[Episode Discussion] 2.04 Many Happy Returns

[tassosss]

Many Happy Returns don't start out that happy. Murphy on the adventure team and Anya and Clarke teaming up. Sort of. Favorite bits?



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Comments

[lea_hazel]

I miss Anya. I... really don't have anything more intelligent to add.

[tassosss]

Me too. I was devastated and completely unprepared for what happened at the end of the ep. I loved Anya from the first time she showed up and her and Clarke's escape, where they trade off being prisoners and then the brutal fight at the drop ship - so good! I wanted them to come out of that with this new friendship/understanding. And they did! And then bam!

[lea_hazel]

I also really liked that the variation of teaming up they had was 1) hard-won on both their parts and 2) still kind of bitter/reluctant, rather than Anya falling all over herself to accommodate Clarke, or the reverse. Even when working together they're uneasy allies, and they have major cultural differences that can't ever *quite* be bridged.

I do hope they explore this dynamic more as the series progresses. I saw some of it later on in season 2 with, what was her name? Echo?

[tassosss]

Yeah, I loved that aspect too, that Clarke doesn't immediately win over Anya or vice-versa. They're coming from different worlds and there's a lot of trust that has to be regained.

Yes, Echo is who we see in the cages with Bellamy in season 2. I think she's coming back (I hope!) The tension between the sky people and the grounders is one thing I love about this show.

[tassosss]

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Clarke and Anya are the best duo - why must this perfection end? They'd be awesome buddy cops. Hating on each other, but with ultimate respect in the end.

Clarke's face when Anya bites the tracker out of her arm! Anya's face when Clarke distracts her to knock her out. I love how the two of them just go back and forth with the advantage.

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Finn is so annoyingly, stubbornly single minded about saving their people who have been captured by the grounders - all the more so because we the audience know he's wrong - that it's hard to watch. All his compassion is gone, all he's fixated on is Clarke. Bellamy is walking a tough line between keeping Finn in check and not driving him the rest of the way over the line.

There's so many good little character moments here - Sterling gets his moment to be a hero to try and rescue Mel. Unfortunately his knot tying sucks, and god, Monroe's face he falls - they were best friends, how much does that hurt? Then Bellamy refusing to give in to Finn, and then Murphy of all people backing him up -- and then not letting go of him when he could! That little nod they exchange. And then when he trusts him to watch Finn's back.
- if they both survive I can totally see the two of them becoming good friend in the future, they have such a deliciously complicated relationship.

Octavia saves them during the grounder attack! I love her and Bellamy's reunion.

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Of minor characters that I love, Sinclair is one of them. He's so compassionate with Raven in that he knows she's struggling but he just acts like everything is normal.

And Wick returns! I like his character too. He and Raven clearly go way back, and he so badly wants to help her, even though she doesn't want help from anyone. Oh Raven, I totally get it - I'm the same way, and learning to accept help when you've always been the fixer is so hard.

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I think Clarke and Anya's slugfest is the most brutal up close and personal fighting Clarke has done. And Anya compliments her on it, even though she was about to kill Anya - it was only seeing the balloon that distracted her and changed her mind.

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I still don't like Byrne.

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Jaha's understanding of why his hosts in the desert sold him out is a little heartbreaking, but also speaks to a greater understanding of hard choice people make for survival.

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That last scene, when Clarke and Anya come to an agreement after Anya sees the camp. And then she's shot. It hurts so much because of all the potential that's lost from having Anya on their side.

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