The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 8 "How It's Gotta Be"

 It's more than just hope.

Rick calling over the walkie for the snipers to report. Flashback to Rick chasing after Carl. Carl is mad at Rick for not helping Siddiq. "There's gonna be something after the fight is over." Rick replies, "Not for everyone." Rick and the Scavengers walk up to Sanctuary. The Saviors begin to shoot at them. The Scavengers run away leaving Rick alone. Carol pulls up in an SUV and Rick hops in. Carl asks Rick, "Why are we fighting them? We're fighting so that it's all of us working together for something more than just killing other people. It's more than just hope. Finding some way forward, that's harder. That's something more. Dad, that's how it's gotta be." Rick sits in the car crying. Close up of Carl, Carol, Ezekiel, Jerry, and Maggie. We hear Negan whistling. He laughs.

Enid and Aaron make their way down the road. She says, "They have to talk to us right? After coming all this way?" (They being Oceanside). Aaron is slow to respond. This reminds him of trips he took with Eric to recruit people for Alexandria. It's a risk since Oceanside shoots strangers on site but it is a risk he is willing to take. Enid says they should be bringing guns for Oceanside but Aaron says they need the guns. He offers to let her drive. She says she is a better driver than Carl. Aaron asks why she is turning down the wrong road. She says she wants to check something out so they can bring Oceanside something they can use. They drive past a sign for a distillery. Michonne tells Judith she will bring back Rick. She kisses her good-bye. Daryl is there and tells her his plan worked. She apologizes for not being able to be a part of their plan. Carl writes something on a sheet of paper. He folds it and writes "Dad" on it. He looks at the note Enid gave him that reads "just survive somehow." Tara tells Rosita that the plan worked. Rosita says that they will now finish it. She brought some grenades and other items. Tara says they should take it with them to redirect the herd. Rosita hands her everything. Tara struggles to carry it but has a good humor about it.

Aaron and Enid drive up to the woods outside of Oceanside. Aaron is driving a truck from the distillery. Night falls and Aaron notices someone by the distillery truck. He slowly gets out of the car with his rifle at the ready. Enid follows him. Natania hits Aaron and says he shouldn't have come. Enid shoots her. Several of the Oceanside women aim their weapons at them. Cyndie weeps for her dead grandmother. Carl puts something in the sewer. Michonne finds him and asks what he is doing. He says he is helping a traveler. They are interrupted by Negan calling over a megaphone, "You lose. It's over." He begins to whistle. Carl tells Michonne to follow him into the sewer. She doesn't respond because she is shocked to find Negan got out of Sanctuary. Carol, Rick, and Jerry all drive in their own cars. Jerry drives down the road and her car is hit.

Ezekiel sits on the darkened stage. He reads a note that says, "Your Majesty, I had to bounce. We said we'd do it and we can't flake. I want to be there when we win. And I want to be here too, man. Deuces. Jerry." A ruckus gets his attention. He runs on stage and hides. Several Saviors enter the theater. Jesus and Maggie drive. He asks if the Saviors will surrender. She says they will eventually. They just run out of food, water, and choices. Maggie orders him to slow down. There is a tree blocking the road that wasn't there before. She knows it's the Saviors. It's the same thing they did to them on the night Glenn died. She calls over the walkie for her group to turn around but nobody responds. Maggie turns around and sees several cars behind her convoy blocking the road. A big truck drives up in front of them. Some Saviors come out of the back. Several Saviors climb out of cars towards them. The Saviors have Jerry and they make him get out of the truck. Two Saviors place a box with holes on Maggie's car. Simon comes out. Carl orders his group to make it look like they left Alexandria. They will then get guns and meet a a rendezvous point. Some go to the infirmary to help the injured escape. Carl says they have to let the Saviors take Alexandria. He is in charge. Gavin is at Kingdom. "The Kingdom and everyone in it now belongs to Negan." They will also be sent to Sanctuary to repair it and the Saviors are moving into the Kingdom.

The Saviors surround Maggie's envoy. Simon says they need to hand over their guns and if anyone tries anything they will shoot Jerry. Jesus hands over their guns. Negan calls out to Rick, "All you had to do was follow some simple rules." Carl says Rick's not home. Negan says he is proud of Carl for being a big boy. Carl says there are families and kids in Alexandria. Negan counters that there are kids at Sanctuary. Carl says they can figure something out and stop this. He cries. Negan wants apologies and punishment. Carl tells Negan to kill him. Negan asks if Carl wants to die. Carl says he doesn't but he will. "And if me dying could stop this, if it can makes things different, for us, for you, for all those other kids, it'd be worth it. Was it supposed to be this way? Is this who you wanted to be?" Negan looks on and says nothing. A bunch of cars pull out and drive through the walls of Alexandria. Dwight and some Saviors follow the convoy. Negan orders his people to fire and they shoot some explosives at Alexandria.

Carl goes down the ladder as buildings start to burn. He sets off smoke bombs as he goes. The church explodes. The car he was heading to explodes. Gavin says that Ezekiel needs to answer for everything that has happened. He knows Ezekiel is there but no one will tell him where. He threatens that if no one answers it will turn traumatic but the people say nothing. We see Ezekiel sneak away. Maggie asks Simon how they got out. He says they just figured it out. He tells her Kingdom and Alexandria are being take over by the Saviors. The Hilltop has "been chosen to keep producing." He says Gregory messed up and he hopes Maggie will make things right. He tells her that Eugene helped them escape their situation.  He says it can go in two ways. They will kill Jerry and place Maggie in the box with holes. Then she will be taken to Hilltop where she will be killed in front of her people and her body will be placed on a spike. They will then lead the herd to Hilltop. Or she can return home and keep growing crops. But they will still have to kill one of her people. Simon shoots. He kills the man in the backseat. He is about to order Jerry's death but Maggie yells no. She wants to ask Simon a favor. She wants the box so they can use it to bury Neil (the man he just shot). Simon agrees.

A clock turns to midnight. Eugene turns his light on. He stares at the wine bottle. He pours himself a drink and knocks it back. He cries in bed. Carl looks around. Tobin is also throwing smoke bombs as he gets people out of Alexandria. Carl picks up his hat and walks to a house. Explosions go off around him. He runs and the house explodes along with the house next to it. He limps down the street. Tara and Daryl are in the woods. Tara says Negan got out because of what they did with the truck. Rosita says it was just a mistake. Vehicles are heard coming so Daryl throws a smoke bomb. It is Dwight and the other Saviors. The Savior with him tells him to stop because he is leading all of their trucks into a trap. Daryl and the others begin to shoot. Dwight begins to shoot the Saviors. The Savior that was with him shoots him in the arm. She realizes he was the traitor. She wants him to tell Daryl and the others to stop but he won't. The Saviors break through the gates of Alexandria. Negan laughs as he views the destruction. He knows Carl is still in Alexandria. He orders his people to find Carl but not kill him. They are to blow up all of Alexandria but he wants Carl. Carl limps away from Alexandria. Two Saviors spot him so he sets off another smoke bomb and is able to hide in the sewer.

Eugene wakes up Doctor Carson and Gabriel. He is there to inform them that the guard at the north gate is not at his post since he slipped some Ex-lax into his coffee. When Gabriel asks why he is helping Eugene says he plans to sleep that night. Gabriel wants him to join them. Eugene won't go with them but he "drops" some keys to a car they can use to escape. Gabriel tells him he is doing the right thing. Ezekiel sets some barrels on fire and they explode. Gavin orders some of his people to check it out. Ezekiel drives up in a school bus. Nabila hits a Savior and takes his gun. The people run out of Kingdom. Carol gives Nabila instructions on where they are to meet later. She runs to the gates just in time to see Ezekiel. He orders her to save his people than the locks the gates. A Savior punches him. Maggie pulls up to Hilltop. She walks up to the holding pen. Gregory begins to talk to her but she tells him to shut up. She orders her people to take out a Savior. She gets a gun from Kal and says this is the Savior that tried to kill Jesus. Alden (blonde Savior) tells her not to do it but she shoots the Savior anyway. The Saviors killed one of her people so she killed one of them. She is going to make one last stand. She cries as she walks away.

Dwight sits by his car surrounded by dead Saviors. He calls out to Daryl and the others to say it is over. They come to him with their guns pointed at him. He says he drove his people there. He can't go back because the female Savior got away so his secret isn't safe. He tells them the Saviors escaped because of Eugene. He wants Negan to die. Daryl takes back his vest. Michonne says they need to get back. Rosita walks up to Dwight and helps him up. The Hilltoppers place the dead Savior in the box. Maggie writes on it, "We have 38 more. Stand Down." She orders her people to leave it somewhere the Saviors will find it. Gavin calls out to Ezekiel. Morgan walks along the gate to Kingdom. Gavin says the Hilltoppers will see their king dead. He orders his men to grab the supplies. Daryl opens up a manhole cover and goes down. The others follow. Dwight apologizes to Michonne and then enters the sewer. She looks at the ruins of Alexandria. Rosita calls to her but Michonne closes the manhole cover. Rick makes his way into Alexandria. He opens the door to his house and quietly calls out for Carl, Judith, and Michonne. Negan hits him from behind. He plans on cutting Rick up into pieces and killing him in front of everyone. Negan tells him Carl volunteered to die. Negan likes Carl. Rick hits Negan and grabs Lucille. Negan gets Lucille back and Rick grabs for his gun. Rick gets pushed out the window and runs away. Michonne walks down Alexandria killing zombies. Rick runs down Alexandria. A Savior grabs Michonne from behind but she stabs him in the face and then continues to stab him until Rick stops her. He asks her where everyone is. She leads him to the sewer. They join up with the survivors including Siddiq. Close ups of Maggie and Jesus. Rick walks past Rosita and Tara. Close up of Carol and Ezekiel, and Morgan. Rick passes Dwight. Close ups of Eugene and Gabriel. Rick walks up to Siddiq. Carl tells Rick he brought Siddiq there. He says, "That's how it happened." Then he shows Rick a zombie bite mark on his stomach. Both Rick and Michonne are in shock at this revelation.

Final Thoughts
- Gavin seemed reluctant to kill someone at Kingdom. He was willing to do it but it is interesting to see another lieutenant that doesn't like how Negan "motivates" people to comply.
- You would think the Saviors would prefer to live in Alexandria versus Kingdom since they have nicer houses but I suppose Negan wanted to destroy everything that belongs to Rick.
- Re-watching the scene where Carl is talking to Negan has new meaning now that we know that he has been bitten. When he says that he doesn't want to die but knows it will happen is more poignant. 
- Carl and Negan had a moment during their conversation at the gate. Negan took pause when asked by Carl if this was the person he wanted to be. I don't think anyone else would have asked him that question. I think Carl must remind Negan of some of the kids he used to work with before the apocalypse.
- On the Talking Dead Yvette Nicole Brown made an interesting remark about Negan's reaction to seeing Lucille in Rick's hands. She believes Lucille is named after someone in Negan's life from before. I think she could be right.
- I'm going to assume that Morgan will help rescue Ezekiel.
- Will Father Gabriel die from his infection or will he be able to get medicine in time?
- A few episodes back there was a scene where Rick was crying and quoting Siddiq. I now believe that has to be a reaction to the loss of Alexandria and the future loss of Carl. All Rick has been trying to do since he got his family back was to protect them. He couldn't save Lori and now he can't save Carl. Will he lose his mind again?

The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 7 "Time for After"

All I want is for you to do the right thing.

Rick sits in the container. The door opens in the sunlight stands Jadis with some of her men. Rick says his offer still stands. "Join us or you can die." Jadis takes a photo of him. She orders him to turn. It looks like one of her men is sketching Rick. She takes another photo. Rick asks why she is photographing him. Her response, "Sculpt you, after."

Eugene paces nervously in his room. He holds a notebook in his hands. He opens it and begins to write. He has three columns titled: What I Know, What I Know I Don't Know, and Things I Am Unaware of Wholly. Eugene knocks on Dwight's door. He says, "I am well aware you're the fifth columner. Green duffel, red paint, workers' guns." He calls Dwight a traitor. He lets Dwight know that Negan's tasked him with finding the traitor. He asks Dwight to cease and desist. "In exchange, I offer to keep what I know from Negan and the others." Dwight sets Eugene down on a a chair and says that the Saviors, Negan, and Sanctuary are all finished. Food and water are running low. Dwight continues, "This place is gonna fall. And all you have to do to be on the winning side is stand down. All you have to do is nothing. Can you do that? You've seen what happens here, heard the screams, smelled the burning skin. You don't got blood on your hands yet, but that's comin'. Once you do those things you become those things, and there's no going back." All Eugene wants is to be safe.   He says he is Negan and they are Saviors. They save. He says he will stay quiet as long as no one in Sanctuary is hurt.

Zombies pound on the doors of Sanctuary. Eugene looks out the window. He asks one of the Saviors how long it will be before the zombies get in. She thinks a day or two. Dr. Carson asks Eugene to come into the infirmary. Gabriel isn't doing well. He has more than one infection and they are attacking his organs. He has no medicine to give him. Eugene replies that he wishes Gabriel hadn't been involved in trapping the Saviors in Sanctuary. Doctor Carson asks Eugene to stay with Gabriel while he looks for herbs to try to use at treatment. Eugene says Gabriel is his traveling companion not his friend. But he doesn't want Gabriel to die. Gabriel coughs and tells Eugene to sit. Eugene gives Gabriel some water to drink. Gabriel wants to know if Eugene is going to help him get Dr. Carson out. Eugene says the only way to do that would be to use the zombie intestines again and that is what has made Gabriel sick. Eugene reminds Gabriel, "I am a small person that does not stick his neck out for anybody else." Gabriel says, "All I want is for you to do the right thing." Eugene doesn't know what is the right thing to do. Gabriel says it requires faith. "Believing that God is inside you, guiding you, and knowing that he has a plan for all of us." Eugene says it's absurd and Gabriel points out that not too long ago Eugene would have found it hard to believe that the dead could walk. So maybe he could know what the right thing is when the time comes and act accordingly. Eugene looks at the paint stain on his hand.

Morgan looks through a sniper rifle at Sanctuary. He hears on the walkie that someone has spotted a truck. He uses binoculars and looks out to see Daryl. He says into the walkie that it is one their own. Tanya knocks on Eugene's door. She says it's been a week since she gave him her boombox to fix. He says that its' not ready and asks if she is distressed at all by the fact that they are trapped by zombies. She says she was already trapped. As she goes to leave he asks for the bottle of wine that was to be his payment. He says he needs it to help him sleep. At first she says no but then she turns around and says she understands. She reminds him that he works for Negan and that she and Frankie came to him asking for help to kill Negan. "You could have changed this place into something else. Something better. But you took care of you. And now you've got to live with that." She leaves him the bottle and walks away. One of the Saviors comes to his door saying that Negan wants to see him.

Daryl looks though a scope. Tara says that their people will be at Sanctuary soon asking for the Saviors to surrender. The plan is for Rosita and Michonne to provide cover fire while Daryl and Tara crash the garbage truck into Sanctuary allowing the zombies to enter and feast on the Saviors. Rosita wants to know what will happen to the workers. Daryl says they are on the other side of the building so they should make it out alright. Michonne is worried the Saviors will see them coming. Morgan joins them. They can use him and the other snipers. "Saviors see you coming we got you covered. Whatever it takes. I want it done. I want them done." Rosita wants to know why they can't wait. Daryl says they no longer have the Kingdom to help fight against any Saviors. Rosita says that is why Rick went to make a deal with the Scavengers but Tara doesn't trust them after they lied and attacked them. Rosita says, "I believe in Rick Grimes." Tara wants to act because she feels guilty about keeping Oceanside a secret. She is going to do this with or without Rosita. Rosita says she is out. Michonne decides to stay. Rosita tells Michonne, "You think it's easier to come out here and risk than stay back there and wait. . . Sometimes you just have to wait. Sometimes you don't get to know. I just wish it didn't take seeing Sasha walk out of that coffin to realize it." She walks away and they get into the truck.

Negan sits at his conference table with Lucille. Eugene sits down. He says a lot of people will die if things don't get fixed soon. He adds, " I'm livin' no matter what. I am too good at this shit." He doesn't want to see his people get eaten, that includes Eugene. "This place is about pooling and organizing strength. And you my friend, are strong. . . I just want make sure that you know that I know that." Eugene says they are on the same page. Negan puts his hand out to shake Eugene's hand but Eugene almost kisses it. Negan says a handshake is a mutual sign of respect. Not many people get that from him. Eugene says there's work that needs to get done.

Eugene works on the boombox. He stares at a part of the speaker and closes his eyes. We see him looking through a storage area. He finds the coffin where Sasha made her defiant stand against Negan. He flashes back to her coming out as a zombie. He opens the coffin and pulls out the MP3 player. Morgan looks through his scope at Daryl's truck. He tells Daryl over the walkie to cut the engine or he will draw the walkers to himself. Tara gets out but Michonne sits there staring. Daryl asks if she is up to the task.  She replies, "I came here 'cause I wanted to see things for myself. I wanted to know that things were gonna work. But you know what? I don't get to know that. None of us do. What I do know is that things are working now. So maybe, we just need to trust that things are gonna keep working because this, what we're about to do, it's not worth risking us." Daryl replies, "It is for me." She says she hopes it works but she can't do it. He tells that then she shouldn't do it. She gets out of the truck and walks away. Tara tells him they can do it because they have Morgan and the snipers. He replies, "We will."

Eugene sets something up on the roof. He records something on a tape deck. He has made an audio glider and is testing it. Dwight comes up behind him and cocks his gun. Tara makes her way behind the zombies. She says she is in position over the walkie. Morgan and the other snipers are ready. Daryl pulls up with the truck. Dwight tells Eugene to walk away from his glider. Eugene looks scared and says he is trying to save people. Killing him would kill many innocents. He is going to use the glider to lead the zombies away from Sanctuary. Dwight says then Negan will kill Rick and all of his friends. Eugene says they are former traveling companions nothing more. Dwight says he is working with Rick to keep them and the people of Sanctuary alive. "We can get rid of Negan. Just Negan. And we're almost there." Eugene says that Negan isn't the dying type. Dwight says that Eugene is the dying type. Eugene agrees.  He has has two choices: step away from the glider and the zombies kill people and Negan kills him, or risk having Dwight shoot him but not before he bites him. He bends down, presses play and lets the glider go. Dwight just stands there pointing his gun. Daryl takes off. Dwight shoots the glider. Tara beings to shoot as well as Morgan. Daryl drives towards the herd. He places a cinder block on the gas pedal and jumps out. The truck goes through the door and zombies begin to spill into Sanctuary. Saviors shoot the zombies but many are starting to get eaten. Eugene goes down and sees the attack. Dwight is also there.  More and more zombies just keep coming. Eugene freaks out. He goes to the infirmary and tells Gabriel he will not be a part of his plan. He will not end up like Sasha. "Staying safe means staying alive." He is willing to do anything to stay alive. So he will not betray Negan. He will make sure Dr. Carson stays at Sanctuary. And he won't feel bad about it because he will survive. It's all he knows how to do.

Negan says Eugene's plan will take a lot of bullets. Can he fill his guns back up with bullets? Eugene says yes. He asks if Eugene realizes that Negan will get his revenge on Rick for this. Eugene says he understands. Negan asks, "How does it feel to be the second-most important person here? How does it feel to save these good people?" Eugene replies, "It feels great." Just as he is about to rat Dwight out the lieutenants come in to report on the situation. Negan tells them Eugene has a plan to stop the zombies and some other big news. Eugene looks at Dwight and then says he can fix the intercom system. Negan is not impressed. Eugene sits in his room listening to the gun fire. He cries. He grabs the bottle of wine and drinks. Then he throws up in his sink. He drinks some more.

Rick is pulled out of the container. He is taken to the center of the Scavenger arena and placed on his knees. Jadis has one of her people lead a zombie wearing a spike helmet on it towards Rick. She says, "Time for after." Rick hits the Scavenger behind him and then gets the zombie away from the other Scavenger. He takes the zombies head off and then knocks Jadis to the ground. Her face is right by the zombie head that chomps blindly. Rick says, "I'm walking out now. Me walking out means all of you die. My people, there's a lot of them, won't attack today, but we will attack. You can play your games, draw your picture, sculpt whatever shit you want, but I am leaving! After that, maybe you should just run." Jadis signals for her people to put their guns down. Rick asks her, "We done?" Then he gets up and helps her get up. She says she will join them. What now? He tells her the Sanctuary is surrounded by zombies. "You come with me there. We'll wait for the others to meet us. When they do, we'll ask the lieutenants to surrender. All of us, together. Then I kill Negan, me alone." She says she will agree to the deal as long as she gets all of the Saviors' things when it is over. He says she'll get a fourth. She counters with half but he insists it's a fourth. She agrees to a fourth if she can sculpt him after naked. He says no. He orders her to give him his clothes. She agrees to a fourth.

Rick and the Scavengers arrive at the meeting place. Rick goes ahead alone. He finds three zombies eating one of his snipers. Rick calls over the walkie but no one answers. He grabs the sniper rifle and climbs up the ladder to get a better look. When he looks through the scope he sees the courtyard devoid zombies.



Final Thoughts
- Why is this the first time anyone has gotten sick from the zombie guts? They've used them at least three times before without anybody getting sick.
- I am not surprised by Eugene's behavior. We already know that he does what he needs to do to survive and that surviving is his main priority. However, it is clear he is feeling guilt over the choices he has made to become a Savior. He won't be able to function much longer if he is drunk or sleep deprived. I don't believe him when he says Rick and the gang were just traveling companions. If not he wouldn't be drinking his feelings away.
- Was Eugene already making bullets for Sanctuary?
- I'm not sure why Dwight hesitated to kill Eugene. He has killed before. His plan would probably have worked better with Eugene out of the way. Now he has to hope that Eugene will continue to keep his secret.
- I understand Daryl and Tara's desire to do something to end the war immediately, especially since Rick's plan involved trusting the Scavengers. I just wish they would have waited. I didn't think their plan would work even while I was hoping it would. Impatience never works on this show. It only makes things fall apart.
- Who will die in the the mid-season finale? Tara? Her reckless behavior and guilt over keeping Oceanside a secret could lead to her death. Or will it be Gabriel? He is sick with no medication. Will Negan allow him to be given medication if they get some?