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.