| “ | Not this time. I've tried, Abby. This isn't a glitch. It's a system failure. People need to know. | ” |
| — Jake to Abby. [src] | ||
Jake Griffin was a recurring character in the first and sixth seasons. He was portrayed by cast member Chris Browning and debuted in "Earth Kills".
Jake was Abby's husband and Clarke's father who died before the start of the series. He was floated for attempting to release critical information regarding the Ark's deteriorating life-support systems.
Clarke originally believed that Wells Jaha turned Jake in to his father, the Chancellor. She later discovered it was her mother and Jake's wife, Abigail, who accidentally revealed to Jaha of Jake's plans to defy the Council.
Early Life[]
Jake was born on the Ark, and he rose to become the senior environmental engineer and deputy resource officer. He married Abigail Griffin and they had one daughter, Clarke together. He was close friends with Chancellor Thelonious Jaha and Councilor Marcus Kane.
Throughout the Series[]
Jake watches an old Football game with Clarke.
Jake was shown watching an old soccer game with Clarke, Chancellor Thelonious Jaha, and Thelonious’ son Wells. Jake’s wife, Abigail walked into their home and talked with him. After their conversation Jake decided to head back to work to try and fix the Ark's latest problem. When Jaha asked if everything was alright, Jake told him "You know this old boat. It's always something".
Later that night, Jake was seen arguing with his wife about whether or not they should let the people on The Ark know that there was a limited supply of oxygen left. Jake thought they should tell them the truth. However, Abigail and the Council disagreed because they feared it would only cause riots and mass panic.
Moments later, the Guard barged into their home and arrested him. Jake was charged with treason and taken away. Jake tried to convince Clarke not to tell the people about the Ark dying as he was dragged away.
Later that night, Jake was shown walking toward his death. He was allowed to say tearful goodbye to his wife and daughter. Jake gave his wedding ring to Abby and gave Clarke his watch and then hugged his family one last time. He stepped into the airlock and was floated moments later.
In the present, Clarke finally realizes that Abby was responsible for Jake's floating, not Wells who lied that he was responsible so Clarke wouldn't hate her mother.
In Twilight's Last Gleaming, Abigail Griffin reveals the video Jake made to the people of the Ark. Because of this, they learn The Ark is dying and band together. The video prompts 320 people to volunteer themselves for the culling. Chancellor Jaha states that he feels guilty for killing his old friend because Jake was right about the people.
In Contents Under Pressure, Jaha reveals to Abby that on a nearly unanimous vote, the Council has decided to spare Abby's life for her actions. Jaha suggests that Jake's message awoke the "better angels" in the Council as well. Clarke later confronts Abby over her role in Jake's death. Abby insists that she only intended for Jaha to convince Jake to stand down and not to float him.
In Day Trip, Jake appears to his daughter in a hallucination brought on by the jobi nuts she ingested earlier. The hallucination of Jake tries to get Clarke to forgive her mother for Abigail's part in his death. However, Clarke states that she can't forgive her mother.
In Memento Mori, when Murphy quizzes Josephine Lightbourne about what to use against Abby, she states that the kill shot is Jake, executed for treason due to Abby's own actions. Josephine later uses Abby's guilt over Jake's death as well as her addiction to help convince Abby to make Nightblood for the Primes.
In Nevermind, he appears in Clarke's Mindspace and upon seeing him, Clarke believes she's truly dead until Jake helps her remember what happened before she was mind wiped. He is later seen standing in an airlock by both Clarke and Josephine Lightbourne. A unused clip from Jake's video is also seen by Clarke.
In Adjustment Protocol, as she is mind wiped by Russell Lightbourne, Abby remembers Jake in her final moments along with Clarke and Marcus Kane.
In The Blood of Sanctum, Simone Lightbourne pretends to be Abby having survived the mind wipe like Clarke. However, Clarke doesn't buy it and asks Simone what her father's name is as proof. When Simone can't name Jake, Clarke floats the Masons and Simone.Personality[]
Jake was an honest man who stood up for what he believed in, even though others around him opposed his ideas. He was ferociously protective of his daughter and wife. He was an idealist that who thought the best of people.
Physical Appearance[]
Jake was a tall man with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair.
Relationships[]
Abigail Griffin[]
Abigail was Jake's wife. The two appeared to be very close. However, when Jake discovered the flaw in the Ark's system, he wanted to tell the people of The Ark the truth. Abigail disagreed, afraid the people would riot and cause mass panic.
Abigail confided in her old friend Thelonious Jaha hoping to convince him to talk Jake down. However, Jake was charged with treason, arrested and later floated. Abigail shows regret for getting her husband killed. She remains deeply hurt despite doing what she believes to be right. In her last moments, Abby remembers her husband alongside Marcus Kane and her daughter.
Clarke Griffin[]
Clarke was Jake's daughter. They were very close. Clarke offered to help with her father's plan but he refused because he didn't want to involve her. When Jake was arrested and later floated Clarke blamed herself for his death. She believed that she caused his death by telling Wells Jaha of Jake's plans.
Before Jake died, he gave her his watch. Clarke wore his watch while she was in lockup to keep her memories of him dear to her. Jake's death left her devastated and emotionally scarred. Clarke refuses to forgive her mother for the part she played in Jake's death. When Clarke is in the City of Light, Jake's watch acts as a countdown timer for how long she has to terminate A.L.I.E.
When she is trapped in her Mindspace, Jake is the first person Clarke conjures to help her. Later, when testing Simone Lightbourne, Clarke asks for Jake's name as proof that Simone is actually Abby which Simone can't provide.Appearances[]
| Season One | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Pilot | Mentioned |
| Earth Skills | Mentioned |
| Earth Kills | Flashback |
| Murphy's Law | Mentioned |
| Twilight's Last Gleaming | Appears |
| His Sister's Keeper | Absent |
| Contents Under Pressure | Mentioned |
| Day Trip | Appears |
| Unity Day | Mentioned |
| I Am Become Death | Absent |
| The Calm | Absent |
| We Are Grounders (Part 1) | Mentioned |
| We Are Grounders (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Two | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| The 48 | Absent |
| Inclement Weather | Absent |
| Reapercussions | Mentioned |
| Many Happy Returns | Absent |
| Human Trials | Absent |
| Fog of War | Absent |
| Long Into an Abyss | Absent |
| Spacewalker | Absent |
| Remember Me | Mentioned |
| Survival of the Fittest | Absent |
| Coup de Grâce | Absent |
| Rubicon | Absent |
| Resurrection | Mentioned |
| Bodyguard of Lies | Absent |
| Blood Must Have Blood (Part 1) | Absent |
| Blood Must Have Blood (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Three | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Wanheda (Part 1) | Absent |
| Wanheda (Part 2) | Absent |
| Ye Who Enter Here | Absent |
| Watch the Thrones | Absent |
| Hakeldama | Absent |
| Bitter Harvest | Absent |
| Thirteen | Absent |
| Terms and Conditions | Absent |
| Stealing Fire | Absent |
| Fallen | Absent |
| Nevermore | Mentioned |
| Demons | Absent |
| Join or Die | Absent |
| Red Sky at Morning | Absent |
| Perverse Instantiation (Part 1) | Absent |
| Perverse Instantiation (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Four | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Echoes | Absent |
| Heavy Lies the Crown | Mentioned |
| The Four Horsemen | Absent |
| A Lie Guarded | Absent |
| The Tinder Box | Absent |
| We Will Rise | Absent |
| Gimme Shelter | Absent |
| God Complex | Absent |
| DNR | Absent |
| Die All, Die Merrily | Absent |
| The Other Side | Mentioned |
| The Chosen | Absent |
| Praimfaya | Absent |
| Season Five | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Eden | Mentioned |
| Red Queen | Absent |
| Sleeping Giants | Absent |
| Pandora's Box | Absent |
| Shifting Sands | Absent |
| Exit Wounds | Absent |
| Acceptable Losses | Absent |
| How We Get to Peace | Absent |
| Sic Semper Tyrannis | Absent |
| The Warriors Will | Absent |
| The Dark Year | Absent |
| Damocles (Part 1) | Absent |
| Damocles (Part 2) | Absent |
| Season Six | |
|---|---|
| Episode | Appearance Status |
| Sanctum | Mentioned |
| Red Sun Rising | Mentioned |
| The Children of Gabriel | Absent |
| The Face Behind the Glass | Absent |
| The Gospel of Josephine | Absent |
| Memento Mori | Mentioned |
| Nevermind | Appears |
| The Old Man and the Anomaly | Absent |
| What You Take With You | Absent |
| Matryoshka | Absent |
| Ashes to Ashes | Absent |
| Adjustment Protocol | Flashback |
| The Blood of Sanctum | Mentioned |
Quotes[]
| Season One |
|---|
|
Notes and Trivia[]
- Jake was the only person to believe the people of the Ark would make the right choices for their own future.
- He turned out to be right.
- Jake appeared to Clarke in a hallucination, caused by the Jobi Nuts she ingested, in Day Trip.
- Jake's death is the reason why Clarke became a rude, arrogant person at the start of the Pilot.
- In the book series, Abby and Jake are called Mary and David.
- In the first book of The 100, Clarke was told that her parents were both floated.
- It was later discovered in Day 21 that, instead of being executed, Clarke's parents were sent to Earth, on a mission similar to that of the 100's, meaning that they could be alive.
- In Homecoming, Clarke makes contact with them in the middle of the book via the radio in Mount Weather. Mary and David then travel back there, arriving in the book's last chapter and reuniting with Clarke.
.png){kind=link}
.png){kind=link}