Welcome to the only Walking Dead blog that tasks people with answering 11 questions about an episode, no matter how bad or insulting it is to viewer’s intelligence. Oh hey, Episode 12 was really great, am I right? This episode can go back to Oceanside. On the plus side, it appears that Rosita and Sasha are about to give us a memorably moment.
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.
- Throughout the episode, Michonne seemed to be more in a rush than Rick. Why do you think that is?
Bitty: Rick was in the moment. At first I thought he was scared to go back to reality, scared of more deaths, more fights, scared of Negan. But as the episode went on he was just in the moment. He understands the moment finally. He can lose people and it’s ok but this is life now. Michonne will continue to keep Rick focused and be his mental drive. (I like that you describe it as living in the moment, because that’s the gist of it. No doubt.)
Bob: Michonne doesn’t have testicles. Rick has 2. (Yeah, nobody had a chance of topping this response.)
Briana: Rick first of all was just enjoying feeling alive out in the thick of it all. The outside feels more like home for him than behind the walls of Alexandria where he’s a prisoner to Negan. Also, I think it had to do with Michonne not being very optimistic that they would find something. Easier to just go back home than continue looking for something she feels is not out there. (I hadn’t considered that last bit regarding Michonne, but that sounds about right.)
Kristi: I think she was worried about the town. Rick seemed to want to spend time away and act like life was somewhat normal. (Yeah, he needed that breather.)
Kent: Rick really needs to take some time to digest everything. Rick has always been pushing and pushing when everybody else needed to take a personal day, basically. The only exception is when he lost his shit after Lori’s death. Aside from that, he’s been the guy to keep this operation constantly pushing forward. He’s in a state of mind where he just wants to enjoy a day or 2 with this chick and remember everybody that he has lost since this began, but especially Glenn. Michonne hasn’t had the attachment to these people that Rick has by virtue of being the leader. In a way, the whole episode’s theme was reflection if you want to get really deep and thoughtful. Rosita reflected on her decisions and has her discussion with Gabe about it, Tara reflects with Judith, and then the Glenn stuff hits you over the head repeatedly. The roof falling in happen in season 4, episode 1. Being surrounded by walkers in a vehicle with dead military guys goes back to the first episode. The stupid fake out of a character getting eaten by a mob of walkers goes back to the stupid thing that I am beyond sick of in season 6 episode 3. The fact that this episode takes place at a carnival/fair set up is also curious for those familiar with the books because if you recall, it was a fair when Alpha first launches her revenge. Also, TWD likes to incorporate deer more often than you may have considered. Consider Carl got shot in S2 Ep1 when looking at the deer. This was all like a weird flashback.
- Rick and company have hit the jackpot a few times when scavenging for supplies. This makes me wonder, do the Saviors do any scavenging, or do they strictly “supervise” other groups into scavenging?
Bitty: Great question!!! I’ve wondered this many times! What do the saviors do? They obviously grow plants and garden and harvest but then they just bully everyone to do the hard stuff for them. Saviors have it all together at their camp but when they are out on their own in small groups I bet they are controllable. (They shouldn’t be controllable. We only have a small sample to really know much, but when we first met the Saviors, with Daryl, Sasha, and Abe getting stopped in the road, it did take an RPG to defeat them. They were all well armed. Shouldn’t they be a better fight, or do you think they may feel a bit of comfort and complacency?)
Bob: They definitely supervise. I wouldn’t waste the effort… It’s dangerous to do though because at any point, the supply chain could set up and the Saviors would be high and dry. (That brings up something that I have often wondered. The Saviors are a huge group. Why doesn’t Negan have 10 people man each down to be more hands on with the supervision? Negan is ruthless, aggressive, smart, but he is not very tactical, and I think we keep seeing flaws in his system.)
Briana: I would think maybe in the beginning they scavenged a bit but now, no. If they did, they would have found the stuff our guys are finding. They just go around barking orders and doing lot of nothing. Just like CEOs. They reap the most benefit but do the least amount of work. Lol.
Kristi: I think they scavenge but are too afraid to be seen by Negan’s crew so the keep a down low.
Kent: This part baffles me. The writers can’t win here. If they were to give me all the info that I request, then they have too much stuff to worry about. Vague is better, but damn, I want a map. We know that there are numerous outposts for the Saviors. We know that they have communities working under them, some which we may not even know of. Still, it seems sloppy that there isn’t better coordination to figure out what has and hasn’t been looked at, especially by locals who are more familiar with the area. Really, nobody knew about this carnival place? I assume the Saviors scavenge and do a bad job at it. Also, let’s never forget the food truck that Rick and Daryl lost due to Jesus.
- Is Rosita’s anger towards Father Gabriel appropriate or misguided? Just pick one. Also, what do you think Father Gabriel’s message to Rosita meant? Was it more along the lines of stay within the system, or to go out and do what you need to, or something else?
Bitty: Misguided. Rosita is dumb and hot headed and is grieving. She doesn’t know how to handle her emotions. I think she has Daddy issues. Father Gabriel’s message to Rosita was just spinning it back on her. Her actions, her results. (Father Gabriel and Rosita in a duo scene, just not my cup of tea). (It was my favorite scene. This is why I have you around, very different perspective. Rosita was just acting every other female…..am I right guys? Don’t send me hate mail.)
Bob: Rosita is wicked emotional so all her decisions are misguided even if they end up being the right ones. I think FG was trying to have her stay in the system by giving her options but it didn’t turn out the way FG would have e preferred. (That makes sense. Gabe is at least thinking rational, but it’s not like he has all of the answers, but he is providing the best options that he can come up with.)
Briana: Definitely misguided. Her killing Negan and then dying herself wouldn’t have solved anything. Personally, if she’d have killed him in that moment, I think they would have just taken out everyone within the walls at the time. I don’t think there would have been anything left of Alexandria so it would have been counter productive for everyone. Gabriel being who he is these days, he’s probably telling her to do her own thing. He trusts her judgement for the most part even if he disagreed with that particular plan. (Yeah, within the walls of Alexandria, that would have been like the Wolves’ attack, only with well armed individuals.)
Kristi: Misguided. I think he is saying to balls up and do your damn job. That the group needs her. Her going out to do her own thing is on her. Hoping she will die doing because frankly, she annoys me. (I like that rational of Gabriel telling her to do her job, more of a leadership role.)
Kent: I think her anger is appropriate. She is so hellbent on doing something that anybody that is in her way is a detriment to her, from her perspective. She sees the aftermath and knows that she could have potentially ended it, but instead, let this guy get in her head. We don’t know what would have happened had Lucille not stopped the bullet. She knows that things would be better though. I feel that Gabe’s message was, you basically came to me, I told you what you needed to hear to keep you alive. Make your own decisions, but my advice will keep you alive. My favorite line of the episode was: “But you were… and you did.”
- Was now the right time for Tara to tell Rick about Oceanside given the circumstances? Also, how do you foresee that situation going down?
Bitty: I think it’s the right time. I’m beginning to understand Tara’s character more. She has always jumped from group to group and now she is choosing a “forever group” by telling Rick about Oceanside. How is that situation going to go down? I have different ideas, maybe all the men from Oceanside are part of the Saviors now, or maybe Rick will talk with the Scavengers and make them go get the guns at Oceanside. Either way I think Tara’s time will come when Oceanside is breeched. (That last sentence gave me a clue. I so hope she gets got. I can see something similar to the Dawn and Beth scenario where Rick makes a peaceful deal, and the guns are trading hands for some food maybe, and one of the outraged women shoot Tara to finish the job. I really hope so.)
Bob: Oceanside folks could end up dead. They tried killing Tara so that is their attitude. I suppose morally Tara had to tell Rick because it was killing her inside. (I can see that. I can also seeing it get really built up with tension and nothing comes of it.)
Briana: Yes. My biggest concern was that she might tell Rosita first and then she would have ruined everything but telling Rick is definitely the right thing to do. If they can make the right plan, it could work out even though there are big risks. I think they’ll send Tara in first since she knows them a little. Let her explain the situation and what’s going on and then send in the rest. That’s the only way I see it working out. (Oh man, I would have loved it if Rosita would have found out first. That would have led to an exciting episode. I have gone back and forth on how they even start a conversation and if Tara is really the right person to send in first. Hopefully they Ned Stark her.)
Kent: No, she should have told Rick immediately and gotten those bitches massacred back when they an advantage of sorts. Now is fine, but they have an even bigger disadvantage now. Seriously, who is Rick going to bring for this? Rosita and Sasha are going off on their journey. Carol, Morgan, and Daryl are most likely busy. So we will have Tara, Rick, Michonne, Gabriel, and Carl. That’s a perfectly fine squad, but they could really use Carol for this one. She would deliver. I don’t know how this will go down. I feel that they wouldn’t attack if Judith was present, but that wouldn’t be Rick’s way. Probably just a lot of Tara trying to be funny bullshit. I don’t care to know, but I feel that we may get our answer in 2-3 weeks.
- What was the most ridiculous thing that happened this episode?
Bitty: Honestly the finding of the gun infested carnival. Rick and Michonne couldn’t have traveled too far from Alexandria and the Saviors, how was this place not found already? Ridonkculous. Also something comical from Talking Dead. Andrew Lincoln describes Michonne killing 8 walkers as “Rickie Dickie” is trying to pull one walker out of a car.
Bob: The zombie shooting the rifle was really dumb.
Briana: Rosita and Sasha thinking they will be able to take Negan out on their own. Look I get it, these girls are bad ass! Like extreme chicks I could never measure up to but holy Christ man! You’ve got a whole crew of bad assery behind you, follow the mother effing plan! Those two are going to die this season and I have no doubts about it at all! At least one of them but most likely both. OH! Then there was the fact that the deer was so fake it was insane! Haha! There was no way to make that thing not look photoshopped in? Lol! (That was one of the worst special effects, if not the worst, that they have done on the show. It reminded me of time during the Bastard Bowl on Game of Thrones and there were so many shot that were too fake, and although the episode was good, it took me out of the moment at times.)
Kent: Oh man, where to begin? You have the sword toss, the walker who’s gun starts going off, the many callbacks to previous episodes, the deer not being startled by all the noise and commotion, the deer itself in all of it’s fakery, but let’s go with Rick using the hooked pole, which I am sure is not incredibly strong, as his weapon of choice.
- Was Rick’s car idea, to block off the walkers a good one, without the benefit of hindsight?
Bitty: Again, in the moment. It’s their life and they make the choices, whether good or bad. It was a good plan.
Bob: Oh my gosh, no. That’s a case of over planning and arrogance. (I’m glad that you bring up the arrogance thing. That’s been a thing in this show, and every time that Rick gets too arrogant, something brings him back down to Earth. Something bad is coming. This half season, him and Michonne have taken on like 200 walkers and they just smile and giggle about it. I think somebody has to pay for what Sasha and Rosita are about to do, and it could very well be a crippling blow. Tara and Gabriel seem like 2 characters than can be killed and not affect any future storylines from the comic.)
Briana: Yeah if it had worked, it was a decent plan! If he hadn’t gotten in the car when Michonne started pushing, they probably could have pulled it off. But you can’t help stop a car with out feet on the ground. And then of course the machine gun going off didn’t help matters but yes without hindsight I think it was a decent plan. (They really could have used Fred Flintstone for this mission.)
Kristi: Not a great idea but it worked out so..
Kent: It was a good idea. You can’t plan on the brakes not working. Here’s what got me though. Rick reaches in without checking to see if the walker was alive. Like, season 1 Rick may have been that naive. Season 7 Rick knows better, so what gives? Really dumb writing there. Don’t insult our intelligence.
- Why were those walkers’ wrists tied up? I don’t think that there is ever going to be an answer, but have fun with this.
Bitty: I saw that! I paused it to double check that I was seeing it right. I agree that we probably won’t get any answers about this episode. I think the demise of the Carnival was early in the change before people knew how to handle walkers. I think the Military tied up “sick” people and either let them alone while they were deciding what to do with them or had an execution that went wrong. (I like the execution gone wrong theory. It would have been cool to have shown a flashabck for 3 minutes in the beginning about the carnival. I miss opening backstories. That is something that this show is seriously lacking at the moment.)
Bob: I hardly remember this and being such a ridiculous episode….. (I’m just glad that other people saw this episode as absurd as I did. I got wondering, when I was writing these questions up, was it just me that saw the episode in that light.)
Briana: Man! That had me wondering the whole time! What on earth was up with that? My theory is whatever this place was in the beginning, they turned on each other. Maybe the military guys decided they didn’t like having to take care of the non military people? That’s my best guess. (Yeah, I could see them not wanting to share. Panic does lead to irrational behavior….hello 2016.)
Kristi: Their wrists were tied up? I need to start watching this twice. 🙂 (it does help me with my terrible memory to watch twice. This wouldn’t be the best episode to start that policy with. Next week’s should be fine though.)
Kent: I know that there isn’t much to be taken from this, but I will think back to season 1 of Fear The Walking Dead. The military had a quarantine, and kept people in cages. It doesn’t take much imagination to see how this went. Maybe they rounded up the healthy people who started an uprise, so the military took some down and tied up the rest. Or maybe it was something straight out of Stephen King’s The Stand, and maybe this was some kind of entertainment for the military guys. That would also be very cool, like have human carnival games.
- Who’s the better negotiator: Rick or Janis?
Bitty: Janis is emotionless. So far so good. Rick is emotional which will get you killed in the apocalypse. This brings me back to “we can live without each other” maybe Rick is learning this for real this time, making him a better negotiator. (Yeah, reading this made me re-watch Rick pleading with The Governor prior to Herschel’s execution. Rick handled that situation poorly. Couldn’t they have just left the prison and tried to rebuild Woodbury?)
Bob: Rick. His presence of a personality and charisma, regardless of the emotionless Jar Jar Binks cult, and his forthrightness will typically win in the end. You can read the “I will kill you” look. (Insulting Jar Jar Binks will always result in applause on my end.)
Briana: They seem very evenly matched but the fact that Rick was able to get double the guns he originally asked for makes me lean toward him. On the other hand, Janis has the opportunity to know he is good for his word and trust that he will be able to return with more. (I still think that she intentionally low balled him to see what kind of person that she was dealing with. If he had just accepted the 10 guns, I don’t think they would have ever really helped Rick’s group.)
Kristi: Rick. I kinda want to punch Janis. (Have you ever seen any of Janis (Polly McIntosh’s movies? I think you would dig of her films. Totally unrelated, but screw it.)
Kent: Let’s go with Janis. She lowballed the hell out of Rick to see who exactly she was dealing with. She was negotiating from a perspective of power while Rick while coming from a position of need. Both got what they wanted. I think Janis is happy to know that these people can end up being her allies. I also liked that she wanted her cat back. It was a fun touch that I am sure somebody else has touched upon.
- What will be the outcome of Rosita and Sasha’s mission? If anybody dies, who?
Bitty: Death. I’m hoping we lose Rosita and that Sasha survives. However Rosita won’t die until we see a classic Eugene and Rosita scene. (If they don’t have a Rosita and Eugene scene, this show would have F’d up majorly. It’s very important in my opinion.)
Bob: Sasha dies, Rosita joins the harem. That means Negan lives. (If she joined the harem, I am curious how quickly Arat would start hazing her.)
Briana: Both! I kind of touched on this on the wrong question! Lol! But I think they will get caught one way or the other and they’re going to die. If I had to pick one, it’s Rosita.
Kristi: Rosita will hopefully die. Sasha is pretty badass and I hope she survives.
Kent: Now my answer is far from definite, and I am trying to word this in a way that is without comic spoilers, despite there being no Sasha in the books, and Rosita never goes down this path, there is a similar story that has an awesome ending. We know that Sonequa Martin-Green is going to have a big role in the upcoming Star Trek TV series. When somebody has taken on a role that big, that is usually indicative that they are on borrowed time. Also, she has not been on Talking Dead in awhile, and I think they are saving her and Christan Serratos for that episode. I feel that Rosita’s character has become far too interesting to kill her. On top of that, I like things about her character in the book that leads to Eugene becoming a better character. I think Rosita is safe, and will get transported back to Alexandria, along with a lovely surprise, and the death of Tara or Gabriel. A moral compass or 2 are going to get it this season. I think Rosita needs her redemption storyline before her dies. I also can see Judith in potential danger, but the longer she lasts, the harder it is to kill her. They messed up by not having one of The Governor’s assaults kill her to make Governor more despised.
Bonus Deuce
- Did I just watch a romantic comedy set in the zombie apocalypse? More importantly, is a romantic relationship in the zombie apocalypse a strength or a liability? Yes, I stole that from Talking Dead.
Bitty: I really liked this episode. Yes, I know, classic Bitty form but I did! Honeslty I think everyone needs something or someone to love in order to have something to fight for. Love is always a double edge sword you have something to hang on to and fight for but you have something to lose as well. (Bitty, I would have bet my left testicle that you would have loved this episode. I feel anybody who owns their own copy of Titanic probably enjoyed this episode.)
Bob: bah. You know it’s needed. People live for relationships. They are very important. (I agree with the bah part.)
Briana: haha! I didn’t watch talking dead yet this time! So it’s new to me! I know you’re going to hate this answer but it’s truly both. It’s easy to find strength in someone you love but as we saw tonight, when that person is in trouble or when you’re put in a situation where your dependent on them and they can’t be there, it can really cause a problem. Sadly, I could see myself acting exactly as Michonne did when she thought Rick was dead. It’s not something you’d be able to control. But they sure do make a hell of a team! (It’s interesting that this episode aired, and on Tuesday, the comic for March was released. The cliffhanger involves Rick’s special lady friend in the comic may have been bitten. It’s not a spoiler for the show because it’s Andrea, so that’s not happening. I also don’t think the show will last to the point that they currently are in the books. The timing is interesting. I think what you just said is why I wouldn’t want to have a significant other in the ZA, or at the very least, go out on missions with them.)
Kristi: I dont think it was a romantic comedy. The setting is definitely different. There was certainly a romantic tone to the episode though. Are they just doing this for the folks that called the shows too violent? Thats possible. (One episode per half season has to appeal to the “typical female demographic”. I don’t say that to be a jerk, but in order to keep your audience, you have to offer a lowest common denominator type episode, and that’s what we really had here. I do love the theory that this was a response to the participation trophy section of society. I don’t think it is, but I can’t be sure on the filming timeline, so I like your idea better.)
Kent: I know that they tried to have some levity, similar to the Rick and Daryl meet Jesus episode, BUT this just bombed for me. Seriously, this was a chick flick set in the ZA. This wasn’t as bad as the Oceanside episode, mainly thanks to Rosita and Gabe, but close. So many stupid, utterly irritating moment that I’m sure some females just soaked up and now they talking about Richonne and relationships, or just ships for the millennial morons. I really loathed this episode, and I probably am being a tad mean, which means that I should be a little more mean. In the ZA, no romance. Booty calls are cool. Getting in good with somebody who is weaker than you is ok because you can always cut them loose and escape. You don’t want to be on the weaker end of the spectrum unless you are with some pathetic white knight. Then you milk that for all it is worth. I really had to tidy up this response as it was originally much much meaner and insulting to readers. Classy!
- Have you ever secretly wished one of the good guy characters would die? People like Spencer, who were generally disliked, don’t count.
Bitty: Well at this point who is left from OG WD? Rick, Carl, Carol, Daryl and Maggie? So of those 5… NO WAY!! (First of all, you left out Morgan who is only behind Rick on seniority, then Carl, Carol, and Daryl. Maggie is technically 2nd season, but she has 6th highest seniority and Michonne appeared at the tail end of 2, so she is 7th. After that it goes Judith and Sasha in 3, Eugene, Rosita, and Tara in 4, Father Gabriel, Aaron and eventually the rest of Alexandria in 5. Judith having the 8th highest seniority really surprised me.)
Bob: Not at all, not once.
Briana: I feel that way now! Lol! I am so ready for Rosita to go I can’t stand it! She was alright when she was like Abe’s second but now she’s like a soldier without her CO and she’s gone totally off the rails. She’s dangerous and careless. And she just gets on my nerves. (Sometimes I leave pointless comments. This will be one of those times. When you said CO, I’m like, why would Rosita need a corrections officer? Yeah…..I have to admit when I am a moron.)
Kristi: I was OK with Olivia dying. She was just not built for the war that is coming on. She would have died anyway. I think Negan did us a favor there. (I don’t think anybody has spoke ill of Olivia, so good job. I liked her, but she was a bit of a liability and totally expendable.)
Kent: Well, it’s no secret that I wish for Tara to die every single week. Honestly, I wanted Michonne to get bit here. I have wanted Glenn dead numerous times in season 4-6. I wanted Lori dead as soon as she started messing with Rick and Shane. Andrea I wanted dead, but she is like Tara, I have hated her from the get go. Beth, Noah, hell, Daryl at times all fit. I really wanted Negan to smash Maggie’s dome in. There’s really only a handful of characters that I haven’t secretly wanted dead. They would include Merle, Abe, Governor, Herschel, Shane, Carol, Bob, and Shumpert.
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.