THE 100 Season 6: Previewing Episode 602 “Red Sun Rising” — A New Hell Found On a New Earth
As Earth’s survivors — comprised of the remaining Skaikru, Grounders, and Eligius 4 folks — it was a dream come true to discover planet Alpha and, hopefully, be able to build a new life there after 125 years of searching for a new planet after Earth was destroyed. Yet, as with any dream, there is always a harsh reality to wake up to. For one, Alpha was not a planet, but a moon. Worse yet, Alpha has a natural phenomena that seems to have an adverse effect on human life forms, and, as prophesied in the book that Clarke (Eliza Taylor) found: “when the suns align — the forest awakes and it’s time to run away.” Just how bad will it be? That is exactly what they all find out in next week’s episode “Red Sun Rising.”
Alpha as a planet or a moon is not exactly the safe haven that they hoped for. Instead, it is full of untold horrors waiting to be unleashed on the unsuspecting. For the advance exploratory team, comprised of Clarke, Bellamy (Bob Morley), Echo (Tasya Teles), Murphy (Richard Harmon), Ermori (Luisa D’Oliveira), Jackson (Sachin Sahel), Miller (Jarod Joseph) and Shaw (Jordan Bolger) — it is nothing short of a nightmare. For, as Clarke quickly realized, whatever the threat is, it is in the very air that they breathe and they were infected the second that they landed on Alpha. And as for the seemingly-deserted community that they stumble upon called Sanctum, will it offer them the sanctuary they hope for — or is it just another death-trap waiting to be sprung?
This is THE 100, and if the past five seasons have taught us anything, there is a lot more unpredictable horror to come — for THE 100 is, at its heart, a survival tale — and every step they take, every breath they make, there is always more terror lurking.
As if a hostile planet wasn’t enough to deal with, there is also the problem that someone stole their shuttle and is presumably headed back to Eligius 4, which bodes badly for Raven (Lindsey Morgan), Niylah (Jessica Harmon), Octavia (Marie Avgeropoulos), Jordan (Shannon Kook) and Abby (Paige Turco), who were left to keep watch over the rest of the cryogenically-frozen survivors. As a reminder from this week’s episode, the advance team has no way to warn those aboard the Eligius 4. Without the ability to radio them and warn them, the threat headed their way is unstoppable and terrifying.
But who is in more danger: those who are now trapped on a planet that is determined to kill them or the unsuspecting Eligius refugees? Alpha is infested with carnivorous insects and Sanctum is surrounded by deadly radiation fence. So where are all those who clearly should be living in Sanctum? Where do they hide to stay safe? Is there anywhere that will keep the advance team alive and from losing their minds? Shaw already paid with his life. So who will be next? And you can be certain: there’s always a next.
What clues does the “Red Sun Rising” book yield? It merely says, “For two days, heaven becomes hell and friends become foes.” That isn’t going to help them much, but it does give them a countdown clock to work with. They just have to survive 48 hours. If they can do that, then they survive to fight for another day.
Survival is all fine and dandy, but for those who have traveled 125 years asleep, the real test will be amongst themselves. It was not a century for each of them. It was just hours before that some of them were literally trying to kill each other. With betrayal and hurt feelings fresh on their minds, there is a lot of emotional baggage to sort through. This would seem to be the most inopportune time to want to settle scores and air their grievances against each other — but, hey, it is not as if it is the end of days and they do not have time for it. With no praimfaya or nuclear warheads about to blow the planet up, there is no time like the present to have a heart-to-heart (or sword-to-sword) talk about what is weighing up most on each of their minds. It’s a terrible time to clear the slates, but maybe there is no better time than now because this is the beginning of a new chapter in all their lives. They need to start fresh and free from the grievances of yester-year as the pent up animosities will not aid them as they confront their latest foes.
The unknown has never been kind to those in THE 100. But maybe this time, what they do not yet know, may indeed save them. But save them from what? The planet — those who stole the shuttle — or those in hiding around Sanctum. Or better yet, whatever that radiation fence is meant to keep out. Fences are not just for animals — or are they?
Another worry is the fact that Niylah woke up Octavia. The Red Queen sleeping was scary enough. What will she be like with a whole new planet to conquer? As it now stands, there are too many people who are used to having their orders obeyed. But what happens when no one wants to follow those orders anymore? The question of who has power and who grants it will be a deciding factor in the days ahead.
To find out if fortune favors Earth’s survivors, be sure to tune in for THE 100 episode 602 “Red Sun Rising,” which airs Tuesday, May 7th at 9:0-0 p.m. on the CW.
THE 100 Red Rising Promo:
https://youtu.be/z9f0NB8roFw
SENIOR ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER | Tiffany covers events such as San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon and press junkets, as well as covering events at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills. She has a great love for television and believes that entertainment is a world of wondrous adventures that deserves to be shared and explored. Tiffany is one of the newest members to the prestigious Television Critics Association and is happy to be able to share her passion for television shows with an even wider audience of fans and her fellow critics..