Last fall, a group of journalists and I were invited to the sets of The 100 in Vancouver to talk with the cast and tour the new locations for Season 5. As always, the sets were incredibly intricate, with so much care given to making the post-apocalyptic vibe feel real (almost too real!) And also per usual, details on the new season were kept pretty much under wraps, but star Eliza Taylor was able to give us a few hints and tidbits about what fans can expect from the upcoming character reunions, the relationship she has with Madi, and more:

QUESTION: How have things changed for Clarke now that she’s essentially raising a young girl?

TAYLOR: I think it's great. It's done a lot. I mean, she's gone through tremendous loss in her life […] We thought that she was going to be alone at the end of, well, towards the end of Season 4. But now having this little sidekick who she loves with all her heart, a surrogate daughter-type, she's found some sort of peace and happiness, until of course the prison ship comes down.

What is she like as a mom?

TAYLOR: I love their relationship. She's a good mom. She's stern with her though because Madi is cheeky, so she does really have to keep her in line and she's a very fierce little thing. Yeah, discipline. She's disciplined, which is cool.

Has the relationship changed Clarke's perspective on her own mother? Has that come off at all?

TAYLOR: Yeah. I think that's something that we're going to explore. The things that you do to protect your daughter. I think it does help her understand where her mom was coming from on a lot of things that used to grind on her.

Can you tell us anything about the reaction to when those doors open of the prisoner transport and she sees who is inside?

TAYLOR: Well, I can tell you that it's the biggest change in the story point in this season. It's paramount for Clarke who has just been living this beautiful, peaceful life. Yeah, they're not going to be pretty.

The 100 were a group of prisoners that came down to Earth, and this is a group of prisoners coming down. Have they considered that?

TAYLOR: Yeah. It's great because it's a role reversal. It's like suddenly she's the grounder who is being hunted. It's a really cool callback to the pilot.

What can you tease about how some of the dynamics will have changed once these characters do reunite after six years?

TAYLOR: There's a lot of changes. There's a lot. Obviously, it's probably no secret that we will be reunited with both the people underground and the people in space. A lot of people have changed quite dramatically, which I'm excited to be able to talk about at some point, happily!

Are we ever going to get to see flashbacks to those six years that happened off screen?

TAYLOR: Yes. I'd say that's safe to say.

Is it exciting for you to have more or less a completely different show every season to do?

TAYLOR: Yes. It's surprising because I'm like, how many ways can we end the world and then save it again? Our writers just come up with the most brilliant ideas. This one is probably my favorite just because we get to play with the idea of being six years into the future. We've all gotten to really reinvent our characters.

Will there still be a semblance and camaraderie or family within that original 100 that are left, now that they've been separated so long? Do they have new loyalties now?

TAYLOR: I think yeah, a few have new loyalties, a few are the same. There's a couple in particular who are very, very different, but there's still going to be that bond and that sense of family. I can't wait for people to see the actual reuniting of the entire group. It's pretty cool.

How long does it take for that to happen?

TAYLOR: That's something that I'm not allowed to say!

Fans of The 100 are always so passionate about certain aspects of the show. What do you think is going to get them really excited about this season?

TAYLOR: Oh, a lot. What's going to get them excited? I think, like I said, just all of the different groups and friendships coming back together, it's going to be really cool for people to see.

The 100 returns to The CW on April 24th.