The 100 (TV series)
A post-apocalyptic drama about juvenile delinquents returning to Earth.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
The 100 (pronounced "The Hundred") is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction drama that aired on the CW from March 19, 2014, to September 30, 2020. Created by Jason Rothenberg, it adapts Kass Morgan's young adult novel series of the same name. The story follows the descendants of survivors living on a space station called the Ark, who return to Earth nearly a century after a nuclear apocalypse. The first group sent down are juvenile delinquents, who soon discover other survivors already on the ground.
The juvenile delinquents include Clarke Griffin (Eliza Taylor), Finn Collins (Thomas McDonell), Bellamy Blake (Bob Morley), Octavia Blake (Marie Avgeropoulos), Jasper Jordan (Devon Bostick), Monty Green (Christopher Larkin), and John Murphy (Richard Harmon). Other key characters are Clarke's mother Dr. Abby Griffin (Paige Turco), Marcus Kane (Henry Ian Cusick), and Chancellor Thelonious Jaha (Isaiah Washington), all council members on the Ark, as well as mechanic Raven Reyes (Lindsey Morgan).
**Plot** Ninety-seven years after a nuclear apocalypse wiped out most life on Earth, thousands live on the Ark space station. Three generations have been born in space, but when life support fails, one hundred juvenile detainees are sent to Earth to see if it's habitable—or to save resources for those still on the Ark. They find that some humans survived: the Grounders, clans locked in power struggles; the Reapers, cannibalistic Grounders created by the Mountain Men; and the Mountain Men, descendants of those who sealed themselves in Mount Weather before the apocalypse. Led by Clarke and Bellamy, the juveniles struggle to survive, fight hostile Grounders, and contact the Ark.
In season two, the Mountain Men threaten the survivors by harvesting their bone marrow to withstand radiation. Clarke and the others form a fragile alliance with the Grounders to rescue their people, ending with Clarke making a devastating choice to save everyone.
Season three sees power struggles between the Arkadians and Grounders after a controversial new leader takes over. Meanwhile, an AI named A.L.I.E., responsible for the original apocalypse, begins mind-controlling people. Clarke destroys A.L.I.E. but learns another disaster is coming.
In season four, melting nuclear reactors threaten to wipe out life again. Clarke and her friends search for solutions, experimenting with radiation-r
- field
- Television
- genre
- Post-apocalyptic science fiction drama
- network
- The CW
- premiered
- March 19, 2014
- ended
- September 30, 2020
- seasons
- 7
- episodes
- 100
Lore & Background
The series begins ninety-seven years after a nuclear apocalypse, with humans living on a space station called the Ark. When life-support systems fail, one hundred juvenile detainees are sent to Earth to determine if it is habitable. They discover survivors on the ground: the Grounders, living in clans; the Reapers, cannibals created by the Mountain Men; and the Mountain Men, descendants of those who hid before the apocalypse. Under the leadership of Clarke Griffin and Bellamy Blake, the juveniles attempt to survive and establish communication with the Ark.
Over seven seasons, the survivors face escalating threats. In season two, the Mountain Men harvest bone marrow to survive radiation, leading to a fragile alliance with the Grounders. Season three introduces an AI named A.L.I.E., responsible for the original apocalypse, which begins controlling minds. Season four sees nuclear reactors melting down, forcing a search for survival methods. Season five picks up six years later with Earth largely uninhabitable except for one green valley, where new enemies arrive. Season six moves to a new planet called Sanctum, ruled by families known as the Primes. The final season involves a wormhole network, a group called the Disciples, and a final "test" that determines humanity's fate, ending with most of humanity transcending into a higher consciousness, while Clarke's friends choose to return to Earth with her.
Reader's Guide
The 100 is significant as a long-running CW series that adapted Kass Morgan's young adult novels into a complex, multi-season narrative exploring survival, morality, and human nature after an apocalypse. The show's development of the Trigedasleng language by David J. Peterson, who also created languages for Game of Thrones, added depth to the Grounder culture. The series ran for 100 episodes across seven seasons, concluding on September 30, 2020. Its legacy includes a dedicated fanbase and discussions of its ethical dilemmas, such as Clarke's devastating choices to save her people. The show's production in Vancouver, British Columbia, and its use of a constructed language highlight its attention to world-building. The final season's resolution, where humanity transcends but Clarke cannot, and her friends return to live with her, underscores the series' themes of connection and sacrifice. The 100 remains a notable entry in post-apocalyptic television for its serialized storytelling and character-driven conflicts.
Did You Know?
- The series is based on the young adult novel series The 100 by Kass Morgan.
- David J. Peterson, who created Dothraki and Valyrian for Game of Thrones, developed the Trigedasleng language for the Grounders.
- Filming for the series took place in and around Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
- The series concluded with a total of 100 episodes across all seven seasons.
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