Why Bellamy Blake Died In The 100
Isabella Ramos Bellamy Blake, played by Bob Morley, tragically died in The 100 season 7, a few episodes before the series finale of The CW television show.
Summary
- Bellamy's death in "The 100" was shocking and upsetting because it was done by his best friend Clarke, which many viewers believed was out of character for her.
- Bellamy's character development over the seven seasons of the show was complex and admirable, with his final season throwing his development out the window.
- The decision to kill off Bellamy was made by the creators to stay true to the show's theme of survival and sacrifice, pushing the limits of what humans would do to protect their loved ones.
Bellamy Blake was introduced in the first season of The 100, and he went on a long and treacherous journey over the show's seven seasons until he died right before the series finale. Bob Morley played Bellamy from the pilot until season 7, episode 13, and where he started as a character and where he ended up were two very different people. Unfortunately, both versions of Bellamy were not technically great, given that his season 1 self was selfish and arrogant. Meanwhile, his season 7 self was being brainwashed by a religious military group. But the final season also threw Bellamy's character development out the window, leading to some viewers disagreeing with his ending.
Taking into consideration that The 100 was a post-apocalyptic science fiction television series, characters were more likely to die in this universe than on any other show. They faced danger in every episode as they navigated environmental and human threats. As a result, plenty of characters died over the course of The CW series' seven seasons. However, Bellamy's death was undoubtedly one of the most unnecessary and unjustified endings for anyone in The 100, even though there was a reason behind his demise.
Bellamy Blake Died Due To The 100 Being About Survival & Sacrifice
Although Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin, played by Eliza Taylor, got off on the wrong foot during the series premiere of The 100, the two characters slowly but surely formed a deep connection that translated into a partnership, which led to a friendship. They were best friends (and some thought they should be more), so given that Bellamy and Clarke shared one of the strongest bonds in the show, it was highly upsetting and surprising when Clarke killed Bellamy in The 100 season 7, episode 13. However, at the end of the day, the series had always been about survival and sacrifice, and Clarke thought she was sacrificing Bellamy to save her adoptive daughter, Madi.
After the episode aired where Clarke shot and murdered her best friend, creator Jason Rothenberg took to Twitter to explain his decision to kill off the fan-favorite character. Rothenberg wrote:
"For seven seasons, The 100 has been a show about the dark things that humanity will do to survive and the toll those deeds take on our heroes' souls. We knew Bellamy's death had to go to the heart of what the show was all about: Survival. Who you're willing to protect. And who you're willing to sacrifice. His loss is devastating, but his life and his endless love for his people will loom large and affect everything that comes after, to the very end of the series finale itself."
So, for Rothenberg and the writers and producers of The 100, Bellamy's death in season 7 was necessary because it was true to the heart of the show. They wanted to continue to demonstrate the lengths humans would go to survive and protect the people they cared about the most. However, many believed that Bellamy was one of those people to Clarke, which was proven not to be the case since she shockingly murdered him a few episodes before the series finale.
Why Bellamy Blake's Death In The 100 Was So Shocking
As mentioned above, Bellamy's demise in The 100 season 7 was so startling because it was at the hands of Clarke. Of course, their relationship was not perfect in the beginning. But slowly, over time, they developed a deep respect and admiration for one another, and it was unlike any other dynamic in the post-apocalyptic series. So, when Clarke decided to kill Bellamy, some viewers believed her actions were severely out of character. Yes, she did technically do it because, in her mind, it was the only way to protect Madi. But, in hindsight, there were plenty of other paths for Clarke to take that did not end in Bellamy's death.
Unfortunately, what was done was done, and nothing in the world could change what happened in The 100 season 7, episode 13. It is canon that Clarke pulled the trigger and ended Bellamy's life, which is a heartbreaking truth but a truth nonetheless. Or, fans can choose to stop watching after The 100 season 7, episode 12, because that is also a viable option.
Why Bellamy Blake Couldn't Return In The 100's Series Finale
Unfortunately, Bob Morley did not reprise his role as Bellamy Blake a few episodes after his character died in The CW television show. The series finale of The 100 featured the return of some familiar faces, like Lexa, but Bellamy was not around when the other characters got their happy endings. For context, Clarke and co. took a test in the last episode that would determine if they could achieve Transcendence. However, since Bellamy was already dead, he could not reach Transcendence with the rest of his friends. It did not really matter, anyway, because The 100 characters decided to live out the rest of their lives on Earth.
Source: Twitter