On this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead” everyone has to work together to restore the route for communications and trade…but before Team Rick fixes the bridge, they might want to work on that bridge to friendship
The Bridge
Rick is speaking to someone, but we don’t know who…although we can make a guess. It’s either Carl or Negan. There are road signs again. The communities are growing…people are becoming more relaxed in the fact that they don’t have to fight as much to survive. But…that bridge repair is necessary to continue to grow.
Tensions are high because of Maggie’s rules with an iron fist. The communities are required to either work or provide barter in order to be worthy of the Hilltop food. When Michonne stops by to ask for the promised food rations for Sanctuary, Maggie tells her that the ethanol delivery never arrived. No fuel-no food. Michonne makes a plea for laws that all the communities can respect. I know that Michonne is honoring Carl’s dying wish, but she is right. You can’t rebuild civilization without just, and impartial laws. And everyone has to abide by these laws for civilization to function.
Maggie gets to understand where Michonne is coming from when Tammy demands to see her husband, Earl. Jesus reminds Tammy that Earl tried to kill Maggie and Enid, so she won’t be able to talk to Earl. Sometimes, we have to forgive because it’s the right thing to do, and sometimes, we need to forgive in order to eat.
Earl is the only blacksmith around who can fix the plow. Hilltop and the other communities need to eat, but the plow is broken. It is in this episode that we see Maggie as a worthy leader. She understands why Earl did what he did…he was an alcoholic, but she decides to let him out of jail to be with his wife, and to fix the plow. Earl will always be under house arrest, but it allowed Maggie to set a more compassionate sentence.
Eugene
Was Josh McDermitt’s character based on a real scientist? If his character wasn’t, then I have found a real life scientist that even talks like Eugene. His name is David Wallace and he is a physicist. I was watching a science show and I could not get over the similarities. Eugene tells Rick that many of the Saviors are disappearing; abandoning ship so to speak. Maybe it’s because of the severe food rationing imposed on them by M
aggie, or maybe it’s because they don’t fit in.
The Saviors are still considered the enemy by all the communities, and we can understand that it will take time to settle in. There are two bridges being constructed in this episode: the wooden one, and the personal one. In order for Carl’s vision of the future to work, people have to be on the same page, but our favorite warrior is definitely not ready.
Daryl
Daryl doesn’t believe that leopards ever change their spots or that Team Rick will survive now that they are taking care of so many survivors. I guess he didn’t get his own personal letter from Carl. Daryl is angry and when he tries to get Rick to understand his position, Rick is too busy with the future to pay attention to the past. Aaron’s telling Daryl about the joys of fatherhood and raising baby Grace are interrupted when Justin demands more water from Henry. A fight breaks out, and again…Rick doesn’t truly listen to what it is that worries Daryl. Carol tries to play buffer, but I think this situation between Rick and Daryl must play out.
Love
Even during the most horrible situations, such as the zombie apocalypse, you can always find love. Ezekiel truly loves Carol, and we know that Carol has feelings for him, but she’s not ready…at least that’s what she tells him over and over. Things are different for Jadis/Anne and Father Gabriel. They are so comfortable together. Anne is having the same issues with people trusting her as the Saviors have, but Gabe trusts her.
Conclusion
Are the Saviors disappearing on their own, or is someone kidnapping them? I tend to believe they are not leaving on their own. That could be why the second siren didn’t go off. When lumberjack walkers attack Daryl’s team, Aaron is badly injured. The situation could have been worse if Tara hadn’t messaged Mother Goose aka Rick. Team Rick arrives just in time, but not quick enough to help Aaron.
This episode was all about bridges: the kind you build with wood, nails and hammers…and the kind you build in your heart. With Siddiq handling a bug going around at Alexandria, little Enid proved herself a good doctor-in-progess when she used her handy dandy medical book to amputate Aaron’s arm. I would have been really upset if Aaron died.
Maggie listened to Michonne and remembered that Earl was no different than Hershel. Yes, they both battled addiction, but we are to hate the sin and not the sinner. Maybe Michonne can start writing that charter now. Anne and Gabe finally got it on together even though they were on watch duty. These two will make for an interesting couple.
Carol and Ezekiel are both warriors, but Ezekiel is the bigger romantic between the two. When Carol asks for the ring, Ezekiel gets on his knees to propose, but Carol stops him. How cute was that, right? Carol is not saying yes, but she ain’t saying no either.
Rick, we guessed right, was speaking to Negan. I guess Rick feels obligated to give a weekly report to his prisoner. Rick is honestly hoping that the other communities will accept the Saviors, and that everyone can live happily ever after…but Negan thinks more like Daryl. Negan might have started the Sanctuary with the same expectations as Rick. At the end of this episode, we are left to wonder if Negan is correct when he tells Rick that he’s not saving the world. He’s just getting it ready for him.
I am hoping that we find out more in next week’s episode about the disappearance of the Saviors, and who tackled Justin to the ground. The biggest question right now is what does Anne know about that copter, and when will she tell Rick.
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