The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 8 "Hearts Still Beating"

 We're the ones who live.

Maggie sits by Glenn's grave, crying. She climbs up to the watchtower and looks out. Gregory mentions that the Hilltoppers are saying nice things about Maggie and Sasha for saving Hilltop the other night. She tells him she knows that bothers him. She asks if he is going to eat the apple he has. Another man on the watchtower reminds Gregory that Maggie is pregnant. Gregory throws her the apple. Negan shaves as Judith and Carl look on. Daryl reads the note in his cell. He cautiously opens the door and heads out. Negan makes pasta sauce while Carl makes rolls. Olivia cries outside. Tara walks up and hands a can of lemonade to Olivia. Tara offers to take over but Olivia declines. She promised Rick she would watch Judith. She tells Tara to go, they are about to sit and eat. Carl sets the table as Negan looks on smiling. Olivia brings the pitcher of lemonade. Aaron and Rick look out on the lake of zombies. The only boat is riddled with bullet holes so it will fill up with water. Rick tells Aaron he can stay back but Aaron is seeing this through with him. He makes oars out of the warning sign. Negan, Carl, and Olivia sit waiting at the table. Negan gets tired of waiting for Rick. He places Lucille on Rick's chair and says, "Carl, pass the rolls. Please."

 

Eugene looks like he is about to cry as he walks back into Alexandria. One of the Saviors complements Spencer on a job well done. Another Savior hits on him. She yells at Eugene for watching them. Eugene admits he likes to watch. Carol sits at home reading with a bowl of pomegranate seeds nearby. She goes to her door and sees a burlap bag. She notices Morgan walking away. She tells him she can fend for herself. She shows him the food Ezekiel left. He came because she called him over. She asks how he is and he says good. Then she tells him to go. Richard is at the door when Morgan goes to leave. He wants to speak to the both of them. Aaron and Rick are almost to a canoe that looks like it is fit to sail. They kill zombies trying to get in their boat. Their boat is filling up with water fast. They make it to the canoe and there is a zombie inside. Rick kills it but another zombie pulls Aaron over. Aaron is surrounded by zombies and goes under. Rick calls his name but no response. Then Aaron pops out of the water. They both make it to the houseboat. Daryl walks down a hall where he can hear two people arguing. A jar of pickles breaks and he hides in someone's room. He grabs a jar of peanut butter and starts eating it. Then he changes into some clothes. He notices a figurine. Aaron finds a note that says "congrats for winning but you still lose." Rick mentions that the owner ran out of ammo. Daryl sits in the room eating the peanut butter waiting for the two people to leave. He gets impatient. Rick tells Aaron he wasn't trying to insult Aaron by telling him to stay. Aaron says he knows that giving Negan supplies will keep people alive. He understands how Michonne feels "But either your hearts beating or it isn't. You're loved one's hearts are beating or they aren't. We take what they give us so that we can live." As they close the truck door we see someone's boots looking out at the houseboat.

Michonne points the gun at the Savior in silence as they drive towards Sanctuary. She asks the Savior how long she has been with Negan and why she was out there alone. The woman says nothing. "You think talking will change how this ends for you but you don't know me. . . I'm not gonna kill him today. I'm gonna find the way that we win. I'm gonna change how this ends for me. That's why I'm out here alone." Sasha walks into the trailer and Maggie asks her if the pie she has is apple pie. One of the Hilltoppers made it for them. A little girl told Sasha that Maggie should run for president. Maggie asks if Sasha got the knives from Jesus. She wanted him to get some supplies for the kids at Hilltop. Sasha tells her that she forgot to mention that Jesus left that morning. When Maggie leaves Enid confronts Sasha about lying to Maggie. Jesus left yesterday. Enid figures out that Sasha wants to kill Negan. Enid says Sasha and Maggie are not the only ones who want to kill Negan. Sasha says, "We have to keep her safe. You have to keep her safe." Enid replies,"It isn't just you." Richard says that after the apocalypse a lot of groups banded together. But that eventually ended. He lost hope in people. But then he found Kingdom. He tells them about Ezekiel cutting a deal with the Saviors. Carol wants to know what this has to do with her. He knows Ezekiel likes Carol and trusts her. So he wants her help to convince Ezekiel. Some time soon the Kingdom will fall. He lost his family and he is scared if they don't do anything they will lose everything. The Saviors cannot be trusted. He wants them to convince Ezekiel to attack the Saviors, strike first, and destroy them.

Rosita stares at her bullet. Gabriel asks if the bullet is for her or Negan. The bullet is for Negan. She will risk her life to kill him. Gabriel asks, "Why do you have to die?" She replies, "Because he has to." He asks again, "I agree, but why do you?" She replies, "If Abraham was alive we could fight. If Glenn was, Maggie's kid would have a father. Michonne and Carl can fight. They have Rick. Aaron has Eric. Eugene knows things. Daryl's strong." He asks, "It shouldn't have been you. It shouldn't have been anyone. We'll win, but we need to wait for the right moment. Or create it together. And you're a part of that together. Don't do this. We need you." He walks out and leaves her alone in the church. Daryl runs down the hall with a knife in his hand. Richard tells them they need to attack first while they still have the advantage. He assumes Carol has no fighting experience. Morgan and Carol tell him he is wrong. Carol is the most capable fighter in the room. She just wants to be left alone. Morgan tells him many people will die. Richard points out that Morgan killed a man (the Savior that was going to kill Carol). Morgan replies, "I took a life to save a life." Morgan doesn't want to break the peace that still exists. Richard yells, "When they turn on us, and they will. That blood is gonna be on your hands! But maybe you're both used to that." Carol tells Morgan to go. She tells him to tell their friends that she is gone. He replies, "Never meant for you to see me."

Spencer walks into his house. He sees the mess Rick and the others made looking for the missing guns. He has cleaned himself up and is looking in the mirror practicing saying "hi." Richard walks through the woods into a hidden trailer filled with supplies. He picks up a jar of water and throws it on the ground. He sits on the floor crying. Spencer walks down the street with a bottle of booze. Rosita asks if he has a date. He is going to get in good with Negan. He asks why she ended their relationship. He is cute, tall, and she used him. She apologizes. He asks her to dinner. She smiles and agrees to dinner. Daryl opens a door that leads to the outside. He runs to one of the motorcycles. Fat Joey is there. He raises his arms and tells Daryl he can go and he won't raise the alarm. He's just trying to get by. Daryl beats him to death with the pipe just as Jesus walks up. Jesus calls his name several times before Daryl stops. Daryl takes the gun Joey had.  "It ain't just about getting by here. It's about getting it all." Spencer finally gets to Negan, "We haven't officially met. I'm Spencer Monroe. Hi."

The Savior stops the car and says, "That's Negan."  Michonne asks if he is down there. "Ya, we're all Negan. Whatever you are trying to do, you can't. Go home. Burn this car. Make it disappear. There's a silencer in the glove compartment." Michonne looks at the Savior. A silenced gunshot is heard. The car turns around and heads back the way it came. Rick sees the Saviors when the gate opens. He asks one of the Saviors where Negan is and finds out he is in his house waiting for him. Another Savior stops Rick. He wants to see what Rick brought. Negan and Spencer sit on the porch drinking. When Spencer tells him where he can find a pool table Negan says, "Oh Spencer, you may just be my new best friend." The Saviors unload the truck. One of them finds the note the dead man left. They get mad and confront Aaron. Rick tries to intervene but the Saviors stop him and begin to beat Aaron. Negan and Spencer play pool out on the street. Spencer tells Negan he came to talk about Rick. Rick stares as Aaron is beaten. Spencer says, "I get what you're trying to do here. You're building a network. You're making people contribute for the greater good. It makes sense. But you should know Rick Grimes has a history of not working well with others." He tells him that all of his family died once Rick got to Alexandria. He says Rick will find a way to take control. Negan wants to know what Spencer is proposing. Spencer says he wants to be in charge of Alexandria. Rick helps Aaron up when the Saviors are done beating him. Negan responds that Rick is "swallowing his hate and getting shit done. That takes guts. And then there's you . . . If you want to take over why not kill Rick yourself and just take over? It's because you have no guts." Then he shoves his knife in Spencer spilling his guts. "You did have guts. I've never been so wrong in my whole life." He smiles and grabs Lucille. "Someone get up here and clean this mess up." He points Lucille at all of them. "Anyone want to finish the game?" Rosita pulls out her gun. The screen goes black and we hear a gunshot.

Rick and Aaron head towards the sound of the gunfire. Rosita failed. Lucille got in the way of the bullet. One of the Saviors has her on the ground with a knife at her throat. Negan picks up the bullet and realizes it is homemade. He will cut her face unless she tells him who made the bullet. Rosita insists she made it but Negan knows that's not true. He orders the Savior to kill someone. She turns around and shoots Olivia right under her right eye. Rick shows up and tells Negan they had an agreement. Negan wants a thank you from Rick. Negan says, "I just bent over backwards to show you how reasonable I am." He tells them about Carl, Spencer, and Rosita. Rick glares at Negan and tells him his stuff is waiting for him at the gate. Negan says he will leave when he finds out who made the bullet. Tara says she made it. Eugene then announces he made it. He begins to tell Negan how he made it. Negan closes his eyes and holds Lucille. Negan tells Rick he is taking Eugene. "Whatever you scavenged is not enough. You're still in a serious, serious hole after today." Rick stares in unbelief. Spencer turns around as a zombie. Rick takes his knife and plunges it into Spencer's skull.

Rick kneels on the ground of the cell. He has the note from the dead man and his hatchet. Michonne comes in. He hugs her. She says, "I found what I was looking for. I wanted to go with you and Aaron but couldn't. I had to go my way. But when I found it, I realized I didn't want it to be my way. I wanted it to be ours." She tells them they are outnumbered but she still feels the same. "We're still alive. We're still here. The two of us, we're still standing and we're gonna keep standing. We're the ones who get things done. We're the ones who live. That's why we have to fight. Not for us but for Judith, for Carl, for Alexandria, for Hilltop. We can find a way to beat them. But only if we do this." He replies, "I know that now." They kiss. Maggie looks at Glenn's grave. She climbs up to the watchtower. When she looks out she sees something and calls out to Sasha and Enid. The gates open and Rick, Michonne, Carl, Tara, and Rosita are there. Rick hugs Maggie. He says, "You were right from the start. You told us to get ready to fight. I didn't listen, I couldn't. I can now." Daryl comes out from behind a building. Rick and Daryl hug. Rosita and Sasha look at each other and nod. Everyone hugs. Enid and Carl smile at each other. Daryl gives Rick the gun he took. They all smile and walk towards the house. Alexandria at night. We see Father Gabriel on the watchtower. Someone is watching him through binoculars. The same pair of boots that had followed Rick and Aaron are there.

Final Thoughts
- I'm really surprised that Spencer died in this episode. I knew he would die eventually but I didn't think it would be so soon. I thought he would cause the death of someone else first.
- Maggie for president!
- I like that the Hilltoppers all like Maggie and know that she is pregnant evidenced by that Hilltopper guilting Gregory into giving Maggie his apple.
- I am totally loving Father Gabriel this season. I never thought I would say that. Way to go TWD writers. You made me like Father Gabriel.

-  Those rolls looked good.
- Farewell, Olivia. You were brave at the last.
- That hug between Rick and Daryl was one of the best hugs on the show. It ties with Daryl and Carol hugging after she saved them from Terminus.
- Who is spying on our gang?

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 7 "Sing Me A Song"

You see that? Respect.

Michonne walks down a street and sees the mattresses the Saviors burned. At first she looks angry then sad. She whistles (The Farmer in the Dell) as she walks down the street. Zombies are attracted by the sound. Two zombies follow her. She continues to walk before she turns around and kills them with her katana. She places her katana on the ground and then grabs one of the zombies by the legs and drags him down the road. She leaves her bag, walkie talkie, and katana on the road. Rick and Aaron wake up in the back of a truck. Rick picks up the walkie talkie but doesn't use it. Aaron says, "I didn't see that last night." He points something out to Rick.

Two Saviors sit in the back of their truck waiting for a heard of zombies to go by before they continue down the road. It is the truck in which Carl and Jesus are hiding. Jesus cuts into one of the boxes. He pours syrup out the truck to leave a trail. He wants to jump out of the truck soon before they get too close to Sanctuary. Carl sounds uncertain and scared. He tells Jesus to go first. Jesus jumps out but Carl doesn't follow him. He just waves at him. They drive by the zombie fence. The truck stops and we hear Negan giving instructions to his men. Carl grabs a gun and shoots at the Saviors when they try to grab the items from the truck. Carl tells them, "I only want Negan, He killed my friends. No one else needs to die." Negan says, "You are adorable. Did you pick that gun 'cause it looks cool? Kid I ain't gonna lie. You scare the shit outta me." Daryl sees this going on from behind the zombie fence. Negan stops Dwight from hurting Carl. "Is that any way to treat our new guest?" he says as he extends a hand to Carl.

Negan offers to show Carl around. Carl just stares. Negan asks how Daryl likes his new job. Carl finally takes Negan's hand. Negan says he's not going to have enough time to screw any of his wives today. Carl wants to know what Negan is going to do with him. Negan replies, "Number one, do not shatter my image of you. You're a badass. . .  Don't be scared of me. It's a disappointment. Number two, you really want me to ruin the surprise?" When Negan walks inside all the people of Sanctuary bow down. He gives a speech to the people and turns to Carl and says, "You see that? Respect." Eugene and Rosita walk towards the gate. Eugene talks about finding things for the Saviors and Rosita says she is not getting anything for them. Spencer and Father Gabriel invite them to go along with them. Rosita says no. Spencer says they have to get things for the Saviors and the only reason they are in this position is because of Rick. Rosita retorts, "I bet you already have a whole truck load full of stuff hidden out there for yourself, huh?"

Negan takes Carl into a room filled with women in skimpy black dresses. His wives I assume. He tells Carl he is welcome to look. Negan tells Sherry he needs a word. He asks what happened between Amber and Mark and she says it is none of his business. He needs to know if the rumors about Mark are true. "There are rules for a reason. Nothing matters if you're dead. You, my dear, are here because you get that." She says Amber made a mistake. Negan asks her if he ever hit any of the women. She says no but she knows there are worse things he can do. He laughs and walks back to Carl. He puts a beer in Carl's hand. Then he walks over to a Amber and tells her she can leave and go back to Mark but she can't cheat on him. She says she will stay and apologizes. He says, "You know what that means, right?" She tells him that she loves him. He then walks over to Sherry and kisses her. Daryl is brought in by Dwight. Negan asks Carl to grab the tray Daryl is carrying. Daryl asks "Why do you got him [Carl] here?" Negan says it is none of Daryl's business. He threatens to shove a toothpick through Carl's good eye. Daryl makes eye contact with Sherry and Dwight drags him away. Rick tells Aaron they only have today to bring something back for the Saviors. They climb over a fence with a warning sign that reads "Keep Going. Only thing here 4 you is Trouble."

Spencer and Gabriel drive down the road. Spencer asks, "Hating someone, is that a sin?" Gabriel says it's our actions that matter in the end. Spencer says he hates Rick. Rick shouldn't be in charge. Gabriel says Rick brought the good out in him. He kept everyone alive and brought everyone together. Spencer says his parents died because Rick arrived at Alexandria. He mentions that they shouldn't have attacked the outpost. Spencer says there is no future. The only good thing he can see in the situation is that Rick might not make it back. Gabriel asks him to stop the car. Gabriel turns and says, "What you're saying, it doesn't make you a sinner. But it does is make you a tremendous shit. Just for now, it doesn't have to be terminal." Mic drop. Gabriel gets out of the car and heads back to Alexandria. I'm not sure Spencer gets it. Spencer steps out of the car. He looks at Gabriel walking down the road and then he runs into the woods. He follows the sounds of zombies. He sees a zombie up in a tree.

Negan takes Carl into his bedroom. Carl asks him if all of those women are his wives. Negan says yes. "Why follow the same rules. Why not make life better." Negan tells Carl to sit. He wants to get to know Carl. He knows Carl is smart. "You go on a mission. You find me. You kill two of my men. You're smart enough to know I'm not gonna let it slide." He wants Carl to take the bandage off his eye. Carl says no. Negan saya, "Do you really wanna piss me off." Carl sighs and then takes off his hat and bandage. Negan says his eye looks disgusting. Carl begins to cry. Negan apologizes for hurting Carl's feelings. One of the Saviors knocks and comes in. Negan left Lucille outside. Negan tells Carl he looks "rad as hell" and tells him he shouldn't cover it up. Negan asks "Fat" Joseph if he treated Lucille gently and like a lady. Then he orders him to leave. He tells Carl that this is just men breaking each other's balls. He asks Carl if he likes music. He wants Carl to sing him a song. Carl can't think of any songs. He points Lucille at Carl and orders him to sing. Carl begins to sing "You are my sunshine." Negan swings Lucille around. He asks if Carl's mother sang that to him. He figures out she died. He asks if Carl saw it happen (aka turning into a zombie). Carl says he shot her before she could turn. "Damn, no wonder you are a serial killer in the making."

Dwight stares at a fire. A man sits on a chair looking nervous. Negan bangs on the railing with Lucille. Everyone kneels including Daryl. He has Carl hold Lucille. Negan says what he is about to do is hard to watch but it is the rules and everyone says, "The rules keep us alive." He says, "We bring civilization back to this world. We are the Saviors. But we can't do that without rules. Rules are what make it all work. . . If you can't do it then it is the iron for you." Dwight half looks up. Negan tells everyone to get on their feet. He puts on a glove and Dwight hands him an old fashioned iron that has been sitting in the fire. He walks over to the man on the chair, Mark, and burns his face with the iron. Carl look over at Daryl but Daryl looks away. Dwight closes his eyes. He's probably reliving the moment it happened to him. Mark wet himself and Negan orders Dwight to clean it up. He tells the group that Mark's face should be a reminder to everyone that the rules matter. Negan whispers to Carl, "You probably think I'm a lunatic." You think? Ya, we all think you are a lunatic. You bash people's heads in with a bat and burn their faces. You crazy.

 

Spencer goes back to the tree zombie carrying a rope. He attaches the rope to the bottom of the platform and then to another tree. A crossbow falls to the ground and then the zombie falls. He did it just to get the crossbow the zombie had. He rifles through the zombie's pockets and finds a pocket knife and a piece of paper with writing on it. Rosita and Eugene arrive at the munitions factory. Eugene tells Rosita he didn't want to come back to the factory. Rosita reminds him that he agreed to make her a bullet. He doesn't want to stop her just slow her down. She's being stupid. He's analyzed the situation. Abraham was right. The Saviors have the numbers. Somebody has to pay the price. There is no guarantee that she will pay the price (aka Glenn dying for what Daryl did). She says, "You owe me and you owe him. . . You are a coward. And you're weak. The only reason you are alive is because you lied and people feel sorry for you. So, for once do something useful and make me a bullet." Damn, Rosita. That was harsh. Eugene begins to make her a bullet.

Sherry smokes in a stairwell. Dwight joins her. She offers him a cigarette. He tells her not to beat herself up for telling Negan about Mark. She had to do it. He says he doesn't know how she sleeps at night. She asks how he sleeps. He doesn't. He watches TV all night. She tells him the deal they made with Negan was supposed to only affect them. He replies, "No. If you're still standing it's always on somebody else's back." She tells him to go. Carl and Negan sit in Negan's room. Negan won't let Carl wrap up his face because he's not done with him. Carl wants to know why Negan hasn't killed him, Rick, or Daryl. Daryl will make a good soldier for Negan. Rick is getting Negan good stuff. And Carl, "We shall see." He wants to break Carl. He asks Carl what he thinks he should do with him. Carl tells Negan, "I think you should jump out that window to save me the trouble of killing you. . . If you knew us, if you knew anything, you would kill us. But you can't." Negan says maybe Carl is right and tells him their going for a ride. At the gate Negan calls Daryl over and tells him he is taking Carl home. Daryl responds, "If you do anything to him . . ." Negan orders Dwight to put Daryl back in his box. Daryl notices Jesus lies on top of their truck.

Daryl sits in his cell. We hear someone approach. A note is slipped under the door. It says, "Go Now." The key is attached to the other side. Piles of dead zombies lie on the road as a blockade. A car comes to a stop and a woman gets out with a gun in her hands. Michonne puts her katana to the woman's head. She orders her to drop her weapons. She orders the woman to take her to Negan. They both climb in the car as Michonne points a gun at the woman's head. The woman starts to drive then slams on the breaks and tries to take the gun from Michonne. They fight and Michonne wins. Negan knocks on a door. Olivia opens it. Negan and Carl walk inside. Negan asks where Rick is and Olivia says he is scavenging. Negan will wait. Olivia says he might not be back for a few days. She says they are practically starving. Negan again insinuates that Olivia is fat and she begins to cry. Negan apologizes for being rude. He says if she wants to they can have sex. She slaps him. He responds, "I am about fifty percent more into you now." He then tells Olivia to make some lemonade. He asks Carl to take him on a tour. We see him enjoying the carpet on his bare feet and running water. Carl doesn't want him to go into a room. Negan enters and we see it is Judith's room. He picks Judith up.

Rick and Aaron cautiously walk towards a sign that says the owner is a man names Leslie William Starton and that he is armed. He has guns, ammo, and food. If they got this far without being shot it is because he is dead. Zombies can be heard. The house is surrounded by water filled with zombies. They only have one day to bring back supplies for the Saviors. Rosita looks at the bullet Eugene made. Rosita thanks Eugene and apologizes for her words. He tells her her apology is insincere. She got what she wanted. They arrive at the gate at the same time as Spencer. He brings back cans of food. The note Spencer found was written in Latin. His mom made him take Latin. It was a list of caches from the zombie. He tells Rosita he is going to give it all to the Saviors and more. A man opens the door. Three Savior trucks are there. Negan and Carl sit on the porch. He rocks Judith on his lap. "Oh, I like it here. I might just have to stay here." Then he says he should kill Rick and Carl and settle into the suburbs.

Final Thoughts:
- Why is everyone going to the Sanctuary with these half-assed plans? Michonne going by herself and kidnapping a Savior. Carl goes off my himself on a death mission to kill Negan. Rosita forces Eugene to make one bullet. What is the use of one bullet? Why aren't they planning an information gathering mission? Find out the location of Sanctuary, try to count how many Saviors exist, and try to find out how many weapons they have. We know that a lot of people in Sanctuary live crappy lives doing manual labor for points. Many of those individuals might join in a rebellion led by Rick's gang if it meant a free and better life.
- What are Negan's plans for Carl? He sees something in Carl, much like he sees something in Daryl, that he wants them on his side. Is he grooming Carl to be his future right-hand man or even his successor? He treats Carl like an adult while everyone else is still treating him like a kid.
- Why does Negan apologize for hurting Carl's feelings when he has no problem threatening his life or killing his friends.
- How long can Daryl stay subservient to Negan? Negan humiliated Daryl in front of Carl by making him clean up Mark's mess. This is Negan's world and everyone else is just living in it.
- When will Spencer die? I feel like he will either die soon or cause someone's death. Much like his brother he has no idea what he is doing. Aidan's bad actions led to Noah's death. Will Spencer's douchey stupidity cause Rosita her life?
- I loved Father Gabriel telling Spencer the truth. He is a jerk and needs to know it. His response was perfect. Who knows, maybe Father Gabriel will grow on me.
- Should Daryl trust whomever left him that note? The last time his cell was unlocked it was a trick.
- I find it interesting that Negan won't sleep with a woman without her permission. With all the terrible things he does he won't rape.
- Where do the Saviors get their endless supplies of booze and cigarettes? There can't be that much left in this world.
- Why is Negan's arm bandaged? Is he injured or sick?
- The phrase "Rules keep us alive" used at Sanctuary reminds me of the phrase "Works Makes You Free" used in Nazi concentration camps.