Sunday, October 28, 2018

The Walking Dead: Season 9 Episode 4 - The Obliged



Hello friends and welcome back!  AMC is making no secret about what's coming.  I think there's a chance we had some final scenes between certain characters tonight.  After my diatribe last week, it's looking like they really are going to go through with the unthinkable!   But, we've seen red herrings before in television.  Guess we'll just see what happens.   This episode was a big setup for an ending while digging into some other stuff that will probably linger after that end has occurred.  I'm talking all cryptic and we'll just dive into specifics after the jump!


Discussion Points


Negan and Michonne got into a deep discussion about their similarities.  How the walkers gave them and continue to give them a new lease on life.  Gives them a purpose, fuels them forward.  Michonne even agreed to an extent with Negan.  The fact that she kept going down and defending herself meant she was taking some of the bait.  I'm not sure if we saw the actual Lucille in the beginning of the episode, but she lingered on throughout the rest of it in Negan and Michonne's thoughts.  Loved the "Game Day" book Michonne was reading to Judith.  I mean, do we really think Maggie will succeed in her vengeance mission?  Or maybe Jesus' speech to her will reach her in the final moment.   I think with Rick leaving the show we're going to need JDM's prowess to continue.  But, I would think the twist would be that he would be a reluctant ally to the cause.  They'll need him and we won't be seeing Saviors 2.0 (at least not initially).

I don't know if I voiced this previously, but the whole logic of keeping him alive is really weak.   It reminds me of when everyone complained that the reason the Oceanic 6 lied about the Island was weak.  I mean I bought it and defended it at the time and could probably still make a convincing argument.  But when all is said and done both are very contrived situations to fit the scenarios the writers want.  They wanted people off the island, they want Negan to remain important on the show.  So, we have to let some of the plot mechanics go to see what they do with the characters.

We had a quick movement forward on Ann/Jadis and Gabriel.  Gabriel got to her a little bit because she was inspired not to kill him.   He was her ticket to Chopperland, but she didn't take it.  So where did she go?  No idea.   But, I did say in the comments last week that I wouldn't rule her out in having a chance to be good in the long run.

So, the bridge is not complete and not in good shape.  Water is rising and Eugene said they're screwed.  He apologized to Rick for not being a "bridge-ologist" (yeah i made it up).  Rick gave a motivating speech (probably his last) to Eugene to inspire him forward.   Then Rick and Carol had some parting words.  You could tell it was probably a final scene between them as Rick made comments about how if there was anyone that could make him believe in such and such, it would be her.   Carol gave up on the saviors and is heading back to The Kingdom for some royal loving.  She thinks they need to figure things out on their own as MOST don't want Negan back.

Ahh, but JED is still all kinds of pissy.  And figured out the Oceansiders were the ones picking off the saviors.  Somehow Carol got the upper hand in a standoff and there is a brawl about to go down!

Then there's Rick and Daryl's probable final shenanigans together.  If you sum up all of the talking lines that Daryl has had since season 2 this episode probably topped it.   He lured Rick away from stopping Maggie's pursuit of Negan.  But then they ended up in a ditch to work out their "stuff".  By the end they seemed to be on good footing.   Daryl asked Rick to let Carl go and Carl's unrealistic dreams of a harmonious future of the living.  They escape the ditch with falling walkers (thanks to the Savior/Carol brawl) and then part ways.   Daryl tells Rick to "be safe" which means you know things will not turn out well.   Rick takes a white horse to lure the walker herd away from the camp.  He doesn't want to give the bridge up.   (Bets on that everyone bands together to finish the bridge after Rick is gone in his and Carl's honor?  Ohhh the metaphor is right on the surface there folks.  Don't dive too deep!)

But then Rick gets surrounded.  It's reminiscent of Atlanta when the walkers surrounded him from every angle and Glenn ended up saving him.  Daryl even brought this up in the episode.  He falls off his horse and gets impaled by a rusty metal bolt/screw whatever you want to call it.   Now, going to credits and knowing he's in one more episode lets you know he's going to at least break free of this piercing.  How will he escape the walkers?  No telling.  But something tells me we're going to see some mirroring to the start of Rick's journey as we are guided towards his end.   Yes folks, I'm leaning towards this being a final end to Rick now.  Not a big shocker with the way things are going.  Sure, it could be misdirection.   But, if they're going to hype this up as his end, it's probably a finality.   Doesn't mean he can't come back for a series finale.  Hell Shane will be in next week's episode right? There's gonna be some hallucinations/dreams/flashbacks or what not.

I can't blame Andy Lincoln for wanting to move on from the show.  It's the 9th season!  I just wish the show would take a cue and move on as well.  This whole new era of TV where things don't end is taxing on my brain!  (and my blogging fingers)   I hate not finishing something that I start, but TWD may test if I have the resolve to keep going.   I will keep watching the show, but I'm just not sure what tricks they could have up their sleeve after the protagonist is dead and gone.  But, let's find out together!

Brace yourselves, next week is going to be rough folks!  Hope you enjoyed my ramblings and I'll see you then!

4 comments:

MJ said...

Wow - Michonne sure looked happy when she was killing walkers ! Guress she's not totally domesticated. And man - Daryl was seriously harsh with Rick - not surprising really. And yeah - he had some valid points about Glenn. Loved the pit zombies ! But Rick should have listened and let the hoard go to the brige .

I don't think they will kill Negen off. He lived in the books which is why they kept him alive on the show. Of course - so did Carl. LOL But I don't see him becoming an ally. He is not going to change his stripes. LOL on Daryl having so much dialog in this one. And yeah - it's looking like he will be sick and hallucinating.

Mike V. said...

Negan - I'm just saying they really need to do something different with his character. Even if he's still a villain but he's down and out instead of in charge of everything. They can't just repeat the same beats they did for 2.5 seasons. It got old fast. and when I say Ally I mean more in the terms of they hate each other but need to band together for a common cause. (kind of like X-Men 2 and many other similar stories).....like sure you're working together but you never can fully trust each other and Negan would eventually turn.

True on the comics with Negan not dying. But the excuse for keeping him alive is really weak. If it's the same excuse in the comics then it's for the same reason....writing mechanics to keep him alive!

MJ said...

Negan - but will be just as weak if he suddenly goes 'good'. I don't see him being a person who takes orders from others. We shall see

Not got to Talking Dead yet so have not seen the promo for next week.

Someone is saying that they saw Rick on a horse again ? I thought maybe a vision like we know Shane will be ?

I really liked out conclusion last week that Jadis was kidnapping him for the helicompter folks. But with the rebar now thinking he dies.

I just hope it is definitive either way. Not a is he/isn't he ending. that would suck.

Mike V. said...

Negan - I'm not saying he'd be "GOOD" or taking orders. Magneto really wasn't taking orders when they were working together in X2 (using same example)...and he turned the tables at the end for his true objective. Same principle here. Not saying it'll happen....but it would be a different twist.

Yep...there were definitely some mirroring images to the pilot in the promo for next week. he was definitely on the horse, but it could've been a hallucination. I don't think he'll go out that way. He may hallucinate through the episode, but I think he'll have a plan to carry out too.

I don't know...the fact that Gabriel hasn't died yet makes me think he might be spared for now. lol

Yeah...ambiguous ending definitely would suck. agreed!