#like damn riley looks like i can find a meta purpose for you after all

[ofnailbatsandaxefives]

Okay, so I know we all like to joke around about and shit on Riley...well more so on the fact that the writers just threw this character in that we’re supposed to suddenly care about, and is an obvious Bryan stand in...but...putting all this aside, my meta brain started doing some research cause, y’know that’s what I do...

Riley is a word that can be used as both a name and an adjective. 

First things first going to look at it as a name since it’s how it’s used within the show.

Riley is an alternative spelling to Reilly which is an anglicized version of the Irish Raghallaigh. The meaning of the name Riley (or Reilly/Raghallaigh) is “Valiant”

Valiant - Possessing or showing courage or determination

Of course this isn’t something we, the audience, has seen from him, though I’d say that it probably possesses a bit of courage and determination to keep on pressing on when you’ve been taken as a slave, and most likely beaten/tortured at some point, but still...

We could also agree that he was determined to take out Roan in The Tinder Box, but I wouldn’t call that determination a valiant one. Going off of The Tinder Box episode, though, we do have that moment where Bellamy tells him “Your life was saved for a reason, and this isn’t it.” Now, we could just look at that as a one time thing used to calm Riley down in this situation, but come on guys, this is The 100, we should know better by now. Because of this in connection to the meaning of Riley’s name, I do think that Riley is going to serve a bit more of a purpose in 4B, and we might finally get the answers of ‘Who the fuck is Riley?’ and ‘Why the fuck is he even here?’ This is something I wouldn’t mind seeing, only so long as it doesn’t take anything away from the regular cast/characters (ie. him deciding to sacrifice himself to save everyone instead of someone like Jasper) 

As an English Surname the name Riley means “Rye Clearing”

Rye is a plant (grass) that’s grains are often used for animal feed or making things such as cereal or whiskey. ---so this would be a connection to Riley being from Farm Station (which slightly makes me wonder if Clarke had Bryan on the list, cause obviously she didn’t have Monty or Riley on it, and these three are the last people we know of from Farm Station...)

Hmm maybe Riley being from Farm Station will have something to do with the whole “life was saved for a reason, and this isn’t it” thing.

Now that I have the meaning of Riley as a name out of the way, I’m going to focus on the meaning of it an adjective.

One meaning of ‘riley’ is Turbid

Turbid - 

a. Deficient in clarity or purity

b. characterized by or producing an obscurity of mind or emotions

Synonyms: cloudy, polluted, confused

another meaning of ‘riley’ is Vexed

Vexed - 

a. difficult and debated. problematic

b. annoyed, frustrated, or worried

Synonyms: afflicted, distressed, tormented, exasperated

When we look at these two definitions and their synonyms we can easily link them to Riley in The Tinder Box. His past and feelings/emotions towards Ice Nation are obscuring or clouding his ability to think logically. He isn’t thinking about the possible outcome of a war starting or even of himself winding up dead from one of Echo’s arrows in this situation. All he sees when he sees someone from Ice Nation is his tormentors. So, he becomes the problematic factor that Bellamy has to talk down. 

I could very well be wrong, but is it possible that ‘Riley’ in its meaning as an adjective is supposed to be who Riley was, and that the meaning of Riley as a name is who he is supposed to become in 4B?

Now, whether or not the audience will actually care is an entirely different question altogether...

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