Welcome to Earth

"I close my eyes and suddenly I'm somewhere foreign to my generation; Planet Earth. I can feel the sun on my face. Looking around me, I see trees all around, stretching for miles in all directions. The scent of wildflowers on the breeze smells divine and I think to myself  'It's so beautiful.'"

~Rayleigh Griffin's daydream in the beginning.

Summary
Set in an indeterminate year in the distant future, 97 years after a nuclear apocalypse has devastated the surface of Earth, the only survivors were approximately 400 inhabitants of 12 national space stations that were in orbit at the time.

100 juvenile delinquents are sent to Earth to see if it's able to sustain life for the remaining population of the Ark. When two twins; Rayleigh and Clarke Griffin, realize they landed somewhere other than their intended destination, they put a small group together to go to Mount Weather to bring back food and supplies. While en-route, the group quickly discovers Earth is filled with both wonders and dangers. One of them is hit with a spear and it's revealed that they're not alone.

Plot
In 2149 CE, Rayleigh and Clarke Griffin are in a solitary cell on the Ark; Clarke is drawing while Rayleigh is daydreaming. Two Ark Guards enter their room, one of whom orders them (Prisoners 318 and 319) to face the wall. Rayleigh jumps down from the bed, demanding to know what is going on. One of the guards opens up a metal box containing wristbands. Clarke mistakes the wristbands for the device that will execute her and expresses panic due to the fact that she and her sister don't turn eighteen for another month. Seeing the fear and panic in Clarke's eyes, Rayleigh attacks both guards, overcoming them and takes Clarke's arm and the two escape their cell. They see guards escorting juvenile delinquents out of their cells as well. Rayleigh and Clarke's mother, Abigail Griffin, appears and hugs them. Abigail reassures Rayleigh and Clarke that the Delinquents aren't being executed and informs them that they are being sent to the ground instead. A guardsman shoots both sisters with a tranquilizer.

Rayleigh is the first to awake and she finds herself on a drop ship headed for Earth. She notices the metal wristband on her right arm and also discovers that her ex-boyfriend, who betrayed her, Wells Jaha, is also on the drop ship after he got himself arrested in order to protect her and Clarke. When they hit Earth’s atmosphere a message from Chancellor Jaha appears and explains to the 100 that they are being sent down to Earth because they are expendable but that if they are co-operable, their crimes will be forgiven.

Rayleigh learns from the video message that their drop site is a military base called Mount Weather. While watching the video, Finn Collins gets out of his seat and performs aerial stunts near Rayleigh, a now awake Clarke, and Wells. Two other delinquents follow his lead and try to get out of their seats, despite Rayleigh's protestations. Finn points out that the two sisters have been in solitary for over a year and Clarke, annoyed, points out that he wasted a month of oxygen on an illegal "spacewalk". Moments later, the parachutes deploy, sending the two delinquents and Finn flying.

The drop ship comes in too fast. Wells worries because the retrorockets didn't fire when they were supposed to. He then goes to apologize for getting Rayleigh and Clarke's father arrested and, eventually, executed. Both sisters are hostile toward Wells, and Rayleigh declares her hatred for him. The retrorockets fire, interrupting them, and the drop ship lands on Earth. Monty Green, strapped to the wall, observes that there is no machine hum and the crash must have cut off the Ark's communication to the 100. The delinquents begin to recover from their landing and unstrap themselves. Clarke gets out of her seat and checks on one of the two delinquents who followed Finn out of their seats. Rayleigh follows the other delinquents to the main level.

After descending from a ladder Rayleigh stops Bellamy Blake from opening up the drop ship door due to the fear that the air could be toxic. Bellamy ignores her, explaining that in that case, they would all be dead anyway. Bellamy goes to open the door when a young woman hesitantly calls out his name. A delinquent shouts reveals the young woman to be Octavia Blake, Bellamy’s sister and the girl the Ark found hidden in the floor illegally. This angers Octavia, causing her to try attacking the delinquent who made the comment, however, Bellamy stops her. Bellamy offers Octavia something else for people to remember her by: the chance to be the first human on the ground in over 100 years. This excites Octavia. Bellamy opens up the drop ship door and delinquents experience their first breath of fresh air. Octavia steps out of the drop ship and savors the feeling of being on Earth. Octavia jumps onto the ground and smiles. Behind her, the delinquents take in the sights of Earth. Octavia throws her fists into the air and shouts "We're back bitches!" Rayleigh ans Clarke jump onto the ground and their faces light up in excitement. Rayleigh caresses a ring on a chain around her neck, muttering softly However, her's and Clarke’s excitement is short lived when they both realize they are not on Mount Weather and that a radiation-soaked forest sits between them and their next meal.

Clarke plots a route to Mount Weather while Wells tells her and Rayleigh that the ships communications are dead. Jasper approaches and playfully flirts with Raleigh and Clarke. Wells roughly grabs his arm and pushes him away. John Murphy sees this and confronts Wells, stating Jasper is one of them. Wells explains that they need to find Mount Weather. Octavia mocks Wells and Rayleigh because they are considered privileged. Rayleigh doesn't let this stop her, instead explaining that if they continue to wait, they will go hungry. Bellamy proclaims Rayleigh, Clarke and Wells should go, while the rest wait for them to return with food and supplies. Wells tries to make Bellamy understand that they all need to go. Murphy shoves Wells, trying to start a fight. Rayleigh holds him back saying Murphy isn't worth it. Murphy agrees, telling Wells to "listen to [your] little Princess." Rayleigh brushes him off, which angers Murphy who grabs her arm. Wells decks him and the two prepare to fight. Before the two can fight, however, Finn intervenes and tells Murphy to wait until it is a fair fight. Octavia approaches and suggestively hints for Finn to save her next. He flashes Octavia a smile before walking away. Clarke goes to check on Wells while Bellamy approaches his sister and gives her a look.

Rayleigh checks Wells' injured leg as Finn approaches them and asks when they leave. Clarke tells him they are leaving right away, helping Rayleigh to her feet. Rayleigh turns to Wells to explain when they will be back. Finn recruits Jasper and Monty to the group and Octavia invites herself along for the journey even as Bellamy tries to stop her. When Clarke spots a scuff mark on the side of Finn's wristband, she scolds him and tells him that the wristbands transmit vital signs to the Ark. If they take them off the Ark will think they are dead, unknowingly giving Bellamy an idea. Rayleigh gets a small pack together and before she could leave, Bellamy blocks her way. The two exchange snide remarks before Rayleigh walks away with Clarke, Finn, Jasper, Monty, and Octavia.

Walking through a lush forest, the group takes their time admiring Earth. Rayleigh tells the group to hurry it up. Clarke observes that there are no animals, and concludes that there must have been enough radiation to wipe them out. They continue on walking and Monty and Jasper reveal how they got busted for stealing from the Ark's garden and forgetting to replace what they took. Jasper asks Octavia what she was arrested for of which she replies "for being born". They see the two Griffin sisters crouched by a log and join them. In front of them is a deer grazing in the field. Finn snaps a twig and the deer turns to them, shocking the group with its two heads.

In the woods, Rayleigh tells the group the reason the 100 were sent to Earth after ninety-seven years is because the Ark is dying and only has three to four months of life support left and that is the reason she and Clarke were locked up in solitary and their father was floated for it. Octavia then takes off to the edge of a stream and strips off her pants as Jasper ogles her. Octavia leaps into the water below. Luckily, the water is shallow, for none of the 100 can swim. Other than Rayleigh and Clarke, they all start taking off their clothes to join Octavia. Jasper spots something in the water and shouts at Octavia to get out of the river. Octavia is suddenly pulled under by a river snake. She comes up a bit farther downriver, screaming. Clarke, Monty and Finn toss a boulder into the water to distract the river monster but Octavia is unable to swim to shore. Jasper jumps in and grabs her just as the creature comes back and he is able to pull Octavia to shore in time.

When night falls the group sleep surrounded by trees. Rayleigh lays away, playing with her necklace while staring at the moon and stars. She looks over at Clarke, asleep next to her, and brushes some hair from her face, before falling asleep herself.

Down by the river, Finn is holding onto a vine, about ready to swing across the river to the other side. Jasper tells him to let go at the apogee. Rayleigh tells Finn to hurry up, and he gives her the nickname "Princess Commander" since she's taking charge. As Finn is about to take off, Jasper asks if he can go first so he can impress Octavia. Finn agrees and Jasper goes soaring across the river, letting go as he screams "apogee" and lands safely on the other side. They all begin cheering and Rayleigh prepares to go next. Jasper picks up a sign reading, "Mount Weather," and holds it above his head, telling them they did it and reached Mount Weather. He is suddenly knocked off his feet and propelled back, pinned against a tree with a giant spear protruding from his chest. Rayleigh, Clarke, Finn, Monty, and Octavia all duck down in fear as they realize they are not alone.

Cast

 * Claire Holt as Rayleigh Griffin
 * Eliza Taylor as Clarke Griffin
 * Paige Turco as Abigail Griffin
 * Thomas McDonell as Finn Collins
 * Eli Goree as Wells Jaha
 * Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia Blake
 * Bob Morley as Bellamy Blake
 * Christopher Larkin as Monty Green
 * Devon Bostick as Jasper Jordan
 * Isaiah Washington as Thelonious Jaha (via video message)
 * Henry Ian Cusick as Marcus Kane (credit only)
 * Richard Harmon as John Murphy

Quotes
~Rayleigh on her current predicament at the beginning of the episode. ~Abby's last words to Rayleigh before she's drugged and sent on the drop ship. ~Octavia's exclamation after she steps foot on Earth ~Rayleigh and Bellamy's first argument of the series ~The first time Rayleigh's future title is used in the series ~Jasper's last words before getting speared
 * Rayleigh Griffin: "Reality sucks."
 * Abigail Griffin (to Rayleigh Griffin): "Your instincts will tell you to take care of everybody else first, just like your father. Look out for your sister."
 * Octavia Blake: "We're back bitches!"
 * Rayleigh Griffin (to Bellamy Blake): "The air out there could be toxic."
 * Bellamy Blake (to Rayleigh Griffin): "If the air is toxic, we're all dead, anyway, Princess."
 * Clarke Griffin (to Finn Collins): "You wanted to go first. Quit stalling."
 * Rayleigh Griffin (to Finn Collins): "Mount Weather awaits. Today Finn."
 * Finn Collins (to Rayleigh Griffin): "Aye, aye...Princess Commander."
 * Jasper Jordan (to Rayleigh, Clarke, Finn, Monty, and Octavia): "We are apogee!"

Body Count

 * Two unnamed delinquents are killed in the descent to Earth.
 * Callie Cartwig (off screen)

Significant Events

 * Rayleigh, Clarke and Wells are revealed to be childhood friends who now have a troubled relationship
 * Wells is revealed to be Rayleigh's ex-boyfriend, who appears to still have feelings for her.
 * Finn Collins is the first delinquent both Rayleigh and Clarke meet
 * While Rayleigh, Clarke, Finn, Monty, Jasper, and Octavia are away, Bellamy starts to cement himself as the leader of the 100.
 * Many delinquents rebel against the Council by removing their wristbands (off screen)
 * Octavia is the first delinquent to be attacked by an animal; she's bitten in the thigh by a sea serpent.
 * Jasper is the first delinquent to be attacked by a Grounder; he's speared in the chest.

Notes/Trivia

 * This episode spans over two days; Saturday, September 13th and Sunday, September 14, 2149.
 * A few of the main character's reasons for being arrested are revealed:
 * Rayleigh and Clarke were arrested because they knew what their father knew.
 * Rayleigh was also arrested because she assaulted two guards when her father was taken away.
 * Finn was arrested for an illegal spacewalk
 * Jasper  and Monty were arrested for stealing herbs to make "stuff"
 * Octavia was arrested for being a second child
 * With the addition of Bellamy Blake, there were actually 101 people on the drop ship.
 * Finn calls Rayleigh "Princess Commander", because she was taking charge of their small group. This is the first mention of what will eventually be known as Rayleigh's title; forshadowing her stepping up as a leader for her people.