The 100: 10 Book To TV Show Differences Nobody Talks About

Books often differ from their onscreen adaption, but the changes that The 100 underwent when it was developed for television were massive. The basis of both, ultimately, stayed the same, but the other factors make the two almost unrecognizable from each other.

If it weren’t for the title and the names of a few of the more notable characters, they could easily exist completely independently from each other. Fans who have only watched the science-fiction show on The CW, often find themselves surprised when they discover how much it deviates from the original source.

10 Wells Is Alive

The television show wasted no time killing off Wells, and he was murdered by Charlotte in The 100 Season 1 Episode 3. Even though fans only knew him for a short time, viewers are still upset that he died before the real story even began.

Not only is Wells alive in the books, but he’s a main character. The books are told from a dual point of view, and Wells is featured heavily in every installment of the series. Wells isn’t quite the same as his TV counterpart, but he had a kind heart in both versions.

9 Octavia Has A Girlfriend

Octavia is younger in the books than the show and is in her early teens for the majority of the novels. Bellamy is equally protective of her in both versions, but given her age, Octavia needs more supervision in the books.

A storyline that is left out of the show is Octavia’s drug addiction and her trouble sleeping. Octavia’s personality is drastically altered, but the most notable difference is Octavia’s romance with Anna, a girl she falls for in the final book of the series.

8 Bellamy And Clarke Get Engaged

Although it was never verbalized, the show went out of its way to make fans believe that Bellamy and Clarke were in love with each other. But in a plot twist that came out of nowhere, Clarke murdered Bellamy after they reach an impasse in the final season.

Ironically, “Bellarke” is the main couple of the books, and their love story plays a leading role throughout the novels. Bellamy’s line, “I want to spend eons with you, Clarke Griffin,” is a fan favorite, and he proposes to Clarke on the last page of the series.

7 The Radiation Experiments

The Nightblood storyline in The 100 eventually led to some experiments, but it was nothing like the ongoing plot in the books. Although they had really been sent to Earth, Clarke believed that her parents were killed as a punishment for the human trials they had been conducting.

Clarke becomes friends with one of her parents’ captives, Lily, and at her request, kills Lily to put her out of her misery. Clarke later discovered that Lily was Bellamy’s girlfriend, which causes problems with their budding romance.

6 Raven (Along With Several Others) Doesn’t Exist

Aside from a few characters, the cast of the books and show are completely different. Even the characters who are included in both have such contrasting personalities, that it’s hard to buy into them being based on each other.

Glass was one of the four main characters in the novels, but she’s not included in the onscreen adaptation. Her boyfriend, Luke, also plays a major role, and their relationship is a pivotal part of the book series. Although there are countless characters in the show but not the books, the most notable one is Raven Reyes.

5 Clarke And Wells Dated

Wells spent his entire life hiding his feelings for Clarke, and he never got the chance to tell his best friend that he was in love with her. Their dynamic is completely different in the books, as Clarke and Wells were in a relationship before they came to the ground.

In the books and the show, Clarke pushes him away and believes that he had something to do with her parents’ alleged death. They never get back together, since Clarke falls in love with Bellamy, but they hug and make up in both versions.

4 The Entire Plot

When diving into the book series after binging the TV show, the number one thing fans need to do is erase the entire plot from their memory. It won’t serve a purpose other than making readers confused.

There are some general similarities: 100 teenagers are sent to Earth to scope out the land, people were already on the ground when they arrived, and Mount Weather plays into the story. But everything else is so far removed from the original source, that it feels as if the showrunner didn’t even consult the author when writing the script.

3 Bellamy And Wells Are Long-Lost Brothers

It’s a shocker for those who have no idea what happens in The 100 books, but Bellamy eventually realizes that Jaha is his father, making Wells his half-brothers. Like the show, Bellamy and Wells didn’t like each other, and it was mostly due to their shared interest in Clarke.

But unlike the show, Bellamy and Wells have time to develop a real relationship. It doesn’t happen immediately, but they become close and form a familial bond.

2 Wells Falls In Love With A Grounder

In the show, Octavia was the first person who embraced the grounders and her romance with Lincoln was forbidden by both of their people. However, in the books, it’s Wells who first falls in love with a grounder and carries on an unexpected relationship.

Sasha is Wells’ main love interest, and she’s a likable character who played a somewhat similar role that Lincoln did in the show. Her death was heartbreaking, and Wells losing her could be paralleled to Octavia losing Lincoln.

1 The Ark Is “The Colony”

The space stations serve a similar purpose, but what TV viewers know as “The Ark” was originally just one part of “The Colony.” Arcadia wasn’t the only surviving ship when the books began, and the characters lived on one of the three stations in accordance with their social class.

Bellamy and Octavia live on Walden, where the inhabitants lack resources and are malnourished. Clarke, Wells, and Glass live on Phoenix, where the wealthiest of the human race resides.

About The Author

Rachel Foertsch
(358 Articles Published)

Rachel Foertsch is a production intern and lover of all things television. Her TV reviews are featured on Rotten Tomatoes and she is currently a Staff Writer at ScreenRant. Additionally, Rachel has written for TV Fanatic, where she conducted onscreen celebrity interviews. You can follow her Twitter: @realrayrays for more content.

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