Sunday, April 15, 2018

The Walking Dead: Season 8 Episode 16 - Wrath


Hello friends and welcome to our finale discussion of The Walking Dead season 8.  Well, they told us we'd get closure.  It was a rip roaring clash of Saviors vs. everyone else.  How did it end?  We'll discuss.  It was an entertaining episode.  I'm cautious with the direction they're hinting for the next plot line of the show, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!  Let's dive in.

Discussion Points

Well, every plot line and breadcrumb that was planted this season all came to a head in this finale.  Everyone was duping everyone and we got to watch it all unfold.  Kudos to those that predicted Eugene would redeem himself with the faulty bullets.  Once I read it, I latched on and agreed with the theory.  And once they showed Gabriel's faulty bullet plan in the "previously on" that pretty much cemented it.   But watching all of those guns blow up in their hands?  Fantastic! 

My wife and I made a deal (a joke deal) before the episode started. I asked, "So if Negan doesn't die we quit the show right?"  She agreed with the plan.  Guess what?  He didn't die!  Yes, he's been kicked off his stoop and got some stitches in his throat, but he's still breathing.  So, we have some soul searching to do this off season. 

I could sum up the whole episode here, but we all watched, right?  So let's discuss some more highlights. 
  • Morgan was still going crazy, but he made a valid point to Rick in that they're worse than they were and can't be anymore.  Jesus helped steer Morgan back with his "use the pointy end for the dead and the dull end for the living".   By the end of the episode Morgan was at the Scavenger junkyard telling Anne/Jadis to go to Rick's new world.  I guess FTWD will meet up him there?  I thought for am minute maybe Jadis would go with him.  You guys will have to let me know since I'm still probably not getting to that one! 
  • Dwight lived through the encounter and got a new lease on life.  Daryl took him out to the woods, but gave him keys and told him to leave and never return after his confession.  Dwight went to find his wife and found a note in their home leading him to wherever their honeymoon was.  Good luck Dwight! 
  • Aaron and the Oceansiders came through to save those leftover with Sasha at Hilltop!  And not only that but that Savior dude came through in honest to goodness wanting to help out.  I still don't know his name, but something tells me maybe I will next season. 
  • Saddiq told the story to Rick about how Carl died helping honor Saddiq's mother and her philosophy of freeing the dead from their mortal coils.  All these little tidbits plus Negan's final comment to Rick must've convinced him of the right way to go in the end.  Or else why would he have slit his throat?  He certainly was still planning to kill him.  But seeing all of those people watching him and Negan saying "Carl didn't teach you anything" or whatever he said led to his request to save him and his speech about the new world.  Carl's new world.   And of course we caught up to the stained glass flash forward we've been seeing since episode 1 this season.  
  • Jerry/Ezekiel's pre battle conversation was fantastic with Jerry dropping S bombs all over the place.  
  • In the end we got to see the rebuilding of Sanctuary, Hilltop, Kingdom and maybe even Alexandria?  Gabriel was certainly back there seeing the light (his vision his back).  Everyone working together for the new world.  
  • Rosita got a good punch in on Eugene for the puke.  Glad the man redeemed himself, but I'm sure there will still be trust issues.  
  • In the end, Maggie was furious with Rick that he let Negan survive.  He blames him and Michonne.  She confided in Jesus and get this...DARYL!  They are all going to bide their time, build up their infrastructure and their strength.  And then take out Rick and Michonne?  Or just show them what's up?  When all other big bads are taken out of the equation, you have to pit them against each other?  Great.  
  • Rick, Michonne and Siddiq told Negan how he's going to spend the rest of his days.  I'm sure there was intended symbolism in Rick, Michonne and Siddiq being all clad in dark colors/mostly black and Negan being in white.  But basically, they're keeping Negan alive to be a symbol of their past and to show him how wrong he was.  They're going to build a civilization and Negan will get to see it.  I'm sure they won't keep JDM in the cast to be in a cell for seasons upon seasons.  So we'll see!  
  • Where was Enid tonight?  Anyone else notice she wasn't around?  Maybe she was in the background somewhere, and I just missed it.  
  • And of course, we have to talk about the largest herd of walkers we've ever seen.  They're looming large as a threat.  I'm sure that will play into the new season.  
  • And we ended with Rick's letter to COOORRRRAAAAAALLLLLLL.   Rick flashed back all episode to walking down the road at Hershel's farm (I think) with Carl and the feeling he had then when he realized who he was.  Now he remembers and he will bring Carl's new world vision to life.  Let's see how that goes! 

Well we did it.  We survived another 16 episodes and the end of Scott Gimple's regime.  We'll have a new show runner next season as we go into year 9.  Will it get reenergized or be more of the same or just worse?  Time will tell!  For now, I'm glad to relax my fingers and wait until October!  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and see you next season! 

9 comments:

Jason B. said...

I was so happy to see that Eugene did sabotage the bullets. When I first watched the scene with his return to the bullet factory and how angry he was last week, I thought that there was no way he was coming back around to our side. But then people on reddit were talking about some of his dialog and actions, and how it looked like he might actually be planning to sabotage the bullets. So I watched the scene again and saw it in a completely different way haha. There were like 4 or 5 hints that suggested it. I watched this episode at one of the theaters hosting the "Survival Sunday" event, and they didn't show the previously on segment, so I didn't see Gabriel's faulty bullet plan again to cement that it would happen haha.

The FTWD premiere was all about Morgan and some new FTWD characters, the original cast only showed up for about a minute at the end haha. It showed Morgan leave the junkyard after getting visits from Jesus, Carol, and Rick. So Jadis must have left and joined one of the communities (which makes me really happy, since I was hoping that would happen since Gavin died).

Haha you must have meant to say Tara, not Sasha. Which made me remember that last week you also mentioned Sasha, but that time you meant to say Rosita. Who's next haha? The Savior's name is Alden, which I'm not exactly sure how to pronounce haha. Jared called him Al in one episode, so I decided to just stick with that for now.

I really think that the setup with Maggie at the end was just a fake out of sorts. At the very least, I don't think they are planning to do anything to hurt Rick or Michonne. All they want is to kill Negan, and Maggie can't really be low enough to think that Rick would attack the Hilltop or her just to stop that from happening. I would hate that just as much as you haha.

I don't recall seeing Enid either, which is odd when Gimple said something along the lines of this episode "closing down" every character's story.

The Rick and Carl flashback wasn't actually meant to be Hershel's farm, it was the farm that Carl talked about in his letter to Rick, from sometime before the apocalypse.

Jason B. said...

Enid was in at least one scene actually, when Tara and the rest were escaping from the Hilltop. She was carrying Gracie and she talked to Tara for a second before Tara stayed behind.

Mike V. said...

Hi Jason. Great commentary! And yes I actually type Sasha more often than you'd think. And usually I catch myself and fix it. lol So, I don't see that changing in the future. Keep a look out! lol

Yeah once you mentioned the Eugene sabotaging the bullet thing it seemed so obvious I'm not sure why I didn't think of it! lol Nice on the theater screening too!

I'm definitely happy Jadis/Anne will still be on the mothership show. Thanks for the heas up!

Alden...okay I'll try to remember that.

I don't know about the Maggie thing being a fake out. But yes maybe the severity of what they're talking about is a bit misleading. I'm sure there will be some heated tension though which will fuel next season.

Nice catch on Enid. Now that you mention that maybe I did see her holding the baby. Still, a very minor part in the finale!

Rick/Carl - ahhhh right...that makes sense. Forgot about him mentioning in the letter. Good call!

MJ said...

Sorry - been away for a few days.

'every plot line and breadcrumb that was planted this season all came to a head' - except the darned helo ! LOL

I'm seeing online that everyone thinks Rick pulled out a knife. i don't think so. When he was shooting (and missing of course) at Negen he shot out some of the glass. I think it was the glass he picked up when Negen had him on his knees that he used to cut negen's throat. then said “Look at what you did,” “Carl didn’t know a damn thing.” Meaning - Carl was wrong and one of them should be dead.

Wasn't sure with Eugene - he seemed like Rosita kinda made him mad so thought he could go the other way too. So they got me !

Negen - apparently this is how it went down in the books. I was very careful to not know Negens fate from the books so I was surprised.

SO - Daryl is willing to let Dwight live - even though he hates him. But he will betray Rick ? Yeah - that makes no sense whatsoever. Maggie is thinking with her heart and wanting revenge for Glenn - but Daryl has not 1 reason to plot against Richonne. Especially since Daryl was one of the screw ups in this whole thing. Jesus makes even less sense. Even tho he is closer to Maggie then rick he preaches pacifism !

Have not seen FTWD yet - so no clue how Morgan 'joining'. Guessing a time jump.

Savior dude is like Alden or Aiden or something. But it was Tara and not Sasha left at hilltop. And Enid was carrying the crying Judith when tara and Alden went back. Very brief screen time.

I'm hearing it will be a whole new show actually. Hopefully one I still like !! Rumblings of a big time jump even.

But damn - that really is a huge hoard ! Def gotta be in play next season. As well as Georgie and her knowledge books. They keep talking about New World - need her info to do that. And now there are so many newer characters - maybe some of our old ones will lose some power and authority.

Mike V. said...

No problem MJ! We have awhile to discuss! lol I'm picking and choosing for now as I don't have much time.

Daryl - too rue on letting Dwight live but going against Rick.

Eugene - they had me too until I read the theory about the bullets. Then it made too much sense. lol

Rick - Yeah he definitely used part of the stained glass. I guess I may have forgotten to mention in the recap but it never was a question to me!

Try to comment more later. :)

MJ said...

Holy crap ! Lauren Cohan's new show got picked up ! Wonder what that means.

Mike V. said...

Yikes...that's crazy. Well I'm guessing they're already working on the first half of season 9, so they could always write her off at mid-season. ORRRR maybe they truly will work around her TWD schedule like they've said. lol

MJ said...

Well - as we all know lauren is only in part of the season. And Rick Grimes is starting his final season. SIGH. Just released info for new season. If only Daryl would cut his hair in the future too. LOL

https://tvline.com/2018/07/05/the-walking-dead-season-9-washington-dc-poster

Mike V. said...

Just seeing this comment. (really don't know why I stopped getting email notifications of comments!) LOL on the Daryl haircut (or non haircut). Snuck a peak at the FTWD poster too....damn...you guys weren't kidding when they cleaned house with the cast. lol