An open letter to Jason Rothenberg and the writers of The 100:
Let me start off by saying that I understand sometimes fan favourites must die. There are times when it is simply the best option for the characters and the show as a whole to have one of them killed. Sometimes, it really is what works best. I would also like to say that I am not just angry that one of my favourite characters was killed. That’s what happens, especially on shows like The 100 where the stakes are so high. Nobody’s favourites are safe.
However, the issue here is not the death of a favourite. It’s that we were led to believe that this wouldn’t happen. We were told to have hope. That we would be happy with how things turned out for Clarke and Lexa. We were actively encouraged to have faith in a good outcome for what has been one of, if not the best-written f/f couples on television. You made us think we weren’t going to be fobbed off with another Tragic Lesbian Death.
And yet that is exactly what happened. For shock value, in the dubious name of furthering a plot that honestly was not outstanding anyway and could have been improved by any number of means that did not involve killing Lexa, you did exactly what you encouraged us to believe you wouldn’t do. You killed her. For shock value.
Because of last night, I and my fellow LGBTQ viewers have been made to feel used, strung along for increased ratings to boost the show’s popularity. We do not exist to boost ratings, we are not just an audience percentage. We came to this show hoping to find the well-written, safe love story we have so long been denied but that heterosexual viewers have had since the beginning of television.
Because of last night, I will no longer be able to put my faith in a f/f couple in any show, no matter how much I am reassured I should hold out hope. The question will always be at the front of my mind: “But didn’t The 100 writers say that, once?”
After last night, I can no longer look at one of my favourite shows and say “Look. There’s a character who’s like me. There’s a relationship like mine. There’s a woman whose story doesn’t revolve around her sexuality, and has a relationship with another woman while also having a kickass storyline. There’s my representation.” Thanks to you, none of us can do that.
And you know what? We can’t just find that again. Unlike other relationships, there aren’t ten different replacements waiting in other shows. This was something unique, and special, and not only is it now gone, but we were encouraged to believe it was here to stay. And that abuse of trust, more than anything, is why I will not watch this show again.
Congratulations. If the thought of fucking over an entire audience of young, LGBTQ people who trusted you and your writing to give them something good doesn’t make you realise how shitty what you’ve done is, I hope a dramatic drop in ratings do.
theartofmadeline
snowghoul
blakekathryn
prguitarman
pixelskylines
vaporwave
