Season Analysis

The 100

Season 1 Analysis

Season Woke Score

out of 10

Season Overview

Set 97 years after a nuclear war has destroyed civilization, when a spaceship housing humanity's lone survivors sends 100 juvenile delinquents back to Earth in hopes of possibly re-populating the planet.

Season Review

Season 1 of this post-apocalyptic drama immediately establishes a worldview where the old, technological civilization, 'The Ark,' is inherently flawed, oppressive, and doomed, while the emergent order on the ground is driven by a new, powerful female hierarchy. The narrative uses a diverse cast and the initial conflict to present a morality that is entirely subjective and situational, forcing young protagonists to abandon traditional civilized values to survive. The show functions as a platform for dismantling traditional gender roles, consistently positioning young women as superior, natural leaders who are intelligent and pragmatic. Their male counterparts are frequently portrayed as impulsive, driven by 'testosterone,' or relegated to side roles as emotional or intellectual 'beta' figures. A pervasive theme suggests that objective morality is nonexistent, presenting all human action, even mass murder, as justifiable in the name of 'doing what’s best for my people.' The introduction of the 'Grounders' heavily relies on the 'Noble Savage' trope, contrasting their primitive, earth-connected lifestyle with the corrupted, authoritarian ways of the space survivors. This season lays a strong ideological foundation that dramatically elevates scores in the categories of Oikophobia and Feminism.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics7/10

The casting features high diversity. Race is explicitly stated to be a non-issue, yet the narrative quickly establishes a cultural dichotomy: the highly-structured, largely white-led Sky People (The Ark) are the decadent oppressors, and the Earth-born Grounders are the morally and physically superior ‘Other’ who are closer to nature. The main white female lead is critiqued within the broader cultural commentary as a figure of 'white privilege' who is constantly the center of the universe, despite other, more competent non-white characters being present. Characters are largely defined by their cultural 'clan' hierarchy rather than individual merit.

Oikophobia8/10

The surviving ‘Western’ civilization on the Ark is framed as a decaying, tyrannical institution that practices capital punishment for minor offenses and ruthlessly enforces population control. This society is doomed from within due to its own systemic failures. The Earth-born 'Grounders,' by contrast, live a primitive, physically demanding lifestyle that is romanticized by a key protagonist who defects to join their culture, seeking belonging outside her ancestral home. The narrative positions the technological, ancestral civilization as fundamentally corrupt and hostile to true human nature.

Feminism9/10

Female characters instantly assume and are affirmed in positions of high-stakes, ruthless leadership. The main female protagonist is a natural-born, ass-kicking, and highly intelligent leader, embodying the 'Girl Boss' archetype who immediately establishes competence and moral authority. The initial male leader is portrayed as an arrogant, impulsive antagonist whose reliance on 'testosterone' quickly leads to failure, forcing him to be emotionally and strategically reformed under the influence of female pragmatism. The show explicitly favors female authority, portraying women as the most effective warriors, mechanics, and political minds.

LGBTQ+3/10

Explicit sexual ideology is low in this first season, which focuses on traditional love triangles. The show does not center on alternative sexualities, nor is there any overt lecturing on gender theory. Pre-marital heterosexual sex is normalized among the teens. However, the world is established as one that has moved past traditional gender constraints, providing a structural foundation for later seasons’ identity-focused plots.

Anti-Theism8/10

The show is explicitly centered on 'moral relativism' and constantly testing the boundaries of human morality. The idea of objective moral truth is subverted, with characters making increasingly dark decisions that are repeatedly justified by the phrase 'there are no good guys' and 'I’m doing what’s best for my people.' The established institutions of the Ark, which contain faint religious undertones, are portrayed as corrupt and failing. The universe is presented as entirely human-centered, where 'salvation' must come from the self and human action, not a transcendent power.