Riley

Riley is a minor recurring character in the fourth season. He is portrayed by actor Ben Sullivan and debuts in Heavy Lies the Crown. He was originally from Farm Station.

Early Life
Riley was born on the Ark and was training to be a member of the Guard. He is shown to have known Clarke and Bryan before Heavy Lies the Crown.

Throughout the Series
When the Ark was brought down to Earth, Riley was in Farm Station which landed in Azgeda territory. Sometime during the conflict with the Ice Nation in the following months, he was captured and forced into slavery, with the rest of his people believing he was dead.

In Heavy Lies the Crown, Riley is first seen shackled and working with other slaves in the wreckage of Farm Station which has been taken over by Azgeda. He has clearly been beaten and is malnourished. When a group of Sky People led by Bellamy come to Farm Station for a water maker machine, Riley is recognized by Bryan who tries to talk to him. The Ice Nation overseer, Tybe, intervenes however, saying the Sky People can only take the machine they came for. Riley stays quiet, clearly afraid to get punished.

When Bellamy's group are preparing to move the machine and debating their options, Riley is seen working, apparently making arrows. He watches sorrowfully as Bellamy's group leave, but doesn't have long to wait before they detonate the hydrazine in the water maker and come back to free the slaves. After Miller and Bellamy overpower Tybe, Monty frees the slaves, who with Riley, proceed to beat Tybe to death.

Riley rides in the transport truck back to Arkadia which he gazes at in awe, before embracing Clarke. He is then taken to the med bay to recover from his ordeal.

In A Lie Guarded, seemingly in good health, Riley is assisting to repair Alpha station to withstand the imminent nuclear apocalypse and receives instructions from Clarke. Later, when Monty asks him how the work is progressing, Riley replies that they are on schedule. When a storm approaches that may bring black rain, Riley goes to run inside with everyone else, but pauses at the door to watch as Jasper pretends to die from radiation for a bad joke.

Once the rain has passed, Riley continues work on the repairs and is seen assisting Jaha. When Monty makes the announcement over a loudspeaker that the Ark will only support 100 people, Riley and everyone else stop working and listen to the list of 100 names being read out.

When Riley realizes his name isn't on the list he angrily questions Clarke's right to decide who gets to be saved. Others also consider the list an outrage, which prompts Jaha to propose that they instead hold a lottery to pick who can be saved. Riley seems satisfied by this and then returns to work.

In The Tinder Box, Arkadia is warned that an Ice Nation army under command of King Roan is on it's way to besiege them and Riley is present during David Miller's proposed defence plan. When Miller suggests igniting hydrazine when the army gets close, Riley appears pleased with the plan, but it is rebuffed by Monty and Clarke who fear that it could damage Alpha Station. Clarke says she wants to meet with the King, and knows where to intercept him as the army can only go one way to reach Arkadia from Polis. But Monty adjusts Clarke's plan and convinces Miller to send a force of gunners with Clarke.

Clarke confronts the army as it is passing through a bottleneck with cliffs on either side. On top of the cliffs are Arkadia's sharpshooters, including Riley, and they train their gun's laser attachments on Roan after Azgeda archers threaten Clarke. Realising he has walked his army into a trap; Roan brings out Bellamy and Kane as hostages, but dismounts his horse and agrees to negotiate with Clarke. When Roan moves away with Clarke to speak in private, David orders the shooters to let the King go and train their weapons on the army. Riley however, still angry at his enslavement by Azgeda, continues to keep Roan in his sights; when Monty demands to know what he's doing, Riley replies that it is pointless trying to negotiate with the Ice Nation and that they should take the opportunity they have to wipe out their army. For a time it seems like Riley will take the shot at Roan, but Monty is able to persuade him to stand down, which Riley does reluctantly. Later on though, Riley takes his gun, leaves his radio and slips away with the intention of assassinating Roan, telling Costa that he only intends to take a leak.

Riley takes up a sniping position aimed at the entrance of the cave where Roan and Clarke are having their meeting and waits for his target to appear. Meanwhile, Monty has warned Echo of Riley's disappearance and persuaded her to release Bellamy and accompany him to stop Riley. Echo and Bellamy eventually discover Riley, who doesn't seem surprised or worried that they've found him, and Bellamy attempts to talk him down. Echo threatens to shoot Riley with her bow if he doesn't back down but Bellamy asks her not to and reminds Riley that Kane and Monty (who took Bellamy's place as a hostage) will be executed if he kills the King. Seeing Bellamy is still in chains, Riley tells him that he is just saying what the enemy wants him to say, reminding him that he himself was once Azgeda's prisoner. Echo again threatens to kill Riley, and Bellamy continues to beg Riley to stand down, telling him that he doesn't want to have so much blood on his hands, even as Roan emerges and Riley takes him in his sights. Overcome with emotion, haunted by memories of his enslavement and clearly conflicted, Riley finally stands down.

In God Complex, Riley is present at the “end of the world” party in Alpha station. When Jasper arrives, Riley greets him with a fist bump and is then seen with Bree dancing to the music. Later, Riley gets a drink at the bar.

In DNR, after Jaha announces that a large fallout shelter has been found in Polis, Riley is still drinking at the bar accompanied by Niylah, Jasper, Bree and other young Sky People. “So what?” Riley asks with disdain, “we hole up in a bunker now? Do everything Jaha says? …Back to life on the Ark”. Jasper agrees with Riley’s scepticism, saying it’s crazy to listen to what Jaha says. While the majority of the Sky People pack their things to prepare for the morning march to the bunker, Riley remains with Jasper’s small rebellious group and talks with Harper when she comes to join them. Jaha approaches the party and reminds Jasper that everyone needs to be ready to leave at the appointed hour, “we’re talking about the future of the human race here Mr. Jordan: participation is not optional”. When Harper takes this to mean that Jaha will force them to leave, Jasper announces that it is a test, making it clear to everyone that if they stay with him then they are choosing death, and he gives everyone a chance to leave with the rest of their people for Polis. All of his followers, including Riley opt to stay in Arkadia to spend the time they have left partying, rather than worrying about survival.

Riley and the rest of the suicidal youngsters lock themselves in a compartment in Alpha Station and continue to party. When Jaha arrives with a squad of guardsmen, demanding they open the doors, Jasper turns the music up, although eventually goes to talk to Bellamy, who is with Jaha. After a time though, having made it clear to Jaha that they’re not leaving, Jasper returns to dance and turns the music up once again.

After the Sky People leave for Polis, the party continues and Riley still has a drink in his hand. It is revealed that Monty has chosen to stay in case his friends change their minds.

Personality
Due to his imprisonment at the hands of Azgeda, Riley has developed a profound hatred for the Ice Nation. He also suffers from PTSD, opting to stay in Arkadia with Jasper's faction despite Praimfaya approaching - this is effectively a decision by Riley to commit suicide.

Physical Appearance
Riley is a white male of average build with blonde hair. He looks to be in his teens or early twenties.

Quotes

 * Clarke: "Riley – I can't believe you're alive."
 * Riley: "I am now."
 * – "Heavy Lies the Crown"


 * Riley: "I didn't survive the Ice Nation just to die because you think I'm not good enough."
 * Clarke: "Riley, you're smart, but you were training to be a guard on the Ark. We only need so many soldiers."
 * – "A Lie Guarded"


 * Riley (to Bellamy) ; "You're a prisoner, you're just saying what they want you to say. I know all about that."
 * – "The Tinder Box"


 * Riley: "So what? We hole up in a bunker now? Do everything Jaha says? …Back to life on the Ark."
 * – "DNR"

Killed Victims

 * Tybe, an Azgeda chief (with other slaves)

Notes and Trivia

 * He knew Clarke and Bryan before "Heavy Lies the Crown".
 * He despises Azgeda due to past enslavement, which also cause him PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).