#* ✧ . ZOE MONROE ━ bombs away / aesthetic !

[blodreina-noumou]

Hello can you rec some good Octavia episodes? (apart from s6) i want to re watch but not the whole thing hahah

I would love to! Let me build you a complete Octavia episode list - what I consider the best and most important in her arc. (Under a cut, since it’s long.)

Season 1:

(I tend to skip the first four episodes, because I find them really cringeworthy, and Octavia is barely in episode 1x05. But if you wanna see her chase some butterflies, that scene is in 1x02.)

1x06 - “My Sister’s Keeper” - An obvious classic, where we get to dive deep into the Blake siblings’ history and how Octavia was exposed as an illegal child. Shows how simple mistakes can have lifelong impact, and really illustrates how complicated Bellamy and Octavia’s relationship is. Plus, this is where we get all of the first interactions between Lincoln and Octavia, and where Octavia’s rebellion against Bellamy’s rules takes a more righteous shape - from here, her goals shift from “do whatever the fuck I want because I finally can” to “do whatever the fuck I want because I need to protect this strange, new person, who is an outsider like me.”

1x07 - “Contents Under Pressure” - This is where Octavia’s stubbornness really takes shape, and we see her compassion and kindness in full bloom. She refuses to stay away from Lincoln, even though Bellamy keeps threatening her when she goes to the captive Grounder. She poisons herself to get Lincoln to give up the antidote, so Raven will stop torturing him. In a camp starting to go mad with power, Octavia is one of the few who tries to stop the brutality. The first time she talks to Lincoln, and he speaks back, and her face fills with joy and wonder - ugh, it gets me every time.

1x08 - “Day Trip” - Octavia’s role in this episode is smaller, but I really love the scenes she has. Realizing that everyone in the camp is tripping balls, she cleverly distributes the jobi nuts and uses the chaos to help Lincoln escape. I love her offering Jasper an “anti-grounder stick.” It shows her ingenuity, chaotic-good methodology, and her quick thinking, and I love all of her scenes in this episode.

Season 2:

2x02 - “Inclement Weather” - I think 2x01 is worth watching as well, if only to see Lincoln lug Octavia around like a sack of potatoes, and to see the first Trigedasleng lines spoken on-screen. But 2x02 is where Octavia really begins to shine again. After being given the antidote to the poison she was attacked with in the s1 finale, Octavia recovers quickly and is pissed. She takes Nyko captive, and attempts to use him to trade for Lincoln’s release from his people, who want to kill him (brutally) for being a traitor. When she stomps into their camp, holding a knife to Nyko’s throat and shouts, “I laik Oktevia kom Skaikru…and you have something I want!” - I fall in love. Ferocity in a tiny package.

2x10 - “Survival of the Fittest” - Octavia’s fight with Fio, which is one of my favorite scenes of hers. Everyone - from her own people to the Grounders - wants to stop her from getting herself hurt, from putting herself in danger. No one thinks she can handle it. No one trusts her to weather the storm, despite the fact that she’s been dodging lightning bolts her entire life. When she rises, again and again, refusing to go down, we really get to see her almost manic determination to prove that she’s a fighter, a warrior, and she won’t give up just because she’s in pain, or scared, or angry. Then, Indra offers her the chance to become her Second, and Octavia’s life changes forever.

2x13 - “Resurrection” - As one of the few to escape the bombing of Tondc unscathed, the pressure to save those trapped in the rubble falls on Octavia. She struggles to earn the respect of the other Seconds, but ends up saving everyone with her ingenious “let’s chuck this bottle of alcohol at this burning pile of debris and use the smoke as cover” plan. She’s able to keep everyone moving and takes charge, even while people continue to doubt her. By the end, she’s earned a respected and admired place among the other Grounders.

2x16 - “Blood Must Have Blood, Pt 2″ - Betrayed by Lexa, abandoned by Indra and the other Seconds, and knowing Lincoln is trapped and branded, yet again, as a traitor to his people, Octavia desperately tries to find a way to rescue the remaining delinquents inside of Mount Weather. She teams up with Bellamy, Clarke, and Maya to devise a plan, and ends up playing an instrumental role in protecting everyone - right up until Clarke is forced to pull the lever that irradiates Level 5. In many ways, this is Peak Octavia - she’s an excellent soldier, a badass, stoic warrior, and a surprisingly soft and understanding friend towards Jasper and Maya.

Season 3:

3x01 - “Wanheda, Pt 1″ - My primary reasons for loving this episode are aesthetic and pretty shallow. We get to see how far Octavia has come in learning Trig - she’s basically fluent at this point, and manages to act as translator between the Azgedans and the scouting squad. She’s in full Grounder gear, but is also clean and uninjured - a rarity for her. She saves Jasper’s life with a super slick knife toss, rides around on Helios like a pro, and shares some wonderful banter with Raven and Bellamy. It’s a fun one.

3x05 - “Bitter Harvest” - Octavia is doing her absolute best to protect both sides of her identity - the Grounders and the Sky People - but they’re making it very, very difficult for her. She has a bunch of amazing scenes. Saving the little boy named Gabriel, trying to warn the Grounders about the incoming attack, letting Gabriel pet Helios. Unfortunately, in trying to protect both sides, she betrays both sides instead, and Zoe Monroe ends up dead. It’s an underrated Octavia episode, because it really shows her true nature, and how even when she has the best intentions, she just can’t get things to go the way she needs them to.

3x09 - “Stealing Fire” - A really, really tough one, but essential to Octavia’s arc. The death of Lincoln kom Trikru, her savior, her soulmate, her true love. The building energy and tension of Octavia being born for this role, of using subterfuge and misdirection to sneak everyone out, of hiding under the floor with everyone, and of nearly escaping with Lincoln safely in tow…only for it all to go horribly, horribly wrong, at the last minute… it’s good TV, even though it’s heartbreaking. I’ll never forgive them for killing Lincoln. But Marie’s performance is stunning, and this is the beginning of Octavia’s downfall - which makes for some great television.

3x12 - “Demons” - I think this is one of the weirdest episodes of this show, but it’s also a really good one for Octavia. She’s pushed down all of her grief for Lincoln, focusing solely on getting the mission done, and on figuring out how to save everyone from ALIE. When she finds his book, and his jacket, and has that moment where she breaks down and shoves everything off the desk - my heart breaks for her. It includes some good Blake sibling moments, as well. Bellamy going from “don’t surrender, no matter what” to “here let me put these cuffs on myself for you” in a matter of 0.3 seconds because Emerson threatens Octavia is a top Blake sibling moment.

3x16 - “Perverse Instantiation” - Octavia reunites with Indra, and receives some pertinent and salient advice - don’t kill Pike until the fight is over, because they need him. Octavia fights with herself, coming close to ruining everything, but manages to swallow her rage long enough to fight alongside the man who executed her soulmate. But once it’s done, she does not hesitate - I was immensely satisfied, seeing her run him through with her sword, although it absolutely signals the start of Octavia’s descent into darkness.

Season 4:

4x01 - “Echoes” - Octavia begins her role as Skaikru’s assassin, taking out the men guarding Roan and allowing Abby to swoop in and save his life, saving all of their asses in the process. Again her role is limited, but she takes out the guards with a spear chuck and a badass knee-slide. It’s a cool moment. We begin to see the cracks in the surface as she starts spiraling more and more.

4x06 - “We Will Rise” - Tensions are very, very high in camp, as Ilian is being held as a prisoner for destroying the Ark, and pretty much everyone but Kane wants him dead. Octavia is still healing from Echo’s failed attempt to capture her, and has clearly gone even deeper into the darkness as a result of being pushed away by Kane and Indra. She allows the crowd to rush Ilian, then lets them drag him outside. She very nearly executes Ilian, in the same place Lincoln died, and in the same manner. Kane talks her down, and we get a very emotional and well-done flashback sequence of Octavia remembering Lincoln’s death. When she flees camp at the end, we can’t help but see her as a wounded, grieving kid, who took on way too much violence and brutality way too quickly.

4x07 - “Gimme Shelter” - Black rain strands multiple characters inside and forces them all to wait out the storm, dealing with rising resentments and anger. Octavia and Ilian find themselves sheltering in a cave together. Pushed to her limit by Ilian’s questions, Octavia very nearly walks out into the black rain, in an attempt to kill herself. Ilian rushes to pull her back in, and they consummate their brief, sweet relationship in a moment of mutual need.

4x09 - “DNR” - Octavia and Ilian try out peace for a while, to disastrous results. Her scenes are brief, but one of my favorite Octavia moments happens when she’s left to her own devices in the garden plot, moodily whacking at the soil, trying her best but clearly begrudging this peaceful lifestyle. Although the scene where she kills the other Grounders is brutal, it’s very effective. Octavia can’t escape the violence of her past, can’t pretend that she is able to go back to being an innocent girl. She still needs more time to see how much damage it’s caused her. Unfortunately, s4 kind of twists this arc and tosses it on its head, because she ends up being greatly rewarded and venerated for her ability to use violence to win the Conclave.

4x10 - “Die All, Die Merrily” - Even still, I can’t help but be enthralled by Octavia’s struggle in the Conclave. She uses her lifelong skills of hiding and making herself small to survive most of the battle. Then she teams up with Roan, showing that she’s willing to make allies out of enemies, if it ensures their survival. I’m still really sad at the way Luna’s arc ended, and that Octavia was the one who killed her - but it’s still a great episode for O, and one that really underlines her entire arc and character progression.

4x12 - “The Chosen” - Heda Octavia rises, though she’s never explicitly referred to as such, of course. Watching Octavia take the lead with uncertainty but steadfastness is so compelling. She takes on the entire human race as her people in 4x10, and then, she puts her money where her mouth is, forcing Skaikru to make the choice over who will be allowed to survive in the bunker, and who will be forced out into Praimfaya. It’s the beginning of Blodreina, in so many ways, and really sets her up well for her s5 arc.

Season 5:

5x02 - “The Red Queen” - Another classic. We get to dive deep into what happened during the six years that Octavia and the rest of humanity were trapped underground. Octavia chooses her new mantra, her new armor, and her new identity. She fights viciously, without mercy, and ends up triggering the start of an entirely new, but still very brutal, tribal culture. It’s a fun one!

5x04 - “Pandora’s Box” - My favorite parts of the Blodreina arc are where we get to see the cracks in the surface. When Bellamy breaks through the bunker to free Wonkru, Blodreina disappears and Octavia comes back, for the briefest of moments. She manages to look so small and vulnerable when she throws herself into his arms, despite her warpaint and armor. Her first interactions with Diyoza are so good, and the building tension of the other characters realizing just how much things have changed is palpable.

(For what it’s worth, I think most of the episodes between 4 and 10 are worth watching - but for the sake of keeping this as short as possible, I’m gonna skip those synopses. Octavia does a lot of posturing and power struggling with Bellamy and Clarke.)

5x10 - “The Warrior’s Will” - Blodreina is finally knocked down by her former friends. After throwing Gaia, Indra, and Bellamy into the fighting pits, she is thwarted by Monty’s dramatic entrance, with his miraculous flowering plant. Octavia, deep in her spiral, recognizes that the people around her do not understand that remaining in the bunker is untenable, impossible, and not something she can accept. She burns the farm. It’s the first time I was ever really mad at her, but it’s a very important part of her arc.

5x11 - “The Dark Year” - After an entire season of teases and hints, we finally, finally get the long overdue explanation of what exactly happened in the bunker during the infamous “Dark Year”. Although the cannibalism thing was pretty obvious at that point, and almost everyone in fandom had figured it out, there was still something very shocking and unsettling about seeing the way it played out. I think the true twist comes from two places - that is was all Abby’s idea in the first place, and that Octavia is forced to execute her own people in cold blood for refusing to take part. They’re epic, emotional, difficult scenes, and Marie knocks her performance out of the park.

5x13 - “Damocles, Pt 2″ - It takes losing nearly all of her people, and almost losing her adoptive sister/close advisor, but Octavia finally comes to see the error of her ways. They gave her about fifteen different, gloriously perfect lines to go out on. She marches into the light, shooting like a madwoman, screaming her mantra - and then she drops to her knees, ready to give herself up to save her family. In some ways, I wish she had died, but really, I can’t lie - I cheered and felt overwhelming relief when Emori, Echo, and Murphy bust in with the rover, saving the day. In the later half of the episode, we get some excellent Blake sibling moments, as well as a great conversation between Diyoza and Octavia.

Those are for you, anon, since you only wanted the first five seasons! For the rest, who might’ve followed along this far, and want to know where to go from here:

Season 6:

6x02 - “Red Sun Rising” - While everyone else goes crazy from eclipse toxin, Octavia just goes crazy. Seeing her struggle, wanting the surviving members of Skaikru to beat her up, is so heartbreaking. I think this is the episode where I really started to resent Abby and the way she treated Octavia. Lots of great little Niytavia moments, as well as a deeply frustrating but compelling Blake sibling reunion.

6x04 - “The Face Behind the Glass” - Giving Octavia a scared little girl to look after was one of the best things this show has ever done with her. Octavia thrives best with a clear goal, defined mission, and identifiable enemy. She has all of those things in this episode, but tragically, she cannot prevent the Children of Gabriel from killing Rose. It’s a surprisingly emotional arc in the midst of a lot of sassy angst.

6x05 - “The Gospel of Josephine” - The Octavia/Diyoza team-up this season was everything I wanted, and so much more. The scenes of them talking in the weird quicksand stuff are so interesting. It’s great to see Diyoza give her version of a pep talk to Octavia, and I love the banter between them and Gabriel. Also, the little nod she gives Diyoza after coming up out of the muck - “guess you want to live after all” - it means goddamn everything to me, okay? Don’t touch me, I’m emotional.

6x09 - “What You Take With You” - Our babygirl pops out of that anomaly lookin’ fresh and clean and younger than she did at the beginning of s5. We still don’t know what happened to her in there, but we do get a certain visualization of the emotional and spiritual journey she’s gone on, which has resulted in her dramatic transformation. I really loved her mindscape scenes, the return of the butterflies, and even Pike’s return, as much as he makes my blood boil.

6x12 - “Adjustment Protocol” - Bellamy and Octavia can finally work together again without going at each other’s throats. Seeing this improved, peaceful version of Octavia is so satisfying, especially after two solid seasons of her unquenchable bloodthirst.

6x13 - “The Blood of Sanctum” - At the end of reliving her arc in my head, via writing this, I have only one thing left to say: Octavia Blake is a badass mothafuckin’ bitch and there is no way in HELL that she is dead.

Thanks for reading! If anyone actually decides to use this as an actual watch guide, lmk. If you think there are any really important ones that I missed, give me a shout!

[melicriism-blog]

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