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EXCLUSIVE | 'The 100' Season 7 Countdown: Shelby Flannery says Hope-Octavia mystery will unfold this season

Flannery spoke to MEA WorldWide and said longterm fans will have some lingering questions answered
PUBLISHED MAY 13, 2020
Hope Diyoza (The CW)
Hope Diyoza (The CW)

The final season of 'The 100' on The CW is exactly one week away and while we have plenty of questions on everything for the final 16 episodes, some of them revolve around Hope Diyoza. When Hope's mother, Charmaine Diyoza (Ivana Milicevic), was introduced in Season 5, she was pregnant. 

In what has to be the longest pregnancy for humankind on the show, Diyoza remains pregnant with her baby as she goes into cryo-sleep when Monty Green (Christopher Larkin) steers the ship towards Planet Alpha, where humans were sent on Eligius missions to find habitable planets.

In Season 6, Diyoza is "called" by the Anomaly and she goes in and enemy-turned-ally Octavia Blake (Marie Avgeropoulos) follows her into it. Octavia was missing for a few episodes, but when she came back, she looked slightly older. 

In the Season 6 finale, the Anomaly spreads through the planet, and through it, a grown woman (Shelby Flannery) comes. Octavia calls her Hope and Hope stabs her, but Octavia seems to understand why Hope has to do it. Octavia disappears with the Anomaly and Hope remains behind. Now if that isn't a grand entrance, we don't know what is.

Flannery was promoted to series regular ahead of Season 7 and since there's a lot we don't know about Hope Diyoza and how she knows Octavia, we can't wait for the series to get started. MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) spoke to Flannery about her character and what it meant to be a part of the show.

The moment Charmaine Diyoza told Marcus Kane that she was pregnant on 'The 100' (The CW)

Flannery says she found it daunting to join the cast of 'The 100' in its final season. She said, "I’m not sure anyone could dive into this crazy world nonchalantly! Just by watching the show, I could tell that the actors put all their sweat and soul into each take, and I know how demanding that is."

She continued, "So I was scared, yeah, but in a way that really lit a fire under my ass. I wanted to help the cast and crew hold the show up to its reputation. And that’s pretty much how it went on set every day, I was pretty often scared for the tasks ahead, but it was a kind of fear that pushed me to go to places I wouldn’t have been able to go if I simply didn't care."

So how will Hope interact with the other characters on the show? Flannery says Hope's early trauma stays with her and that affects her ability to connect with people. She said, "Like any good story, there’s transformation and growth and yes more challenges, so her dynamics with the others are always changing."

Fans can also hope to have all their questions surrounding Hope — and her relationship with Octavia — to be explored. Flannery says the mysteries surrounding Hope — who she is and who she interacts with — will be demystified.

Of course, the Anomaly is a looming mystery as well and Flannery says it will play a major role in the final season, "The Anomaly starts off meaning something different to everyone, and the fans will have fun following the characters as they find out the truth of what really lies beyond it."

When Hope stabs Octavia in the Season 6 finale of 'The 100' (The CW)

So what would Flannery's favorite moments from filming be? She says her favorite moments were usually the hardest ones. "Those late nights in the freezing forest, the stunts, the tears... in those moments everyone really became a team, and that was so cool to witness and be a part of," she said.

Flannery says filming for 'The 100' was like being part of a "well-oiled machine", which became obvious when things were tough. She said, "I’m sure that’s not always the case on a big show like that, so man, did I feel grateful!"

What can fans expect for the final season? Flannery said a lot of old strings will re-emerge and try to tie themselves up, as dots are connected and mysteries are included. She said, "Those who've been diehard fans since the beginning will have some lingering questions answered. It’ll be wicked and maybe a bit uncomfortable. At the very least, surprising."

She also tells us that the themes of the final season continue to stay with her and impact how she sees the world, something she probably has company in. Flannery said, "What I've taken away from it will be different from what the next person does, which is why it’s so good. Even if it’s just pure entertainment for some, there’s meaning in that during a time like this."

Filming for 'The 100' wrapped up just as the coronavirus scare began, so Flannery was able to go back home to Minneapolis "to hunker down and reflect on the last eight months of playing Hope." She said, "It’s been really nice to have this break, but as soon as the industry opens back up again I hope to have another dynamic character to play with."

Follow MEA WorldWide's countdown to the final season of 'The 100' for more. The final season will premiere on May 20 on The CW at 8/7c.

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