The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 6 "Swear"

If you start seeing everyone as an enemy,

 that is all you are going to find.

Coast line. A girl and a young woman are talking. A walker growls on the sand. The girl stabs it in the head. She notices another zombie. The girl runs over to it and is about to stab it in the head when the young woman yells at her to wait. It's not a zombie, it's Tara. The girl still wants to stab her in the head. The young woman tells her they don't have to kill her, but the girl insists that they are supposed to. She wants to kill Tara. The young woman insists that they won't kill Tara. The young girl promises not to tell but she won't help her save Tara. The young woman pulls Tara out of the water.

Heath sits in n an RV eating. He complains that they've only found a few rusty cans of okra and a bottle of aspirin. Tara tells him, "There's nothing left in this world that isn't hidden." That was the first rule of scavenging explained to her by Glenn. He tells her they went too far. They've been gone for two weeks and can't waste the gas. She says they have people back home counting on them. They need ammo and medicine. He is still upset about killing the Saviors. Tara said she had to do it too. He said they did it for some milk and some corn. He talks about how the people in Alexandria didn't really know anything about this new world. He tells her, "If it's you or someone else you choose you. You take what you can. You take out who you have to, and you get to keep going. Nobody's in this together. Not anymore. . . That's me, that's you, and that's everybody that wants to stay alive. That's the truth. "  He says they can go towards the shore that day but then they go back. Tara picks up a gun with Lucille drawn on it.

The young woman from the beginning of the episode lies on a bed looking at a map. She looks up at a clock. We see notches tattooed on Tara's arm. The young  woman points a machine gun at her and then changes her mind. She pulls out a couple of bottles of water and something that is wrapped and places them next to Tara who is still unconscious. She also leaves a spear for Tara. Tara opens her eyes when she is sure the young woman is gone and grabs one of the bottles of water. She drinks and keeps an eye on the young woman who is several feet away. She cautiously grabs the wrapped package. When she opens it she finds a fish. The young woman leaves and Tara follows her through the woods with the spear in hand. She finds some cabins. Two women enter one cabin and several children exit another cabin. She sees someone in a lookout spot up in the trees. Several women and children work at the community. That includes the woman that helped her. Two women open a shed filled with weapons. There don't appear to be any men. A clicking sound is heard. Women take the children inside and several women run to the shed to get guns. Someone shoots at Tara. She runs as others begin to shoot at her. One of the women catches up with Tara but Tara disarms her and knocks her out. She runs into the little girl (Rachel) from the beginning of the episode aiming a gun at her. The young woman (Cyndie) from the beginning of the episode stops her. Tara says, "Hi. I didn't mean to. I'm cool. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." An older woman comes and orders the other woman away from her. Tara apologizes for entering their camp. She says she can just go.

Heath and Tara cautiously exit the RV. They climb a makeshift wall blocking a bridge. Several abandoned cars are on the bridge. Heath throws a bottle to see if any zombies come out. No movement. They walk past a kiddie pool that was used to grow plants. The campsite has been abandoned. At the end of the bridge are two dump trucks with a wall of sand in between. Tara finds a backpack. As she pulls it Heath finds bullet casings. When Tara removes the backpack the sand comes down and several zombies pop up out of the sand. She and Heath shoot at the zombies. Heath gets away but Tara is surrounded. Heath abandons her.

Tara sits in a cabin. Women can be heard arguing. Natania, Kathy, and Beatrice are the three women that come in. They use bells to keep zombie away from their camp. Natania wants to know where Tara is from. She says Atlanta. She and her friend have been traveling alone for two years. They used to work on a fishing boat. Natania wants to know what Tara is doing there. She tells them she found the settlement on the bridge. She got knocked off the bridge and fell in the water. She tells them that Cyndie left her food she followed her. She wanted to see their camp and see if it was safe. She wants to get back to the bridge. Natania says they shoot strangers on site if they enter the camp. But she since didn't kill Beatrice they spared her life. Now they don't know what to do with Tara. The women leave and lock the door. That night Tara is taken from one cabin and taken to another cabin where a table is set for dinner. Natania asks if Tara likes fish. Cyndie is there. Tara thanks her for saving her life. Cyndie is Natania's granddaughter. Cyndie was teaching Rachel the way they do things (aka shoot strangers). Cyndie is a really good shot.

Tara guzzles down the stew. Natania asks her if Tara could get used living there. She is a skilled fighter. That way they keep their village a secret and she gets a place to live. They would also offer Heath a place to stay. Tara asks where all the men are. Natania says they got into a skirmish with another group and they didn't make it. Cyndie lost her mother and brother. That is when they decided that they would kill whomever they met on site. They would stay hidden in their new home and they would stay alive. She says that Tara had the opportunity to hurt them but didn't. Natania was honest with her and now she wants Tara to be honest with them. Tara admits to lying. She tells them about Alexandria. She mentions Denise (she left before Denise died). She tells them they have done things too and then tells them about killing the Saviors at the outpost. They killed the Saviors so they could stay alive. Tara wants them to start working with Alexandria. "If you keep seeing everyone as an enemy, then enemies are all you're going to find. Soon enough you will need a friend." Natania says they will send a guide with Tara, find Heath, and follow Tara to Alexandria to see what it is like. Cyndie volunteers to go but Natania says no. Cyndie didn't follow the rules.

The next morning Tara and Natania talk while Tara waits for her guide. Beatrice and Kathy accompany her. Rachel spits at Tara and Tara gives her the finger. They walk past a large bell in the woods. Tara apologizes to Beatrice for hitting her. They hear something in the woods. It is a zombie. Tara gets up and goes to stab it but runs instead. Beatrice and lady shoot at her as they chase her. Tara stumbles and hides. She holds her knife and cautiously looks up to see Beatrice. She comes up behind her and they fight. They both stand up and Beatrice points her gun at Tara. Tara begs for Beatrice to let her go. Beatrice tells her that her people are dead. The Saviors can't be stopped. That was just an outpost. There are more Saviors and more outposts. It's too late for the people of Alexandria. Tara figures out that the Saviors killed all the men. Beatrice says they lined up all males over age ten and shot them. They were supposed to keep working for them but they ran away one night. Cyndie comes up behind Beatrice and knocks her to ground and tells Tara to run. Tara runs through the woods. Cyndie yells at her to wait. Tara stops and Cyndie points a gun at her. Cyndie asks Tara to swear she won't tell anyone about their village including her people. Tara says she won't. Cyndie says they didn't have to kill the Saviors. They just did. "Nobody's evil. They just decide to forget who they are." Tara tells her that some people are evil. Cyndie tells her, "You have to swear." Tara swears she won't say anything. Cyndie offers her a bag with food and water and a spear. Cyndie then takes her to the bridge.

Tara and Cyndie look out at the walkers on the bridge. Tara says she will run. Cyndie wants to help Tara. Cyndie offers to shoot the walkers so Tara can cross the bridge safely. Kathy and Beatrice are coming. Tara asks why Cyndie is different from the others. She replies, "Why aren't you?" They fist bump, climb down, and carefully make their way down the bridge. They kill two zombies but twenty more appear. They climb on the cars and make their way across the bridge. Tara gets down and kills zombies as she makes her way down. Cyndie helps her by shooting zombies. Cyndie's gun gets stuck but Tara makes it across safely. Tara makes it to the spot where she was knocked down. We flashback and we see Heath shot a zombie to help her. Tara tries to go back for him but gets knocked back into the water. Last we saw of Heath he was surrounded by zombies. Tara makes her way toward a zombie that looks like Heath but it turns out to be a female zombie. Tara looks back and sees Cyndie being dragged back by Kathy and Beatrice. Tara sees Heath's glasses on the ground and notices fresh tire tracks. She finds a key card with "PPP" written on it. She hopes it is a message from Heath.

Tara walks across a field. She rummages through an abandoned boat in the middle of the road. She finds a shop and hides inside away from several zombies. She looks at a bobble head of a doctor. She stays the night and eats the fish Cyndie packed for her. Inside the bad she finds a shell bracelet. Eugene stands guard at the gate to Alexandria. The gate opens and Tara walks in smiling. She stops when she sees Eugene. He is crying. She sits in the infirmary holding the bobble head. Rosita tells her she is sorry. Rosita asks if she has any leads on guns and ammunition. Tara looks down at the shell bracelet on her wrist. She tells her she didn't see anything out there.

Final Thoughts
- How far is Oceanside from Alexandria? I lived in Alexandria in Virginia and I know that the beach is at least two hours away. How far does Negan's power extend? Was it a wise decision for Heath and Tara to travel that far alone?
- I kind of want to refer to Oceanside as Amazonia.
- Rachel is kind of psychotic. She reminds me of Lizzie. Why are all teen girls in the apocalypse cray cray? 
- I hope we get to see more of Cyndie. She knows that sometimes rules need to be broken in order to do the right thing.She could be an asset in the future when it becomes time to destroy Negan.
- I'm glad that Tara didn't tell Rosita about Oceanside. Anything to keep people safe from the Saviors, especially children, is the right thing to do. You never know, they could become allies in the future.
- What does PPP mean? I can only assume it is from the comic but I haven't read past Glenn's death.
- Where is Heath?
- Did Kingdom or Hilltop have any knowledge of Oceanside's former group?

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 5 "Go Getters"

 You do things for the one's you love.

Maggie wakes up. She is at Hilltop. She looks at a vase of blue flowers. The doctor explains her condition. She did not lose the baby. He does an ultrasound and she hears the baby's heartbeat. He tells her she needs to stay there for the duration of her pregnancy. Sasha waits outside for Maggie. Maggie asks her where are Abraham and Glenn. Sasha takes her to their graves. Sasha hands Maggie the pocket watch that was in Glenn's pocket. Maggie places the watch on his grave. Sasha says, "It feels like everything is wrong."  Maggie responds, "Not everything." Maggie tells Sasha that she needs to stay. Sasha says if Maggie stays she stays. Jesus brings some flowers for the graves. He brought the blue flowers for Maggie. They represent strength and calm. The green flowers for the graves represent release. Gregory comes up to them and is upset. He tells Maggie that she said that they were supposed to take care of all of the Saviors. Maggie explains that it was just an outpost. Gregory calls Maggie by the wrong name. Then he thinks that Sasha is from Hilltop. Jesus explains his mistake. He gets mad about the graves. At Hilltop they burn their dead. Gregory says if Maggie and Sasha leave they will have plausible deniability with the Saviors. He wants them to leave that moment but Jesus says that it will be dark soon. Gregory agrees to let them stay the night but they have to leave the next morning. Jesus says they will discuss it further tonight. Gregory replies that he has made his decision and Jesus can go to Alexandria with Sasha and Maggie. When Sasha tells Gregory that Maggie is pregnant he replies, "Well, that's her mistake."

Carl and Rick argue about getting supplies for the Saviors. Carl doesn't want to go. Rick gives Michonne a walkie talkie and tells her they are going north if she changes her mind. They kiss. Carl asks Michonne why she didn't go. She replies, "I have to figure some things out. How we can do this. If we can." Carl says that Rick is wrong and she knows it. "Even if I think he is, I don't know." Then she tells him to change his bandage and be nice to Olivia. She leaves. Carl looks out the window at something. Enid is at the wall beginning to climb it. She tells him she is going to Hilltop to see Maggie. She tells him she'll be fine. He tells her, "I'm not saving you anymore." She asks if locking her in the armory was saving her and he says yes. She tells him she is sorry he had to see Glenn and Abraham die. Sasha makes a bed on a couch. Jesus tells her he is glad they're here. He is going to try to change Gregory's mind. She asks why he isn't in charge. He is not a leader. Sasha offers to scavenge in exchange for Maggie staying at Hilltop. She asks him,"What do you want this place to be?" He says, "I just try to help." She tells him, "Maybe you gotta do more." He gives her a chain that belonged to Abraham. He liked Abraham. "He was one of the only people I ever met who could say something that could make you smile and wince at the same time." Maggie comes in. He leaves. Maggie says, "Now what?" Sasha says, "What can Gregory do? He's an idiot." Maggie says that Gregory is a coward which is more dangerous than an idiot. Maggie says they will sleep on it. Enid rides a bike down the road. She stops and stares at a puddle. A zombie comes up from behind and then a car hits it. The zombie gets up and the car backs up over it. Carl is the driver. Enid asks what he is doing there and he says, "Felt like a drive." Late at night in Hilltop loud music plays. Maggie and Sasha look out the window. The gate is open and there are several fires. The music is coming from a car. The door and windows of the trailer have been locked from the outside so Sasha climbs out the top. Zombies come in attracted by the music and light from the fires.

Sasha goes down with a knife in hand. Maggie looks out from the top of the trailer. She calls out to Jesus to help Sasha. He climbs down from the house. Maggie orders two more men to help. They go down as well. Sasha makes it to the car but it is locked. On the lock is a hand giving the middle finger. A gift from the Savors. Jesus comes up behind and tells her they need to close the gates. Out of nowhere a giant tractor makes its way to the car. Maggie is driving it. Jesus and Sasha leave her to take care of the car while they kill the zombies. Maggie runs over the car and the music stops. Enid asks Carl if he watched Abraham and Glenn die. Carl says yes. He did it so if he needed to kill Negan he could. Enid says she would kill Negan too. "You do things for the one's you love." He apologizes for locking her in the armory. She wants to know if Maggie is okay. Jesus and Gregory argue about Maggie and Sasha staying. Gregory says everything could belong to Jesus if he were to stay for more than five minutes. Sasha and Maggie walk in. Sasha says she will go but Maggie will stay. Sasha wants to know what they can do to make this work. He tells her they need to meet one on one (said in a very sleazy way). Maggie tells him to go to hell. They are interrupted when the Saviors arrive. Gregory tells Jesus to hide them in the closet. Several Saviors head towards the house. Carl finds a backpack on the side of the road. There were roller skates inside. They both skate down the road laughing and holding hands. It's a nice moment. A carefree childhood moment for these two children of the apocalypse. Gregory lets the Saviors in the house. Gregory welcomes them to Hilltop. Simon (Negan's right hand man) says they need to talk. He wants to go in the study and see the painting. He tells them that Rick killed a bunch of the Saviors. Gregory pretends he doesn't know about it. Simon insists they need to talk.

Simon and Gregory stare at the painting. Gregory says they understood the message from the night before. They know who is the boss. Simon says, "So last night that was us, working our asses off, to provide you an example." The people at Hilltop probably forget what the zombies look like and smell like. He congratulates them for killing the zombies and cleaning up the mess. The Saviors were going to kill the zombies to show them the service they provide to Hilltop but the Hilltopers did it themselves. Gregory tells him he is a team player. Simon says that some Saviors were killed by Rick's group and now Rick's group works for Negan. Rick's group are real go getters. They know Gregory is a team player. Simon asks if there is anything else he should know. Gregory says there is. Then they both walk out the door and Gregory goes to a door and makes eye contact with Jesus who shakes his head no. Gregory opens the door to the closet. Gregory looks surprised. Inside are boxes of scotch. Simon hates scotch but Negan likes it so he is going to take the box and then take the credit for it. Jesus smiles. Simon announces they will search Hilltop and take half of what they have. He also takes the painting. Simon makes Gregory kneel. Enid and Carl make it to hilltop but the Saviors are still there. Enid says that Carl wasn't just taking a drive and coming to get her. He tells her he can't let Negan get away with it. He asks her to go with him to kill Negan. She replies, "You said it. It'd be for us. Not for Abraham, or for Glenn, or for Maggie. You're doing it for you. So if it all goes right, and you do it, how would you get away?" He tells her,"It wouldn't matter," She says,"It would to me." They kiss. She says, "Please don't go." He tells her he is going to go home. She knows he is lying. She tells him, "You shouldn't go, but I can't stop you." Gregory gets mad at Jesus for hiding them in the wrong closet. Jesus declares that Maggie and Sasha are staying. Does he want Jesus to make the deal with Alexandria public therefore losing his plausible deniability and his position? Gregory asks, "So you're gonna be charge now?" Jesus says, "No. It's just that you won't be. Maggie and Sasha are staying. I'm staying. We're all gonna be one big, happy, dysfunctional family." Gregory says, "So it will be. And I'll see us through this. . . We play nice they play nice. (He addresses Maggie) See dear, Saviors can be quite reasonable." Maggie punches him. She grabs Glenn's pocket watch from Gregory's pocket. "This is our home now. So you'll learn to start to call me by my name. . . Maggie Rhee."

Jesus tells Maggie and Sasha that when he arrived at Hilltop Gregory was already in charge. He could not imagine anyone else in charge until now. Maggie asks who and he smiles and says they will talk about it sometime. Maggie leaves. Sasha says that if Jesus wants to make it up to them he can find where Negan lives. He says yes. She wants to keep it between the two of them. Maggie goes to put the watch on the grave and finds Enid there. She has placed three green balloons on a grave. They hug. Enid makes food for Maggie. They discuss the events from the previous night. Maggie tells her that she ran over a boy's car in high school with a tractor. Sasha walks in. Enid tells her that she came by herself. Sasha asks why there are balloons on Abraham's grave. There are no grave markers so Enid didn't know which was Glenn's grave. Maggie was going to use the watch as a grave marker but she is now giving it to Enid. "We don't need anything to remember them by. We have us." They hold hands and Maggie says a prayer. The Saviors finish loading up their trucks. Hilltop locks its gate. Sasha sharpens her knife as she smokes Abraham's cigar. Jesus sits in the back of the Savior's truck. Carl peeks out from behind some boxes and says, "Hey."

 Final Thoughts
- Simon does a really good job of delivering threats with a smile.
- Is Gregory having a memory problems when he gets people's names wrong or does he just not care?
- I'm glad that Jesus and Sasha's conversation pushed Jesus into action.
- Those grilled cheese sandwiches sure looked good.
- I like the sisterhood between these three women. So often on TV you see women competing against each other it's nice to see women supporting each other and taking care of things on their own.
- Can the people of Hilltop elect Maggie and Jesus as new leaders? Lets have an election where everyone will like the results.
- The chain Jesus gives Sasha was the necklace that Rosita made for Abraham. I don't know if Sasha knows that Rosita made it. Will Rosita want it back when she sees it?
- Will we get to meet more people from Hilltop? It would be nice to know what they think about Gregory.
- I hope Jesus is able to stop Carl from doing something stupid when they arrive at Sanctuary. They need information before they take out Negan. Thinking before revenge, Carl.

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 4 "Service"

This is how we live now.

Rick and Michonne lie in bed together. Michonne gets up and gears up with her katana. She goes to the fireplace and pulls out a sniper rifle and places it in her duffel bag. We see Rick watching her leave. He doesn't stop her. Michonne walks across a vast field towards an abandoned truck. She climbs on top of it and sits waiting. Rick gets Judith from her crib. Eugene tinkers with a machine by the gate. Rosita pulls up with Spencer and demands that Eugene open the gate. Spencer explains that they are going to gather supplies to give to Negan. Spencer asks if he wants to come along and Eugene says no. Rosita responds, "That sounds about right." Eugene says he is fixing an audio player for the Saviors. Several vehicles can be heard pulling up to the gate. We see Negan's shadow. He bangs on the gate with Lucille saying, "Little pig, little pig, let me in." Spencer opens the first gate. Spencer asks, "Who are you?" Rick walks up. Negan tells him, "Do not make me have to ask." Rick responds that he is early. They were supposed to have a week. A zombie approaches and Negan hits it with Lucille. A crowd of Saviors including Dwight and Daryl stand behind him. Daryl looks like he is about to cry. Negan says he could've killed Spencer but instead chose to kill the zombie, "Service." Then he hands Lucille to Rick as he walks into Alexandria.

Negan announces, "This place is magnificent! An embarrassment of riches, as they say." Rick tries to talk to Daryl but Negan stops him. "He's the help. You don't look at him. You don't talk to him. And I don't make you chop anything off of him." He gives the same warning to Rosita who just glares in return. Negan tells Rick, "You don't decide what we take. I do." Negan gives the order and the Saviors move out to search the houses. Negan wants Rick to show him around Alexandria. Dwight walks up to Rosita. He takes her gun and then Spencer's. He then pulls out the rifles from the car. He has a job for Rosita. He wants Daryl's bike. She says it isn't here. He tells her to go get it. As she goes to get into the car he takes her hat and empties her canteen. She and Spencer drive off. Michonne sits on top of the truck ready with the rifle. She stands up, and aims at an approaching zombie. She shoots and misses. She fires and misses again and again. The zombie gets closer. She gets off of the car and kills it with her katana. She walks away. As she approaches the woods she finds a dead deer. She accidentally shot it while trying to kill the zombie.

The Saviors take furniture out of several houses. Daryl follows Negan. A Savior brings Negan a camera. It is the video Deanna shot of Rick when he first arrived in Alexandria. "I would not have messed with that guy. But that's not you anymore, is it? Nope!" Negan asks about Maggie. He figured out she was married to Glenn. "Widows, especially ones that look like that they are special. Right after their husbands go they are just empty inside. But usually not for long." Father Gabriel walks up from behind, "Would you like to pay your respects?" Negan responds, "Holy crap. You are creepy as shit. Creeping up on me wearin' that collar and that freaky-ass smile." Negan gets taken to the cemetery. "Well, this must really suck for you guys." He brings up the fact that Glenn didn't have to die. It was Daryl's fault. Gabriel and Rick make eye contact. Negan was going to ask Maggie to go back with him. A gun shot rings out. Negan glares at Rick and walks towards the sound. Carl points a gun at one of the Saviors. Rick walks into the house and tells Carl to put the gun down. The Saviors are taking all of the medicine. Carl tells Negan, "And you should go. Before you find out how dangerous we are." Negan responds, "Did you just threaten me?" Rick tells Carl to put the gun down. "Half is what I say it is. Do you want me to prove how serious, again?" Carl relents and hands the gun to Rick. Negan continues, "This whole thing reminds me that you have a lot of guns. . . I can't allow that. They're all mine now."

Olivia opens the garage door to the pantry. Rick tells her to show the Saviors to the armory. Negan points out that he is not taking any of their food. He calls Olivia fat. He is letting them keep the food because if they starve to death they won't give him anything. Rick asks, "What do you want me to say?" Negan responds, "How about a thank you? Or is that too much to ask? I'm a very reasonable man when you cooperate. Are you cooperating?" Rick says, "What does it look like?" Negan says, "I know what it looks like. But what I really wanna know is if we're gonna find all the guns back there or if maybe you've got a few just waitin' for their moment?" Rick says all the guns are there as far as he knows. Rosita and Spencer reach a spot by the railroad tracks and stop. Rosita holds a knife in her hand. Spencer walks over to the trees and pulls some branches off of Daryl's bike. He pushes it towards their car. "That's it. It's over. This is our life now. This is where Rick got us." He opens up the back of a van and places Daryl's bike in it. Rosita walks into the woods. Negan stops Daryl as he walks out of the armory with some guns. Negan pulls out a pistol and points it at Daryl. He shoots a window. A Savior comes out with the bazooka. Negan is impressed. One of the Saviors yanks Olivia up the stairs. The inventory doesn't match the log. Some guns are missing. Rick says some people left and the guns are probably with them. Negan asks Olivia if she knows where they are. She says no. Negan says, "I don't enjoy killing women. But at the end of the day Olivia, my dear, this was your responsibility." Olivia begins to cry. "Keeping track of guns? That shit is life and death."

Lucille rests on a windowsill in the church. Rick tells the Alexandrians that he thought about hiding some guns and keeping them hidden for years. But he reconsidered because no matter how many bullets they have it's not enough, they win. They need to give the two missing guns to the Saviors. He asks who has them. If they don't find them the Saviors will kill Olivia. Scott stands up and asks why the Saviors care. They will need them to protect themselves from what's outside. Aaron and Eric argue. Eric stands up. "Say we find the guns. How are we gonna get out of this?" Rick replies, "I'm not in charge anymore. Negan is." Eugene looks around. He notices that not everyone is in the church. Rosita walks in the woods towards some zombies. Spencer calls after her and draws attention to Rosita. She hides behind a tree and kills one zombie after another. Spencer finds her. Rosita has a gun. The zombies were the Saviors that killed Denise. "Don't you get it? That asshole back there (aka Dwight) took our guns because he's gonna take all our guns. This is not our life." Spencer walks away.

Rick looks out a window at Negan and Olivia. He searches the house for the guns. Gabriel reports that they have not found the guns yet. Gabriel says, "I feel like I know this is gonna work out. We'll find the guns, live through this day, and find a way to move forward, to beat this. I have faith in us. I have faith in you. Things change. You are my friend. It wasn't always this way." Rick says, "What you did with the graves, was quick thinkin', thank you." Aaron comes in and says that the guns were not in Rosita's house. Rick says they would be here in Spencer's house. Spencer's done this kind of thing before. As he paces he steps on a creaky floor board. He looks in a vent and pulls out a bunch of food and booze. He reaches in and pulls out the missing guns. A Savior questions Enid's desire to keep some green balloons. He tells her to say please again. She complies even though he is super creepy and keeps calling her little girl. Then he gives back the balloons. They were the ones Glenn used. When Rick gives the guns to Negan. Negan wants the name of the person responsible. Rick says it doesn't matter anymore. Negan says Rick needs to get everybody on board.

The Saviors begin to drive away when Rosita and Spencer get back. Rick notices Michonne hiding out in the old abandoned building. Rick asks for a second. Negan says no. Rick asks again. Negan nods. Rick walks over to Michonne. He has Lucille in his hands. "He had me hold it. I need the rifle. I know it's in the bag. I know what you're doing out there. You're practicing. We have to give up our guns. All of them. If you keep it and they find it someone dies. I am not losing you or Carl or anyone else. I'm not losing anyone else!" Negan hums as he waits. Michonne walks over with the dead deer. Rick gives the rifle to Negan. "This is something to build the relationship on. You sir, are special." Ricks says, "I'd like to ask you if Daryl can stay." Negan at first says no. But then he says maybe Daryl can sway him. He turns to Daryl but Daryl doesn't say anything. "Earn for me. If you don't have something interesting for us somebody is gonna die." He takes the deer as well. Dwight walks over to Daryl's bike. He tosses Rosita her hat back. "Did you find anything else out there?" She replies, "Just your dead friends." He gets on the bike and tells Daryl he can have it back, "Just say the word." Negan tells Rick, "So nobody died. And you know what I think. We have found our understanding. Do you want me to go? Just say those two magical words." Rick spits out the words, "Thank you." Another zombie approaches. Negan kills it. Rick grips Lucille tightly. Negan turns around, "Win-win." He takes Lucille back. They leave. Daryl looks out from the back of a truck. Rick looks at a sign on the gate that reads, "Mercy for the lost. Vengeance for the plunderers."

Rick closes the gate. He walks up to Spencer and tells him how they took the guns he had hidden because they were going to kill Olivia. Spencer responds, "You went into my house?" Rick get mad at him for hiding the food and liquor, "That's 'cause you're small, Spencer. You're weak. You got lucky with the walls. You got lucky with us." Spencer says, "We should've made a deal with them when we could've.  Oh yeah, we're so lucky. . . I guess Glenn and Abraham were lucky too?" Rick says,"You say anything like that to me again I will break your jaw and knock your teeth out." Rosita says, "You had guns? Why didn't you tell me? You saw what I did to get one!" He replies, "I had them for awhile because I didn't trust Rick. 'Cause I was worried about having him in charge." Rosita pulls out the gun she hid in the car. Rick rolls out his bed covers on the floor. The Saviors took their mattresses. Michonne tells him the rifle was one of the ones they stole from Saviors. They didn't have a list? She says, "Everything we got we got from fighting." Rick responds, "They have the numbers. We play by their rules we get some kind of life." Michonne asks, "What kind of a life?" Rick tells her about Shane. He knows Judith isn't his. But he loves her, she's he's daughter, but she's not his. He had to accept that so he could keep her alive. He wants to live so he can teach her to survive. "This is how we live now." She tells him, "It's not your fault if people die." He says, "You have to accept this. All of you. Or it won't work." She helps him make the bed and says, "I'm gonna try." Michonne goes back out to the field and climbs on top of the car. She takes deep breaths and looks around. She gets down and walks. She heads to a pile of mattresses that were recently on fire. The Savior burnt their mattresses just because they could. Someone picks up a shell casing. Rosita knocks on Eugene's door. She holds the casing and says, "Make me a bullet."

Final thoughts
- I understand why Carl threatened the Saviors but it was not a smart move. Negan is vengeful. They are in no position to fight back. They should have planned their original attack on the Saviors better. They should have watched them for weeks or months to find out how many there were and how many weapons they had.
- Seeing the green balloons tugged at my heart strings.
- Why is Spencer still such a brat? Doesn't he get that he doesn't know how to survive in this world? Rick was right. He got lucky to be in Alexandria when the zombiepocalypse started.
- There's a rumor that Daryl has had his tongue cut out and that is why he never spoke. So when Dwight said that Daryl knew what to say did he mean that Daryl needed to say "I am Negan" or was he messing with him knowing that Daryl couldn't speak? I hope the rumor's not true. I don't know if that is a punishment that Negan uses in the comic.
- If you didn't already think the Saviors were jerks you definitely know they are for burning the Alexandrian's mattresses.
- How long can Maggie stay hidden from the Saviors? Someone is bound to recognize her.

The Walking Dead Season7 Episode 3 "The Cell"

Who Are You?

Dwight watches episodes of "Who's the Boss." He plays a game with a woman who drinks every time she loses. He carves figures out of woods. He cuts in line to get food at the Saviors food pantry. He watches several Saviors beat up a man. He writes down the number 39. At a bed numbered 39 he rummages through someone's belonging and takes some mustard and pickles. He takes food from others at the Saviors compound. When Negan walks by everyone bows. Dwight sits eating his sandwich. He watches as a couple of men choral a zombie in a zombie filled enclosure. He is mesmerized watching this zombie on a pike stand up and fall down and stand up again. He makes a sandwich out of dog food. He takes it to Daryl who is sitting naked in a cell. Daryl eats the sandwich. Dwight closes and locks the door leaving Daryl in the dark.

Daryl lies in the dark as music plays. The door opens and Dwight comes in with another sandwich. Daryl eats it. He says nothing. The door closes and the music stops. Daryl shakes when the music starts again. Dwight throws the sandwich on the floor. Daryl picks it up and eats it. Dwight throws some clothes at Daryl. The next time we see Daryl he is clothed. Dwight walks in with the crossbow. He grabs Daryl and walks him down the hall. Two men mop the hallway. Daryl gets pushed into a doctor's office. Dwight's wife, Sherry, is there. When she tries to talk to Daryl Dwight yells at her not to talk to him. Dwight notices a pregnancy test. It is negative. Sherry tells Daryl to do whatever they say. Dwight tells her not to talk to Daryl. The doctor examines Daryl's wound. It will heal if he lets it. The doctor tells Daryl, "Negan will take care of you. Trust me." As they walk back Negan comes down the hall. He wants to talk to Dwight. Daryl is told to sit on a chair as another Savior points a gun at him. He looks into the room where Dwight was watching TV at the beginning of the episode. When Dwight comes back he takes Daryl outside to the zombie enclosure. He pushes Daryl toward the fence. He has the choice to be like the zombies or be like Dwight. We see the new zombie was the man who had bed number 39 that was beat up at the beginning of the episode. Punishment for defiant attitude?

Daryl gets tossed back in his cell. Dwight says, "Make it easy on yourself." Daryl responds, "I ain't never gonna kneel." "Yeah, I said that too." Dwight adds.  Daryl replies, "Yeah, I know." Dwight says, "See, that's the thing man, You don't. But your gonna." The music starts again. Daryl tries to break down the door to his cell. Negan tells Dwight how Daryl is going crazy. "Some people are harder to break than others." Negan offers Dwight the opportunity to sleep with Sherry or any other woman that he wants as long as the woman says yes. When Dwight doesn't say anything Negan asks if there is anything wrong with his penis after Eugene bit it. Dwight says nothing is wrong. He said no because he hasn't earned it yet. Negan responds, "You earn what you take." A woman on a walkie talke says they have an orange situation. Someone has left with some stuff. Dwight volunteers to go and Negan says he should send someone else since that is grunt work. Dwight takes off down the road on Daryl's motorcycle. He drives past a statue of a praying angel that has zombie arms attached to it.

Dwight stops when he comes to an overpass. The music plays again. Another man brings Daryl the sandwich. Daryl takes it and stares at the man. He eats his sandwich. The man shakes his head and closes the door but doesn't lock it. The music stops then starts again. Daryl looks under the door.  He pushes on it slowly and it opens. Daryl quietly makes his way down the hall. The music plays in the background. He stops when he sees a man at a door. Then he quickly makes his way down the hall as several men come his way. Dwight pushes the bike to the overpass. Several zombies lie across the road. He stomps the head of one of the zombies. He continues cautiously. Most of the zombies are mangled in some way (missing legs, etc). All of a sudden a zombie falls over the overpass so Dwight jumps out of its way. Dwight gets grabbed by one of the road zombies and has to shoot it. Daryl is about to go down another hallway when he is grabbed from behind by Sherry. She warns him, "Go back while you can. You know I did. Whatever he's done to you. There's more. There's always more. You won't get away. And when you get back, it'll be worse." Daryl makes his way outside to where there are several motorcycles. Just as he is about to get to them he is surrounded by several Saviors. It was a trap. Negan walks out and asks, "Are you we pissing our pants yet?"

Negan asks "Who are you?" All the Saviors answer, "Negan." Daryl failed to understand that Negan is everywhere. Negan gives Daryl three choices, "One, you wind up on a spike and work for me as a dead man. Two, you get out of your cell, you work for points and you're gonna wish you were dead. Or three, you work for me you get yourself a new pair of shoes and live like a king. You should know there is no door number four. This is it. This is the only way." He goes to hit Daryl with Lucille but stops short. Daryl doesn't flinch. Negan likes that Daryl doesn't scary easily. Negan walks away and the Saviors beat Daryl. Dwight continues pushing the bike down the road. The front wheel is flat. As he walks he sees a man fighting off a zombie. He tackles the man. Daryl sits in his cell. He notices someone standing outside his door. Sherry is there. "There's so many things I wish I'd never found out. I wish I didn't try. . . Back in the woods, after I lost Tina, when we took your stuff, when we decided to go back, I told you I was sorry. And you said 'You're gonna be'. I am." The man Dwight attacks was the one he was sent to retrieve. The man tells him to let him go. Dwight says he can't. The man says, "We used to be friendly. After everything he did to you, to your wife." Dwight replies, "Look, there's no place to go. Everything's his or will be." The man replies, "I know." Dwight orders him,  "Keep walking." "It's okay if you do it. I get it. Hell, I want you to, please." Dwight tells him to shut up and keep walking because there's no other way. To which the man replies. "See that's what he tells us. That there's no choice. No way but his way. Thug walks in with a baseball bat and a smile, and we're all so scared that we gave up everything. Well, there's only one of him and all of us. So why are we living like this?!" Dwight responds,"Because look where we are. We were losing and now we're not!" The man says, "When we got there we thought we would be okay. We thought we knew how to fight the monsters." The man kneels down. Dwight points his gun at him and yells at him to get up. The man says, "There's nothing back there for me. This is the last time I am going to kneel." Dwight threatens to harm all those the man cared about. The man responds, "Okay, D. You won." He gets up and says, "But you know there's nothing left." (Nothing left for him or nothing left of his friend D?) As the man walks down the road Dwight shoots him.

Sherry smokes in a stairwell. Dwight walks up to her and asks if he can have a cigarette. He asks, "He good to you?" She says yes. Good. "Are you happy?" she asks him. Yes. He says, "I did the right thing. It's a hell of a lot better than being dead." "Yeah." she says. The music plays. Daryl sits in his cell. The music stops. The door opens and Dwight offers Daryl the sandwich. Daryl turns away. "Eat. You got your friend killed. I got Tina killed. And don't pretend like you don't know the score." Daryl throws the sandwich at him. To which Dwight replies, "You should be dead. But Negan's taken a shine to you. You're lucky, don't forget." He tapes the photo of Glenn's dead body on the wall. Daryl rips it down. Then he picks it up and looks at it. A different song plays. Daryl shakes his head. Dwight stands outside of Daryl's cell. Daryl cries. Dwight looks sad and walks away. The next morning Dwight opens the cell door and finds Daryl lying on the floor a puddle of sick by his head. Dwight takes Daryl to a room where Negan waits for them. Negan offers Daryl a glass of water. When Daryl doesn't drink he has Dwight get him a straw. He tells Daryl that Dwight used to work for points. Tina, Dwight's sister in law, needed medicine. Negan offered to marry Tina. Next think he knows Dwight, Sherry, and Tina have run off with all the medicine. "I can't let something like that stand. There are rules. Cost me an arm and a leg going after him. And you know what, Dwighty boy? He still got away. But here's the thing. D, he saw the light. He manned up. He came back. He asked for my forgiveness. I like that. Made me take notice." Negan points Lucille at Daryl. Negan was going to kill Dwight but Sherry said she would marry Negan. That wasn't enough so Dwight got the iron. And now he is one of Negan's top guys. "I think you can be that guy. I think you are ready to be that guy. You look around here. This, well this can all be yours. All you gotta do is answer one simple question. 'Who are  you?'" Daryl says nothing. Negan asks again. Daryl responds, "Daryl." Negan says, "He made his choice." Dwight throws Daryl in his cell. He yells at Daryl, "You're gonna wind up in that room or hanging on the fence!" Daryl tells him, "I get why you did it. Why you took it. You were thinking of someone else. That's why I can't." Dwight stands outside looking at the zombie enclosure. He sees the man he shot on the road. He is now a zombie in the enclosure.

Final thoughts
- I liked the use of the TV show "Who's the Boss" to illustrate the theme of the episode. Who is your boss? Negan or yourself?
- Apparently on this show sanctuary equals torture and/or death. Terminus was described as a sanctuary and we all know what that turned out to be.
- No matter how hard Dwight tries to be like Daryl (wearing his vest, using his crossbow, and riding his bike) he is just a pale imitation. I also think Dwight is jealous of Daryl. Negan likes Daryl and wants him to be one of his henchmen. He didn't want Dwight until he manned up.
- Is it just me or is "Easy Street" a super catchy tune? But I can also understand how listening to any song over and over again can be torture.
- I feel bad for Dwight. He tried to do the best he could for his family but just made one bad choice after another. If only they had gone back to Alexandria with Daryl. He and Sherry might have a better life. I think both he and Sherry know this. I think that is why he is trying to convince Daryl to become a henchman. He knows what it is like to earn points and be punished by Negan.
- There is a lot of religious imagery in this episode. The angel statue, angel wings on Daryl's vest, sanctuary, the Saviors.
- I think it is interesting that even though Negan offers Dwight the opportunity to have sex with any woman in sanctuary he adds the caveat that the women still have to give their permission. I guess rape is a no-no in Sanctuary. Probably the only good thing about Sanctuary.
- Punishments for defying Negan: become a zombie, iron to the face, death by Lucille.

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 2 "The Well"

Embrace the contradiction.

Carol lies on a cart being pulled by a horse that belongs to one of the two men that she and Morgan encountered in the season finale. Morgan puts his mark on a tree. He tells one of the men he is marking their way back. Zombies surround them. Carol falls of the cart. Some of the zombies eat one of the horses. Morgan and the two men fight off the zombies. Carol struggles to see. She gets up and staggers away. She comes to a house and sees an old woman. Then she realizes the old woman is a zombie. Several people on horses with lances come and kill the zombies coming towards Carol. Instead of zombies she sees living humans being killed. One of the new horseman says he has been looking for them. Morgan puts his mark on the mail box of the house and puts the flag up. They all head towards a city.

Carol lies on a bed. Her wounds bandaged. Morgan sits on a nearby chair keeping watch. His rabbit's foot is hanging from the lamp next to Carol's bed. Carol wakes up and asks how long she has been asleep. Around two days. She wants to know where they are. Morgan pushes her along the community in a wheelchair. He gave up their weapons to ensure they would help Carol. Ha plans on them returning to Alexandria in another week. The community is called Kingdom. Since they were helping Carol he has been helping the community. She wants to know what he told the community about them. He told them he was looking for Carol and found her. He is taking her to see their leader, King Ezekiel. According to Morgan, "He does his own thang." He pushes Carol into a theater. Ezekiel sits on a throne on the stage with a pet tiger next to him.

Ezekiel refers to Carol as a fair maiden. He speaks as a medieval king. Morgan plays along. Carol just stares. The backdrop on the stage is of a castle. The tiger, Shiva, growls at her. Ezekiel's steward, Jerry, tells the tiger to chill. Ezekiel asks her opinion of the kingdom. She smiles and says, "I think you're amazing. It's amazing." She thinks the tiger is amazing. "I don't know what the hell is going on in the most wonderful way." she says chirpily. Ezekiel says they can stay as long as they like as long as they contribute. "Drink from the well, replenish the well." He offers them fruit they grow in the Kingdom. Carol says no thanks. Ezekiel tells her to take a pomegranate. Sweet fruit surrounded by bitter. "That's something of a contradiction." Carol would prefer chocolate to pomegranate. She says she needs more rest. She refers to him as "Your Majesty" with a smile plastered across her face. As soon as they are out she tells Morgan, "This place is a damn circus. All of it. These people . . . It's make believe. It's play time. And you're just . . . (she laughs) I can't do this. I can't be here." He says he won't let her leave."You'll what? Tie me up like that wolf? Is that it? It isn't up to you. It wasn't before in the basement, or at the library, and it isn't now. I don't give a shit if you think you've found the secret to life." she responds. He says. "I don't and I haven't and I don't know what I started. But I won't let you die out there. That's what I won't do." "It doesn't matter what you do." she says and he wheels her away.

We see two trucks leave the kingdom. Morgan goes out with some of the knights from the Kingdom. They are going hunting. They choral some pigs in a room with a walker that has been tied up. Morgan wants to know why they use a walker. One of the men (Richard) replies, "Because I want their bellies full of rot." Zombies approach the group. Ben (a young man from the group) is told to kill a zombie using the machete like he was taught. Ben struggles to kill the zombie and he is helped by Jerry and then Ezekiel kills the zombie. Richard tells Morgan the people back in Kingdom don't need to know about this. About the pigs eating the zombies and everything else. As they head to the cars a zombie attacks Ben and Morgan fights it off with his staff. Ezekiel calls out to the approaching zombies, "May we one day cease you from this curse. Till then know that we live on in your place. . .  full, festive, faithful and free." Richard adds, "Only halfway free." As they leave the cars go in separate directions. When Morgan asks where the others are going Ezekiel replies, "Somewhere else."

When they return to Kingdom Ezekiel asks how Morgan acquired his skills with the staff. Morgan tells him a cheese maker taught him. Ezekiel says, "There is a saying, the pessimist looks down and hits his head, the optimist looks up and loses his footing. The realist looks forward and adjusts his path accordingly." Ezekiel asks Morgan to train Ben. Morgan is uncertain. His staff could not save Carol that is why he shot the man. Ezekiel wants to know if the staff saved Morgan. Yes, it did. Ezekiel needs Ben to live. Morgan agrees to train him. We hear a choir singing. Carol sits on her bed staring at the wall that has words "Drink from the well, replenish the well. K.E." written on it. You can tell she is planning her next move. Through the window we can see Morgan teaching Ben to use the staff. We see the choir practicing somewhere in Kingdom. Morgan tells Ben he is doing it too fast. Carol wheels herself around Kingdom. She steels a knife and something else. Ben appears to be learning very quickly. Carol chats about breakfast cobbler with some man folding clothes. She says they were eating possum where she was living. She tears up when she hears they have cobbler at every meal. When the man goes to get her a tissue she steals some clothes. Ezekiel watches Ben and Morgan practice. Ben notices a book in Morgan's bag. He asks to borrow it. He has read every book in Kingdom. Morgan hands him the book. Ezekiel summons both of them. Jerry tells Morgan to bring his gun. They are taken to where they kill the pigs. It is a secret from the people of Kingdom. Secrets are a burden, not a reward. They are the cost. Two cars pull up. Several armed men approach them. Ezekiel says he will fulfill his obligation on time every time. One of the men, Gavin,  counts the pigs and comments that the pigs look bigger than last time. Richard replies that the pigs were well fed. A woman from Kingdom begins to explain that the men are from another group but Morgan stops her. He knows who the men are.

The people from Kingdom load the pigs unto the Saviors' trucks. One of the Saviors taunts Richard. Richard and the Savior begin to fight. They point their weapons at each other. Ezekiel orders Richard to stop. The Savior punches Richard repeatedly. Ezekiel tells Gavin to order his man to stop. Gavin tells his man to stop. As they prepare to leave Gavin reminds him that next week is produce week and if they don't deliver Richard will be the first to go (we know what that means). Ezekiel asks Morgan if he encountered the Saviors before. He asks if the man Morgan killed was a Savior. Morgan wants to know if the reason he was brought out here was so he would kill a Savior if he needed to. Ezekiel says it was the opposite. Morgan and Ben eat dinner together. Ben tells a little boy to finish eating his vegetables. Ben has been helping to raise him. Ben's dad was one of the best fighters in the Kingdom. His dad died when they were trying to clear a building. Too many zombies not enough men. Eight men died that day. Ezekiel is more careful  now. Ezekiel has kept their deal with the Saviors a secret so his people won't try to fight them and lose. Ben asks about the inscription in the book. Is it Morgan's handwriting? No, it is not. "It's not about what I think. People can try and set you in the right direction, but they can't show you the way. You gotta find that for yourself. I thought I had. But I am just fumbling through. Sometimes we change our minds." Morgan gets up and goes to talk to Carol. He brings a tray of food into her room but the room is empty. He sits on her bed.

Carol steals fruit from the garden at night. Ezekiel says, "By all means fair maiden have one." He and Jerry stand by a fire pit. The garden was for everyone. He's glad she saw it before leaving. She apologizes. He tells Jerry to leave them. Ezekiel thinks her sweet and innocent act is clever. She gets people to trust her then she takes what she wants. He knows her guns belonged to the Saviors. She asks what he knows about the Saviors. More than he would like. He says that she put up a fight and won. She laughs. Kingdom is a joke. "Out there, out there is real. . .You are selling these people a fairy tale." she tells him. "Maybe they need the fairy tale. The contradiction is the point." he retorts. He sits next to her. "People want someone to follow. It's human nature. They want someone to make 'em feel safe. And people who feel safe are less dangerous, more productive." They see a man with a pet tiger as a hero. "They needed someone to follow. So I acted the part. I faked it till I made it." He was a zoo keeper. Shiva fell into a concrete mote and was injured. He tied his shirt around her leg and saved her life. After that she never threatened him. She can free herself from her chain but she won't. When it all started he found himself at the zoo. Shiva was trapped, hungry and alone like him. She was the last thing on Earth that he loved. She protected him and got him to Kingdom. He used to act in community theater. He played Arthur and Macbeth. His name really is Ezekiel. "Cards on the table. Nothing up my sleeve." Please keep his secret, for the people of Kingdom and for him. Carol doesn't care. She just wants to go. He asks where. She responds, "Away." He says, "I'm sorry. For whatever bad you've been through. There's so much of it out there now you know? Too much. Out there it feels like it's all bad. Especially when you are alone. The thing is though, it's not all bad. It can't be. It isn't. Life isn't. Where there's life there's hope, heroism, grace, love. Where there's life there's life. I hope that's not what you're walking away from." "So what if I am?" she asks. "I found a way to deal with the bad by going overboard with the good, embraced the contradiction. Maybe you could go and not go. But I think I can help, if you let me." Why do you care?" "'Cause it makes me feel good." He'll have someone he trusts meet her at the gate so she can go and not go.

Carol and Morgan ride horses past a cemetery. He asks her if she is sure that this is what she wants. When they approach the house with the mail box he marked he stops and gets off his horse. Carol gets off her horse and puts her backpack on. He says she is his favorite person that he knocked out. "Take care of yourself." he says. "I will." she says. "Promise?" he asks. "Always watching always ready. Remember?" she asks him. "I do." He gets back on his horse and takes the reigns from her horse. She walks up to the gate of the house and unlocks it. Morgan puts down the flag on the mailbox. Carol walks up to the house. The zombie bangs on the window. She gets her knife ready and we hear her kill the zombie. We see her bury the zombie in the graveyard. As she is making a fire someone knocks on her door. We hear a tiger growl. Ezekiel is out there with Shiva. He has a pomegranate in his hand and says, "You really gotta try one of these." Carol half smiles.

Final thoughts
- I  love the relationship between Morgan and Carol. They have the best dialogue when they are together. They have deep respect for each other and deeply care for each other even though they disagree.
- Symbolism of the pomegranate. Embrace the contradiction
- Late night booty call with a tiger? How could a girl say no?
- Is Jerry the goofy Milton of Kingdom?
- The last of the comics that I read is where we see Ezekiel with Shiva. I have no idea if Kingdom is like Alexandria or Woodbury. I am going to be optimistic and think it is exactly what it seems. A good place with good people. I am going to embrace the contradiction. Time will tell if I am right or not.