Do your best, Morgan. That's all we ask.
It's doubtful that Deanna will still be in charge, and the death of her husband, right after her son's death, probably isn't going to give her much faith in Rick's leadership. Especially since her husband was murdered with Michonne's sword. My bet is that the show will have her relinquish control, maybe even leave. Rick's predecessor in Alexandria simply walks away from the town in the book, and the show will very likely go that route, with Deanna's last son leaving with her. Giving Rick clean control over the town. Although, it would have been interesting to see her and Rick act as co-leaders, like Roslin and Adama from Battlestar Galactica. But, this show isn't about how checks and balances improve leadership. This show is about how Rick blunders into a place, saves the day somehow, leads for a while, then whatever group he's leading loses the place. It makes for great television, but who would really want to endure the zombie-pocalypse this way?
Do Rick and Carol even hear themselves as they plot to take Deanna and other town residents hostage if the night's town meeting doesn't go their way? What if Deanna had called their bluff, if it even was a bluff? Would Rick really have slit throats? Isn't that what he's stood against for 2-1/2 years? After showing up way late for the town meeting, covered in zombie guts after having to hand-crush a zombie head, his big speech boils down to: "I was going to kill some of you, but I got this zombie instead. Put me in charge." The Alexandrians just nod their heads at this, and I'm almost sympathetic to Pete when he makes his lone and disastrous attempt on Rick's life. It makes for great television, but who would really want to endure the zombie-pocalypse this way?
Anybody else a little concerned at how easily she deflected blame for snatching Rick's secret gun? Oh, no, she had nothing to do with it. But she's already got a plan for taking over Alexandria that night at Deanna's meeting. Lying to Alexandria is one thing. Lying to Michonne, Glenn, and Abraham is another.
No idea how this could have happened.. maybe we could stage a coup tonight?
Carol has become something of a Lady MacBeth. She coos at Rick how much he needs to just take over the town, no matter what happens at the night's meeting. She coos at Rick that it's time to stop coddling the Alexandrians, even if it means he's got to make them scared of him by threatening to kill if he's not in charge. There's a name for people who take over towns because they're not bad ass enough; but it's not "Sunshine". Carol coos threats to Pete, while pretending to bring him a casserole. Let's just say I don't want any of her cooking. Ever. There might be razors in it.
Yep. Definitely razors.
Darryl and Aaron almost get killed, with Aaron blaming himself. Not sure if there's really any blaming him. You can't hold yourself responsible for losing someone wandering the woods of Northern Virginia, and settling for trucks of food instead. Was it smart to just open the back door? The counterweights hanging off the side of a truck were a weird thing to see. Trucks don't need those, as the doors open along a track inside. Wouldn't Darryl or Aaron have heard the zombies inside? Maybe, maybe not. Let's hope Aaron got the Alaska license plate home, because he seems to have dropped his promo photos. Very convenient for Laurel and Hardy, who call themselves the Wolves. And leave graffiti insisting they're not far. Now they know there's a town nearby for the taking. Just in time for next season's premiere.
When Darryl and Aaron spring the zombie trap, a horde emerges from the trucks, both together, thanks to the lines connecting the doors with those counterweights. They are herded, by the dead, into a sedan. They think it's a safe place, until a note found by the last victims convinces them it's better to make a dash for the outside. Darryl is willing to go out on the sacrifice play, and that sound you heard at about 10pm last night was the sound of millions of Dead Fans getting their torches pitchforks ready for rioting. Thankfully, Aaron offered to go out with him, and we wondered if together, they could make it to the fence.
They couldn't. Holy crap they couldn't. Good thing they had last minute help.
After teasing us twice before this season, Morgan has finally found his way to Northern Virginia. He's having a great trip, staying for free in abandoned cars, smiling at stray rabbit's feet, and totally kicking the shit out of anyone stupid enough to try to take him. The Zen Master of the zombie-pocalypse plays the Wolves' threats pretty cool, drawing out the first one to explain the exact nature of his psychosis, so the audience can know just how much Darryl and Rick have to kill them next season. He tries to reach for his gun, but Wolf #1 nixes that. That's fine. Morgan will just go to the walking stick, which he wields like a boss, winding his arm around it to prepare to strike. Morgan doesn't kill the Wolves, just leaves them in his camp for the night, sounding the car horn so zombies will come and finish the job. Instead of killing them, he gives them a fighting chance. Because, he explains to Darryl later, all life is precious.
In a show where everyone you knew before the world turned is probably dead, meeting a long-lost friend should be unheard of. But, in an age where everyone's kind of stuck where they are, you're bound to run into people again. Darryl eventually found Merle; and Morgan, aided by a map and his ridiculous ninja skills, has found Rick. Does Darryl put it together, when he sees Rick's name on the map, knowing they're talking to someone named Morgan? Does he remember what Rick's walkie-talkie was for? Because it sure as shit wasn't used for Rick's team to ever communicate.
The Wolves get out in time to survive, and even do what Aaron couldn't: find Red Poncho guy. It's supposed to be there to pile on for Aaron later, as a reminder of just how much of a dud his latest trip was.
Sasha has some.... fun... while burying zombies, trying to feel what it will be like to be buried with them. The survivor's guilt has never been clearer in either her or Gabriel, who wanders out, not expecting to come back. He claims to Spencer that he's just going on a short walk, but his weak and deadpan voice indicate that he's saying his last words. So, why the last minute change of heart, garroting a zombie and bashing the other one's head in? Are those his first big kills? Because, for first kills, they're pretty bloody and physical. Which is probably why he breaks down, crying over his own inability to even get himself killed. I mean, even Aiden managed to do that.
Rick and Michonne make a big deal of whether she's more loyal to the town or Rick. Michonne squarely swears her loyalty to Rick and even a possible takeover, telling Rick to just not do it unless someone actually makes a move against him. But, if Alexandria actually banishes him, all bets are off. Maggie rallies Team Carol to offer glowing testimonies, despite Deanna's growing distrust of them all, and her unsuccessful attempt to bring Gabriel's warning to the town. Once Deanna's husband, Reggie is dead in her arms, bleeding even more than Rick is, she decides she's had enough of being nice, and tells Rick to go for it, which Rick immediately obeys.
Just when you think Rick has done the right thing, the night's murder is interrupted by Aaron, Darryl, and Morgan. None of them have any clue what's been happening, and Morgan looks like he didn't find Rick after all.
Eugene and Abraham make up, partly facilitated by Rosita, who may or may not take over the infirmary since Dr. Peter Drunky-Drunk is dead. Eugene does some more of his monotoned babbling, while Abraham apologizes for socking Eugene good, something Eugene acknowledges was coming to him anyway. These two, really, have nothing in common. At all. Without Eugene's fake mission, it's hard to see how they ever would have come to care at all about each other. It's unclear whether they care about each other now.
Nicholas and Glenn have their climactic fight. Does Nicholas lure Glenn out? Or, is it just opportunity knocking when Glenn follows him out? Does this town want to do anything about people just climbing out? Does the town really want people just wandering the woods outside, without anyone knowing they're not around? Apparently so, because Glenn and Nicholas can fight and fight again without anyone even thinking of looking for them. Nicholas even shoots Glenn and digs a fist in the gunshot. The shot alone should have brought people, let alone Glenn screaming in agony.
Quality time in the zombie-pocalypse
In the end, Glenn does the right thing when cowardly Nicholas surrenders and agrees to be Glenn's bitch. He'll show up at the meeting, right behind Morgan, further making the trio of travelers wonder what the fuck has been going on.
Michonne, after the night's excitement, gets her sword back, but it won't go back up on the wall. It belongs strapped to her back, and there it will stay. Sometimes, you do have to bring the world outside the walls inside them.
I actually want to leave off, for the season, with the climax to Sasha and Gabriel's suicide plot line. Because it's slightly hopeful. Because, Gabriel has the possibility of being less annoying now, that he's officially done sniveling. Because, Sasha might put the rifle down to sleep at night now. Because, Maggie joins with Sasha in mourning their losses. Because, the sight of the three of them praying, after Gabriel and Sasha have a knock-down fight over who's the most suicidal that requires Maggie to break it up, indicates that the characters have the opportunity to finally come out of their PTSD. Because Tara is shown waking up as they come together to heal each other. Will the ebbing of their trauma convince the Alexandrians that Team Carol/Rick has something to offer besides bloody scenes?
Let's hope so. Because he carries a big stick.
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