Skip to main content

the 100 - How did Shallow Valley survive Praimfaya?


Spoilers for The 100 seasons 3, 4 and 5, but actual spoiler-markdown would hide the entire question. You've been warned.




Right before shutting A.L.I.E. down in season 3's finale, Clarke learns that a second nuclear apocalypse is coming, and that "96% of the Earth's surface will be unhabitable".


After trying (and failing) to counter that, at the end of season 4, the remaining nuclear power plants melt down, burn, explode, whatever post-apocalyptic nuclear power plants do, and a worldwide radioactive wave (Praimfaya) storms Earth, instantly killing any flora and fauna life.


Second Praimfaya


However, in season 5, we learn that Praimfaya spared the cosy-looking "Shallow Valley" pictured below.


Because nuclear death storms making Geiger counters go crazy, poisoning the soils, waters and air, and messing with the atmosphere enough so that ground-space communication doesn't work anymore, tend to spare a random valley, just like that.


Shallow Valley, also known as Eden


Out-of-universe, this was done so that season 5 could have a plot revolving around a "Battle for Eden" between Wonkru and Eligius prisoners.


In the episodes, as far as I can remember, they skimmed over the details by basically saying that the death wave somehow spared Shallow Valley. Leaving aside that the "96% of the Earth's surface will be unhabitable" doesn't mean much here, since





  1. a good chunk of the Earth surface is oceans anyways,




  2. Shallow Valley is seemingly far less than 4% of Earth,




was there a better "scientific" explanation given for Shallow Valley surviving, rather than sheer luck? 1


I'm mainly thinking about some kind of interview with a reply along the lines of "oh, you know, conflicting winds, magnetic fields, Indian burial grounds2...", given that I really don't remember any science being conducted in season 5 to find out (the characters had other things to take care of), and given where season 6 will take place3, they probably won't talk about Shallow Valley again.




1 Even if the "science" in this show is... Well, there's a reason it's called science-fiction.


2 Related to above note, Indian burial grounds could totally be a science in this show.


3 That is to say, at the end of season 5,



since Shallow Valley was destroyed by the Damocles bomb, the characters entered cryo in order to go back down some years after. However, it could not be done, and Monty headed the ship to the planet Eligius 3 was sent to explore three centuries ago.



The explanation above probably means that Shallow Valley won't be brought up again.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more