Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-98.231.46.205-20151112031449/@comment-28398720-20170228083339

98.231.46.205 wrote: size, strength, reach, the strength to weild a bigger sword, etc... wins in combat of that nature. In a warrior race like that, where they respect strength, it would be a very strong and skilled man that would win the title of Commander, not a young girl, or a woman that is not a physical freak, and this is simply not debatable.

True for the first part, on average men had the advantage in strength and reach. But skill is also a big part of combat, even in real life arena fights to the death (which what the conclave basically is) rarely were decided by size alone. And you forget to account for a the setting, in a world where "god" was a woman and traditional roles don't apply, more than just "skilled man" rise to the occasion. Finally a commander isn't just a title but a person with cognitive enhancing implant aka the flame..

Next is Clarke. I didn't have any problem with her emerging as a leader in the first season. But when the adults, and the soldiers came to Earth, in no way would they allow her to be the leader. And, the leader of a realistic Outlander army would not recognize her as the leader either. You have to remember, it would be like going back to the dark ages where big burly men were the warriors, and warlords. Again true for the first part, and that is exactly what happened. When the adults came down they didn't recognize the delinquents. For example,if not for Abby desperation to rescue Clarke, Bellamy/Murphy would have been in lockup not mounting a rescue party..

As for the later, again you fail to account for the setting. Lexa is more than a person, like an emperor she is a symbol, a religious figure who was chosen by the spirit of the commander. Someone who not only proved herself in combat time and time again, but proved herself as leader, achieving something that no other managed before. That why when she speaks all these big burly men listened, and if nothing else she supported Clarke.