Yeah that's a tough one.....

I can only give you my opinion on all this.

Arkadia citizens:

For me, personally, the problem is that we (the audience) have to assume a lot. Meaning we have to assume that the population of Arkadia is untrustworthy of the Grounders apparently even though nobody bothered them in 3 month and lived in peace. Again the information we get about what exactly happened in these 3 month is sparse at best.

The clear problem here is that the populace was never really being put under the scope and explored. We assume that a lot of people agree with Pike sentiments.

Pike vs. Kane:

After Mount Weather is blown up everybody is naturally riled up. Pike even more so since he, like the delinquents, fought with the Grounders (Ice Nation) since he touched down. Difference being that instead of negotiating peace he actually was at constant war with them.

Then Kane, of course, points out that the Ice Nation is responsible and not the Grounders. Pike lacks the experience to make that distinction quite frankly so I get it. Problem for me here is that there was never really a Pull and Push situation between Kane and Pike.

Pike always seemed to be in the right for the Arkadians and Kane who led them for 3 month seemed to have no real ''power'' or influence on them.

A small group just suddenly shouted ''Pike!'' and that was supposed to be where the powers shift in favor of Pike and I don't buy it one bit because of the reasons that I listed.

I won't argue that this cannot happen in reality because it can.

It's just poorly set up and basically is blazed through in 2 episodes (Yup Episode 5 will have more of that).

So in conclusion:

Arkadia in itself was never explored they are just ''no-names'' in the background. I get Pike's mindset but the very fast power shift into his favor seems sloppily set up.

All opinions belong to me only. :)