to survive.

 

Would win my award for the overall stupidest cast on TV.

[Lady Calypso]

Well, I was spoiled on Finn's death a while ago the many times I've come across the show over the last couple of years, but I wasn't aware of the circumstances or the aftermath of it. I mean, Finn was a pretty frustrating character because his purpose was really only to be Clarke's love interest, but he was given a decent sendoff, at least. Even silent hallucination Finn was more interesting to watch than what we were given this season with Finn...and most of last season too, come to think of it. Oh well; I was still sad for his death, but mostly because of Raven...and now, surprisingly, for how Clarke's taken it. 

I see we're getting parallels on the Grounders and the Sky People. I mean, neither group is morally better than the other. Both sides kill for revenge and for justice. 

I'm liking Lexa quite a bit. I also like Indra quite a bit. I actually find almost all the female characters fascinating and way better than a lot of the male characters.

Kane has also become my favourite adult character, and I never thought it was possible. Abby makes me roll my eyes half the time, especially with how she treats Clarke (I get it; she's a child. But she's a child YOU sent to Earth and who had to fight in order to survive), and somehow, Jaha became my least favourite main character in the last few episodes.

Harper's alive, which is only mildly surprising, but I hope Monty gets out of everything alright. I like Monty a lot more than I like Jasper; I feel like Jasper's fallen too hard for a girl he barely knows. I know, at this point, they've sped up this season so they've been trapped there for a couple of weeks, rather than a few days, but I'm not impressed with the romance angle. 

I guess the romance angle for this show is my least favourite part. I can't think of a single romantic couple they've given us that I like. Octavia has cared more about Lincoln's safety than her own brother's. Finn turned into a murderous psychopath because of his love for Clarke. 

It does suck that Raven was tortured and her people stood by and watched, but I guess after the whole Finn situation, I get why they couldn't just stop it from happening. It's not that they liked Finn better; they just knew the situation would grow worse if they tried to stop it. Still, Raven's been through a lot this season.