Alright let’s get into how I figured out Wells Jaha’s sneaky-big role in Season 1 of The 100. This one hit me during a rewatch – kinda obvious now, but I totally missed it the first time!
Starting Simple: Why Bother With Wells?
Honestly? My initial thought was “This guy dies fast, why dig deep?” But I kept wondering why he felt present even later. So I grabbed my notebook and just started watching Season 1 Ep 1 again, focusing ONLY on Wells.
- First Minute Check: He’s literally the first Delinquent they show stepping onto Earth! They framed him centre-shot. That felt intentional, so I wrote down: “Positioned as important arrival.”
- First Conflict Focus: I tracked who he interacted with. Bellamy yells at Clarke? Wells pushes back immediately. Direct opposition. I scribbled: “Represents Ark Order vs Bellamy’s Chaos.”
- Flashback Hunting: Watched his scene with Jaha carefully. Not just dad stuff. Jaha says: “Your job is to protect them”. Ding! Lightbulb moment. Realized: Wells IS the Ark’s designated moral compass down there.
The Real Puzzle: Impact After Death
Then I hit Episode 3… and he’s gone. Felt pointless! So my goal shifted: Figure out the ripple effect. I rewound back to his murder scene.
- Murder Method: Charlotte stabbed him. But why? Tied to Clarke’s grudge. I went back to Ep 1 – Clarke blaming him for her dad floated. So Wells dying because of Clarke’s mistake? Brutal irony, noted it.
- Immediate Chaos: Right after his death, Bellamy loses control. Charlotte throws the knife, Murphy freaks, Bellamy screams for vengeance. Wrote in caps: “Wells’ death = Trigger for Lawlessness!”
- The Long Shadow: Traced threads forward. Clarke’s guilt? Sharpened her focus. Jaha on the Ark? Finding out his son was murdered fueled his descent into obsession later. Even Bellamy’s mob justice tied back to the unstable situation sparked by Wells’ killing. Every episode felt stained by that one event.
Putting It Together: My “Aha!” Moment
I was scribbling arrows all over my notes, connecting dots. Finally saw it:
- Wells lands as the Ark’s planned leader/conscience.
- His violent and unjust death (tied to Clarke’s earlier sin) absolutely destroys any chance of order.
- That void lets Bellamy’s “whatever the hell we want” rule take hold.
- His death also becomes personal stakes for BOTH Clarke (guilt/shame) and Jaha (grief/rage), driving their Season 1 arcs hard.
So yeah, Wells was never meant to lead long-term. His core purpose? To represent the “old way” completely shattering the second they hit Earth, forcing everyone else to figure out how to survive in the brutal vacuum left behind. His legacy is controlled chaos. Crazy how killing off a character fast actually defined the whole darn season!
