The weekend sure sped by but at least we get a new episode of The Walking Dead to prepare us for the week ahead. The tension keeps building as Rick builds an army to fight Negan. Last week we got to see Eugene’s life at the Sanctuary but tonight we return to Alexandria. Will they be able to find enough guns to induce the Scavengers to join the fight? Will Negan catch wind of their plans? Will King Ezekiel finally come to his senses and get on the right side of history? Only time, and Greg Nicotero, can tell for sure.
Rick and Michonne are scavenging. They bust down doors. They collect canned goods. They have passionate sex. They clear walkers. They find a gun or two. They have more wild sex. It’s a honeymoon, apocalypse-style. Rick questions Michonne’s huge smile. They haven’t found anything of much value. But they found it together and that makes all the difference. And when duty calls them home, Rick delays. He knows a war is coming, and all that entails, but he’s not willing to give up this precious moment. It’s a fragile fantasy, two people in love without a care in the world, and he treasures it. So just two more days and then he’ll face reality again. Is that really so much to ask?
Tara goes to take out Rosita’s stitches but she already did it herself. Rosita doesn’t need anyone’s help with anything. Not anymore. She scoffs at Tara’s request for patience. She needs to find guns. She needs to fight Negan. She needs to do, do, do so she won’t be alone with her thoughts.
Rick and Michonne come across a carnival full of walkers in army fatigues. The ground is littered with shell casings. Something bad happened here. But if they can get their hands on the weapons involved, their troubles might be over. They fall through the roof of a building and land in a room full of carnival food. All they can do is laugh. This must be a sign. Guns. Food. As long as they’re together, they always win.
Rosita returns from an useless day of scavenging, angry and covered in blood. She blames Father Gabriel for ruining her plan to kill Negan. Because of him, Eugene is gone and Spencer and Olivia are dead. He lets her rant. He admits he told her to not sacrifice herself because they need her. If it’s his fault she’s alive, he’ll just have to live with that. But now the choice of what she does with that life is up to her.
Rick and Michonne share a candlelit dinner of macaroni and cheese and chili. Michonne wonders what they should do after they kill Negan. Negan ordered the world the way he wanted but they can change that. She thinks Rick can be the leader everyone needs. He’s hesitant. He doesn’t want to be a leader. He just wants to share his life with her.
Tara sits with Judith, lost in thought. She’s torn about whether she should tell anyone about Oceanside’s gun cache. So who better to discuss it with than a toddler that can’t talk? She won’t spill the beans. Tara knows that Oceanside is so scared of Negan they’d fight against Alexandria to protect their hiding spot. If she tells, lives will be lost. What makes their lives worth more than Oceanside’s? Because they’re fighting against someone who hurts other people? Who will continue to hurt other people? It’s a lose, lose situation no matter how she looks at it.
Fortified with food and sleep, Rick and Michonne take on the carnival. They decide to block a hole in the fence with a car so they can slowly work their way through the walkers. After Rick gets going, he realizes the brakes don’t work. He steers as best he can but he doesn’t have much control. One of the army walkers gets caught on some rebar and it triggers his gun. Michonne has no choice but to jump in the trunk of the car to avoid the hail of bullets. They end up outside the carnival fence, surrounded by walkers. It was a great plan but the execution left something to be desired.
Now they have to deal with all of the walkers at once. They go from ride to ride, game to game, taking out as many as they can before they get swarmed. It’s slow going but manageable. One by one the walkers fall. They separate to divide the walkers and Rick ends up at the Ferris Wheel alone. He spots the deer they had been chasing and decides to leave his post to get it. From his vantage point on the Ferris Wheel, he sees the walkers have also noticed the deer. It’s ten against one. Not the best odds. Then the Ferris Wheel crumbles and Rick falls to the ground. The deer-stalking walkers have a new target.
Michonne runs to save Rick but by the time she gets there the walkers are feasting. In a split second her world falls apart. She actually drops her Katana sword. Without Rick, life isn’t worth living. This world has finally broken Michonne. Walkers advance on her yet she remains frozen. Then Rick emerges from his hiding spot. Michonne doesn’t know if she can trust her eyes. He grabs her sword and tosses it to her. She wakes up and they take out the remaining walkers. The minute they’re safe, Michonne runs into Rick’s arms. She still has a reason to live.
They head back to Alexandria with guns and food. On paper the day was a success but Michonne is mourning. She always believed that if they worked together, they’d survive. Now she’s not so certain. Rick sees her pain and decides to connect with her by telling her his fears. He’s tormented by the loss of Glenn. Glenn saved his life and he wasn’t able to return the favor. He tells her that they have to fight Negan, even if it means losing each other. She cries. She doesn’t think she can survive losing him. He tells her she can. She showed him that life under Negan wasn’t really living. So it’s not about them anymore. It’s about a future. For Judith. For Glenn and Maggie’s child. And if he dies, she needs to lead them to the future. He knows she can do it. “Because you led me here.”
Rick gathers his core group and they bring the guns to the Scavengers. Jadis isn’t happy with only 63. They need nearly twice that amount to arm their community. Rosita wants to walk away from the whole deal but Rick gets it. He tells Jadis they’re keeping ten to protect themselves while they search for more. She counter offers nine, and she wants the cat back. Rick stares her down. His final offer is twenty guns, he keeps the cat, they get more guns and fight together. “Say yes.” Jadis smiles. She appreciates his negotiation skills. As the Scavengers unload their guns, Michonne tells Rick they’ll find more guns. She’s certain. And now he gets those extra days in the fantasy bubble that he was wishing for.
Back in Alexandria, Rick runs into Tara. He’s looking for Rosita. She didn’t show up for guard duty that morning and no one’s seen her. Tara says she’s probably just looking for guns but she needs to talk to Rick. She has something to tell him.
Rosita isn’t scavenging. She’s at the Hilltop. She finds Sasha at Abraham’s grave but she’s not there for him. She needs Sasha’s help. They stare at each for a long time. Without hearing the plan, Sasha accepts. As long as she gets to take the shot. Rosita smiles. Finally someone gets it! She hands Sasha a sniper rifle. “It’s a one way ticket for both of us,” Rosita explains. Sasha agrees. They’re ready to kill Negan even if it means dying.
Next week: Carol is back! Fired up and covered in walker blood, she confronts Morgan about the Saviors. And it looks like the Kingdom finally gets onboard and starts fighting back.
I really loved this episode. Even with everything going on around them, the Alexandrians are reconnecting and coming back together. Worried about Sasha and Rosita, Both are blinded by what they lost and can’t see that their actions are going to hurt everyone, not just themselves.
Rosita is getting on my last nerve….
This episode was wonderful–especially the “wild sex–apocalypse-style!” I love the flirty banter between the two of them. I even found myself craving Mac & cheese & chili. ☺
Great episode and great recap!
Rosita annoys the shit out of me, but I love Sasha. I wish they would both just be smart and wait until Rick and the others are ready. If their plan goes sideways it can really mess up rick’s plans.
Hopefully Sasha will be a good influence on Rosita. She was in the same state after Bob’s death.
Holy Shit, this week! More Rick and Michonne sex please.
What am I missing about the “cat”? WTF is that?
Also, with the way this season began, I’m going to be PISSED if it ends at the beginning of the fight against the Saviors!!!
Last episode, after Rick beat that junkyard walker with all the armor on, he saw a cat statue, made out of wire in the junkyard. He grabbed it and gave it to Michonne and said it was to replace the one she lost. (which could have several meanings)
K first I have to say I worked late last night chaperoning a bunch 13yr olds at a mitzvah and caught the 11:32 airing so I was pretty tired already – but once again found myself half interested in what’s going on as per usually lately. Though the Rick scene snapped me back a bit I will say. Listening to fav WD podcast today only confirmed my disillusion by their lackluster recap. I’m new to your site and your WD so this is my first reading but I must say you turned it all round with this beautiful view of the episode. Not even a snarky comment about the alien junkyard gang. Based on some of your other caps know you’ve got that down, so I’m inclined to think you’re probably on point here. Wow. Will really enjoy this rewatch when haven’t rewatched many in this badly written season as soon as I get some good sleep. Thanks for that!
Thanks so much! That means a lot. And welcome to the site. It’s always nice to have another TWD friend.
Rick and michonne have zero chemistry. Their scenes make me cringe.
I have to agree being with Rick apparently has turned Michonne into a moron. I like them as co leaders and hate them as a couple. Michonne and Andrea had more chemistry. This episode played like a forced absurd situation. They are not a new couple, so the playful banter and lusting after each other while they were are out looking for guns …guns that could decide the difference between living and dying was just contrived.
1) Hot nasty sex is different then 98% with no shower, mosquitoes, no toothpaste…maybe if they found a river or a swimming hole, it could have been sexy.
2) No way the school carnival/ military supply depot in the middle of BFE is a possibility, and then they act like idiots. Rick chop the soldier, zombie’s head off, slide the body off the car and chuck the head in the back seat. Not to mention a sheriff doesn’t think to use the emergency brake on a rolling car? Cut to cute jokes, Michonne should have been pissed off. How the hell did they both manage to get on top of the car?
3) The whole deer thing made no sense, terminal dumbass move. The worse part was Michonne faced with a “Rick buffet” loses her katana and acts like the chick from Thriller. Good thing she got Rick rolled and he saved her, Michonne is no longer the ice cold warrior. Hopefully now that Rick has explained that Carl/Judith/everybody needs her to be strong she will manage to get her head back in the game.
Rosita, don’t get me started and I hope Sasha is going along to talk her off the edge. Father Gabriel is becoming a good character and I really liked the Eugene episode. King Ezekiel is awesome and there is more chemistry between him and Carol than Rick and Michonne.
Daryl, take a shower and cut your hair, hopefully with Oceanside coming into the picture you will get laid.
Michonne, losing it really pissed me off, she has been a rock, a total alpha warrior and strong .We know about her lost child and saw her gradually bonding with the group. She has brought out the best in people either through her intelligence and kindness OR when needed she has used her iron will to support/influence her people.
Rant over, I still miss Glenn and Abraham, they better not ruin Michonne.
Oh, I love Rick & Michonne together! I never shipped them but I think they have a lot of chemistry. Remember, they were alienated from each other for the first half of the season. Negan tore them apart so now that they’re reunited, they’re more in love than ever. And this is coming from someone who has never liked any of Rick’s ladies (both Lori and Jessie were just the worst).
It WAS shocking to see Michonne drop her sword but it shows how far she’s come. When we first met her she was completely shut down. Becoming family with Rick and Carl allowed her to reconnect with her emotions. Loving Rick has completed the journey & now she prizes quality of life over quantity. Hopefully Rick was able to convince her that they have to keep going even if they lose each other but I think being willing to love shows strong emotional growth for Michonne.
Plus, Michonne fully convinced herself that if they’re in it are together, they always win. It’s been true in the past. I think giving up when she thought she lost Rick was not only about losing him but about losing that certainty. Now her world isn’t as solid as she thought it was & that can be earth shattering.
I think they mesh well, and are very sexy together. It might be difficult to put those two together in the context of how we know them in this world, but I welcome the break from doom, grim and gloom.
Rosita’s going to get Sasha killed. Then she really will lose her shit.
Best WD recap in the net. Thanks, Lady C!
Loved the recap,it made more sense than the episode did to me. Rosita needs to get over herself. Still mad about Glen getting killed off and still don’t see the reason for it.
There were some great call backs this episode…
1. When Michonne crawled into the trunk to avoid the hail of bullets in the carnival takeover… the talking between her and Rick as he faced the car floor to only could hear her voice gave a huge shout out to Glen and Rick’s conversation back in the tank in season 1 as each vehicle is sourounded by walkers and Rick only has a voice to share his thoughts as he plans his escape.
2. The fall from Rick from the fairest wheel and Michonne thinking Rick is being eaten alive was also a great call back to Glens dumpster crawl. As Rick emerges from the hiding spot, Michonne is still in mourning like all the fans were when we speculated if Glen was dead or not. Glen, you will live on my friend, in moments like this!
3. The reuse of the dear was also a great call back to the dear used for Carl’s gunshot wound. The same trance that led Carl to his gun shot wound, lost Rick’s concentration at the task at hand and made him almost be eaten when staring at the dear and wanting to reach for it (figuratively of course). Those dang dear!
4. Finally the bouncing back and forth between Rick and Michonne love story and Rosita’s lonely demise gave the viewer a constant reminder Abraham was not there. All this woman wants is to avenge Abrahams death. Even if Abraham left her, she was still very much in pain over the recent break up before his untimely death. The stark difference between the two set of characters lights up Rositas cold world to illuminate her demeanor.
This.