The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 6 "The Kind, The Widow, and Rick"

 We have to make sure what's left is worth what we've lost.

Wheelbarrow loaded with an old microwave and other junk. Rick opens up the door of the microwave and pulls out a sheet of paper. He walks down a deserted street. Some of Rick's group return to Alexandria. Daryl rides alone. The people of the Kingdom mourn their loved ones while Carol cleans her gun. Two people hand her notes. Michonne and Rosita gets notes from Tara and Scott. Aaron arrives at Hilltop and hands a note to Maggie. Then he brings out baby Gracie. We hear voice overs of Rick, Maggie, and Carol giving accounts about what happened to their groups. I am assuming that is what is in the letters. Rick says the plan is still on and they are onto the next step. Zombies surround Sanctuary. In two days they will all meet at Sanctuary to end it. Rick says, "It's not like we haven't fought before. We fought every step of the way to this place, to this moment. The path has led us here, to who we are to each other, to now. And we're so close. This can be our last fight." Jadis makes a wire statue dressed only in an apron. She is interrupted by banging on her door.

The Savior hostages sit tied up along the fence. Jesus hands each one of them some turnips and water. Maggie comes out and yells at Jesus. She doesn't like that he is giving away their food. Gregory tells Jesus to build a gallows. Maggie orders Gregory to go inside. She isn't happy about the hostages and is leaving open the option of killing them. Jesus says, "We have to make sure what's left is worth what we've lost." Carol knocks on Ezekiel's door. Jerry tells her that he is not receiving visitors. Carol says they need to meet Rick. They have to take anyone who can fight. When she doesn't get a response she walks away. Henry offers to go with her but she tells him not to follow her. Rick is face to face with Jadis. She mentions she shot him. Rick says it was just a graze. He wants the same deal as before. "We need you and you need us." She says this is a trick. Rick assures her it is not. Rick shows her the Polaroids of the dead Saviors. He says that Negan and the Sanctuary are surrounded by walkers. He is here to offer her a better deal, switch sides and be a part of the new world he will build with the others. She can join them or be destroyed. Yes or no? She smiles and says no. Rick is escorted from her presence.

Maggie twirls Hershel's watch while Gregory rambles on about how being a leader isn't easy. He says everything he did was for the best of the community. He did it without bullets. Maggie says he did it to save his own hide. He says, "I can help. You need someone to tell you it's okay to follow your gut. I'm that guy. . . At the end of the day, you're the shepherd. And you can't have wolves wandering around amongst sheep." Michonne gets in a car and Rosita tells her she isn't supposed to leave. She is still healing. Michonne starts up the car and Rosita gets in. Michonne says that Rosita is still healing from being shot. Rosita tells her to just drive. Daryl stands outside Tara's house. Tara tells him he was right for not killing Dwight. She says, "But after this, I'm gonna kill him. I want it to be me." He says, "Maybe it can be you and me both. Maybe we don't got to wait for so long." Jesus looks through the walls of Hilltop at some of the Hilltoppers. They are building something. Dillon (the blond Savior) asks if Jesus signed up for this. He says he was by himself until he found a safe place with the Saviors. He didn't care as long as he was getting fed. He is good with his hands and helped build a fence at the outpost. Jesus says, "Don't pretend that any of us are innocent." He says,' I'm no angel. Never said I was. Ain't no such thing."

Michonne loads her weapon as Rosita drives. Rosita asks, "Why did you need to come out? Michonne  says, "It's like this siren's been going off in my head. I can't turn this off. I helped get this started . . . So I just need to see it. Turn the alarm off in my head, turn around, and go back home." Rosita just says okay. Michonne orders her to stop the car and listen. We hear music. They walk into the woods. They come upon a building with some abandoned cars. The music seems to be coming from the building. A zombie reaches for a plastic bag hanging from a tree. It is impaled on a branch. Carl sneaks up on it but the guy he and Rick found among the abandoned cars kills the zombie. Carl calls out to the guy and says his dad just fired warning shots. He introduces himself. The guy has a knife and looks wary. He says his name is Siddiq. Carl brought him food and water. Siddiq wants to know why Carl is helping him. Carl says Siddiq mentioned his mom told him to help people. Carl says, "And my mom told me that you got to do what's right. It's hard to know what that is sometimes, but sometimes it's not." Siddiq thanks him. Carl say he is glad he found Siddiq. He begins to ask him the three questions. Siddiq's killed 237 zombies give or take. He's killed one person because the zombies tried to kill the man but didn't succeed. Carl asks if the walker traps are how Siddiq has killed so many. He said his mom hoped that killing the zombies would free their souls. Carl asks if that makes things harder for him to survive. Siddiq says they have to honor their parents. Carl says if he was honoring his dad he wouldn't be talking to Siddiq or taking him back to Alexandria. Henry fights off two zombies with a staff. A shot rings out. Carol shoots the zombies. She gets mad at him and says, "Do you  know what happens when kids wander off into the woods? They never get seen again. And if they do they're monsters." He says he's not scared. She calls him stupid. Henry says he needs to go after those who killed his brother. She gives him a gun and tells him to stay close.


Enid comes out and tells Jesus to bring in the hostages. Jesus sees a holding area with barbed wire has been built. He orders the Saviors in two at a time. Maggie says they will feed the prisoners but only with full cooperation. Gregory says they can't let people they don't trust where they live. Maggie says he's right. She knows all about sheep and wolves. Two Hilltoppers escort Gregory into the pen with the Saviors. Gregory falls and hits his head and cries. Jared (long haired Savior) tries to run and Maggie hits him with her rifle. He says, "You're gonna get these people killed." Dillon thanks Maggie. She says, "Don't make me regret it, or you will." Carl and Siddiq make their way through woods. They stumble upon some zombies eating a deer. They get their knives ready and kill the zombies. Several more zombies approach. Carl goes to help Siddiq with a zombie when he gets pushed to the ground by another zombie. He now struggles to kill two zombies while Siddiq kills another zombie. Carl finally shoots both zombies. Carl says he is responsible for Siddiq now. Siddiq doesn't want to cause any trouble especially with Rick. Carl replies, "Sometimes kids have to find their own way and show their parents the way."

Michonne and Rosita walk into the building. They hear voices. Two Saviors discuss what they happened at Sanctuary. The woman refers to the truck with a bunch of speakers in the back as the Fat Lady. Michonne and Rosita go off in two directions. Michonne accidentally kicks a tennis ball and the Saviors notice. They raise their weapons. Rosita aims her gun. They start to fire at Rosita and as she runs away she drops her gun. The Saviors begin to whistle. Rosita looks for a weapon. She finds a hot glue gun and throws it to lead the Saviors away from her. Michonne fights with the female Savior. She struggles to fight because she is still recovering. The female Savior yells at the man to return to Sanctuary. As he approaches the truck Rosita comes out with a bazooka and tells him to stop. He says she won't use it and she blows him away. The woman drives off with the truck but she is hit by an garbage truck. Daryl jumps out of the driver's seat. Tara follows. He shoots the Savior. The Saviors were planning on using the music to lead the walkers away from Sanctuary. Tara asks why Michonne and Tara are out there. They say they need to see the Sanctuary. They ask why Daryl and Tara are out there. Daryl says, "We got a lot more work to do. All of us."

Carol returns with Henry and tells Jerry to stand next to Henry. She orders them to cover their ears as she aims her rifle at the door but Jerry stops her by saying the door isn't locked. She enters the auditorium and Ezekiel says he knows what he should be doing but he can't. She tells him his people need him. He says, "Who the hell was I to choose for them?" She says he's their king. "'Cause I said I was a king. I played a part. And early on, I was shown that the stakes were these people's lives. And I still played the part. I knew. And yet I smiled. I can't do it no more. I can't be what they need. So please just leave me alone." She walks away but turns around and asks why he kept visiting her. He says he wanted to make sure she was okay. She wants to know the real reason. It made him feel real. Not a fiction. Real. She cries and says, "You are real. To me. To the Kingdom. Those people need their king to lead them." He says she can lead them. But she says it has to be him because he inspired them. He has to help them grieve and move on. He owes them that. Henry needs him. The people need King Ezekiel. She says, "And if you can't be the king, then do what you do best and play the part. I have to act every day. It used to bother me. But this is who I am, and I am still standing. I just have to act like everything is normal until it is. It's what they need, and it's what you have to give them." He says he can't.

The Saviors walk around their pen. Jared tries to cut his bonds but Dillon stops him. He says, "You already screwed up once. I'm not gonna let you get us killed." Jared says, "Just keep it together, This place will be ours." Aaron tells Enid and Maggie, "I keep forgetting he's gone. I have this weight. There's moments when I think I'll see him, that I'll, uh be able to talk about how I'm feeling with him. And my mind catches up, and I remember that the pain is about knowing that it will never happen." Maggie holds baby Gracie in her arms She says she knows that feeling. It doesn't get easier. Jesus comes in and says she did the right thing. She says those Saviors might be bargaining chips they could use to get back some of their own. She says, "We can't let them live." Jesus looks disappointed. Aaron leaves. Enid follows him and asks where he is going. "To make sure we win." She wants to go with him. They need to win. He tells her to grab her stuff and food. Daryl and Tara are now joined in their truck by Michonne and Rosita. They pull up to Sanctuary. Rosita wants to know why Daryl and Tara need them. Daryl replies, "We need you to end this thing. Right now." Jadis writes an A on a metal container with chalk. Rick sits inside, naked with his hands bound.

Final Thoughts
- I am going to trust Siddiq for now. I like what he has said about his mom.
- I don't think things will end well for Daryl and his group. Or Aaron and Enid. Whenever one of them goes off on their own it ends badly (see Andrea and Sasha).
- Kids seem to be naturally attracted to Carol. No matter how harsh she is with them she is still a mom and I think they can sense that. Her trepidation with taking Henry is understandable. After Sofia, Mika, and Lizzie I'm not sure she could handle the death of another child.
- What is the Savior Jared planning? Will Dillon help him or choice to become a part of Hilltop? Right now Dillon seems level headed but he could just be biding his time until they can escape and then attack Hilltop.
- I don't think Rick should have bothered with Jadis again. She shot him and killed some of his people. He should have sent Tara to Oceanside and enlisted their help instead.
- The A written on the container where Rick is being held reminded me of container A our gang was held in at Terminus.

The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 5 "The Big Scary U"

What I fear is a fruitless death.

Father Gabriel prays in his church. He says, "I might die. I very likely will die. I'm not asking to live. You have given me redemption and it's that which make me no longer fear death. What I fear is a fruitless death. What I ask for, after you have given me so much, is a purpose." Gregory wakes up in Sanctuary. Simon brings homemade sorghum pancakes. He thanks Gregory for telling them what was going on. Simon says, "Listen, you came to see me. And though I was already away, dealing with that rank betrayal, which was unknown to you . . . You waited for me. . . . I'm telling you, you did the right thing." Gregory asks, "Why did you bring me here?" Simon answers, "We now stand on the precipice of greatness. You said you could solve the problem. Today's the day, Gregory. You fill your belly up with my love and then you solve it."

Gregory meets with Negan and his lieutenants (that now includes Eugene). He says he knows how to handle the big scary u which is the unknown. He doesn't like to kill people anymore than Negan does. To which Negan replies, "I like killing people. I say it's about killing the right people. So you kill the right people at the right time, everything falls into place. Everybody's happy. Well, some people more than others. But you kill one, and you could be saving hundreds more. And that, is what we are all about. We save people." Gregory says, "That's why your called the Saviors." Dwight goes to smoke. Negan wonders why he is choosing to leave at that moment. Dwight replies, "Tell me where to go what to do, I'll make it happen." Negan just waves him off. Gregory says, "I can stop it before it even gets started. I go to my people and tell them if you're joining with this misled crusade, you're no longer citizens of the Hilltop." Negan asks. "You're still this guy?  They still listen to you Gregory? Can you exile people?" Gregory says, "Hilltop is my house. I'm still the guy. I've always been the guy." Negan asks, "Then why the hell didn't you know about the Widow leading an army of your people straight up my ass in Alexandria? I think you're playing both sides . . . threading the needle with your thin, thin, dick." Gregory replies, "No, no. I'm not trying to do that. I wasn't aware of things until they were already in motion. No hesitation. Allegiance, right there, the whole thing. Simon says, "Gregory, I believe you. Now make Negan believe you." Gregory says, "The Hilltop is mine. I let a fox into my hen house. She and her people took advantage of my generous nature. I see that now and I will fix it." Simon says, "If we go in with the right stage picture, a thick and veiny show of force surrounding Gregory when he lays down the law. I think things go back to copacetic. If they don't we take a flyer on the place and kill everyone there. . . . Plan A. Plan B . . ." Negan slams Lucille on the table. "People are a resource. People are the foundation of what we are building here! Who the hell do you think you are talking to? Are you confused about who we are? Are you confused about who is in charge? Are we backsliding, Simon? Please, tell me we're not backsliding." Simon responds, "We are not backsliding. This is a pronounced event in a fragile moment." Negan says, "We need to win it all. Plan A is taking Rick, the Widow, and King Assface alive and making them dead in a very, very public and instructive way. We kill the right people in the most wrongest way possible, and we make them all watch!" He is interrupted by gunshots from outside. It is Rick with his group. Negan doesn't want to waste their ammunition since Rick's group is wearing armor. He wants to talk to Rick and wants Gregory to come with him. They step out the door.

Negan and Father Gabriel are in the trailer together. Negan tackles Gabriel and takes his gun. It still has a full clip. Gabriel didn't have enough to escape. Negan helps Gabriel sit up. He then sits down against a wall and waits. Zombies claw at the trailer. "You're friend Rick is an asshole." Gabriel responds, "You're an asshole." Negan answers, "Yeah. I am. But he's gonna get people killed." Gabriel answers, "By you." Negan continues, "See, I killed the Widow's husband and the ginger. But I didn't get them killed. That was your boy Rick. Big difference. You know I saw you stop for that Gregory idiot. You were there. You saw the whole thing. You heard his little speech. Why would you stop for that bearded prick?" Gabriel answers, "What I fear is a fruitless death. Negan chuckles and says, "The point of your life would be saving that dickhead?" Gabriel says, "There had to be some reason I did what I did. Maybe this is the reason." Negan asks, "What?" Gabriel says, "I think I'm here to take your confession." Then he smiles creepily.

A Savior crawls and reaches for a rock. Rick walks up and points his gun at the man. He asks,"You're people, at the chemical plant, did you win?" The man replies, "No one did." Daryl asks, "The hell's that supposed to mean?" The man says, "Everyone's dead." Daryl doesn't believe him. Rick asks "There's no one else? You're the only one?" The man says, "Me. The King. The Axe-man. And a short-haired psycho lady. My people, your people, they're all gone. Damn. And now . . me, too." He dies. Rick takes his knife and stabs him in the head.

Negan says they can wait it out. He continues, "If my people think I'm dead a lot of folks are going to die in there." When Gabriel asks why he gets upset and says, "I don't have shit to confess. Let me ask you something. Why'd you become a priest?" Gabriel answers, "I love God and I love people. I wanted to bring them together. To help people through their difficult times. To help them through their weaknesses." Negan says, "I like to help people through their weaknesses too. Been doing it one way or another my whole life. You want to know why people are going to start dying in there? Because I'm not there to stop it." He begins to whistle.

The lieutenants sit around the table. Regina says, "We have to assume Negan is dead." Simon says "I'm Negan." Regina replies, "We should send the fence crew out.  They clear a path." Eugene interrupts. "Inadequate. The numbers you suggest are inadequate." They would all be dead in a few minutes. Regina says, "We use the workers as a distraction to get a small team past the herd.  They can warn the outposts and then come back with the Fat lady." Eugene says, "Add to the approach's slim chances of success, It's likely the play would lead to widespread unrest, pitting the workers against the soldiers when we're running out of food and fuel upsetting our already precarious apple cart." Regina retorts, "Maybe all we need to do is put you out there, Eugene. Maybe it would motivate the answer man to come up with a solution." Dwight intercedes, "He's right. The workers have the numbers, and we need to keep them on our side." Simon says, "We need to keep them in line." Gavin says, "Even if we get a few of ours out and somehow clear the crowd, they have snipers all around the building. So right now let's deal with the other part,. Someone in here made everything out there happen. . . They knows all and sees all. Sometimes it doesn't take a gun. The right kind of rat can kill plenty of people with just some talk." Dwight says, "But it is not gonna be us, and it doesn't have to be the workers. . . We get out. And I don't want to hear backbiting or pissing or moaning from you two. You can't lead the Saviors out of here I will." Simon says, "Yes, my boy. And we're gonna find that subhuman coward that did this to us, and we're gonna kill him very slowly in front of everyone here over the course of a a few very long days."

Eugene knocks on Dwight's door. Eugene brought Dwight pickles to thank him for backing him up. Eugene looks at the chess set Dwight has been making. He gets paint on his fingers from touching the wet pieces. Eugene asks if Dwight made them himself. He replies yes. Eugene tells Dwight he understands why he would be suspected of betraying the Saviors to Rick. He says, "I'm doubly grateful to have you watching my six." Dwight replies, "You were right back there. I didn't say anything more than that."

Walkers pound on the trailer. Gabriel asks, "You helped the weak before this?" Negan replies, "Kids. You don't show them the way, well, they turn out like garbage. Little assholes become great big ones. So you show them the way. Adults they need it too, the government, laws, religion, guilt. People are weak." Gabriel asks "Everyone?" Negan says, "Everyone." Gabriel says, "You're weak. Killing the innocent." Negan asks "I'm weak, but me 'killing the innocents'? That ain't why Gabey." The zombies begin to break through. Negan says,"We'll wait a bit longer and see if my people can pull it together." Gabriel asks, "Why are you weak?" Negan says, "That's the wrong question. It is how I am weak. You see, the thing is, I am also strong. Everyone is a mix. You use your weaknesses to drive your strengths, and obviously I am strong as shit.  I took this place and it was a damn free-for-all, a loose confederation of assholes, an army made up of gangs of animals, and I brought it all together. The last guy that was in charge, he wasn't in charge of shit. He allowed people to be weak. I don't. I made them strong, which makes this world strong. I'm gonna make you my new special project. Gonna find your special purpose." Gabriel replies, "I'm strong. And I've killed. I was at the satellite station. I was a part of that." Negan says, "Sure, Gabe. That's strong. But that's not what I'm talking about." Gabriel wants to know how Negan is weak. He continues, "We may be dead soon. You may be dead soon. Wouldn't you want to confess before all that happens? Wouldn't you want absolution before that? Forgiveness? Costs you nothing more than saying the truth aloud." Negan answers, "I haven't killed anyone that didn't need it." He doesn't consider his workers slaves. It's an economy. Gabriel asks about Negana's wives. Negan says all the women made a choice. Gabriel asks, "Was there a first? One before all this? A wife you promised to have and to hold forsaking all others? One you told that lie to?" Gabriel reaches for the gun. They fight. He runs to another room in the trailer. Negan kills some zombie with Lucille. "No one's coming for us. It's time to go."

Daryl climbs down to the Savior's overturned truck. He asks Rick to help him pull out the boxes with weapons. The first box has dynamite. He starts to fill a bag with dynamite. He tells Rick, "We can use these now." Rick says, "What?" Daryl replies, "Well, think about it. There ain't no Kingdom no more. We know what we gotta do. We blow open the Sanctuary let the walkers flood in. They'll surrender. It'll be done. Hell, we could end this by sundown." Rick says, "They have workers in there right? Families too. Are there?" Daryl says, "We'll hit the south side of the main building. The workers live in the north side. They'll be up the stairs before the walkers even get in." Rick asks, "What if they don't? There are people in there who aren't fighters. Doing this could change that. Make them pick up guns and stand by the Saviors. And if the Saviors don't surrender maybe everyone fights us. And we don't have the Kingdom anymore. We're not doing this." They stare at each other. Daryl says, "No. You ain't doing this." He walks away. Rick grabs him and says, "There's a plan. And everyone's sticking to it." Daryl says, "Not everyone. There's a lot of our people dead, Rick. Things change, man. Negan and that other group, this is on them. If people die it's their fault not ours. And we got our own people to look after." He walks away and Rick follows him. Rick says, "We're not doing this. I'm not letting you do this." Daryl answers, "This ain't your choice." They fight. Eugene plays video games. The power goes out. Daryl and Rick continue fighting. Rick throws the bag of dynamite back towards the truck. Daryl places Rick in a choke hold. The truck catches fire. They run away just as it explodes.

Rick tries to start his car but the engine won't turn. Daryl pulls up on his bike. Rick says, There's a plan. We gotta see it through." Daryl says, "We gotta win." Rick replies, "Yeah, we gotta. Choke hold's illegal asshole." Daryl replies, "Yes, it is." Rick says, "Looks like I'm walking." Daryl says yes and rides off in one direction while Rick walks off in the opposite direction.

Negan says they have Lucille and the gun to help them get into Sanctuary. Negan says, "We have each other. People are a resource. We make it inside, we live. We can take a chance, gut up, make it  . . . Or I can just kill you. What I want is for you to work with me." Gabriel answers, "I've killed before but that not my greatest sin. I locked my congregation out of my church when all this just started. I listened to them die. I failed them. I failed God. And every day I work to lessen that failure, to be of service and purpose. Now I offer you the assurance of a pardon, penance, and absolution. I will go with you. I will go will show you that working together as equals is the only true way to grace, to a future.  I will do this if you confess." Negan replies, "What you did, that is some horrible cowardly spineless shit. I guess that's what a confession is supposed to be, right? My first wife was a real wife. My only real wife. Till death did us part. Before this. I lied to her. I screwed around on her. And she was sick. And when she went. When she went it was during this. I couldn't put her down. That is how I was weak. That is what I will confess. Because yeah, maybe we do bite the big one here." Gabriel opens the door and says, "You're forgiven". Negan punches him. Negan says, "Thanks. You can keep your gun. You ever done this trick with the guts before?" Gabriel says he has. Negan asks "None of your people gotten sick from this?" Gabriel responds, "We're from Georgia." They begin to cover themselves with blood and intestines.

Gabriel and Negan begin to bang on the door. They open it and zombies swarm in but ignore them. They walk among the herd. Gabriel looks terrified. Gabriel trips. A zombie comes towards him but Negan hits it with Lucille. More zombies attack. Gabriel shoots while Negan swings Lucille. Zombies keep coming towards them.

Gavin says, "Now, we were due for a delivery today from my place. Chem outpost doesn't miss deliveries. Something happened. That Rick guy happened." The meeting is interrupted by a Savior. She says the workers are coming. Simon walks out and we see the workers have filled the hallway. Simon announces that the workers are bound to certain areas. One of the workers says it is too hot. Simon says the power cut is to conserve fuel. A worker talks back to Simon and they go for each other but Dwight intervenes. Dwight says, "Look, we're gonna get through this. We need some more time." A worker says, "We need some more water. There are young people, old people." Another worker adds, "We work you protect us that was the deal." Gavin says they all need to get back to the factory floor. A worker asks, "Where's Negan? Is he dead?" Simon yells for everyone to return to the factory now. One of the workers shoots. Regina kills him and says, "I'm Negan. Anyone else want a bullet?" Negan whistles. All of them kneel. Negan comes around the corner with Gabriel. He says, "I am guessing that a lot you fine folks thought I was dead. Here' a little refresher of who I am I wear a leather jacket and I have Lucille and my nutsack is made of steel. I am not dying until I am damn good and ready. I am in deep need of a sandwich and a shower . . . but after that, we have some serious business to attend to. Like talking to my right hand man. We gotta figure out how all this happened like it happened. And then we get back to doing what we have always done. We will save people." A worker says, "Thank you Negan. Thank God for you." He says, "And that is why I am here. Gentlemen, gently take him to number two. Gently." Two men escort Gabriel to number two. Eugene looks on.

Arat throws a bag on the table. They figured out where the guns came from.  A Savior says, "They're ours. Stolen from the armory." Simon says it's one of their own helping Rick. Eugene notices a smudge of paint on the bag that matched the paint from Dwight's chess set. Simon says, "We find when the ammunition went missing then we'll know who. We start with when." Eugene looks over at Dwight. Rick walks through the woods. He looks up. A helicopter flies overhead. He keeps walking. Negan says to Eugene, "Yo. Dr. Smartypants. Big, big chance here. You solve this thing . . . I will make you very, very happy. But you don't figure something out I assure you I will kill you quickly. I got your back either way. You got mine?" Eugene nods. Someone spies on Rick through a spyglass. We see the man whistle at someone. It looks like one of the Scavengers. Eugene knocks on a Gabriel's door. He has a pillow. He is there to formally welcome him to Sanctuary. He knocks again but gets no answer. He unlocks the door and finds Gabriel shaking. Eugene says he needs to see Dr. Carson. Gabriel says, "I do. That's why I'm here. That's why . . . It's the reason we're here. I think. Carson, is Maggie's doctor. We have to get him out of here."

Final Thoughts
- An interesting point was brought up by Lisa Edelstein on Talking Dead. She says that Negan kept asking Simon if he was backsliding. She suggested that this could mean that Simon was the leader of Sanctuary before Negan showed up and took over. We don't know how long Negan has been in charge of Sanctuary. We also know that if people comply with his requests he lets them live. It would be interesting to see a Negan flashback to an earlier time. I believe we are supposed to be getting one this season so only time will tell.
- Is Father Gabriel faking his illness or was he bitten? I am leaning towards him faking so that he can help rescue Dr. Carson.
- Can wearing the guts make you sick? Several characters have used that method without becoming ill.
- We found out why the Saviors are called the Saviors. They "save" people. Not sure that needed to be said but we got an official explanation.
- What do you think was Negan's job before the zombiepocalypse? He says he worked with kids. I'm going to guess little league coach.
- When will Eugene rat out Dwight? Will he have time to do so before Rick attacks Sanctuary?
- How long until the workers rise up for real? They were about to until Negan returned. Will they side with Rick if he comes back to attack Sanctuary? Or will there be a civil war within Sanctuary with some siding to stay with Negan and some with Rick.
- How long until Dwight gets killed? He's going to get found out some way. Will it be Negan, another Savior, or a zombie?
- Where did that helicopter come from? Army base or Rick's mind?
- Will Jadis and her group help Rick? Can he even trust them?
- I liked the shout out to sorghum.

The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 4 "Some Guy"

I am ready to become what I must.

Ezekiel  walks into a bathroom and begins to shave. He gets ready for the day including putting on armor and some red feathers in his hair. The knights say goodbye to family at the Kingdom before heading off to battle. Ezekiel hands Shiva's leash to another knight. Everyone at Kingdom goes to say goodbye to the group. Ezekiel walks up to a boy and says, "Fear not young master Henry. You will be brave. Because you are brave." He addresses his people, "We face dire challenge and chance. Our lives, our way of life . . . it hangs in the balance, a fragile glance standing on a wire, high above the asphalt, as we pray for not one drop of rain under an overcast sky. And yet I smile. We will fight and we will bleed. And yet I smile. We will face men, some cornered into their roles by circumstance, some desperate murderers thrilled by blood. We shall end them all. As is our charge this day. As is our sorrow. And yet I smile. We will leave our loved ones and traverse a dangerous road. Rushing out of peace in war. And yet I smile. For we will mine glory from the rock of struggle this day. We will honor and protect this, this bastion of life, in a land of the dead, and we will win. You trust the King. We will win. I smile. I laugh. I rejoice this day, for on this day, we are joined in purpose and vision. We are of a singular heart and mind. On this day, we are one! We are one!" They all crowd around him assenting. We see the dead knights. Some missing arms, others gutted. A pile of knights lie on top of Ezekiel. He comes up from under them. He appears to be the only one alive. He loosens his boot on his injured leg. He looks around and checks the bodies. They are all dead. He screams out in agony. One of the knights has gotten up as a zombie. The others are beginning to turn. Ezekiel looks around in apprehension. Daniel has reanimated and has a hold of Ezekiel. Ezekiel is now surrounded by his own zombified army.

Ezekiel crawls away from his zombie army. He grabs a gun from one of the dead and begins to shoot. He only gets one shot out before his gun jams. More and more of his dead comrades are reanimating. Alvaro comes and starts killing the zombies. He helps Ezekiel to his feet and away from the dead. The Saviors in the building put away their weapons. Carol cautiously walks into the building with her rifle. She peeks around corners. This looks like the outpost with all of the guns our gang was looking for. Carol is alone in a building with armed Saviors. As the Saviors talk she guns them down from her hiding spot in the ceiling. She runs from the room as more Saviors come in. They shoot at her but one of them says to let her go. They need to grab their guns and take them to Sanctuary. Ezekiel asks Alvaro if he has seen Shiva. He responds, "Not since they were hit." Alvaro gets shot from behind. A Savior comes out of hiding and grabs Ezekiel as the zombie army moves in.

The Savior wants Ezekiel's sword which Ezekiel has been using as part of his cane. The Savior is taking Ezekiel to Sanctuary. He wants Ezekiel to help him take the guns to Sanctuary.  Ezekiel tells him the gates our down and the dead surround it. No one can get out or in. Carol watches the remaining Saviors loading the weapons and ammo into cars.  Ezekiel stumbles and the Savior points his gun at him. He asks, "Tell me does Negan know your name?" The Savior responds, "I'm Negan." Ezekiel says, "I will not let you hurt my people." The Savior responds, "Your people? You mean all those sheep you rooked into thinking you're a king?" He forces Ezekiel to his feet. He asks if Ezekiel worked at a circus. No he did not. The Savior says Shiva loves Ezekiel. "It gave you everything, didn't it? Gave you an angle, a story. Got to hand it to you. You played your cards good. You played your people good. They ate that horseshit right up. They grew food for you. Built those walls for you. You got them all killed, they're still following you. But take away that tiger, what's left? Just some meaningless con man in a costume." Carol checks her weapons and goes to shoot the Saviors loading the weapons when she is observed by some other Savior who begins to shoot at her. She runs behind a truck and begins to shoot back but she is alone and trapped.

Carol hides from the barrage of bullets. Zombies approach the outpost. The Savior asks Ezekiel if any of his people are alive in the outpost. Ezekiel hopes so. He grabs his sword cutting the Savior as he does so but the Savior knocks him to the ground. "It's over. Okay?! You took your shot. It's over." He smiles as he points his gun down at Ezekiel. He marks Ezekiel's face with blood and says, "Delusions of grandeur." The Savior and Ezekiel reach the gate but it is locked and he doesn't have a key. Ezekiel says the zombies are getting close and they can fight them together. "Negan was hoping to have your ass chained to the Sanctuary fence. You, the Widow, Rick. But your head on a pike will do just fine." He goes to cut off Ezekiel's head but he is cut in half instead. Jerry has come to Ezekiel's rescue. Carol tosses her hand gun and says, "I can tell you where the others are just let me live." She stands up unarmed. Jerry helps Ezekiel up and borrows the King's sword to kill some zombies. Ezekiel says Jerry doesn't need to call him your majesty. Jerry's response, "Dude, yes I do." He starts hacking away at the chain. The Saviors ask where Carol's people are and she says "You can't tell them I told you. You have to promise." She grabs a Savior and holds him hostage but the other Saviors just begin to shoot. She uses him as a shield and then kneels down. She hits the button to open the gate and zombies come in behind the Saviors. Jerry breaks his ax trying to open the gate. The zombie herd approaches. They stand ready to fight together to the death. Jerry says, "Thank you, Your Majesty." Ezekiel asks, "For what?" Jerry answers, "For being such a cool dude." Carol's shootout with the Saviors continues. She calls out, "We need to end this." She admits to lying about her friends. She won't let them leave with the guns. She has the ammo. She asks how many bullets they have left after shooting all the zombies. She sees Jerry and Ezekiel fighting the herd.

Flashback to before the attack on the outpost. Carol asks Ezekiel if he has ever fought before. He fought a marauder in the woods. "I have trained for a very long time. And I have continued from long before this till now. And I have practiced for days on end. I am ready to become what I must. To will myself to what I must be." He talks about how he was a meek zookeeper. He talks about helping Shiva. "I thought about doing it weighing the risk of approaching such a beast. And I thought about not doing it. I stood their considering who I'd be in either iteration. And I decided I wanted to be the one who leapt, so many years later, Benjamin was the one who told me what I already knew but couldn't hear. If you're asked to be the hero, be the hero. I'm now ready. Finally, I've deliberated. I've made the decision on who I will be. Was it easier for you? Or have you always been this way? This strong? This brave? Or did you decide to be who you are today?" She answers, "I decided too. Just like you. But life decided some things too."  Ezekiel fights off the oncoming herd. Gun fire erupts. Carol shoots down the zombies. The Saviors escape with their guns and ammo. She unlocks the gate with a key.  She and Jerry open the gate and Jerry helps Ezekiel in. Ezekiel says they have to tell Rick before the guns get to Sanctuary. A motorcycle can be heard. Carol smiles, "They're not getting to Sanctuary." Daryl on his bike and Rick in his car follow the Saviors. The Saviors try to shoot Daryl and he skids off to the side of the road. Rick continues to follow them They shoot at him but he continues his pursuit. Rick pulls up alongside of them and gets in the Savior's car. He stabs the driver and the car runs off the road. Daryl pulls up on his bike. He walks to the overturned truck. Rick comes out of the wreck. He says, "We got the guns." Daryl responds, "You look like shit." Rick answers, "Let's go see if this asshole's alive."

Carol, Jerry, and Ezekiel make their way through zombie infested woods. Ezekiel says they have to leave him because he is slowing them down. They won't. They grab him and lead him away from the zombies. They come upon the entrance of a drain pipe where toxic chemicals have been dumped. Zombies mill around. They make their way down. Too many zombies come and Ezekiel begins to kill the zombies telling Carol and Jerry to go without him. He gets mad at Jerry and yells, "I'm not your King! I'm not Your Majesty. Look at what's in front of us. That's what's real. Go. I ain't no king. I ain't nothing. I'm just some guy." Shiva jumps in out of nowhere and starts killing zombies. She is surrounded and taken down. The zombies start to eat her. Ezekiel wants to help but Jerry and Carol stop him. They watch as the zombies devour Shiva. They finally arrive back at the Kingdom. The people of Kingdom gather. Only the three have returned. Henry walks up to Ezekiel and Ezekiel places his hand on the boy's shoulder and then walks away. They all watch him go.

Final Thoughts
- What's going to happen to Kingdom now that basically all of their knights are dead? Who will protect them if they lose the battle against Negan?
- Will Ezekiel drop his king act and be himself? Is the "king" dead?
- I love the surety that Carol has in Daryl. She smiles the minute she hears his bike knowing he will get the guns from the Saviors.

The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 3 "Monsters"

We or they. One or the other.

Ezekiel holds up the walkie, "They are coming for us. Coming for us at this very moment. A powerful force of blood thirsty rogues and unrepentant cutthroats bent on nothing short than our pitiless destruction. And yet I smile. And yet Carol smiles." The knights walk through the forest. They hear the Saviors whistling. The Saviors surround them. Ezekiel holds up his hands. We flashback to Carol saying the Saviors have the numbers but the knights have the strategy. Back to the present. The other half of Ezekiel's group shoot the Saviors from behind. "We will lose not one of our ranks." After the slaughter of the Saviors not one of the knights is dead.

Morales tells Rick to put his guns down. Rick obeys. Morales asks, "So, you're the Rick from Alexandria? This whole time, it was you." Rick responds, "You called your men in for nothing. The fight's out there. It's just me in here." Morales replies, "Did you hear what I just said? I know who you are. I saw it in the mirror through the open door. And it wasn't any kind of blast from the past. As soon as I saw you I knew you'd made the same trip as me. From there to here. Shit, well. Well I guess we aren't the same guys we used to be, huh? 'Cause you're a monster. I called them back because you're a prize, Rick. We've been told. We don't kill you, the Widow, or the King. Not if we don't have to. So, why are you here, Rick? I know. Just like before. You're always the guy willing to rush in. But why? What is it you're looking for? Nothing to say, huh? It doesn't matter. Not anymore. Not for you or anyone else you brought in here. 'Cause what's left of my people, they're coming. And we'll get you to Negan. Or we won't. Either way, we're gonna settle your shit, Peaches."

The shootout continues. The Saviors are ordered to fall back and then to hold fire. One of the Saviors calls out that Morales wants them back inside. Tobin is now in charge of Aaron's group. Aaron has walked Eric away from the fight. He sees that there is an exit would for the gun shot. He wants to take Eric to Kingdom's doctor. "Eric, I'm so sorry." Eric answers, "Were you the one that shot me?" Aaron continues, "I pulled you into this. You didn't want to fight." Eric replies, "Until I did. You need to help them. You need to go." Aaron says, "I'm not leaving you." Eric says, "Don't be an idiot. They need you. Aaron look at me. Look at me. You know I love you. You know I'm right." Aaron nods in agreement. They kiss. Eric continues, "Okay, now stand your ass up, get back to the fight, and we can win this thing." Aaron answers, "I will. We will. I love you." Eric says, "I always had a hunch. Now go." Aaron gets up and leaves Eric behind to help the others.

Tara and her group make their way down a street with the Savior hostages. She aims her gun at them and pretends to shoot. One of the Hilltoppers says Maggie will know what to do with the hostages. Tara replies, "Yeah. She will. Because she knows what they did." All of the Saviors are tied to each other. Jared (the jerky Savior that killed Benjamin) is whistling as he walks by Morgan. Morgan smacks him. Jesus tells Morgan, "We've made our decision." Morgan replies, "Nothing's been decided." Jesus says, "But we are taking these men to the Hilltop. That's where we're going and that's what we're doing." Morgan asks, "You know how dangerous this is? Who these people are." Jesus responds, "No matter what they've done, they're people. There's many kinds of danger. Many kinds of dying. I kill. I've killed. You do. You have. But we don't execute." Morgan replies, "I have."

Rick asks Morales if his family is there. Morales's family never made it to Birmingham. Rick says he is sorry. He lost people too (Lori, Shane, Andrea, Glenn). He tells Morales how Glenn was killed in front of his pregnant wife by Negan. Morales asks, "He had a wife?" Rick answers, "Not before. He met her." Morales says, "In this?" Ricks says, "Yeah. In this. She's the Widow. Are you Negan, too?" Morales answers, "I lost my family. I lost my mind. I was in some tow trailer sleeping myself to death. Waiting to become nothing. And the Saviors, they found me. They thought I was worth a damn. Worth bringing back with them. So yeah. Yeah, I'm Negan. To make it this far, this long, I had to be. I had to be something. Just like you." Rick shakes his head ans says, "We're not the same." Morales says, "Look at us. We are two assholes who'll whatever we have to just to keep going.  The only difference is, I'm the one holding the gun. That doesn't make me any worse than you, Rick. That just makes me luckier. 'Cause let's face it, if it wasn't me, if it was you holding the gun, I'd be brains out on the floor right now." (Yup, pretty much.) Rick answers, "I know I wouldn't want to." Morales asks, "Is that the best you can do?" Rick says, "I'd at least try to find another way." Yeah, why? Because we knew each other for a few days back at the start? I think you can talk all you want. You can say all the words. Lori, Shane, Andrea, Glenn. They're all dead and somewhere along the way, Officer Friendly died right along with them. Just like I did with them." Rick cries out "Wait!" Daryl shoots Morales with an arrow. Rick tries to explain who he was and Daryl says, "I know who it was. It don't matter. Not one little bit." Daryl asks about the guns and Rick says there aren't any and the Saviors are on their way. Just at that moment they hear the Saviors open the doors.

Tara's group continues their trek. Jared says "It's your armor. It's different. Smaller. Almost like it shrunk or something. It's the kid's isn't it? Why the hell would you wear that? It didn't do shit for him." Morgan turns around and points his gun at him. Out of nowhere a herd of walkers start rolling down the hillside towards the group. Some of the Saviors get eaten my zombies. Tara and the others shoot at the zombies. Jared orders his group to run. Dillon (the blond savior dude that told his own people to surrender) stops his group from escaping. He realizes Tara's group has guns and they are more likely to survive if they stay put. Morgan follows the escaped group. He catches up with them and begins to shoot them. Jesus stops him. Morgan says, "It doesn't change. It never changes. Once you turn . . ." Jesus says, "We're gonna find another way. Maggie will find another way." Morgan replies, "Really think she won't want 'em dead? Every last one after what they've done? And it isn't just them. 'Cause we're here now. To be this. Do the same thing they do but we go on. You see, we are the same. We're the same. So there's no choice. Everybody turns. But we . . ." Jesus interrupts, "There's war and then there's peace. We're gonna have to live with these people after. We're going to have to find a way to peace." Morgan attacks Jesus and they begin to fight.

Ezekiel looks around as his group continues their march. "Make no mistake. Those we've so swiftly extinguished are but perhaps one garrison in a compound of three. But our first victory will allow our second. Our second will deliver our third." We see his group attack an outpost. His group hides as some Saviors run by they stand up and gun them down. Rick and Daryl are trapped in the building surrounded by Saviors. A gun battle ensues.

Morgan and Jesus continue to fight. They are equally matched. Jesus asks, "You want to stop now? Maybe not." The fight continues. Daryl has run out of ammunition. Rick spies a fire extinguisher and signals to Daryl. He shoots the extinguisher and the hall way fills with smoke. They make their way down the hallway. Aaron calls out to Rick. Jesus gets Morgan's stick. "Is it over Morgan?" He throws the stick back to Morgan and Morgan points it at Jesus's throat. Jesus, asks, "Is it over?" Morgan answers, "What? I'm not right. I know that. I'm not right. But that doesn't make me wrong." Jesus looks at him with pity. Morgan says, "I can't be a part of this." Tara says, "Morgan, you are right." Morgan walks away. He looks down at the Savior he shot and continues further into the woods.

Enid acts as lookout at Hilltop. She sees Gregory. He bangs at the gate and calls for them to open it. Nothing happens. The gate opens a crack. Maggie stands on the other side. She wants to know what he is doing with Gabriel's car. Where is Gabriel? He says he doesn't know who Gabriel is and that the car was just there. She asks what he is doing at Hilltop and he responds that he lives there. Maggie says, "Shut your damn mouth! You're really gonna stand there and pretend you didn't try to sell us out, sell this place out to the Saviors?" He answers, "I was working for the side of sanity.  I was working for peace." She brings up the fact he tried to kick people out. He replies, "I tried to save lives now those people are cannon fodder." Maggie replies, "Those people are fighting for a better life." He blames Negan and says he was forced to say those horrible things.  I tried to save lives. Some people, without opinions colored by a preoccupation with vengeance, might call that heroic." Gregory, ever the gallant hero. Maggie retorts, "You were looking out for yourself. You went there to betray us. To warn Negan that we were gonna fight. That's what you told Kal when you dragged him there. It's why Kal left you there." Gregory says Kal is delusional.  Kal calls out "What the hell?!" and then flips him off. Gregory continues, "For what it's worth I did exactly zero harm to your cause. Negan already knew everything." Maggie says, "Goodbye Gregory." And walks away. "He calls out, "I went because I was scared. I didn't want to be complicit because I didn't think you could win. I was wrong. I made a mistake and I'm sorry. We're all human beings with faults and flaws and fears. Is this who you are? Have you no mercy? Have you no humanity? Have you no charity? Open your heart." She tells Kal to let him in. Kal opens the gate. Enid asks Maggie why she let him back in after all he did. Maggie responds, "He's not worth killin'. Not yet anyway." Kal calls Maggie. Tara and Jesus have arrived with their hostages. Gregory doesn't want to let them in. Maggie yells at him to go. Jesus says they could lock them up in the two empty trailers they have under the watch of guards until the war is over. Maggie says, "You know what they've done to us? What they've taken from us?" He responds, "Of course I do. But they surrendered. We can't let them go, and we can't kill them. We can't."

Zombies mill around the outpost Aaron's group attacked. Daryl and the others kill the zombies. Rick walks around photographing the scene with his Polaroid. They gather their wounded and drive them back. Their dead are covered with blankets. Rick writes something down on a sheet of paper. Aaron finds the tree where he had left Eric empty. He calls out to Eric. The tree is covered in blood. We hear a zombie growl. We see a zombie ahead walking towards other zombies. Aaron cries. He knows that zombie is Eric. Aaron is joined by Scott. Aaron says, "I can't. I can't just let him." Scott says, "That's not him. We gotta go." He gently leads Aaron away.

Aaron sits. His hands are covered with blood. Someone announces that the guns aren't there so they have to go. A baby cries. Rick comes out with Gracie. Aaron says he can take the baby to Hilltop. Rick asks if he is sure. Aaron replies, "Eric and I were gonna go . . . We were gonna go up there after and update Maggie. So that's what I'm gonna do. Please. I have to." Rick hands him the baby tells him her name is Gracie. Daryl and Rick get ready to leave. Someone fires a gun at Rick's car. Rick says, "You're alone. There is a herd coming. I'll tell you what, we'll make you a deal. Drop your gun, come on out, you tell us what we need to know. You do that. You can take the car. You go. You live." The man replies,  "Why should I trust you?"  Rick replies, " 'Cause I'm giving you my word. There's not a lot that is worth much these days, but a man's word, that's got to mean something, right?" The man responds, "Okay."  Daryl and Rick approach Todd (aka Mingus) as he walks out from behind the tree. Rick asks what happened to the guns. Todd tells them they were sent to another outpost west of there yesterday. Todd asks. "Can I go?"  Daryl shoots him in the head. Rick stares, shocked.

Not one of Ezekiel's group died. Carol says they have to sweep the compound. She goes to take a look. Jerry and another knight go to make sure the dead stay dead. "We or they. One or the other. It cannot be." He looks up at a tower and sees a sniper. He shouts, "Scatter! Now!" Someone begins to shoot at his group. Three knights jump in front of Ezekiel taking bullets to protect him. Several knights fall dead.



Final Thoughts
- Who told Negan our gang was coming? If it wasn't Gregory who was it? Dwight or someone else? Do we have a spy in our midst?
- Why is Jesus so reluctant to kill these Saviors when they killed so many at the outpost? What will they do with them when they get to Hilltop? Who's going to watch all of these hostages?
- Is Dillon going to be a new ally for our gang or is he being submissive as a means to survive? He convinced the outpost Saviors to surrender and stopped his chain gang from running into the woods.
- Daryl was on quite the killing spree. He killed Morales without a second thought knowing full well who he was. He also shot Todd even though they promised him he could surrender to them.
- Apparently a man's word means nothing in the zombiepocalypse.
- Gracie represents the emotional anchor for Aaron. He needs a mission and taking Gracie to Hilltop is that mission. (According to Ross Marquand on the Talking Dead)
- Eric and Aaron acknowledge their history by mentioning their fifth date where they said I love you and Eric said he had a hunch (according to Jordan Woods-Robinson on Talking Dead)
- I want to give a shout out to this episode's writer Angela Kang. She writes great dialogue. All of my favorite Morgan episodes have been written by her. She brings depth to an action packed episode. That scene between Eric and Aaron had a balance of sadness and levity.
- I know some viewers might complain about the same issues being discussed but there are things that bear repeating. How many people can you kill before you cross the line? Are only some deaths acceptable? Is all fair in a zombiepocalypse?

The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 2 "The Damned"

This journey will not end in retreat.

Rick glaring, Daryl glaring. Ezekiel and Carol wake up on the floor covered in dust from the explosion that ended last week's episode. Jesus looks around as do Tara, Morgan, and Aaron. One of the Saviors, Mara, is telling the others to hurry up. Todd (Mingus from Boy Meets World) responds, "It's only like a dozen." Is he referring to Rick's group? She gets mad at him and tells someone to take his place. He goes inside. Mara calls several people on the walkie but they don't respond. Todd finally responds and she tells him to lock the stairwell. Our gang's armored cars pull up and everyone gets out and starts shooting.


Zombies mill around outside a Savior outpost. Jesus refers to it as a zombie moat. Tara says that they can do it. They've done it before. This is the same outpost they attacked last season. Morgan says they just need a good shot. Morgan tells Diane to not let the Saviors fire a gun. Two of the Hilltoppers want to provide backup for Morgan. He responds, "I don't die." Ezekiel and Carol get up dazed from the explosion. Zombies pour out of the building. The knights shoot at them. Jerry yells, "Protect the King!" Ezekiel calls out, "Protect yourselves!" Carol wants to know the location of the Savior that threw the grenade. Ezekiel says they will find him so that he won't make it back to Sanctuary. He sends some of his group to join the others and release Shiva. "To our foe, then to his compound. Then to certain victory." Carol does not look convinced. Aaron and his group are now in a full blown shoot out with the Saviors. Two Saviors stand guard in front of the the door to some building. Just as they are told to stand guard over the walkie they are shot. Rick, Daryl, and three others walk in. They are looking for guns.

The shootout is in full swing between Aaron's group and the Saviors. Erik is part of Aaron's group. Morgan bangs on the chain link fence to attract the zombie moat. Two Saviors head towards him. They are promptly shot with arrows. Tara, Jesus, Morgan, and another man enter the building quickly dispatching the Saviors inside. Morgan signals to Diane and she whistles for the others to join them. They quietly make their way through the building. Tara stops in front of a door that says, "Tomm says kill the bitches." The group heads down the hall towards a partially opened door where two people can be heard talking. One of the Hilltoppers shakes with fear. Rick reads a hand written map of the building. Daryl tells him the guns aren't on this floor and their only option is up. Aaron yells at one of the Alexandrians to stick to the plan. They will hold their position and pick them off one at a time. Aaron calls for Tobin to cover him. Erik makes his way forward. Jesus signals for his group to attack. They all simultaneously burst into rooms and shoot the Saviors.  Morgan and the two Hilltoppers look scared as they wait to enter. The door opens and they shoot that Savior. Several other Saviors shoot at them and they all fall to the ground.

Daryl climbs out of a dark elevator shaft and helps Rick up. Rick says the guns will be there. "Everything else he's passed you is checking out." To which Daryl responds, "That guy's a piece of shit." I'm assuming they are talking about Dwight? They split up. Jesus and Tara kick open a door. They find a man with his hands up. The man begs for them not to shoot him. He has pissed himself. Tara is ready to kill him but Jesus tells her to wait. He tells her to check out the gunfire down the hall. It is the rest of her group. They ask about Morgan. No one knows what has happened to him and the others. Diane tells Tara to wait until it's clear. The man insists he is not a Savior but a worker. He asks if they are doing this at the Sanctuary. Jesus will not shoot someone with their hands up and he won't let Tara either. Tara notices the medical supplies the Saviors stole from Hilltop. "They took them because they could. Because they don't give a shit. So why should we?" Jesus knows she is upset about Denise being killed but this is not about revenge. They get distracted and the man gets the gun from Jesus and uses him as a human shield. He pissed his pants on purpose. He is a Savior. He smashes a bottle of prenatal vitamins and says, "Well, looks like that dumb bitch Maggie and her kid are just gonna die anyway." He is going to use Jesus and Tara to escape. Tara insists that she will shoot him even though he has a gun to Jesus's head. Jesus gets the gun away from the Savior. He looks down at him. The man says, "You're not gonna do it. Not you." Tara says, "It's not about revenge it's about getting it done." Jesus pistol whips the man and ties him up. Tara is mad that he didn't kill the man. Jesus says it's not about him. Tara says that Jesus isn't Rick or Maggie. He replies, "No but she'll here what I have to say." Diane calls for Tara. She and Jesus follow her. The Saviors are falling back. They follow Jesus for another way out. Morgan and the two others lie on the floor. Morgan is alive but the others are dead. Morgan gets up and follows the Saviors.

Tobin gets shot but tells the others to keep going. One of the dead Saviors reanimates. Mara now realizes why Aaron's group didn't move in. They didn't have to; all they had to to do was kill enough of them and wait for them to turn. A zombie rips her throat out. Carol says the compound isn't far so if the Savior made it he will have warned the others and they'll be ready for them. Carol wants to know why Ezekiel smiles. "Do I feel the supreme confidence? Or is my lot, my job, to simply project such certainty? No and yes. Yes and no. And then finally yes to both. Fake it till you make it, baby. That's what I've done and what I do. I am king because I have provided a light to lead my people forward in darkness and they have made my fictions realities." She replies, "All of us may not make it. We may not even win." He answers, "And yet I smile." One of the knights finds blood. It is not zombie blood. One of them hit the escaped Savior.

Daryl kicks open a door and looks around. It's just an empty office. He opens another door and finds a plate with half a dog food sandwich and a handcuff hanging from a pipe. Rick makes his way down a deserted hallway. He enters a room and finds a bedroom. It looks like a girl's room. He goes to open another door and is attacked from behind. The two men fight. Rick has the man by the throat and asks for the location of the guns. The man says there are no guns. Rick kills the man. Morgan walks down the hall shooting Saviors. He flashes back to a conversation he had with Rick back in Season 6. "You sure we can do it. We can beat them?" Rick answers, "Yes, I'm sure." He makes his way through the building killing every Savior in site. Jesus gives instructions to his group. He tells them to hold fire. A Savior opens a garage door. Jesus orders him to drop his weapon and surrender. He puts his gun to the ground. He calls back to the other Saviors that they are surrounded. He tells them to not be stupid. Tara says, "We can do this the hard way. Because Even though Maggie listens to you, Rick will listen to me." The Saviors all drop their weapons and raise their hands. Morgan continues on his killing spree. He finds his way outside and sees his group with all of the Savior hostages. He flashbacks to Rick saying "We can't leave them alive." Morgan answers, "Where there's life there's possibility." One of he Savior's says, "I know you. Did you get transferred too?" Morgan says, "We came here to kill them. We're supposed to," Jesus replies, "They surrendered. It's not what we do." Morgans asks, "Then what do we do, huh?"

Rick pulls keys from the dead Savior's pocket. He has a tattoo "Grace be to God." Rick walks into a room and finds a nursery. A baby lies sleeping in a crib. The name Gracie is painted on the wall. Rick shakes his head. He realizes the man was just protecting his baby girl. Rick looks at himself in the mirror. Armed and bloody. Carol follows the trail of blood in search of the Savior. Ezekiel calls out "There!" and begins to run. "Our friends have arrived." Shiva jumps out on the Savior they were chasing. Erik calls out to Francine as she gets shot. He is alone and trapped. Aaron makes his way down the cars. He looks over at Erik. He gets into one of the cars and runs over several Saviors to rescue Erik. Aaron and Erik reunite. Aaron realizes Erik has been shot in the abdomen.

Ezekiel pets Shiva. He is not glad for the death of the Savior or any death. Jerry holds out the man's walkie. They hear the Saviors preparing to attack. The Saviors know. Ezekiel says, "This journey will not end in retreat." He holds up his sword and smiles. Rick continues his search. He enters another room and finds a photo of a family. A man comes up from behind. He points a gun at Rick and tells him to turn around and keep his hands up. The man says, "Hi, Rick." Rick says, "Your name is Morales. You were in Atlanta." Morales says Atlanta was a long time ago. He called the Saviors on his walkie and they are on their way. Close up of Daryl. Aaron carrying Erik. Morgan walking. Jesus walking. Tara just stares at the ground. Ezekiel smiles as he walks. Carol sort of smiles as she walks. Rick glares at Morales. Morales cocks his gun.

 Final thoughts
- When will Morgan's "luck" run out? Or is he doomed to roam the earth as the sole survivor.
- Morgan coming out of the dark into the light from his killing spree in the outpost. Jesus stops him from killing anymore Saviors. He is Morgan's savior in that moment.
- I understand having the opposing opinions about killing all the Saviors or letting some of them live. I like the interaction between Jesus and Tara but is it too on the nose to have Jesus be the one to want to save them? 
- Did Dwight lie or does Negan know that he is helping Rick and fed him incorrect information?
- I like that Ezekiel breaks character with Carol. And that he called her baby. When are these two finally going to get together?
- Will this season be one endless battle? If so, it will get boring very quickly. I like character conflict that isn't just people shooting at each other.
- Was Gracie the dead man's baby? He did have a tattoo that talks about grace.
- I'm a little confused about the building Rick and Daryl invaded. Instead of an armory they find a nursery and a cell used to hold someone prisoner. Am I the only one that finds that odd for a Savior outpost?
- Will we get a flashback episode for Morales? Another call back to season 1.
- If Erik dies will Jesus and Aaron hook up? Too soon?