Welcome back to the only Walking Dead blog that adds a 9 Deuce gimmick. I am your host, Kent, and this week I am joined by Bob, Briana, Cece, and Teddy. This week, we were tasked wondering, would we want the red or orangey pasta? We have 2 characters in Dwight and Eugene who are so very different, yet are going through some similar struggles. Most importantly though, we met the Gremblygunk. So that’s cool
In case you aren’t familiar with this blog, I ask 9 questions that are episode specific and then 2 bonus ones that can be anything Walking Dead related. If you like what we do, please check out the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/9deuceblog/. You can also follow us on Twitter @official9deuce and Instagram which is also Official9Deuce. Finally, if you want to email me because all of those options weren’t charming enough, write me at Kent@9deuce.com. Sorry, I hate all of this promotion as much as anyone else. If you would like to participate, let me know. The more the merrier…….. until we hit double digits. Enjoy this meme, provided to me via Cece. Please note all messages in bold are written by me.
- Eugene is asked by Laura what he would like, and he asks for lobster, but he at least ends up with orangey pasta and pickles. Thinking realistically, what food item would you have asked for that may have been there?
Bob: I would have asked for hot dogs and sauerkraut, both are well preserved and have a ton of fat and protein. Yes, Twinkies too. (The Hot Dogs are incredibly versatile, and while I have never been a fan of Twinkies despite being pleasantly plump, if we substitute that with the Snowballs or Zingers, then I’m sold.)
Briana: Pizza! If I’m trying to think of something I eat often that I would go without and the most practical thing that has a chance of being around, I go with Pizza lol! (I am mostly curious if they have figured out how to make cheese because Eastman, Morgan’s life coach, couldn’t make good cheese.)
Cece: Fuck man, ALL THE CHIPS and of course tacos somehow. (I am curious where they get their meat, because if it’s from The Kingdom, I don’t want that.)
Teddy: Man I’m a slut for pickles. I would ask for that or ramen, because who doesn’t have ramen lol. (Annnnd the real winner of this question is the man who proclaims himself to be a slut for pickles. Kudos.)
Kent: I feel that baked chicken wings would be doable in the ZA, so I will go with that. That jar of pickles would be amazing though. I love pickles.
- After Eugene gave Negan the smelter idea, did they just become best friends? This can be taken seriously or you can just do a Step Brothers quote. Both would be fine here.
Bob: Regardless of what we see in Negan… No one is his best friend besides himself. I don’t think Eugene truly believes he is Negan’s best friend, but rather in a position of need and power.
Briana: I think Negan thought so. I think Eugene is playing them and biding his time.
Cece: Nah. Not at all. Negan just wants to use him, of course. Negan doesn’t care about anyone but himself. (Yeah, I think Negan basically is smart enough to play ball to maximize his use out of Eugene. He was a teacher, just like Eugene, but they don’t know that they have that in common.)
Teddy: They became best friends like I did with my drill sergeant at basic. It’s never a good thing, because if anything goes wrong it’s your fault.
Kent: Well, it certainly sounded to me like Negan was going to invest. Rick is busy dealing with boats and hoes, so Negan will fortify Sanctuary, maybe add more room for activities. I think Negan has taken a shine to Eugene and he knows that this guy can keep the Saviors on top, and his expense is very little in all reality.
- Who is the biggest ladies man on the show?
Bob: Abe WAS. But now, Negan, as he has the confidence thing going for him as well as the power thing. He is like a king or Pharaoh… (If Andrea was alive, I bet you that she would be one of Negan’s wives. She went for guys in power.)
Briana: I would go with Jesus or maybe Ezekiel. Jesus has the eyes and playful personality. Ezekiel has the brute force with a soft side thing going on. (I thought Jesus’ eyes would be brought up way more. Good job.)
Cece: In a sense, Eugene. But also, Jesus. (Can Eugene count if his interaction with women include jerking off to Abe and Rosita going at it, Tara the lesbian being kind to him, and Negan’s wives feigning interest in him to get something? If so, I am totally down with that response.)
Teddy: Right now I say Jesus. Bitches love Jesus. (That should go on a shirt. Bitches love Jesus.)
Kent: Wait, nobody said Daryl???? I’m kinda shocked. Plus, Rick has gone through Lori, Jessie, and now Michonne, but gets no love, plus Beth kissed him. I found this surprising, but this is why we do this blog.
I gotta go with Shane. He had Lori and then Andrea is short succession. The Governor was my second choice in bagging Andrea and then Lily. Had he also taken Maggie, he would have won this one. Abe also has to be considered with Rosita and then getting in the suit with Sasha, and even helping out that chick at the construction site, I think it was Annie. Man, lots of considerations. Hell, Axel was asking about Beth and then Carol once he discovered that she wasn’t a lesbian.
- Will we ever see Sherry again?
Bob: Oh yeah! I hope so! We need some backfiring! Dwight’s true colors have to be revealed, just so we can see a feigned smile from Negan! (Wow, that’s twice that a form of feign has been used in this blog. That is neat.)
Briana: I’m guessing yes, but part of me hopes it will be as a walker. Haha! I liked Sherry but it would make for a hell of a moment. (We don’t get to have those moments anymore, so it would be nice. I think the biggest one was Daryl finding Merle, and that was heartbreaking, and this could be the same if they did it right.)
Cece: I hope so. I liked Dwight’s little treat for her 🙂
Teddy: I mean Dwight NEEDS to find her. If he doesn’t then Negan will have no use for Dwight. I do feel like he backed himself into a corner with saying he killed her. (Right. It goes back to Merle lying to Governor about killing Michonne. If Sherry resurfaces, Dwight will have to kill her or defect.)
Kent: It seems viable that we would. The whole Dwight thing, I think they are doing a wonderful job with it compared to how the comics handled it. It’s much more story driven and complex with layers, and I really love his story so far. I know where it goes in the books, but that doesn’t always mean much. Dr. Carson had a very different path in the books.
- Did Negan’s wives really like Eugene or were they just using him, or both. Yes, I am allowing a both response for once.
Bob: Both, he did not use them as far as he was allowed to. He looks like a good guy even. But they were definitely using him, whether or not he is a good guy.
Briana: A little of both but I lean more toward the using part. They definitely wouldn’t have given him a second thought if they hadn’t needed him but I don’t think they minded his company too much. (There you go. That’s the thing I kept thinking about.)
Cece: Absolutely both. I think they found it nice to be around someone who was kind and not so expecting of them, but they also wanted help for Amber or whatever.
Teddy: I think they do like him, but he is a means to an end.
Kent: They liked the break from the norm that Eugene represented. They liked the idea of it more than the man. But that was it. Bitches were using him, as bitches do. I wrote a song about it. Just using him is the answer. Yeah, I misled you all by saying that it could be both.
- Do you consider Eugene a coward, yes or no? Why? Also, should he have given the girls the pills?
Bob: He should not have given the girls the pills, no way. He is a coward and as I responded in a previous blog, Eugene will be loyal to whomever exercises power over him. (As currently presented, yes, you are right on the money. Hopefully, that eventually changes.)
Briana: No, not at this point. I have a strange feeling everything he’s done has been strategic. I don’t think he’s being cowardly at all. And giving those pills to them would have led straight back to him. He did the right thing keeping them. (Realistically, aside from Rick, Eugene may be the ultimate survivor in that he has had to do very little, compared to pretty much every other living person in that world, in order to survive. Rick is probably the ultimate survivor because he does whatever he has to.)
Cece: Not a coward entirely. He’s grown a lot since the beginning. He probably shouldn’t have messed around and gave them the pills because he will probably get figured out.
Teddy: This episode showed how fucking boss Eugene is. Yes he does shy from a fight but that makes him smart, not a coward. Eugene is trying to save people his way, even if it’s just a mercy killing. (This show has done Eugene justice, no doubt.)
Kent: Yes, of course he’s a coward. But he is smart and he knows how to lie.The man is brilliant, but his particular set of skills aren’t toughness and bravery, not yet at least. This stint with Negan will provide that last bit that make Eugene my favorite character in the franchise.
- Why did Dwight end up screwing over Dr. Carson? Do you consider Dwight a bad guy?
Bob: Dwight hopes to be with his woman again. He is a bad guy now, but his heart is still not behind Negan. He outsmarted Negan and manipulated him.
Briana: As with everything else Dwight does, he was saving his and Sherry’s asses.
Cece: Dwight is doing ANYTHING he can to protect the woman he loves because he wants to be with her again. Not a bad guy, just a selfish guy. (Hmm, I would love to have you elaborate more on the selfish aspect of your statement. I haven’t considered what he’s done as selfish, but would like to hear your take.)
Teddy: Dwight did what he needed to protect Sherry. That being said it does corner you when you make lies like that. (Lies tend to backfire in the ZA moreso than in real life. I think it’s because there’s less people to cause a distraction from the truth.)
Kent: Dwight keeps digging that hole and he doesn’t know how to get out. I sense that there was some underlying issues between him and the doc because Sherry was working with the doc, like some jealousy. Yeah, it’s probably not that, but let’s go with jealousy. I absolutely don’t think that Dwight is any more of a bad guy than Rick. Once again, if the show has told us Dwight’s story for 7 seasons, we may find ourselves being totally cool with his actions.
- Has Eugene gone to the “dark side”?
Bob: Yes, until the Saviors seem to be losing their grip over everything. Eugene is a drone, he will be with and under anyone who protects him or threatens him. (I’m going to guess that by season’s end, your perspective may change.)
Briana: No. I really think he’s being a lot smarter than he’s letting on. He’s playing the role he needs to survive until his group gets to him. I think he has complete faith that they will come for him one way or another. (I actually wondered about that. He already sacrificed himself in the season 6 finale when he drove the RV. I have been wondering if he has decided to just make the best of this situation, or if he really believes that he will be rescued. He knows that the odds are very drastic of getting rescued. I wanna talk to Kirkman now and get answers.)
Cece: I don’t think so. It’s all in good timing. I think he will use his experience with the Saviors to do some good in the regular group. (That’s another good point. Say that Eugene does eventually reunite with the group, unlike Daryl, Eugene is experiencing the Saviors thing entirely different. I imagine that this would lead to better management moving forward. No matter how “evil” the Saviors are supposed to be, they have a good system in a lot of ways.)
Teddy: Dark side? Nah Eugene just created a persona to survive. He did it with Abraham and he is doing again here. (Yeah, it’s the simplest way of viewing it. He’s just doing the same stuff with a new audience, like a magician.)
Kent: No, but how awesome would that be? He is biding his time. When it happens, you will be cheering. He will milk it for what it is worth for awhile I suspect. Maybe even sabotage something and potentially blame others. Like a game of chess.
- Is Eugene appreciated more by Negan than he was by Rick’s group?
Bob: Yes. At least he has a function and he has some authority, albeit that authority is on borrowed time. Eugene hasn’t experienced the ramifications of a failed task yet.
Briana: I have to say yes. The group got used to his ramblings of things they didn’t understand. Negan is seeing it for the first time and it’s getting his juices going.
Cece: Probably. No one has ever seemed to really give Eugene time to shine. Now is his time.
Teddy: Outside the blonde girl, I say no. The Saviors just use people. There is no appreciation behind it. You do what they say or you die.
Kent: If I look at it post Eugene admitting to his lie, I think that Negan actually appreciates him more. I know that is weird. Yes, they listened to him about the Sorghum, but the dude had ideas and they should have really utilized him better. Negan simply asked for ideas, Eugene gave him one and they started implementing it the next day. I feel that moving forward, in Negan’s mind, he probably wants Eugene in a Milton like role for the Governor.
Bonus Deuce
- Negan views Daryl as “emotional”. Do you think Negan views Dwight as emotional as well?
Bob: No, he is blind to such things and these are simply talking points where Negan wants to just hear himself sound great and pretentious. (Judging by some of your responses, I get the feeling that you view Negan as not necessarily a smart and aware dude, but rather a fear wielding ruler who is oftentimes too full of himself. Would that be somewhat accurate?)
Briana: It’s possible Dwight does a pretty decent job hiding his emotional side in front of Negan these days. I’m sure he thought he was emotional but might not see that now.
Cece: Absolutely. They’re both very alike in the way they act.
Teddy: Dwight is the great value brand of Daryl. So anything Daryl is Dwight is but to a lesser extent. (Nice Great Value brand reference!)
Kent: I feel that Dwight is that one person that is almost off of Negan’s radar. I think he feels that he has done enough to make him his bitch. He knows that stuff bothers Dwight, but he also fully expects Dwight to shut that shit down, as Negan would say, and do his job, and so far, Dwight has done that, giving Negan no reason to question Dwight’s emotional state. I also feel that Negan actually pays attention to Dwight’s emotional side because he gives him extra attention at times, whether it to prove a point, or maybe offer some encouragement. Guys like Dwight are rare for Negan, I suspect, so I believe that Dwight is one of the few people that Negan keeps a pulse on.
- Do you think there is any rhyme or reason behind the choosing of Yars’ Revenge as the video game on the Atari 2600?
Bob: I can see a parallel. I guess we can see Eugene as being in a neutral zone of sorts… (Interesting interpretation that I hadn’t considered.)
Cece: Not entirely sure because I’m not too familiar with the game myself. (30+ years ago, that game fun as hell. Probably closer to 35 years. It will seem lame by anybody who doesn’t have the nostalgic memories to support playing it though.)
Teddy: I love the knowledge of old school games. Shows that he is a nerd. It’s relatable to me. (Same here.)
Kent: I want to say yes. I can’t fully say yes because I don’t know how things will play out, but if Eugene ends up being a catalyst for the fall of Sanctuary, for instance, I would consider that Eugene’s Revenge. Why would you pick a game that was popular, but isn’t well known by the vast majority of your main demographic? If you wanted to go with Atari, you could have gone with a bunch of other games like a Pac Man, Missile Command, Centipede, Asteroids, Donkey Kong, E.T., but they went with Yars’ Revenge, which doesn’t have a terribly elaborate story, although a comic did come with the original game explaining things a bit. This show oftentimes has rhymes and reasons behind things that don’t come to fruition for a season or 2, or things tie back to past seasons. I think this is one.
All of the pictures are the property of AMC, the producers, Robert Kirkman, and all of the other people who helped make this. I am simply using the images for review purposes.