There's something about Clarke.
Something which raises her above all other TV heroes since Admiral Adama. Just as there's something about The 100 which raises it above all other TV shows since Battlestar Galactica.
Because if we confined Clarke to comparisons only with other Heroines, there would be no one to compare her to. (President Roslin would have been the right kind of heroine to compare with Clarke had she not had so many more similarities to Jaha- specifically the morally ambigious facility with which both repeatedly lie, and even engage in morally reprehensible acts towards some of the best of those they lead, while making calls which soon prove to be wrong even on the practical level, finally offering the same abstract justifications and half hearted apologies). Clarke, on the other hand, is an Admiral Adama in the making.
We're speaking of a very special kind of heroine/hero. Maybe we can call it, for now, the Big Picture Hero. For example, if we're talking about The 100, we can say that no matter how far Octavia or Bellamy have traveled since the first episode of the first season- and they have both, without question, traveled far, they will never be Clarke- the Big Picture Hero/Heroine.
Perhaps it has to do with genes. Perhaps with upbringing- but in dramatic terms, it comes down to motivation. Octavia's journey is first and foremost motivated by Romantic Love. It is her growing love for Lincoln that makes her grow herself. Bellamy's journey is motivated first and foremost by his growing recognition of Clarke as the One who can enable him get his self respect back, because she's the one he, despite himself, comes to respect.
In Octavia's case, there's a secondary Motivation- the need to find a place where she belongs- and since she's in love with Lincoln, Grounder culture becomes that place. In Bellamy's case, the secondary Motivation is a growing romantic love for Clarke. Octavia will do anything, endure anything, for Lincoln. Bellamy would do anything, endure anything, for Clarke. Octavia becomes a heroine, Bellamy a hero, but their Validation comes from Another. And they're both willing to drop the Big Picture- Society, when their loved one is in danger.
(The same could be said- will be said, in a future post, of the heroes and heroines of Battlestar Galactica- Athena and Helo, Caprica Six, Apollo and Starbuck)
Clarke, on the other hand, is different from the start- her instinct, and motivation, from the moment the 100 hit earth, is the survival- as a civilized society- of the 100 as a group. She may hate the adult world of the Arc which had executed her father, and locked her up, but her recognition that the importance of hand bracelets o the group's survival easily trumps their mostly symbolic significance as trackers, or reminders of continual subservience to that adult world, defines her right way as the one character on the show who naturally, and despite personal issues, sees the Big Picture- what is best for the group as a civilised whole. and her immediate willingness to fight over it with anyone, including Bellamy, marks her as the Big Picture heroine. Clarke's motivation is pure in the sense that she does not seek validation in Another- her Validation is equal to her motivation- the survival of the group- of society.
That's not to say Clarke does not make mistakes, does not get distracted, especially by romantic love. She comes very near to losing everything she's been working for in her understandable, but ultimately misguided attempts to save Finn from death- from punishment for the massacre he perpetrated on Indra's village. She postpones giving him up for so long, despite her clear understanding of the fatal consequences both to the adults at Camp Jaha, and to her own people at Mount Weather- she tries any way she can, without any hope for success, and only narrowly misses getting killed herself, as well as killing the all important new and fragile alliance of the with the Sky and Ground peoples, and only Finn giving himself up at the last moment- saves the group from disaster. Only then, finally, does Clarke wake up to her great responsibility- but even her killing Finn herself, to prevent at least his being tortured, understandable though it is, can be questioned. Had Lexa not been willing to trancend her own tradition, and strong enough to make other "accept" this "half-justice", Clarke's mercy killing would have broken the alliance, without actually saving Finn.
Here, however, comes into action, Clarke's almost unerring instinct for making the right call. The instinct so lacking in Jaha, and Roslin. Clarke intuits Lexa's reaction, and takes a risk- perhaps the last one- and puts romantic love before the survival of society. The whole episode is an aberration- Clarke had never been distracted from her true self before- and perhaps will never- or at the very least not for a long time- let herself be distracted again.
In Octavia's case, there's a secondary Motivation- the need to find a place where she belongs- and since she's in love with Lincoln, Grounder culture becomes that place. In Bellamy's case, the secondary Motivation is a growing romantic love for Clarke. Octavia will do anything, endure anything, for Lincoln. Bellamy would do anything, endure anything, for Clarke. Octavia becomes a heroine, Bellamy a hero, but their Validation comes from Another. And they're both willing to drop the Big Picture- Society, when their loved one is in danger.
(The same could be said- will be said, in a future post, of the heroes and heroines of Battlestar Galactica- Athena and Helo, Caprica Six, Apollo and Starbuck)
Clarke, on the other hand, is different from the start- her instinct, and motivation, from the moment the 100 hit earth, is the survival- as a civilized society- of the 100 as a group. She may hate the adult world of the Arc which had executed her father, and locked her up, but her recognition that the importance of hand bracelets o the group's survival easily trumps their mostly symbolic significance as trackers, or reminders of continual subservience to that adult world, defines her right way as the one character on the show who naturally, and despite personal issues, sees the Big Picture- what is best for the group as a civilised whole. and her immediate willingness to fight over it with anyone, including Bellamy, marks her as the Big Picture heroine. Clarke's motivation is pure in the sense that she does not seek validation in Another- her Validation is equal to her motivation- the survival of the group- of society.
That's not to say Clarke does not make mistakes, does not get distracted, especially by romantic love. She comes very near to losing everything she's been working for in her understandable, but ultimately misguided attempts to save Finn from death- from punishment for the massacre he perpetrated on Indra's village. She postpones giving him up for so long, despite her clear understanding of the fatal consequences both to the adults at Camp Jaha, and to her own people at Mount Weather- she tries any way she can, without any hope for success, and only narrowly misses getting killed herself, as well as killing the all important new and fragile alliance of the with the Sky and Ground peoples, and only Finn giving himself up at the last moment- saves the group from disaster. Only then, finally, does Clarke wake up to her great responsibility- but even her killing Finn herself, to prevent at least his being tortured, understandable though it is, can be questioned. Had Lexa not been willing to trancend her own tradition, and strong enough to make other "accept" this "half-justice", Clarke's mercy killing would have broken the alliance, without actually saving Finn.
Here, however, comes into action, Clarke's almost unerring instinct for making the right call. The instinct so lacking in Jaha, and Roslin. Clarke intuits Lexa's reaction, and takes a risk- perhaps the last one- and puts romantic love before the survival of society. The whole episode is an aberration- Clarke had never been distracted from her true self before- and perhaps will never- or at the very least not for a long time- let herself be distracted again.
There's a lot more to say about Clarke- her compassion, her innate, instinctual wisdom- her courage, her amazing journey of becoming the Leader of the Sky People, but for now I'd like to finish with a quick mention (to be explained in detail in next week's post) of the only- but crucial- thing the 100 lacks in comparison to Battlestar Galactica. If I had to describe it in 3 words I'd say: The Opera House.
What I mean is very hard to define, or explain: both shows are complex and multi layered. Both show post apocaliptical Moral, Religious, Political & Military lives, of individuals, of a group. But Battlestar Galactica, somehow- God or the devil only know how, managed to reach some mythical and metaphysical place- through the conversational illusions or visions of Blathar and Caprica Six, through the idea and visions of the Opera House, through the Final Five & Hera, through Helo and Athena's Love Trials on Caprica, through the way an Eight becomes a Sharon who chooses to become Sharon Agathon who then chooses to become the colonial officer Athena. through juxtuposing the Cylon piano melody that leads to earth and the final battle for Hera and Bob Dylan's All along the Watchtower- a strange, inexplicable thing, And this is where the 100 must go, finding its own way to the same mythical and metaphysical place- if, that is, it is to fulfil its true destiny.
Battlestar Galactica took 4 seasons to get there. The 100 has advanced so much in character and show development from season 1 to season 2, and has been renewed for at least a season 3. So there's time, and everything is in place, for it to go there too- the place where none but Battlestar Galactica has managed to go.
So there is Something about Clarke. And she, too, has time to become the Heroine who surpassed even the Hero Adama.
This is really well written! So many great points, I think we all love Clarke. She is such an amazing character, and you explained it so well why she is.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing, this is really interesting!
I really like your idea of the "Big Picture Hero" and I definitely agree that Clarke has what it takes! I also love comparing The 100 to BSG.. I think the two have a lot in common, but agree with your analysis of the missing metaphysical element. It's so interesting to think about. Really well said!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jill, for always being the voice of fairness and realism in this fandom. It's great to have people like you who think about the show in depth and as a whole. I love reading what you have to say! (I often read your posts on afterbuzz)
ReplyDeleteRight from the start, I knew Clarkes character was special and since then, I haven't quite been able to put her character into words or been able to explain how she's so different and so much better than all the other main characters/heros in TV shows I've watch/ed (of which are many). I am so relived after reading this post that someone else GETS it.
I look forward to reading more posts!