When not writing about writing, I’ve used this platform to write about important moments, people, or events in my life. This is about a television show, but more specifically a couple of its characters.
When The 100 began in 2014, I honestly had never heard of it. If for some slightly better marketing, maybe I would have tuned in sooner. It was my exact type of fun. Like LOST with teenagers mixed with some space fun. So when I started hearing about this completely show-stopping performance of a queer-coded badass warrior girl by a guest star (Alycia Debnam-Carey), I knew I had to tune in.
I caught up to the end of S2 in two days and was ready to witness everything that unfolded thereafter with joy and anticipation. Alycia’s character, Lexa, was positioned as the antagonist to Eliza Taylor’s, Clarke. And although their relationship was contentious, there was something deeper and more meaningful brewing beneath the surface. You could feel it. These girls, these leaders, these monumental characters were a shift in the zeitgeist.
It can be hard to see things in perspective when it took place months or especially years in the past, so where television stands today can make 2015 TV seem very conservative. At the time, there had never been a lead bisexual character and so Clarke made history by expressing some sort of feelings for Lexa after having a relationship with Finn shortly prior. This alone was huge for me and much like Korra, I saw a lot of myself in Clarke.
Not to mention, the chemistry between Clarke and Lexa was unmatched and provided a new kind of dynamic not often seen on TV. The electricity carried into S3, creating the foundation for an incredibly strong bond to come. They made history together again that season, but their triumphant relationship was quickly cut short by Lexa’s death. An entirely unnecessary one and one which perpetuated the Bury Your Gays trope still alive and well in 2016. With a messy plot and regular disrespect of fans and characters, what haunted The 100 was that Lexa Deserved Better. An international outcry which, to its credit, helped shape film and television for years to come.
As devastated as I was at the time, I thought I could hold out and perhaps they would bring Lexa back. I should’ve known better, but I wasn’t all wrong. After crumbs of Lexa references for the next 4 seasons reinforcing the importance of Clexa, the finale that aired Sept 30 2020 did fulfill my wish to see Lexa again. And while not in the way I hoped, what was magical about it was that it was really given to the fans by Alycia’s willingness to return to a show that did her dirty.
Alycia’s understanding of what Lexa meant to queer fans and moreso what Clexa meant to them as well, gave her the drive she needed to return to us. In many interviews, it became clear she only wanted do so if it was healthy for the fans. That’s an amazing choice from any actor. For that, I extend my deepest thanks. And while The 100 S7 ratings were some of their lowest of all time, the finale became an internationally trending topic. Not because of the show itself, but because of Lexa. Her return was a welcome ode to the love Lexa an Clarke shared and a real tribute to the fans who she meant so much to.
It’s incredible to think Lexa only ever appeared in 17 out of 100 episodes. 2 of which came after her untimely death. And while I think all Lexa, Clexa, and The 100 fans who admired their story wished it all happened differently, the joy of seeing a beloved character again momentarily outweighed the wrongs done before. But there’s still work to be done.
I imagine a world where The 100 kept Lexa alive and allowed her arc alongside Clarke to progress for longer, if not until the very end. Like would have been the case for many straight relationships (The 100 was not free from baiting Bellarke fans either, though, to be clear). I imagine other iconic stories in the future being told where queer leads get to be happy and healthy and experience joy in all forms. Where their relationships and lives are not cut short because they’re expendable. And I believe we will see that. We have already started to. A lot in thanks to Lexa.
So when people look back on The 100 and review it’s legacy, they’re not going to remember the screwy plots or high body count, but how a guest star left an indelible mark and defined a show she was regrettably, only barely in. Alycia elevated every scene she was in and gave life and soul to her role as Lexa and could have given so much more. It’s why her finale appearance moved so many to tears once again. That’s what will be remembered from The 100. Lexa and Clarke and the beautiful story they shared and how in the end, life is about more than just surviving.
Source: You Are What You Write
