Spoiler warningif you are not caught up withThe 100’s latest episode, “Watch the Thrones.”
The 100proved with the last two episodes that it deserves to be included in conversations about the best dramas on television. I’ll even dare to sayThe 100is better thanGame of Thrones. And asthatshow is at the pinnacle of television, I don’t take comparisons lightly.
This week’s episode title,“Watch the Thrones,” obviously lends itself to those comparisons withGame of Thrones, though when I originally watched the hour and drew the parallels, I wasn’t even aware of the title. According to Executive ProducerJason Rothenberg, thetitle was inspiredby Kanye West and Jay-Z’s album of the same name.
On the surface, the two series don’t appear to be much alike at all.Game of Thronesis a fantastical tale with magic, dragons and families battling for the Iron Throne, whileThe 100is a post-apocalyptic story of survival that started with a 100 kids being dropped from space.
The fight to the death between Lexa (Alycia Debnam-Carey) and Roan (Zach McGowan) sparked the idea that withThe 100’s shift to political matters brings the two show’s themes closer together. A massacre? Check! A coup attempt? Check! An assassin attempt? Check! A death match? Check!
Let’s talk about Lexa and Roan’s deathmatch. Even without HBO’s budget, this fight rivaled that ofGame of Thrones' The Red Viper vs. The Mountain. Visually, the set was also similar, with the Ambassadors watching from a stage and a crowd around the ring.
My emotional connection to the two fights was very different, though, due to the fighters in the ring. During theGame of Thronesfight, I cared about the outcome not because of fighters, but because of what it meant for Tyrion (Peter Dinklage). But, duringThe 100fight, my mind and heart raced with anxiety over the outcome, because I didn’t want Lexa or Roan to die.
And, I knewsomeonewas going to die. As viewers often say, “This ISThe 100.”
“Watch the Thrones” showcased this trait in all its glory with Lexa and Roan’s fight scene. When Titus proclaimed, “In single combat, there is but one rule: someone must die today!” we knew someone would indeed die. The deathmatch was then insightfully choreographed to heighten the intensity and suspense of the fight.
So Lexa or Roan? I wasn’t prepared for either of them to die, because neither of their stories were complete, and when I contemplated the possible outcomes, none of them were satisfying. Lexa’s death was unthinkable, but so was Finn’s (Thomas McDonnell), right? And we all know how that ended.
Also, Roan turned out to be much more than just a bounty hunter, banished Grounder, or Prince of Azgeda. One moment he was helping Clarke attempt to assassinate Lexa, and the next their target shifted to his mother.Besides, he was fighting not for himself, but because his mother was willing to sacrifice him to gain power for herself.
In a shocking turn, Lexa used the fight to take out her rival. Not Roan – he wasn’t her enemy – but his mother the Ice Queen. The Commander threw the spear right into Nia’s chest, fulfilling the single combat rule of death, and declared Roan the King. Who would have thoughtBrenda Strong’s Ice Queen would only last one episode?
Just like onGame of Thrones, no one is safe onThe 100.
The reasons I preferThe 100toGame of Thronescan be extrapolated from these two fight scenes. While they are both genre shows, I findThe 100’s realism, closer-knit world building, and (most importantly) the driving motivation of the characters in these scenes to be more intellectually and emotionally stimulating.
Game of Thronesis often too broad in focus to allow viewers to develop a real connection to most of the characters added after Season 1. At the time of the fight, neither The Mountain or The Red Viper were integral to the ongoing story being told, or pulled at the heartstrings. While the outcome did end up having deadly ramifications down the line, it was a slow, slow burn.
In comparison, the outcome of “Watch the Thrones’” fight will have far-reaching consequences immediately. Lexa remains Commander, Roan becomes King and, as far as they know in Polis, there’s a revived peace between the 13 Clans.
Perhaps the most important reasonThe 100is arguably better thanGame of Thronesis due to the motivation behind characters' actions. On the former, leaders are driven to make difficult decisions in order to protect their people, with a focus on their survival from enemies and threats around them. Wrong decisions for the right reason change everything. It’s not about the individual or a quest for power (like inGame of Thrones), it’s about keeping their people safe and alive.
Of course,Game of Thronesis definitely one of the best things to happen to television, and it’s possible, even likely, that without it,The 100wouldn’t be the show it is today. Still, is it possible that the student is becoming the master?
