'The 100' Season 3: Why Lexa's Death Was Necessary, The Flip Side Of The Argument [VIDEO]
Yu gonplei ste odon, Lexa.
The Commander is gone, and with one stray bullet, The 100 writers became some of the most reviled WGA members around. The events of "Thirteen" sent shockwaves through the series' intensely devoted fandom, sparking boycotts and charges that the post-apocalyptic drama had fallen head first into television's untenable "bury your gays" trope.
We by no means want to minimize the industries terrible habit of killing off LGBTQ characters, nor do we want to ignore the legions of LGBTQ viewers who have suddenly been deprived of a fantastic character. However, in the plot of the show, Lexa's (Alycia Debnam-Carey) death is entirely necessary.
Now that Lexa's death is a week behind us, we'd like to address the positive aspects of her demise (as much of an oxymoron as that is), how Debnam-Carey's departure necessitated the move, and how we're fairly certain you will see everyone's favorite Heda again.
So, let's tick these points off one by one:
Alycia-Debnam Carey is a busy lady. She snagged a role on Fear the Walking Dead, and when combined with The 100, her schedule filled up pretty quickly. In the world of The 100, if a character needs to leave the show, they don't just disappear; for the most part, they die. Considering Lexa's dedication to the Grounders and the high mortality rate of her position, she can no more find a peaceful ending (with or without Clarke) than the Last Mountain Man can find a refuge from his grief.
Had Lexa not died, the introduction of the second AI would have been far more complicated, if not totally impossible. When the Ark fell, a technologically advanced civilization clashed with a society that was in the depths of a proverbial dark age. Even if the Sky People and Murphy (Richard Harmon) managed to meet and combine their knowledge of ALIE 2.0 and Polaris' location, it's doubtful any of them would have made the connection between Lexa's talk of reincarnation and a sophisticated creation of silicon and code.
Meanwhile, if Lexa had disclosed the existence of the "Flame" to Clarke, the Heda would have referred to it in spiritual terms. Death was the only way to facilitate the removal of Lexa's computer hitchhiker, letting one scene sum up a plot whose exposition could have filled an entire episode alone. In the end, a lack of knowledge and shared lexicon would have stalled the story.
SPOILERS AHEAD
For those of you who miss Lexa, take heart. Thanks to ALIE and the City of Light, the character won't be gone for long. Fan photos from the filming of the season 3 finale show the Grounder leader fighting side by side with Clarke once more. If the events of "Thirteen" didn't give you the closure you needed, episodes 15 and 16 may help soothe a raw wound.
Was Lexa's death was necessary? Most probably. Do fans have still have every right to be upset? Most definitely, but perhaps not to the point of boycotting the series as a whole.
The 100 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.
