During the dramatic series finale of The 100, the Disciples and Wonkru discovered themselves descending into conflict at a crucial juncture for the future of humanity. The Disciples anticipated The Last War, which they believed would be an epic conflict over whether humanity would ascend to a higher realm of existence. To buy Clarke some time to prevent Cadogan from starting The Last War or transcending, Wonkru (and a few former Eligius inmates) were present. It’s hardly surprising that Sheidheda was able to deceitfully be the shot heard ’round the world and plunge everything into turmoil given that the Grounders were up against an army as technologically advanced as the Disciples, one that had defeated Sheidheda so rapidly a few episodes before.
But none of the observed Disciples, nor a leader like Indra or Nikki, intervened while Raven and the higher consciousness in Abby’s form watched on. The girl under the floorboards, Octavia kum Skaikru, Skairippa, Blodreina, was responsible for ending the war and preserving humanity. exactly as it has always had to be. If ever there was a person who could bridge cultural gaps and bring people together in their suffering, hope, and fear, it was Octavia Blake. It was always going to be Octavia who would not only unite mankind but also put an end to the war and save everyone.
Octavia demonstrated her enormous capacity for empathy and her desire to save everyone from the start, even though it’s a quality most often associated with Clarke from the early seasons. Octavia was the one who stayed by Jasper’s side and argued for his life in season 1, when Jasper was (loudly) suffering from wounds acquired from a spear to the chest while attempting to impress Octavia. Additionally, Octavia was the one who protested the treatment of Lincoln, the Grounder who would later become her great love, as he was being tortured. It was a love that grew out of their shared, selfless desire to guard someone who was unlike them yet needed their assistance anyhow, even if that meant defying their own people.
Octavia studied for years under Indra to learn how to be a strong warrior instead of the terrified person in need of protection her brother long perceived her as. She also learnt about healing, Trigedasleng, how to overcome obstacles, the possibility of a more tranquil Grounder life, and trauma recovery from Nyko, Lincoln, Luna, and Ilian. This effort made Octavia’s conclave victory and founding of Wonkru perfectly logical from a narrative standpoint. I, along with some other viewers, worried that The 100 would find a way to turn Clarke, the show’s supposed protagonist, into Heda. But Octavia was the only candidate that could have served as the non-Grounder commander if one had ever been needed.
As an unlawful second child, Octavia’s own existence was illegal, hence she had little to no devotion to the Ark’s leadership or way of life. She was devoted to her brother, the people she arrived on Earth with, and her own moral compass instead. This made room for what would later turn out to be Octavia’s primary role in seasons three and four: serving as a sort of bridge between the Grounders and the Sky People and educating them about one another. Despite her best efforts, it appeared too frequently that neither group’s leadership was interested in hearing what she had to say.
Although Indra may have expelled Octavia for refusing to abandon her fellow miscreants in the struggle for Mount Weather, her loyalty and stubbornness (combined with independence and a propensity for disobeying authority) also made her the only genuine contender for Heda of Wonkru. The “side” Octavia was born into wasn’t one to which she had an involuntary loyalty. The individuals she had been surviving with since the drop ship touched down on Earth were more important to her than the rules of the Ark. No matter the cost, she couldn’t abandon them. Even though it meant having to learn Trig and deal with other Grounders, she couldn’t turn her back on Indra after she kicked Octavia out, or on Lincoln when he was hurt far back in season 2.
For a moment, it appeared as though O and Lincoln might have served as a model for what their people’s future might have been (had the show chosen differently). A family where they might learn from one other’s folks and present a unified front. Instead, Octavia and Indra managed to locate that family. She nevertheless maintained the most open-minded conception of who “her people” may be, developing connections with Gabriel and even Levitt, who at first appeared to be an adversary. Even though it was too late to help Bellamy, she had learnt enough about the Disciples to be able to communicate with them on the final battlefield.
Marie Avgeropoulos appeared to concur with this evaluation of Octavia’s climactic scenes on the programme. She previously told Den of Geek that she was “very thrilled” with how the writers chose to wrap up Octavia’s 100-episode adventure. Avgeropoulos, who had already done filming, was coy at the moment, and we had no idea what that might imply. But it now seems that she was referring to her role as a unifier, a force for peace, and someone who was finally able to put down her sword and spend the remainder of her days among her people—all of them, Grounder and Skaikru alike. She declared, “She deserves the conclusion that everyone is about to see after what she’s been through.”
One of the most dangerous individuals on The 100, on any planet, at any given time has always been Octavia. But after a protracted quest for forgiveness following Blodreina, she and Diyoza became Hope’s adoptive parents (another redeemed warrior woman with an expansive heart.) She attained inner peace on Sky Ring and her priorities changed to include Hope in addition to Bellamy and Diyoza. O, like her brother, spent the second half of the last season thoroughly disenchanted with war and bloodshed. Both had witnessed too much pointless killing, even though they expressed it in very different ways and took very different routes. Octavia was ready to put her machete away in exchange for a life more like to that of her family on Sky Ring. Finally, after transcending, she was able to have that once more.
Octavia has always been someone who reaches out to others, appreciates their cultures, and extends compassion. Even though Levitt was the first to attempt to halt the battle and Jordan may have been the most vocal opponent of The Last War, only Octavia was able to do so. Whatever else transpired in The 100’s series finale (and boy, howdy, did a lot transpire), the conclusion of Octavia’s individual journey was a satisfying one. After everything she’s gone through, Octavia’s periods of exclusion, whether they were forced upon her or not, have been crucial to her journey and played a significant role in her development as a person who would charge onto the battlefield and put an end to a conflict. Only Octavia had the courage, knowledge, relationships, and conviction to see the assignment through to completion when the last of mankind needed someone to appeal to their higher selves and avert an unintentional last battle.
