Board Thread:Show-Related Questions/@comment-24670104-20170525192239/@comment-69.145.120.37-20180527223849

The 12 connection is interesting and I've wondered about that, too. But 12 features prominently IRL such as 12 months of the year with 12 corresponding Zodiacs; the Chinese Zodiac is also based on 12 year cycles; we have 12 inches in a foot; 24hrs in a day (12x2);

I think the 12 stations versus the 12 clans is a symbolic mirror. Originally, there were 13 stations but one was sacrificed (Polaris) to establish social and political order. For the Grounders, there were 12 clans in (relative) unity, and adding the 13th (Skikru) created social and political chaos...

I don't know if it was ever confirmed that the original survivors innoculated by Becca were from the Second Dawn bunker (it's been suggested those in hazmat suits seen in front of the Polis tower came from the bunker). If so, obviously 12 already featured in their end-of-world mythos which would likely continue. (and of course Becca was aware of the 12/13 space stations).

It's not a stretch to assume that when the Second Dawn bunker survivors finally left the bunker, they disbanded into 12 clans as part of their heritage.