In the world of “The Walking Dead” you should never count your enemy, or cockroaches, as easily conquered. On this mid-season finale of “The Walking Dead” Negan proves that just like the pesky roach that can withstand the devastation of an atomic bomb, he will not die easily. It’s rumored that we lose someone important tonight. Who will it be? Meet me after the jump.
How It’s Gotta Be
We start with a montage of scenes that warn of the horror coming, starting with Carl and Rick. Bless the young. They are the ones that force we older folks to see the whole picture. Carl asks Rick, “Why are we fighting?” I can almost hear the peace songs from back in my day when we young baby boomers asked the same thing of our government on the war in Vietnam. “Why are we fighting?” Rick has no hope of ever spending his free time picking strawberries with Negan, but Carl hopes for peace.
Daryl and Tara are so confident that their little attack plan worked, but when Rick and Team Jadis arrive at Sanctuary, it’s a literal ghost town. How did Negan get out? When snipers begin shooting, Rick is saved by Carol and Jerry, but they get sideswiped and Jerry is captured. We have no idea what happened to Rick and Carol.
Back at the Kingdom, Ezekiel is still having his one-man-pity party, but that soon changes when the explosions begin. I don’t know where Ezekiel gets to, but his Kingdom has been taken, and will now be the new home of Team Negan. What was noticeable was that Gavin didn’t seem to enjoy this takeover. I think everyone, on both sides, is tired of the fighting, and the deaths.
If a tree falls in the road, is it just a tree, or is it the Saviors? Maggie is no fool and while Jesus thinks the Saviors are ready to call it quits, Maggie gets it. Just like Team Rick, the Saviors are loyal to Negan and will fight to the last man. This is soon apparent when Simon pulls up and drags Jerry from the truck. Maggie has a choice: go back to Hilltop and play the farmer, or watch her people die, one by one. We can all thank Eugene for this mess.
When Enid and Aaron pay a visit to Team Oceanside with a distillery truck to smooth the talk between them and the women of Oceanside, they start off on the wrong foot by shooting grandma Natania. And, if you think things can’t get any worse, Negan is at the door and Carl has to think fast on his feet. He is able to get most of the Alexandria townsfolk out via a sewer, and now he has his chance to talk to Negan. If there is anyone that Negan respects, I think it is Carl, but when Carl refuses to surrender, Negan starts bombing all the houses in Alexandria except Rick’s. Negan wants to eat some spaghetti while he waits for Rick.
Conclusion
Only a man with a clear conscience sleeps well at night, and Eugene had to face the fact that his cowardice would destroy all that was good. But, with the help of some laxatives, he gives Gabe and the doctor a chance to escape. Does that make things right with me and Eugene? NO! Too bad that Eugene didn’t have the courage that Dwight had. What Eugene never understood is that we all die, but it’s better to die on our own terms.
Maggie had to agree to Simon’s terms, but she’s not going down that easily. That wooden box with dead Dean was her message to Negan that Hilltop would be the last stand.
Ezekiel is able to distract Gavin and his men long enough for his people to escape, but when Carol goes to his rescue, Ezekiel does the kingly thing and tells her to save his people like she saved him. Yes Ezekiel is in a bad place, but I’m not too worried because Morgan is on the scene.
Rick and Negan get into a fight, but Rick escapes. I believe that Negan lost the momentum after Rick temporarily took Lucille away from him. And, I think that Negan is sincere when he tells Rick that he wants Carl as his own.
Carl
Now we get to the sad part. A few episodes back, I had worried that Carl was injured after he and Siddiq freed a few walker souls…but nothing was said on “The Talking Dead” so I went against my instincts and assumed that all was okay. We should have guessed when Carl was speaking to Negan. We should have seen the resolution in that young man’s eyes as he told Negan that he was willing to die if it would stop the war. I know that the show doesn’t always follow the comics, but damn!
For now, Team Rick and the Alexandrians are hiding in the sewer like trapped rats. For now, they are safe. Maybe Rick has another plan up his sleeve, but we don’t care because Carl is dying. Had he been bitten while he and Siddiq were busy releasing the souls of the walking dead? I know that’s when it happened. Will Carl’s death bring about the peace he so desired? Are there any miracles allowed on “The Walking Dead?” We’ll need to wait until February 25th to find out if our hearts will be broken.
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