Ten years! Ten years that I have been watching and reviewing The Walking Dead for Biff Bam Pop and my blog. I have seen it all, and one of my biggest beefs…the way the Showrunners keep messing with the character arch of our favorite characters. It was the same with the S11 E08 episode. Join me as I rant.
For Blood
Let’s start with Daryl’s choices on this latest episode. Daryl has a soft spot for Leah, but he knows that her loyalty is with Pope. I would say that Pope is a worthy enemy. Not as crazy as the Governor, but he could definitely hold his footing with the Whisperers: Alpha and Beta. Pope’s weakness is Leah, and God. He trusts Leah, but I’ve always felt that Leah was just waiting patiently to take control of the group. Plus, whenever anyone fights a war because of religious reasons…you are guaranteed crazy as in the “Inquisition” style of crazy.
Pope played fabulously by Ritchie Coster is shocked when the horde of walkers appears to be walking in a fashionably order. When questioned, Daryl admits he’s seen this behavior before, and Daryl offers to go down and investigate because, in reality, Daryl knows that his friends are among the walkers. Instead, Pope sends one of his people, who of course, dies with the help of Team Maggie. This pisses off Leah who feels that Pope has too much heaven on his mind and is failing to protect his family.
Team Maggie
Maggie, Negan, Gabe, and the others actually bring down one of the compound walls protecting Pope’s people, while that distraction is going on, Maggie and Gabe are able to sneak into the compound with Daryl’s help. They need to get the food that Pope stole from her people…but Pope has a weapon that might bring all plans to save Alexandria to a halt.
Judith
Judith needs her sword, and she needs to go hunting with Carol. This little girl is a proven warrior. She has killed her share of walkers, and she tamed Negan. I truly believe that Negan thinks of Judith as his daughter. So why has the showrunners written Judith as afraid and unsure? I don’t get it, the same way that I don’t get why they have shackled Carol…playing her as some crazed, hysterical woman instead of the Super Ninja that she is.
With the walls of Alexandria falling because of a bad storm, why would you pick a house with a weak, thin cardboard door? Why would you keep the children and babies on the first floor? Why wasn’t the children barricaded upstairs? None of this makes sense. Yes, the Whisperers destroyed the walls, but there are enough abandoned buildings to pull up floorboards, doors, and whatever it takes to seal the perimeter. I do love Judith and the way she tries to protect the other children and bless Virgil for reminding Judith that she reminds him of Michonne.
Conclusion with Spoilers
I never expected Leah to kill Pope, but if Daryl thought that she did it for him, boy was he mistaken. She is loyal to her family, but she was surprised to learn that Pope was aware of Maggie’s involvement with the walkers. I don’t trust Leah because even though she killed Pope, she blames the murder on Daryl. I think Leah will be more vicious that Pope because she is willing to use that nasty hwacha on Daryl’s friends.
I am so happy that Carol and Connie are working together. The women on this show are strong, and if Alexandria is going to be saved, it will be because of the ladies. After seeing Rosita go Terminator on the walkers, I know that Alexandria will be saved by a protective mother bear.
I don’t know why the Reapers have never crossed paths with the Commonwealth but it is bound to happen and I have my popcorn ready for that showdown.
See you all in February 2022 when S11 E09 returns
gilbertspeaks 
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