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 juveniles convicted of various crimes are sent to Earth to see if it is survivable.

On the dropship, Clarke learns 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 Clarke and Wells.

When Clarke awakens she finds herself on a dropship headed for Earth. Clarke discovers that an old friend who betrayed her, Wells Jaha, is also on the dropship after he got himself arrested in order to protect Clarke.

When they hit Earth's atmosphere a message from Chancellor Thelonious Jaha appears and explains to the 100 that they are being sent down to Earth because they are expendable but that if they are cooperable, their crimes will be forgiven.

Two other delinquents follow his lead and try to get out of their seats, despite Clarke's protests. Finn points out that Clarke has been in solitary for over a year and Clarke, annoyed, points out that he wasted three months of oxygen on an illegal "spacewalk". Moments later, the parachutes deploy, sending the two delinquents and Finn flying.

On Earth, the dropship comes in too fast. Wells worries because the retrorockets didn't fire when they were supposed to. He then goes to apologize for getting Clarke's father arrested and, eventually, executed.

Clarke is hostile toward Wells and 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.

Clarke asks if the other is breathing. Finn exchanges a look with Clarke, indicating that both delinquents are dead.

Clarke descends from a ladder and stops Bellamy Blake from opening up the dropship 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 revealing the young woman as 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 dropship 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. Bellamy blocks the others from leaving the drop ship.

Octavia jumps onto the ground and smiles. Behind her, the delinquents and Clarke take in the sights of Earth. Octavia throws her fists into the air and shouts in excitement. The rest of the Delinquents smile, shout, and cheer as they race out of the drop ship to explore their new world. and thats how the story starts...