Monday, October 19, 2015

The Walking Dead: Season 6 Episode 2 - JSS


Hello fellow Walking Dead heads!  Welcome back to season 6 which has not been easing us into anything. Let me get this out of the way.  WOW! That was one intense episode considering the majority of the A-Team was out herding 80,000 walkers away from Alexandria.  Of course this episode answered the big question from last week's episode.  Who was blowing that horn and how did it happen?  This will probably be a quick recap as I've got a busy schedule but I want to be clear that I loved this episode!  Let's dive in.

Discussion Points



  • We got a bit of Enid's backstory and a mysterious acronym that was answered by the end of the episode.  JSS - Just Survive Somehow.   Enid witnessed her parents killed by walkers and then just kept on surviving until she stumbled upon Alexandria.  But, then she said her goodbyes by the end of the episode to Ron and Carl.  Well, technically, she didn't to Carl because he asked her not to but you know what I mean.   I'm sure we'll see her again! 
  • We learn that Jessie still has a soft spot for Rick when she's talking with Ron.  Ron is still very much part of the Anti-Rick crew but Jessie tried to explain how none of this was his fault and that their father was a poison on their family and Alexandria.  The younger son (forget his name) was still hanging out at Carol's house looking for some meaning.  But, Carol shut that down bluntly telling him that his father was awful and move on.   
  • Maggie took Diana out to an expansion area of Alexandria to start the foundation for growing their own food.  It would make Hershel proud!  She gave a big speech to Diana about how the town is still looking to her as their inspiration and this is what Reg would've wanted.  
  • Gabriel asked Carl for help in getting acclimated to the new way of life (i.e. doing what is necessary to survive in the zombie apocalypse).  Carl initially showed reluctance like everyone else in the town towards Gabriel.  But, then he told him he'd start him with machete practice.  Maybe one day Gabriel will be as indispensable as Carol now is, but it's going to be a long road based on how he has started!  (hence why I used Carol as an example)  
  • Speaking of Carol, she started the episode still in her Suzy Homemaker role.  She was going to pull off some miracle casserole with what's left in her cabinet and it gave us time to get more acquainted with some other ladies in the town (that wouldn't last very long).  
  • We were introduced to Denise who will be the new doctor/surgeon in town.   She was put to the test early and it was clear to see that she was not very comfortable in her new role.  Tara and Eugene were there for moral support.  Eugene is getting some great lines every week.  Unfortunately, I forget what he said early in this episode to note it in this recap!  
  • Well, to sum up, the rest of the story is when everything went to s##t!  Carol was baking her casserole and she watched one of her lady friends get axed down by a wolf.   And the intensity never let down.   The wolves came from all sides and started killing people.  Some they took out their brains, but many they were just impaling any way they could.   The wolves seemed clearly brainwashed or demented.   Speaking about their purpose and fixated on killing the living no matter what it takes.  
  • Highlights of course were Ninja Undercover Carol!   Had no idea who the masked person was helping Morgan until she took down her mask.  And then like a badass, she painted that w on her head in blood and start taking out Wolves when they thought she was one of their own.  
  • We then see a truck barreling towards Alexandria.  Diana's son tried to snipe the guy down and may have succeeded as the truck just slammed into the wall with the driver dead and the horn going on forever.  (you know..the same horn that we heard at the end of last week)   The drive turned pretty quickly and almost took out Diana's son (sorry forget his name too).   But Morgan returned to rescue him!   Maybe someone out there can remember why Morgan got back so quickly when the rest of Rick and crew are nowhere to be found?  I thought Morgan was with Rick?   Unless, that was only in the flashbacks.   
  • Morgan is tested throughout the episode just like Batman is every night in his vigilante life.  To take or not to take a life.  Morgan tried to convince Carol that no one has to die but Carol was just gunning people down left and right.  At one point Morgan took a dude down and bound him, saying he learned the skill by a chain maker or something?   And after all of that work, Carol just came out and shot him in the head.  Crazy!  That guy was one of the ones babbling on about their nonsensical purpose.  Morgan did come across 5 or 6 wolves by the end fighting them all with his stick.  He told them that the town had guns and were going to kill them all.  He suggested they move on.  Their leader didn't seem too scared but did leave, grabbing a gun on his way out.  I'm going to say Carol was probably right with her approach and Morgan's mercy is going to come back to haunt them.   In the end Morgan returned to a house with an open door and there was another Wolf waiting for him.  The wolf knew that Morgan didn't have it in him and implied he should've killed him.  In the end Morgan's hand was forced to take him down.  Granted, it wasn't clear to me if he killed the guy or not.  
  • Carol had to mercy kill one of her kitchen friends who got impaled by a wolf.  
  • Aaron and Rosita got in it too.  By the end of the episode, Aaron realized that the wolves had his satchel with the pictures of Alexandria he had shown recruits.  I'm sure there was an episode last season where he had lost it.   I'm sure he'll take some of the blame for this invasion.  
  • I guess we should also note that Diana stayed outside the walls for this attack knowing that she had no skill in combat.  So she was protected by her son in the truck until the attack was over.  
  • Jessie also had a big scene where she protected her youngest son in their house and took out one of the wolves in gory fashion!  Ron witnessed the attack as well.    
  • Denise spent the episode trying to save a victim who needed some kind of surgery.  She failed in the end, but Tara tried to soften the blow by saying it was still important that she found the confidence to try.  Of course, I'm sure we all were thinking Denise was going to forget to take out that brain.  Thankfully, Tara reminded her! 
I'm sure there are plenty more details here to discuss, but I had to type pretty quickly this morning!  We should also remember there are plenty of walkers still heading in their direction thanks to the wolf truck horn!   The fun times are over at Alexandria and things are about to get REAL!  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I'll see you next week! 

2 comments:

MJ said...

Cheese maker maybe? either one - made no sense. LOL I think that Morgan was sent back before the horn was heard cause this was supposed to be a dry run but when they got there they realized they had to do it then and now. Too bad they killed the guy babbling about 'it's a trap' (go ahead star wars fanboys !) I did feel Morgan - when pushed to - had killed that guy in the end. The episode he lost the pack was when Morgan rescued him and Daryl I believe. So Aaron is going to try to blame himself but those pics don't say where the town is. Just saying. Jessie lost her damn mind ! That was some crazy s**t ! Yeah - and those walkers are between all our 'big guns' and the town.
So - did Enid leave only because this town is not safe any more and her motto of JSS is now over in Alexandria ? I think not ! She was saying goodbyes before they attacked. She knew she was leaving - so I think she told the Wolves where to find this town. And she almost said someting to Carl - but he's stopped listening and so she stopped talking. I can't remember the exact phrase she had started now. But I def think she's in some way responsible or at least knew it was coming.

Mike V. said...

Cheese maker?? I forget what I asked or what that's in reference to! lol

Gotcha on Morgan. Yeah I missed something there. Or just don't remember. That makes sense.

I think I did think about Ackbar when they said "it's a trap!" Right...on Aaron on Morgan and Darryl. I think that was the finale wasn't it?

I know some are speculating that Enid is with the Wolves. I didn't even get into it. They kinda tried to dismiss it on Talking Dead, but they don't really know where the story is going. Just speculating.

She did almost say something to Carl, but I thought she may have been referring to when they were able to hop the fence without being noticed. It does make sense that she might be involved or responsible.

We'll see!