This is gonna be long, but I have a lot to say. I had to switch to my computer this morning to type all this out. Too much for the iPad.
Enjoyed reading the discussion in here this morning, you guys.
Kate, I loved your post. And Becks, I loved yours, too, and will respond further on Bobby's board!
(Hey, random note, but I'm sure Logan plans on doing his live stream today, and he's so great in them, but I feel like the poor guy is going to have to be a therapist to a lot of Twitter people, so drop by if you're interested in contributing to the discussion.)
Alexa, I totally understand that this is a thread where people can vent and share their views openly, which is why I acknowledged in my post that nobody was doing anything wrong. Just a personal preference, that I might have to step away if things get too doom and gloom, because it's honestly not good for my anxiety.
But I don't get the doom and gloom sense today.
Sarah, I really like the twitter thread you shared. I've been a bit surprised that people are so harsh on Bellamy right now when it parallels so many of Clarke's decisions in season 1-4. (And I think one can argue that some of Clarke's decisions were even more morally debatable than what he did here, i.e. attempting to literally FORCE Luna to take the flame, which is why I was glad Bellamy mentioned that.) I think it's just that . . . Bellamy is THAT CHARACTER, you know. Good or bad, he is the one who just generates an overwhelming emotional response in the fandom. So like after 5x03, nobody can stop talking about how much they love Bellamy. After 5x09, nobody can stop talking about how upset they are with Bellamy. Like, Octavia has literally put her brother in a gladiator pit now to fight to the death, and I don't know if people are even talking about that much right now, because they may be too busy talking about Bellamy. (I'm not venturing into the tags, so I'm clueless.)
As I said all last night both here and on Twitter and will continue to say some more,
I understand very well where both Clarke and Bellamy are coming from in this episode. I'm honestly 50/50 about it. Half of me totally supports how Clarke feels in the midst of her dilemma, half of me totally supports Bellamy. I think Bellamy has been in the ****tiest position out of everyone this season, loyalties all over the place. And Clarke's been in a ****ty position, too, feeling out of place and on the outside. I just feel so bad for both of them right now (and for Madi) because they didn't want this. They got swept up in Bloodreina's Wonkru, and were it up to them, none of this would be happening right now. But it's not up to them. They're not calling the shots. And they're both struggling with that.
The parallels to 4x11 are SO STRONG with this one, though, guys. (It's so weird, because prior to the episode, I was thinking about 4x11, and I didn't know why. Maybe subconsciously, I knew something like this would happen.) It's just that the roles are reversed. Clarke is the one chained up and powerless like Bellamy was in 4x11. Clarke is the one trying to save a loved one, like Bellamy was in 4x11. Bellamy is the one making the morally questionable decision without Clarke's agreement, just like Clarke made the decision to leave Octavia outside of that bunker. in--wait for it--4x11. (The only difference is that that decision condemned Octavia to death, whereas this decision just . . . changes things a lot.) Clarke didn't go through with her decision. Bellamy did. But yeah, STRONG parallels. And I didn't give up on Clarke then, so I certainly won't give up on Bellamy here.
Let's also remember that, after 4x11, with Clarke literally pointing a gun at Bellamy, he managed to forgive her pretty quickly. (Perhaps a little too quickly, but it didn't feel inorganic to me.) This relationship, though I believe it is founded on so many wonderful, healthy qualities, isn't necessarily a bright and shining example of a healthy relationship ALL the time. This episode and 4x11 are the two biggest examples to me of how, even though I ship Bellarke so hard and even though I think there really are so many positive things about their relationship, it's certainly not perfect. And extreme circumstances like Wonkru's war or Praimfaya tend to bring to light its biggest imperfections.
In regards to whether or not he was manipulating Madi . . . while I get how some people might feel that way, I didn't see it that way at all. Now, if he had lied to her and said that Clarke was okay with it, then that would have for sure been manipulation, and I would have been extremely pissed at him. Now yes, he did
influence her, but he still gave her the choice. Was Madi too young to make that choice? Potentially. I get that the situation is more debatable because she is a child. But to me, he was appealing to one very strong, common desire they had, which was to save Clarke. Yes, he wants to save others, too, but he still wants to save Clarke, just like Madi does. So it's influence to me, not manipulation. I think it's important to note the difference.
Also, in regards to the line about his family . . . see, this is why I think it's good to watch an episode, because when you just read about a line, it can seem different. Bellamy wasn't saying, "You're NOT my family, Clarke." He was just trying to get her to understand where he was coming from. She was talking to him about how Madi is her family, basically, and he drew a comparison. I get why people think it seemed harsh, but realistically . . . Bellamy's been with these people for 6 years. He barely knows Madi. And him saying that doesn't diminish his and Clarke's connection. It's just that they don't even know what their connection is right now.
All in all, too, this episode is such a heart-wrenching one, because we get the sweet "Together" at the beginning, which shows us that, yes, they do still
want to be in this together; they don't want to be at odds. They love each other. Bellamy knows that he's risking what he has with Clarke by proceeding with Madi. Clarke knows she's risking his life to leave him behind. It must be an awful feeling for both of them.
And about Clarke leaving him behind . . . yeah, I didn't love that. It sucks because we as the audience know that what pushed Bellamy over the edge with Octavia was her threatening Clarke. We know that an important part of the reason why he wanted Madi to take the flame was for Clarke. But she doesn't know that, because she's heard him talk about protecting Spacekru. But Madi and Octavia are the people who know how much he has risked and put on the line for her. So it sucks to see Clarke leave--a very heat of the moment decision which I think she will regret and which I hope will horrify her as it sinks in--it sucks to see her leave because we know how much that man in the pit has sacrificed for her. But I also get where she's coming from. She's a mother now. I'm not a mother myself, but I know without a doubt my mom would do anything for me.
Now with all this said . . . as heart-wrenching as this all is right now, think about this, you guys: Some of Bellarke's biggest disagreements in the past have come when they can't see eye to eye about something or understand why the other one is doing what they are. Think of how upset they were with each other in 3x05, or how upset Bellamy was with her in 4x11, just as two examples. Now we have a Clarke who knows what it's like to be heart-driven like Bellamy, and we have a Bellamy who knows what it's like to have to set his heart aside and try to use his head, like Clarke. Ultimately, as painful as this is right now, what I'm hoping we end up with (and think we have the potential to end up with) is a Bellamy and Clarke who can empathize with and understand each other in ways that they never have before, in ways that create an even deeper connection because it's a connection that has been truly tested.