There was a time when Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake were the leaders that defined The 100.
Their legacy as individuals made the show stand out, and their connection to one another allowed the world of The 100 to thrive.
Clarke Griffin stole our hearts as the lead that transcended the space she was in, with her strength, hope, and determination paving the way for something very rare. The fact that she was also the first bisexual female lead on a network TV show was just another reason she was so incredible.
Bellamy Blake became an extraordinary male lead through his development, his emotionally charged journey, and the way that he is still the heart of The 100. Bob Morley redefined the role, and he represents one of very few half Filipino male leads on our TV screens.
But what started as just trying to separate Bellamy and Clarke from one another because of their soulmate chemistry become separating the two of them from their screentime.
Bellamy Blake was the first to go, with Bob Morley not appearing in the first four episodes only to return during The 100 Season 7 Episode 5 for a split second in a fake-out death scene.
Clarke Griffin wasn’t the far behind, though, with her not being the driving force for any storylines and being underused when the show remembers that she exists.
The 100’s most significant problem in its final season is forgetting what made it last this long in the first place. It seems confused about who its leads are, and it’s alienating the audience that has stuck around this long because of Eliza Taylor and Bob Morley’s presence on the show.
Bellamy and Clarke Creating Unity During Their Season 1 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Bellamy and Clarke’s separated by their principles.
This initial introduction to The 100 was also an introduction to what would become one of the most important relationships.
Bellamy and Clarke weren’t exactly leading together initially, but they still couldn’t stay away from one another. Their outlooks on leadership and on keeping people safe molded together as soon as the two of them started to grow closer.
But The 100 Season 1 wouldn’t have been what it was if it wasn’t centered on this dynamic. The fact of the matter is that Bellamy and Clarke’s back and forth drove the show to where it is today.
Fixating on Eliza Taylor’s stellar performance as Clarke Griffin, a girl just trying to keep everyone alive was remarkable. It was also extraordinary following Bob Morley’s mind0blowing development arc for Bellamy Blake, a guy learning that his soul is what he needs to listen to so that he can survive with his sister.
It was epic, and it was what set the bar so high to begin with on the show. The 100 might not like looking at the past, but the history of the show is what shaped these expectations all these years later.
Bellamy and Clarke Growing Closer Together During Their Season 2 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Bellamy sent off to Mount Weather, and Clarke forced to lead alone.
A lot was going on between Bellamy and Clarke reuniting to Finn dying to Clarke shutting off her feelings (for Bellamy) to them trying to stop Mount Weather.
It wasn’t always easy, and the emotional mess was even worse, but at the root of it, Bellamy and Clarke were still them.
The 100 Season 2 is when they found their footing with one another. Bellamy and Clarke could lean on each other because their relationship now included one another, and it finally made sense.
The fact that Clarke shut her feelings done halfway through wasn’t ideal, but at the same time, that didn’t stop the two from being on the same page. They had their people to look after, and the only way it worked was when Bellamy and Clarke found each other again.
Bellamy and Clarke Finding Their Way Back To Leading Together During Their Season 3 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Bellamy struggling in Arkadia and Clarke struggling in Polis
The 100 Season 3 introduced and proved what it meant for the show when the leads weren’t actually leading together.
It had happened before but not to the same extent. it was usually out of necessity but this time it was the two of them removing one another from the other’s life.
And the fact that this was the season where it felt like aspects of the show were going downhill was just a coincidence.
Still, Bellamy and Clarke finding their way back to their connection is what kickstarted the end of some of their problems. Their people were finally able to find a way to deal with the big issue of the season, and Bellamy and Clarke were themselves again. Together.
Bellamy and Clarke Looking To Save The World During Their Season 4 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Bellamy left behind in Arkadia and Clarke pushed to Becca’s lab
It was up to Bellamy and Clarke to figure out how to save everyone from the end of the world.
The attempts, but successful and not so successful, couldn’t have happened if the two of them weren’t leading the troops. It was what made the audience invested in what the solution would be.
It also wasn’t a coincidence that somehow ironically, it was the ridiculous end of the world separation that was used as a plot twist and as a shake-up for The 100 Season 4.
Bellamy and Clarke Relearning Each Other As Leaders During Their Season 5 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Bellamy spent six years in space while Clarke spent six years on Earth
Bellamy and Clarke struggled as leaders at first, mainly because one of them spent six years thinking the other was dead. Clarke was waiting all this time for her person to come back, and Bellamy took all that time to mourn the loss of his person.
But that disconnect served as an example of why Bellamy and Clarke needed to be leaders because, without one another, they couldn’t function to the best of their abilities.
It took a while, but that emotional (and as always physical) distance made that reunion that much more important during The 100 Season 5.
Bellamy and Clarke Savoring Their Time With One Another During Their Season 6 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Clarke forced out of her mind
Even the possibility of death couldn’t break the bond between Bellamy and Clarke during The 100 Season 6.
Bellamy stopped at nothing to get his other half back, and then they were right back at it, making choices to keep their people safe. It was easier to deal with “Clarke” being missing because Eliza Taylor had the screentime to flex her acting muscles as Josephine.
And there was also the small fact of Bellamy spending the entire season fighting for Clarke.
Their connection as leaders and leads of the show was what captivated the audience, once again solidifying one of the most important aspects of The 100.
Bellamy and Clarke Having Screentime As They Continue To Lead Their Own Show During Their Season 7 Journey
Separation Tactic Of The Season: Taking away Bellamy from the narrative and taking Clarke away from all storytelling
We could pretend, but there’s really no reason to anymore.
Bellamy Blake is nowhere to be found. Clarke Griffin is a shell of who she used to be.
Even with that bringing the energy of the last season to an all-time low, what could be if Bellamy and Clarke find their way back to one another (and to our TV screens) is worth the wait.
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What was your favorite season when it comes to Bellamy and Clarke’s leadership? Which decision as leaders did you most enjoy exploring? What were the best leading moments for Bellamy? What was the best leading moments for Clarke?
How much are we missing the moments when Clarke was the lead and Bellamy was on our screen? How are we feeling about the season in general so far?
Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below!
For The 100 fans still looking for some more nostalgia, TV Fanatic has a special new ongoing The 100 interview series. “Looking Back on The 100” that centers on monumental cast members and characters from the show that left behind a legacy.
We recently spoke with Eli Goree about his time on the show during The 100 Season 1 and the mark he left behind. Then we also spoke with Michael Beach and the journey he had when it came to The 100.
We then had the chance to take a walk down memory lane with the iconic Christopher Larkin, as he talked about his time playing Monty Green. And we got to hear Aaron Ginsburg’s insight on his most iconic episodes and his writing journey on The 100.
We also got to speak with Zach McGowan about that special return he made on the show.
Keep checking TV Fanatic for more upcoming interviews with surprise cast members from seasons past.
The 100 airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
Share all your thoughts with us in the comments section! Stick around TV Fanatic for more features, slideshows, episode previews, interviews, and reviews of the upcoming season, and watch The 100 online if you need to catch up on the adventure.
Yana Grebenyuk is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.