Why Clarke Makes a Perfect Leader on 'The 100'

Clarke on The 100 has had a rough time on the ground. In fact, she's had a terrible life, even before her ship landed on Earth. But despite the sad and tragic hand she's been dealt — losing her dad and learning that her mother was responsible for her father's death — she immediately became the leader of The 100 and has done a pretty stellar job so far.

Now, Clarke isn't perfect. Her decisions as of late have been... questionable. She did let all of those Grounders and some of her own Ark-mates die in the bombing. She let Lexa convince her that keeping emotion out of the decision-making process is the only way to rule. Her heart has hardened since the ship first hit the ground and she's seen way too much carnage for a woman her age, but she's powered through all of it in order to effectively serve and protect her people.

In the Season 2 finale (spoiler alert!) all of Clarke's decisions as leader become too intense to bear and she decides to leave Camp Jaha and live on her own for the time being. Bellamy pleads with her to stay and maintains that they can get through all of it together, but she still walks away. So even though it seems like she just abandoned her people out of guilt, she's doing it in order to continue serving as their leader. So, yeah, she is the ultimate, right? Here are some of the other reasons Clarke is the best person to lead The 100.

1. Because She Knows the Value of Life

Clarke has seen some bad stuff. She even had to kill the man she loved in order to save him from being tortured. So she gets how much of a precious gift life is, and each decision (apart from the bombing) takes that into account.

2. Because She Admits Her Mistakes

The guilt she has carried from the bombing still weighs on her. She knows that in order to lead, tough decisions will need to be made, but it doesn't make it any easier to live with her demons. The important thing about being a leader though? Admitting when you're wrong. Clarke has done that and even after being forgiven by those who love her, she will never completely forgive herself.

3. Because She's a Healer

She established her value from day one when she showed off her medical skills. When someone needs a doctor, Clarke can jump in and provide basic care to keep them alive.

4. Because Bellamy Has Her Back

They are meant for each other, but at the very least, they are meant to serve their people as a pair. When Clarke needs to be heartless, Bellamy softens the edge, and vice versa. He will do whatever it takes to keep her safe, and will share the weight of every sacrifice that will haunt her forever.

5. Because She Doesn't Care What Anyone Thinks

She trusts her own judgement and proceeds with a shrug.

6. Because She's a Bad-Ass When Needed

She doesn't fight very often, but don't get it twisted — she will fight and kill when the moment calls for it. Clarke protects her own, and if you're a threat, you're probably going to die at her hand.

7. Because She Doesn't Quit

Even when things look hopeless and she needs to fight a war all by herself, she's up to the challenge. She would fight to the death in order to save her people — no doubt about it.

8. Because She Knows Emotion is Necessary in Every Situation

For a brief period, she let Lexa convince her otherwise, but that mentality quickly faded when Lexa revealed her feelings for Clarke. It's impossible to be a robot, and Clarke understands that emotions are an important part of making a tough call. Clarke respects all the feels.

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