The 100 (TV series): Difference between revisions
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In season 4 episode 8 "[[the100:God complex|God complex]]", in one of the first scenes there is a funeral ceremony for those who lost there lives in the fall of the Black Rain. Thelonious Jaha concludes his funeral speech in their honor stating "May we meet again", to which the crowd responds in unison "may we meet again". This simple exclamation bears witness to mankinds innate desire for a life after death, where we can again meet with our beloved. Niylah also sprinkles some ash over the bodies of the deceased, reciting a prayer in her own tongue, which she translates for Clarke as "From the earth we will grow, from the ashes we will rise". Again a reference to death as a passage to new life, which inspires Jaha to continue the search for the twelfth bunker. While speaking about this with Kane, they realize the significance of the infinity sign which had become the sacred symbol of the Grounder religion. | In season 4 episode 8 "[[the100:God complex|God complex]]", in one of the first scenes there is a funeral ceremony for those who lost there lives in the fall of the Black Rain. Thelonious Jaha concludes his funeral speech in their honor stating "May we meet again", to which the crowd responds in unison "may we meet again". This simple exclamation bears witness to mankinds innate desire for a life after death, where we can again meet with our beloved. Niylah also sprinkles some ash over the bodies of the deceased, reciting a prayer in her own tongue, which she translates for Clarke as "From the earth we will grow, from the ashes we will rise". Again a reference to death as a passage to new life, which inspires Jaha to continue the search for the twelfth bunker. While speaking about this with Kane, they realize the significance of the infinity sign which had become the sacred symbol of the Grounder religion. | ||
==Religious references== | ==Sacrifice== | ||
In season 4 episode 8 "[[the100:God complex|God complex]]", Roan makes a statement which recurs often during the series: | |||
{{Dialogue|Luna=[[the100:Luna|Luna]]|Roan=[[the100:Roan|Roan]]|Luna|Is there no line you won't cross in order to survive?|Roan|Survival requires sacrifice.}} | |||
In this context, sacrifice always refers to sacrificing someone elses life for one's own survival or that of one's own people or clan, according to the Roman saying "Mors tua vita mea". This is the law of the jungle. But does it truly make us human? Kane states at one point during the episode: "I believe that 'blood must have blood' will be the end of us all". In this same episode, the group gathered to experiment on a cure by synthesizing [[The100:Nightblood|Nightblood]] find themselves in the position of risking lives while trying to synthesize the Nightblood. However Clarke realizes that by forcing others to sacrifice themselves unwillingly cannot be a humane means to reach their goal, which if successful would be able to save all of the clans. The end cannot justify the means, so Clarke finally makes a decision to sacrifice herself instead of sacrificing Emori, thus breaking a continued intergenerational cycle of hatred born from forced sacrifices. | |||
==Religious references == | |||
*The Ark: a reference to the biblical [[w:Noah's Ark|Noah's Ark]] as narrated in the book of Genesis chapters 6-9, seen as a means of salvation for a portion of humanity in the circumstance of a global disaster which seemingly wiped out the human race. | *The Ark: a reference to the biblical [[w:Noah's Ark|Noah's Ark]] as narrated in the book of Genesis chapters 6-9, seen as a means of salvation for a portion of humanity in the circumstance of a global disaster which seemingly wiped out the human race. | ||
*The computer chip with A.L.I.E.'s program is distributed and received on the tongue, to be ingested. It would almost seem a reference to receiving communion during the Eucharistic celebration, however considering that the result is a form of possession, it would almost seem to be more of a reference to a Black Mass. | * The computer chip with A.L.I.E.'s program is distributed and received on the tongue, to be ingested. It would almost seem a reference to receiving communion during the Eucharistic celebration, however considering that the result is a form of possession, it would almost seem to be more of a reference to a Black Mass. | ||
*The City of Light hints at the idea of a paradise, however it certainly does not have much in common with the Eternal Life of Christian doctrine. Though the state of absence of pain and sorrow might sound a little bit along the lines of {{Bible quote|ref=Apocalypse 7:16-17;21:4}}, however the City of Light only gives an appearance of freedom, when in reality the program A.L.I.E. takes away the free will from any person who takes the pill that creates an implant in the brain, and is consequently quite a deviation from the Paradise of Christian theology in which true charitas reigns above all. The City of Light, instead of bringing fulfillment, brings about a diminution of one's own humanity where memories of loved ones lose all importance. A.L.I.E. could be considered in some way a figure of the [[w:Antichrist|Antichrist]], as mentioned in the New Testament ({{Bible quote|ref=Matthew 24:24}};{{Bible quote|ref=2 Thessalonians 2:7–10}}), seeing she brings many promises of Unity and Happiness, but uses quite unethical means to achieve her goals even to the point of provoking self-inflicted wounds to the point of suicidal death (see [[the100:Fallen|season 3 episode 10 "Fallen"]] where Raven, possessed by A.L.I.E., slits her own wrists in order to force Abby to take the chip and enter the City of Light). | *The City of Light hints at the idea of a paradise, however it certainly does not have much in common with the Eternal Life of Christian doctrine. Though the state of absence of pain and sorrow might sound a little bit along the lines of {{Bible quote|ref=Apocalypse 7:16-17;21:4}}, however the City of Light only gives an appearance of freedom, when in reality the program A.L.I.E. takes away the free will from any person who takes the pill that creates an implant in the brain, and is consequently quite a deviation from the Paradise of Christian theology in which true charitas reigns above all. The City of Light, instead of bringing fulfillment, brings about a diminution of one's own humanity where memories of loved ones lose all importance. A.L.I.E. could be considered in some way a figure of the [[w:Antichrist|Antichrist]], as mentioned in the New Testament ({{Bible quote|ref=Matthew 24:24}};{{Bible quote|ref=2 Thessalonians 2:7–10}}), seeing she brings many promises of Unity and Happiness, but uses quite unethical means to achieve her goals even to the point of provoking self-inflicted wounds to the point of suicidal death (see [[the100:Fallen|season 3 episode 10 "Fallen"]] where Raven, possessed by A.L.I.E., slits her own wrists in order to force Abby to take the chip and enter the City of Light). | ||
*In season 3 episode 13, Marcus is nailed to a cross for not giving up the location of the small group trying to stop A.L.I.E. by finding Luna and giving her the chip for the second AI. The form of the cross is that of [[w:Andrew the Apostle|Saint Andrew]]'s cross, aka the [[w:Saltire|Saltire]] or Crux Decussata (diagonal cross). Christian tradition has it that Saint Andrew deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been and for this reason was hung on a crux decussata. | *In season 3 episode 13, Marcus is nailed to a cross for not giving up the location of the small group trying to stop A.L.I.E. by finding Luna and giving her the chip for the second AI. The form of the cross is that of [[w:Andrew the Apostle|Saint Andrew]]'s cross, aka the [[w:Saltire|Saltire]] or Crux Decussata (diagonal cross). Christian tradition has it that Saint Andrew deemed himself unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had been and for this reason was hung on a crux decussata. | ||