Many spoilers ahead for Episode 12 of The 100's seventh and final season, called "The Stranger."
After leaving fans wondering about his fate for most of the seventh season, The 100 finally revealed last week that Bellamy Blake did indeed survive the explosion that had seemingly killed him. That said, Bellamy went through a life-changing experience during his time on Etherea with a faithful Disciple as his only company, and he reunited with Clarke and Co. only to immediately betray them to Bill Cadogan. "The Stranger" proved that not only was Bellamy not playing a long con in betraying Clarke, but he's pretty firmly on Team Shepherd. I'm left wondering: is there time left in the final season for Bellamy to change back?
The seventh and final season of The 100 received an order for 16 episodes; with "The Stranger" airing as Episode 12, the show has a very limited amount of time to change Bellamy back into the character that fans came to know over the better part of a decade. Only four episodes are left, and The 100 has a lot to wrap up. We can probably count on the last four episodes not consisting of four hours of Bellamy Blake development, and I for one have my doubts that we'll see Bellamy in his pre-Season 7 mindset again. Here's why.
Bellamy has embraced the Disciple way of life in everything from devotion to Cadogan as the Shepherd to focusing on all mankind over his friends to wearing the white robes, and all without being brainwashed. If this was simply a case of Bellamy's personality seemingly being erased, then I could see The 100 having a way to just snap him out of it, but Bellamy is still in there. He was just transformed by his experience on Etherea. He has enough love and attachment to his friends that he wants to save them, but not enough to choose them over the Disciples. He's still Bellamy, just...different.
And he became different over a span of weeks and likely months, judging by the length of his hair and beard by the time he and the Conductor made their leap of faith on Etherea. The 100 dedicated a whole episode to Bellamy being converted; would the show really undo all of that when there are only four episodes left, short of a time jump? This is a show that tends to make its characters deal with consequences, and a happy ending is far from guaranteed. The Bellamy who betrayed his friends may well be the Bellamy fans get for the rest of the series.
After all, Bellamy faced appeals from his love interest in Echo, his best friend in Clarke, and his found family in Raven, and none was able to snap him back to the guy who was heart over head. Octavia didn't get any one-on-one time with her big bro, so it's possible that The 100 is saving that confrontation and will use it to change Bellamy back. Still, she has other priorities now that Hope is in her life, and Octavia didn't return to Bardo with Bellamy, Clarke, Cadogan and Co. in search of the Flame. They may not even interact for a while!
There are still wildcards in the mix, and I don't just mean because there's no saying what Sheidheda will do next. Gaia is still missing, and I haven't given up on my theory that she was knocked onto the bridge between worlds along with a masked Disciple, but she could also be wherever the Disciples sent Octavia and Co. in "The Stranger." There's also the question of what's in store for Jordan, based on what showrunner Jason Rothenberg had to say!
Unfortunately, fans won't find out next week, as The 100 is taking a break with no new episode until Wednesday, September 9 at 8 p.m. ET. Be sure to weigh in our poll below on whether or not Bellamy is too far gone! For some viewing options in the not-too-distant future beyond The 100, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule.
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