The world was bombed. All of it burned, except for those people. Those who remained were eventually saved by the first Commander, or hidden away and not allowed to ... progress to handle the world outside. [This is basic history. What if her people hadn't been viewed as animals by the Mountain Men? As savages? Lexa knows that they were toyed with, and yet she still gave in.

Then again, she feels like she's being toyed with now, but at least she isn't being given any ultimatums. (Yet.)]