Mondays are going to seem pretty dull from now on, aren’t they?
This week saw the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead, and everything remains on a knife edge going into the second half.
The last eight episodes have brought us popping eyeballs, huge tigers and unconventional ironing, but this episode was something else. Here are the five main takeaways from episode 8…
Negan is still awesome
Look, I get that Negan is an arch-criminal, a psychopathic murderer and only a half-decent baseball player, but I bloody love the guy.
With or without that amazing beard, the guy manages to be terrifyingly violent as well as devastatingly charming. The ‘spaghetti’ line in particular was one which had me weeing myself in fear AND with laughter. What a man.
Of course, not everyone thinks he’s such a magnetic character. In fact, three of the communities he’s managed to subjugate are pretty pissed off at him and seem ready to go to war. In episode 8, Rosita managed to fire a shot at the man, but managed to hit Lucille. Honestly not sure how that happened.
Either way, Rosita somehow managed to avoid facial reconstruction surgery, but Eugene was taken away to The Saviours’ compound; the world’s worst holiday resort.
Spencer is a douche
Seriously. Screw that guy. Just because he’s devilishly handsome does not give the right to throw Rick under the bus.
For what it’s worth, Negan drove that bus right over Spencer instead. Over the most dramatic, lowest quality pool match of all time, Negan listened as Spencer ranted about Rick’s shortcomings as a leader, saying that Alexandria was getting on just fine before he showed up.
What happened next was inevitable. Negan listened with all the patience of a girlfriend taking in her man’s reasons for showing up at 4am. And then he went to town. Criticising Spencer for having ‘no guts’, he pulled out a knife (where the hell was hiding that, and wouldn’t that effect his ability to play pool?) and stabbed the handsome fool in the abdomen.
It was totally gross but totally deserved.
Daryl is tough as nails
I admire Daryl’s mental fortitude. I mean, I fall to pieces over a five minute traffic jam.
Not Daryl. No, Daryl has been tortured for weeks on end and has still managed to evade the most terrifying men left on the planet. He even took a big chunk of The Saviours’ peanut butter for good measure.
Somehow sneaking through the compound in a disguise that would make a Scooby Do villain blush, Daryl managed to find his way to a motorcycle, where he came across ‘Fat Joe’. Joe tried to insist that he’s just an average…well…Joe, but Daryl was having none of it, beating the hell out of him. I can only assume that a diet of dog food sandwiches and repetitive music gives you super strength. And super anger.
Daryl has escaped hell and managed to find his way back to his friends. And I couldn’t be happier about it!
Rick has got his modjo back
RICK’S BACK, BABY!
After seven episodes of staring into space with a mix of anger and fear, Rick appears to be back to the terrifying force of nature he was from Seasons 2-6. Hell, if he can grow that beard back, he’ll be right as rain. He could probably ask Negan if he can use his discarded beard hair. You know, if he’s not using it.
After weeks of trying to get his people to assimilate to this new way of living, he seems to have become a fully paid-up member of the ‘Michonne method’, which is to kick ass and worry about the consequences later.
The scene he and Michonne shared at the end was particularly touching, and I hope we get to see more development of that relationship. I mean, imagine if they had a baby? Judith may be ‘lil ass kicker’, but a Rick/Michonne lovechild could probably kill Negan with a single thought.
Thy Kingdom come
The second half of Season 7 is going to be off the chain.
Hilltop now seem to be onside with the idea of revolution, especially now the major players are in prime position to kick Gregory out of his home. Alexandria is now essentially filled with people who want to shove Lucille up Negan’s…you know. And The Kingdom has a few dissenting voices as well.
I don’t know the actual name of the guy who tried to convince Carol and Morgan to join the fight against The Saviours, but he seems ready for war. The Saviours outman and outgun all the other communities by the distance, but if they work together, they have a chance.
After all, there must be more than four people at Hilltop, Shiva could probably take a few men out, and Ezekiel could probably wow them with his amazing dialogue. The good guys stand a chance…especially while their hearts are still beating.
As Father Gabriel said: We'll win. "But we need to wait for the right moment." Amen, Father.
All images: Gene Page/AMC
