My apologies for not posting a review last week. I was fighting a sinus infection…and I figured that this week’s episode would mirror what happened in E21. On tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead, we deal with Eugene’s kangaroo court, Team Ezekiel surviving a cruel warden, Team Aaron joining a walker horde, and Maggie desperately searching for her son. This post is packed with spoilers so don’t read until you’ve watched the episode.
Faith
I love how each episode in this final season starts with Judith’s memories. There are two storylines within this episode, and both have to do with good people taking a stand against tyranny. While at the labor camp, Negan tries to get Ezekiel to join forces against the evil warden (Michael Weaver). Ezekiel has too many bad memories when it comes to Negan, but in the end, Ezekiel agrees to work with Negan.
Back at the Commonwealth, the trial has begun, and if Yumiko expected a fair trial, she realizes soon enough that Pamela holds all the cards. Pamela’s tears over her son may be real, but she is definitely playing to the audience packed inside the court room. When Yumiko mentions the recording of Sebastian talking about the Lottery, Pamela claims it was fake. Yumiko pleads with Mercer to help Eugene and is surprised that Mercer already knows about the missing people. Mercer won’t budge in his duties, but Pamela doesn’t trust him and has one of the guards spy on Mercer.
While the trial is going on, Team Aaron (Lydia, Jerry, and Elijah) bump into Luke and Jules who break the bad news that Oceanside has been taken over by the Commonwealth. They decide to head towards Alexandria…but then notice that troopers are leading a huge horde towards the Commonwealth. Why would the troopers do this? Lydia comes up with the idea of blending in with the walkers via Whisperer style.
Princess recognizes another prisoner at the labor camp. Tyler Davis was the boy who tried to warn people about the labor camps. He is too afraid to help. Negan gets into a fight with the guards after he spots his pregnant wife doing heavy lifting. In the shuffle, he loses the escape plans. The Warden wants Negan to reveal the ringleader in exchange for Annie’s safety. Will Negan betray his friends to protect Annie?
Team Maggie have found a way into Alexandria to save their friends and to find the missing children. Maggie and Carol are both strong women, but when it comes to their kids…they are the proverbial grizzly bear mammas. It was really good to see these two Ninja warriors comfort each other. While Team Maggie work their way through the sewers, Negan is brought before the Warden again. While there, Negan notices that the Warden is a bastard even with his own men. Soldier 197 has a sick brother, and 197 requested a transfer to be close to his dying brother, but the Warden refuses….hmmm…I see a mutiny coming.
Conclusion and Spoilers galore
There are only a few episodes left, and believe it or not, I am not ready to say goodbye. Eugene, against Yumiko’s advice, gives a brilliant speech. He should have died long ago, he insists, but for the love and loyalty of good people. Although the judge is definitely owned by Pamela, the citizens of the Commonwealth are not and they don’t want Eugene to die. This might be why Pamela has ordered her men to bring in the horde. If the citizens get too angry, she can call for a lockdown claiming she is protecting them.
The ending of this episode had me jumping all over the place. Negan, to protect Team Ezekiel and Annie, tells the Warden that he is solely responsible for planning the escape. Negan knows that this is a death sentence, but he wants to protect Annie. Living up to TWD script for bad guys, the Warden decides to give the order for both Annie and Negan to be killed by a firing squad. Ezekiel, realizing that Negan protected him and the others, stands in front of Negan and Annie. One by one, all the other Alexandrian citizens join Ezekiel, but this only angers the Warden who orders them all shot.
Remember that soldier, 197, well this trooper is sick and tired of the Warden and the Commonwealth cruelty. He is not shooting a pregnant woman, but he does pull his gun on the Warden. The Warden, being the slime bucket that he is, grabs Kelly. Daryl saves the day when Daryl knocks out the Warden.
Team Maggie finds little Hershel, but unfortunately for Rosita, her baby is nowhere to be found. Desperate to find her infant she questions the Warden who laughs in her face…that is until Rosita shoves the walker into the Warden’s face. I guess it was too late for the Warden to understand that you never, ever mess with frantic mothers.
As for Team Aaron, there is a new walker on the scene, and it will be curious to learn if the new and improved walker, now referred to as Climbers, will know how to use Lydia’s knife.
This episode ended on a high note as Eugene is being escorted back to prison, Mercer is there with a message, “It’s time to fuck shit up!”
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