Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead Series Finale s11 e24

Well…I loved the walker themed commercials that ran throughout The Walking Dead series finale…but I truly feel that this finale should have been a whole two hours because it left me feeling like I got stood up on a blind date. Let’s chat!

Rest in Peace

In the finale episode, it seems that Pamela Milton (Laila Robins) was a nastier Governor than the original Governor. Her actions almost cost Judith (Cailey Fleming) her life. Daryl (Norman Reedus) faced down the horde of climber walkers to get our little Ass Kicker to the hospital inside the Commonwealth, but he was injured in the process. I have to say that Judith is truly a Grimes because she climbed off the stretcher and kept those walkers from making her and Daryl an afternoon snack.

Rosita (Christian Serratos), Eugene (Josh McDermitt), and Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) managed to save Coco and a few other infants from the walkers, but then found themselves surrounded with a drainpipe as the only escape available.  Rosita falls with her daughter in her arms…I want to tell you this one truth, nothing, and I mean nothing, will stop a mother bear from protecting her cub. Rosita, who was covered in walkers, jumped up fighting. She did manage to get her and the baby to safety…but she was bitten. Very sad, as was the death of Luke (Dan Fogler) and Jules (Alex Sgambati). At least Rosita had time to say goodbye to everyone, and she got to die in her bed.

Daryl saves Judith’s life by giving her his blood until Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale) could do surgery on her. Mercer (Michael James Shaw) is rescued by Princess (Paola Lazaro) and Max (Margot Bingham), and the big surprise of the night…Maggie and Negan made their peace. Maggie didn’t hold back as she told Negan what he stole from her and her son. There will be days when Maggie will find it hard to look at Negan, but there is a truce of sorts. Negan understood and his apology was heartfelt enough for Maggie (Lauren Cohan) to allow Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to help her take down Pamela.

Conclusion

Our group survives because that is what they do. They are the ones who live…right? Judith also admits to Daryl that she did not tell him that Michonne was looking for Rick and that the whole family was supposed to be reunited, because she didn’t want to lose him too. The love between Daryl and Judith made me cry. He is really a father figure to that little girl.

There is a one-year-jump at the Commonwealth where we find that Ezekiel (Khary Payton) is the new governor, and Mercer is the lieutenant governor. Eugene and Max have a baby. In Alexandria we seen that Ninja Carol (Melissa McBride) has taken over Hornsby’s job. Maggie is hinting that she wants to see what’s out there beyond their communities. Carol and Daryl say a tearful goodbye. Carol is also in charge of keeping Judith and RJ (Antony Azor) safe until Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) are found.

Before we go into the surprise ending, I need to rant about Carol and Daryl. It was nice to see that there are true feelings of love between these two warriors, but I am not the only one who wanted to see at least one passionate kiss between Daryl and Carol. I was hoping, like the rest of the entire universe) that Carol and Daryl would have rode off together…but Melissa McBride was not able to do the Europe thing where Norman Reedus will be working in the spinoff. NOT HAPPY!

I know there are spinoffs coming, but this series and the people who worked on this show for the last eleven years are family to me. I worry about them. Will they find other acting jobs now that the series is done? Will we see guest appearances as Daryl, Maggie, Negan, Rick and Michonne do their thing on the spinoffs? I don’t know.

Speaking of spinoffs, just when we thought that the series would end without us seeing Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne…we learn that Rick is being tracked by a CRM helicopter. He throws his backpack that includes his diary and phone onto an abandoned boat before capture. Michonne dressed in the best kick ass Ninja outfit and riding a horse has apparently found said diary and is now writing messages to Rick as she continues to search for him

I don’t know about you, my little walker snacks, but I don’t handle loss very well, and even though there will be new shows…it is not the same. I will still continue to write my posts on the spinoffs depending on which one I finally decide to choose as my favorite. I will not say goodbye to The Walking Dead. They are family, and I will drop in and visit, and…I will share my thoughts on the spinoffs with you my dear followers. WE ARE THE ONES WHO LIVE! Love you all.

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Gilbert Speaks on the Walking Dead S11 E23

As each episode of The Walking Dead brings us closer to the finale, I sit in dread of which of my favorite characters will die. We know which ones will go on to live in spin-offs, but what about the ones that are left behind. The Walking Dead cast, and crew have become family to me, and so the title of the episode is so fitting of this review.

Family With Spoilers

In this week’s episode of TWD…Judith (Cailey Fleming) has grown to be a pint-sized warrior, but like Carl and Rick…she is looking to the future. She wants a brighter future for her little brother, and also for the other children. When the protective Daryl tells Judith to stay behind with the kids, she says no, and after a most adult conversation between the two…Daryl agrees to let Judith come on the mission. Judith takes her talisman weapons (Michonne’s sword and Rick’s gun) but leaves Rick’s hat with RJ (Antony Azor) and that my friends frightened me a bit. That hat is her only connection with her dad. That hat is almost a magic shield…and if Team Daryl hopes to break into the commonwealth, they are going to need all the magic they can lay their hands on.

While Pamela is having her own issues with the new and improved walkers, Mercer is doing all in his power to set things right. He is gathering faithful troopers, and with Eugene safely hidden, he can now concentrate of the walker horde…but Pamela is one smart cookie and has a spy working for her. Who is this mysterious B17 that Pamela is trying to reach?

Negan and Maggie need to work together, but even though Negan offers, Maggie shuts him down. Later, Maggie overhears Ezekiel and Negan talking and I believe she has seen the light. People can change. Isn’t it strange how we have gone from hating Negan to rooting for his success? This was a character arc that set the world upside down.

Team Aaron

Aaron and his team, which include now includes Luke and Jules, are trying to escape the horde heading towards the Commonwealth. Most of them make it inside the trailer, but not everyone. Lydia is seriously wounded and is forced to make a decision. Also, are there a few whisperers still alive…and are they also hiding within the horde…or…and this is really scary…are the climbers also regaining the power of speech? Who said, “Get to the trees.”

Conclusion

Things are not going well for any of our comrades. Team Daryl is ambushed by Pamela’s soldiers and Pamela shoots Judith. Lydia loses part of her arm to save her life. Mercer is betrayed by Pamela’s spy, Vickers…maybe? She doesn’t look to happy when Pamela decides to leave the citizens abandoned while she saves the estate.

Daryl swoops Judith up in his arms and he and his team try to escape the horde that has broken into the commonwealth and Pamela’s soldiers. Judith calls Daryl, “daddy” before passing out.

I have, over the years, come to think of The Walking Dead cast as family. They have encouraged me to keep going even when life threw some nasty hand grenades at me. Carol, Maggie, Michonne, and Rosita have reminded me that women are true warriors, especially when the men get it wrong.

I don’t know what is going to happen to my Walking Dead family, especially who lives and who dies in the final episode…but even when the world tires of zombies and TWD universe…I know that the actors and crew did their best to remind us that even during an apocalypse…good people can survive and that the unselfish love for humanity can make us better than we are.

See you, for the series finale.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E18

When people in authority tell you that everything is going to be okay…start packing your bags! On this week’s episode of The Walking Dead we realize that Max has had enough of Pamela and her sociopathic son, Sebastian. Will her actions cause a dangerous dilemma for Team Daryl?

A New Deal

In this episode, Carol (Melissa McBride) backs the wrong horse, and Daryl (Norman Reedus) realizes that it is much easier fighting walkers than raising a daughter. Judith (Cailey Fleming) is not happy. She misses Rick and Michonne and right now she doesn’t want to leave the Commonwealth. Can you blame this little girl? Her entire childhood has been surrounded by death. Now she is living in the Commonwealth where even though the idea of a safe community is mostly a fantasy, for our little Shit Kicker…it is the closest thing to normal.

Judith isn’t the only person unwilling to leave. Ezekiel Khary Payton) has a dream of building up another kingdom, and believe me, if Ezekiel oversaw the Commonwealth…this dream of a perfect democracy would ring true. Even Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is hesitant to leave the Commonwealth when he realizes that Annie (Medina Senghore) needs medical care for a problem with her amniotic fluid. Annie wants to go home. Lydia is in love with Elijah and gets approval from Carol before joining Aaron and Jerry on their trek to Oceanside.

Carol’s plan to rescue Sebastian (Teo Rapp-Olsson) as a leverage for supplies, food, and weapons for Alexandria, Hilltop and Oceanside, was sidetracked when Max decides that Sebastian is getting off easy.

While Lance rots in jail, he has his two assassins killing people and releasing a horde of walkers onto the Commonwealth’s festivities. I truly believe that Mercer should have allowed Daryl to kill Lance because this man is more dangerous than the Governor.

Max

I love the character of Max, played fabulously by Margot Bingham.  Max has seen too much corruption working for Pamela (Laila Robins), and she and Eugene have decided to pull a genuine “Independence Day” bombshell by using Sebastian as the fuse. Sebastian bristles at the speech Pamela has prepared for him, and when he tells Max his true feelings about the Commonwealth, he is unaware that she is taping him. I don’t know about you, but for me, I think Sebastian was trying to tell his true feelings at the festivities, but the crowd didn’t want to hear him after hearing that tape.

Conclusion

Never trust a person in authority who tells you that everything is okay. Did Carol really believe that Pamela would allow the other settlements to live in peace? Not while Lance is still alive. And…after what happened to Sebastian, all deals are off. The walkers can always be counted on to clean their plate. Too bad, Sebastian was the main course. This death will definitely unite Lance and Pamela against Team Daryl.

Judith, who at first, wanted nothing to do with Rick’s gun…soon changes her mind when the horde comes. Judith is a product of the apocalypse, and she will survive because she knows no other life. I don’t see smooth roads ahead for Team Daryl, there is nothing more dangerous than a mother who lost her child.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E17

I am a week late with my review…so sorry my little zombie snacks. I was busy playing with the great grands. But I am finally catching up and let’s just say that The Walking Dead is tying up loose ends with a big bang.

Lockdown

I’ve been reviewing The Walking Dead series for eleven seasons…that is a long time. The cast is considered family and, as such, I am dreading that last episode. Yes, I know there will be shoot offs from the original, but it is not the same.

I don’t have AMC+ so I am limited to watching the episodes as they come out every Sunday, but that said…let’s talk about Lockdown. Lance Hornsby (Josh Hamilton) has proven himself a worthy opponent. He is ruthless, and he is getting the job done even with the combined efforts of Maggie, Daryl, and Negan.

Pamela Milton (Laila Robins) runs a tight ship but that newspaper article about the missing people and Milton’s son has riled up the normally obedient townsfolk. Pamela is forced to put the town on lockdown…she is not playing around, either because she opens the gates to allow a few walkers to help with her stormtroopers attempts to disperse the crowd of protesters.

While trying to hide the children, Jerry and Carol dodge Shira and Roman. Mercer (Michael James Shaw) and Rosita (Christian Serratos) ride out with a few troopers to detour the herd of walkers coming their way…It is unsuccessful to say the least as the walkers practically rip troopers into tiny pieces. I have a question. These walkers shouldn’t be strong enough to rip a human apart. Am I correct on this?

Team Daryl send Negan to the Commonwealth as a Trojan Horse. I freaking love Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and I love Carol’s (Melissa McBride) expression when he tells her that he will soon be a daddy.

Conclusion

Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) bring the fight to Hornsby, but we are left with a standoff at best with all guns drawn and Daryl holding a knife to Hornsby’s throat.

We have been put through the wringer with every nasty, evil, antagonist in the past eleven seasons, but I have to admit…Hornsby is right up there with the Governor…and he is a worthy adversary. Negan once held that title, but a little girl named Judith (Cailey Fleming) turned Negan into a hero.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E16

Why do I feel that TWD universe is on a parallel path as the war between Ukraine and Putin? It sure feels that way in this week’s episode of The Walking Dead.

Acts of God

The season finale did not disappoint. I knew where this was headed. Maggie saw the demon in Lance Hornsby, and she didn’t bite the damn apple. Maggie knowing that Lance would return with the sole purpose of destroying Hilltop, Maggie, Elijah, and Marco take Hershel to a safe place. Negan and his tribe are hiding in an abandoned Whisperer hole in the ground.

Negan and Maggie have finally come to terms. There is a guarded respect between these two enemies. Maggie has trusted her child to Negan, and we all know that Negan is very protective of children. Maggie and her group along with Lydia plan to track down Lance….what she doesn’t know is that Lance has an extra ace up his sleeve.

While Maggie sets on her journey, Daryl, Aaron and Gabe are pretending to help the Commonwealth troopers search for apartment dwellers but they know it’s a trap. Lance wants them dead.

Back at the Commonwealth, the revolution is growing, and Max must risk her life to get information from Pamela’s files. Connie has a newspaper to put out, and they must find out what has happened to missing citizens.

Conclusion

Maggie lost another good friend, Marco, after Leah made her appearance on the scene. Was Leah’s hate so strong that she would trust Lance to allow her to live if she succeeded in killing Maggie?  Leah does capture Maggie with the intent of torturing her, killing her, then killing everyone Maggie loved…but at the last moment, after a well fought battle, it was left to Daryl to put an end to Leah.

Poor Daryl didn’t have much time to grieve for his ex-lover because Lance and his men had arrived at the scene. Daryl does get a good wounding shot in at Lance before he and Maggie escape and return to Negan’s hideout…but things will never be the same.

Lance is a corrupt, little man. He wants to conquer everyone who stands in his way. I almost thought that his boss, Pamela was different, but when it comes to greed or using extra money towards a scholarship for the poorer children at the Commonwealth…Pamela’s greed won out.

Lance had conquered Oceanside, Hilltop, and Alexandria. Maggie’s explosion at Hilltop did not kill the invader. It just made him angrier. The Commonwealth banners now drape the walls of the three compounds. The lives of the citizens of Oceanside all hinge on the flip of a coin.

Like I said in the beginning, The Walking Dead final season has been mirroring what is happening in real life between Ukraine and Putin. Lance wants to conquer and control his world, while Putin intends on taking over all of Europe and then some. I have a bad feeling that Lance won’t hesitate to commit genocide with that flip of a coin…and we have all witnessed the atrocities committed by Putin on the Ukrainian people. When a world leader resorts to the rape and assassination of infants…it’s time for that person to be put down. PERIOD!

Fortunately, in TWD universe, Eugene, Max, Connie, Kelly, Magna and Ezekiel are planning on taking down Pamela and Lance with their first headline. Let’s pray that NATO grows a pair of balls as big as Maggie’s and hits Putin with everything necessary to save Ukraine.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E14

Oops I didn’t get to write my review for E13 because my 14-year-old Chihuahua needed extensive dental surgery…but after watching the Warlords…all I can say is Maggie was right. This week on The Walking Dead, Maggie, Lydia and Elijah help Aaron and Gabe while Daryl and Rosita are sent to rob a bank.

The Rotten Core

How cool is it that Negan saved Aaron and Gabe, right? Negan’s team are not the ones attacking the Commonwealth troopers…so who is? Negan has a new wife, Annie (Medina Senghore). I don’t know about you, but Negan is my new favorite TWD character. Maggie and Annie team up while Negan remains behind to protect his little community.

Toby (Jason Butler Harner) is a crazy bastard who although wasn’t looking forward to putting on his former CIA persona, has none the less, gone back to his dirty deeds with a hunger. After throwing a few people off the roof, he walkies Hornsby for an update.

While Team Maggie and Team Negan fight Toby, Rosita and Daryl are sent on assignment with Sebastian. He wants them to raid a farmhouse that has lots of cash and guns. Sebastian needs the cash, so he sends in Daryl and Rosita, but first they need to walk through a swarm of walkers. Sebastian did the wrong thing threatening Daryl and Rosita about their kids. I think Daryl should have used the knife, but he didn’t…no telling what Sebastian will do next. Daryl and Rosita make it through the swarm thanks to the zombie guts, but when they get inside, they are unable to get into the Panic Room because the generator is down. They learn that there is a woman locked inside.

April, who has two children, was forced to go on an earlier raid because she owed the Commonwealth money. In the process of getting the money for Sebastian, April got trapped in the Panic Room. There are some real scary scenes with Daryl and the generator walkers. The security alarm draws the walkers and there is no escape.

Conclusion with Spoilers

Okay, lets talk about the most important parts of tonight’s episode: the conversation between Annie and Maggie about Negan, and Negan babysitting little Hershel, and who was responsible for the dead troopers! Oh my God!

Negan is not only married, but Annie is expecting a baby. After Negan rescues Hershel from Toby’s men, Annie has to convince Maggie that Negan is not only a changed man, but that he will protect Hershel. Now it did get hairy there for a moment when Hershel pulled a gun on Negan, but Negan was able to convince him to wait until he is grown before taking care of unfinished business. I am hoping that day never comes around.

Toby is convinced that Team Negan was responsible for the ambushed troopers, so he goes postal of the Ian’s people. Working as a team, Maggie, Elijah, Aaron and Gabe make sure that Toby never bothers another person.

Mayor Miller is clueless to what Hornsby and her son, Sebastian, are doing to the poor residents of the Commonwealth. Daryl, April, and Rosita are rescued by Mercer and Carol, but April does not make it back to her children. Mercer is pissed about the people that Sebastian sacrificed for that damn money…angry enough to kill the troopers who accompanied Daryl and Rosita. Mercer has a plan and tells Daryl and Rosita not to fight the system…not yet.

The most unexpected part of tonight’s episode is the identity of the ambusher. It seems that Leah (Lynn Collins) has been a very busy bee.

Two more episodes to go before another mid-season break. How many of you are waiting for Carol to bake some cookies for Hornsby? She is playing that fool, and he took the bait, but we know our Carol.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E9

They’re back! The Walking Dead has returned picking up where we left off so many months ago with Maggie, Gabe, Elijah, and Negan trying to escape the Reapers, but will Eugene be bringing unexpected company to Alexandria? Will Carol be baking up some of her apocalyptic cookies for S11 E9?

No Other Way

What we need to remember is that a show about the apocalypse was filmed during an ongoing apocalypse. Scary right? Maggie has been dealing with loads of internal struggles that have caused people to die, not intentionally, but shit happens when you can’t let go of revenge. Negan knows that it won’t be long before Maggie turns on him, but he has proven himself in my eyes. In a world where a virus has caused civilization to circle the drain, even good guys do bad things.

So many people died helping Team Maggie get the needed food for Alexandria, but while Team Maggie and Team Leah try to off each other, Alexandria is under siege by walkers. Judith and Gracie are trapped in a flooded basement and although Judith lives up to her nickname, “Little Shit Kicker” she is outnumbered until Aaron shows up for the rescue.

Maggie is out to protect her people, and will do anything to accomplish this, and I think that is what Negan was trying to tell her when he said that he should have killed them all. Negan was protecting his people, too. In a world of death, you will do unthinkable things to protect the living…your people.

Daryl wants to believe that people can change, Negan did, so why not Leah, but again, even though they love each other Daryl’s and Leah’s first duty is to their tribe. Even GOD has taken a back seat to the apocalypse when Gabriel and the Reaper Preacher chat about forgiveness…that is until Gabriel kills the preacher. I think Gabriel has decided that GOD should stay in the back seat from now on.

The fight scenes in this episode are amazing, but especially the ones between Carver and Team Maggie. Daryl decides to use Carver as ransom with Leah, but Leah has a sniper in her deck.

Conclusion and Spoilers

Maggie doesn’t believe in taking hostages, but after Gabriel scores with the sniper and changing Leah’s game plan, Maggie allows them to leave without Carver…but Maggie…gives new meaning to “holding a grudge.” She kills everyone and injures Leah who gets away.

Maggie can’t forgive, and Negan knows this, so he leaves, and that sucks because he saved Maggie and Elijah from Carver. It was a literal “Saved by the bell” moment. Maggie was too late to save Alden…but we knew this would happen. Daryl decides to let Leah live after finding her. They were lovers, after all. Sometimes you have to just let go and let live. I hope that Leah returns that favor in the future.

The happy ending with Team Maggie returning with the much-needed supplies, was turned upside down with the arrival of unexpected dinner guests…Eugene brought Lance Hornsby and a platoon of Commonwealth troopers to the gate. Hornsby offers sanctuary at the Commonwealth…will there be any takers?

Why is God’s name would Daryl join the Commonwealth? Why Daryl? Why?

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E07

On last week’s episode of The Walking Dead, Daryl covered up his friends’ hiding spot from the Reapers, but he may be in big trouble with Pope.

Promises Broken

In the world of TWD as it is in real life…it’s not what you know, but who you know. Unfortunately for Team Eugene, they have made one too many mistakes. Eugene and his team are clearing the surrounding area of the Commonwealth of walkers. The Commonwealth needs to expand. It’s hard work and a bit too much for Ezekiel. Luckily for the King, he is given IV fluids and antibiotics and bounces right back.

While Stephanie and Eugene continue the cleanup of refugee walkers who have the nerve to stumble on Commonwealth property, Yumiko makes an appointment to meet with Pamela Milton. Yumiko can’t wrap her head around her brother’s refusal to let people know that he is a successful doctor. Even though Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale) keeps assuring Yumiko that the Commonwealth is as much fun as a day at Disneyworld…that assurance goes up in smoke when Tomi is arrested.

Maggie and Negan finally shake hands and decide to work together to find food for Alexandria with the condition that Maggie doesn’t try to kill Negan. Gabe is called in as a witness to this deal. I don’t know if Maggie can keep her word, but for now, Negan is teaching her how to be a walker whisperer. With a huge horde following them, Negan and Maggie might be bringing the battle to the Reapers. I was curious about the holy man that Gabe spotted. Did the man know that Gabe was hiding in the woods? Does he belong to the Reapers?

We can’t forget Daryl and Leah (Lynn Collins) who are sent by Pope to hunt down Team Maggie. Instead, they find a man with a seriously wounded wife and a young son. Pope told Leah to kill any survivors, but Leah decides to let the man and child go free, while Daryl puts the wounded woman out of her misery. They now share a secret from Pope.

Conclusion

Spoiled brats! Oh yes, even TWD has their share of spoiled brats, and in this episode, we meet Sebastian (Teo Rapp-Olsson) the son of Pamela Milton (Laila Robins). Sebastian is the type of person that will put himself in danger, and when he is rescued from walkers by Eugene and Stephanie …insults Stephanie causing Eugene to react. That punch in the nose gets Eugene thrown in prison. I wonder if we will learn why Tomi was taken by the Storm Troopers.

This is the final season for TWD, and I have been writing reviews on this show for all 11 seasons, but I have to say that I am honestly enjoying this season. There will most likely be lots of death scenes involving some of our beloved characters, and who knows what will happen between Negan and Maggie, but over the eleven seasons…these characters have become family, and I am highly invested in their survival.  I don’t handle loss that well, so I am hoping that there are some happy thoughts at the end to not leave me bitter.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E05

Josh Hamilton as Lance Hornsby – The Walking Dead _ Season 11, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Josh Stringer/AMC

When all you’re doing is fighting to survive each and every day…you are bound to have nightmares, and on this episode of The Walking Dead, Aaron has one hell of a freaky nightmare where he and Gracie are surrounded by all their former enemies: the Wolves, Saviors, and the Whisperers. Life is a struggle, but team Eugene, team Maggie, and team Aaron sure have their work cut out for them.

Out of the Ashes

I am going to talk about Judith (Cailey Fleming) before I go any further with the review of S11E05. This little peanut has been surviving the apocalypse since her birth. She is smart, resilient, mature, and lonely. Carl is dead, her father assumed dead, and Michonne is on some stupid mission that has made Judith and her little brother orphans. Judith helps the Alexandria community by teaching the other children how to fight, but the older boys tease her when she confronts them about playing with the dead. Their cruel words bring tears to her eyes.

Look, I was a teenager when my mother took off, I am in my seventies and it still bothers me, so when Judith cries because one of the boys had also broken the wooden plank that held her and Carl’s handprints…I feel for her. Thank goodness, Rosita (Christian Serratos) was there to calm our little Kick-ass warrior.

Alexandria

Don’t you hate when uninvited guests drop in unexpectantly? Jerry (Cooper Andrews) is taking care of business when he realizes that the walls have been breached again. How do these bags of bones still have the strength to push in the walls? I haven’t figured that one out yet, and apparently, neither have the showrunners. They walls go back up, but it is only a band-aid. Aaron and the others decide to head out to Hilltop to see if there is anything to scavenge from the ashes. While Carol, Lydia, Aaron, and Jerry head over to Hilltop, our little band of misfits are getting inducted into the Commonwealth.

Rocky Road Ice cream

The Commonwealth may be nothing more than a very bad Homeowners Association. A good friend of mine lives in a 55+ community where the bylaws are so strict that they would not permit her to have a ramp built for her husband who became totally wheelchaired bound. Her poor husband was trapped in the house. Criminal!

Team Eugene sit through a nifty commercial video that featured all the wonderful things about being a citizen of Commonwealth. They have law enforcement, schools, ice cream shops, bakeries, malls, and everything else needed to live the Utopian dream. Lance Hornsby (Josh Hamilton) may have been a used car salesperson in a former life because his video is definitely inviting. There is mention of a president: Pamela Milton. At the end of the video, Princess gets her two-dollar bill back, along with a job. Everyone gets a job except Yumiko who is invited to visit the state department for her job. They also get their assigned living quarters. Mercer (Michael James Shaw) may or may not be as bad ass as he pretends because Princess easily wraps him around her little finger.

While Yumiko heads to the state department, Eugene, Princess, Ezekiel and Stephanie tour the town and get themselves some ice cream. Eugene convinces Stephanie to allow him to contact Alexandria. Princess is put on watch duty as Eugene talks to Rosita, but only briefly (bad connection).

Yumiko located her brother, Tomi (Ian Anthony Dale) in a bakery. Even though he was surgeon before the apocalypse, Tomi is now absolutely happy baking cakes. He is enjoying his life as a baker, and the rows and rows of cookies, pies, and cakes attest to this joy.

Aaron

Ross Marquand’s Aaron has gone through a major transformation, and I feel that he is becoming “Rick” worthy. A true leader. After they arrive at Hilltop, Lydia (Cassady McClincy) realizes that the remaining walkers (former Hilltop citizens) are being herded. The group captures a Whisperer, who begs for his life and that of his family. But Aaron blocks out the pleas for mercy and uses a walker to get information from the man. This leads to the man being bitten.

Conclusion and Spoilers

I didn’t forget Team Maggie. Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) rest at an abandoned home where there is very little food to take back home. Negan wants to return to Alexandria, but Maggie wants to stay. They agree to wait until sundown. These two characters are both very powerful…and stubborn, but I think that Negan has a better sense of survival right now. Maggie was right about waiting because Gabe (Seth Gilliam) and Elijah (Okea Eme-Akwari) do show up and now the decision is made to wait for Daryl.

Unless you’ve ever been in a situation where you didn’t know where or when your next meal would be…you won’t understand how desperate the citizens of Alexandria are in. Hunger, and the constant threat of walkers and bad guys is enough to do real damage to one’s hope for survival. I think all these years of watching and reviewing TWD has made me more compassionate to the refugees who flock to our borders. They are hungry, desperate, and trying to protect their children. Instead of zombies, refugees are fleeing evil men doing evil deeds. Remember this the next time you push yourself away from the table, belly filled.

Alexandria is in danger. Hunger makes people do crazy things. Aaron allowed that walker to bite the Whisperer even though the man begged for his life. He would have done much worse to the man if Carol didn’t step in and tell him why it is important to keep your humanity in the worst of times. It was a good thing she did. They now know that Connie is alive.

Team Eugene was saved by the bell when Lance Hornsby steps in. Will they finally get to meet Pamela Milton? Will the children of Alexandria die from hunger before someone comes to the rescue? Where the hell is Michonne? Her kids need her.

Gilbert Speaks on The Walking Dead S11 E03

I don’t know…maybe it’s because we are battling our own apocalypse in real time, what with Covid and the rise of Nazi sympathizers within our own country…but I am waiting for one bright spot in the final season of The Walking Dead. In this episode, we get a closer look of the Reapers.

Hunted

In this episode, while we know that Team Ezekiel is safe from harm at the moment, Team Maggie is not doing well at all. After escaping the subway tunnels, they are ambushed by the Reapers. This new enemy is very organized, methodical in their attacks, and almost Ninja like in their sudden appearances and disappearances. This episode was directed by Frederick Toye of Snowpiercer, The Boys, Watchmen, and Westworld fame.

With the latest Reaper attack we lose a few of Maggie’s team (Cole, Duncan, and Agatha). Many are injured, the rest scattered to the four winds. Maggie is adamant about finding food for the colony and even though Alden is badly wounded, she insists that they continue on their quest. Negan disagrees, but with a big sigh, he allows Maggie to lead the way.

Gabriel

One of the most important character developments in TWD is that of Seth Gilliam’s Gabriel Stokes. We have watched this man of God go from cowardly to brave, to almost fanatical in protecting his friends. Gabriel is not only in charge of dividing the meager supplies to the starving people of Alexandria and Hilltop, but he must also muster up the townsfolks’ faith in a benevolent Creator, while at the same time losing his. After being injured during the ambush, Gabriel escapes and on his journey to find his team, happens upon a wounded Reaper who taunts him into praying for his sorry ass. But…Gabriel is fresh out of mercy and tells the Reaper, “God isn’t here anymore” before killing the man.

I don’t think that Gabriel has completely given up on God, but he sure as hell is questioning God’s whereabouts. Haven’t we all these last two years of Covid? I hope that Gabriel survives the series finale because he is the gauge, the weathervane for the mental health of Alexandria. He is the glue that holds the town together in the absence of Rick and Michonne.

Carol

Carol played deliciously by Melissa McBride is another study in a character’s growth. Carol is sometimes more dangerous than the many enemies Team Rick has ever had to fight. She too went from meek and weak to Wonder Woman status within the eleven years that TWD has been on air.  Carol, recently, has been played as a troublemaker by the writers and directors. I don’t know why they decided to play her as psychotic when that isn’t who she is. Big mistake. In this episode Carol in adamant about finding horses. They will need the horses to travel long distances to find supplies, but secretly she is hoping to also find Connie. Magna (Nadia Hilker) is afraid that Carol is giving Kelley (Angel Theory) false hope, but they and Rosita (Christian Serratos) go with Carol to find horses.

Conclusion

While Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and the injured Alden find shelter in a church, after barely escaping the warehouse full of Reapers…we get to check in on the children of Alexandria. As the wee ones play a game of Slap Jack, Judith (Cailey Fleming), Hershel (Kien Michael Spiller), RJ (Anthony Azor) and Gracie (Anabelle Holloway) talk about parents and life in general. These are pretty smart kids. They have to be in a world where you can instantly become a walker snack. It is Hershel, who has been on some very dangerous adventures with his mother, that teaches the children how to eat horse meat.

Horse meat? Yes, it seems that Team Carol, after finding a few half-eaten horses, finally locate some live horses. After bringing the horses back to Alexandria, Carol is tasked with the job of slaughtering one of the horses to feed the people of Alexandria. This is not something she wanted to do, but it is always our Carol who is assigned the dirty work that no one else wants to do.

Negan and Maggie are forced to leave Alden in the church, with the promise that they will take care of his child. I don’t know what happened to Daryl and we don’t know if Gabriel will catch up to Maggie, but I will tell you this…the Reapers are as dangerous as the Whisperers, but what they haven’t counted on is the teaming up of Maggie and Negan. The Reapers may have opened a Pandora’s box of big trouble. Let’s hope that Maggie and Negan don’t wind up killing each other before they destroy the Reapers.