The popular CW series The 100 will end after its upcoming seventh season, closing out the post-apocalyptic adventures of its fan-favorite cast of characters.
Over the first six seasons, those characters have gone through extreme lengths to survive, including resorting to cannibalism, inciting total war and devastating the Earth before relocating to the alien world of Sanctum where they fought an evil cult. Still, despite this, showrunner Jason Rothenberg notes that a happy ending is a still a possibility, albeit on the post-apocalyptic series' relative terms.
"A happy ending? I’d say that’s probably, well… it’ll be our version of a happy ending, how about that?" Rothenberg told Entertainment Weekly. "But I definitely can safely say that we’re trying to say something more with Season 7. The ending of a story always is the point of the story, the moral of the story. We have yet to reveal the moral of the story, but it will be revealed in Season 7. And it won’t be 'People are horrible, we all suck, we’re willing to kill everyone and everything and do anything to survive.' There’s a higher purpose."
For Rothenberg, the decision to end the series on its own terms is a rare opportunity afforded to him by CW President Mark Pedowitz and the network rather than drag out the show beyond its seventh season.
"To their great benefit since they are putting the quality of the show ahead of making more episodes and making more money, shockingly, it’s a decision that really should be applauded for both the studio and especially Mark Pedowitz and the network side, we finally get to do it," Rothenberg observed. "It’s much easier knowing. We rolled the dice this year that we were going to get to do it, and fortunately in their wisdom and generosity, they’re letting us do it. Had they said no and wanted a Season 8, I was going to be out of here anyway. Getting to end on our terms, it’s a rare thing, and I’m grateful for it for sure."
The 100 airs on The CW Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series stars Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Marie Avgeropoulos, Bob Morley, Henry Ian Cusick, Lindsey Morgan, Richard Harmon and Tasya Teles.