This episode, Hilltop prepared for war, Ezekiel told Carol & Daryl about his cancer, and Eugene sang some Iron Maiden to Stephanie. My name is Kent, and I ask 5 weekly questions and then people answer them. Any comments in BOLD are written by me. I hope you enjoy and if you or someone you know may want to do this blog, contact me, leave a comment, etc.
1. Ezekiel has now let both Carol and Daryl know about his cancer. Do you consider this death sentence for this season? If yes, how soon do you expect it with 5 episodes remaining?
Bob: I predict, just for the fun of it, that he dies strictly from cancer, not a warrior’s death. But yes within the next 5 episodes. (That would somehow be a sadder death. I could see them milking that one.)
Raylene: It’s sad since he’s a good character. I also enjoy him as an actor. I say in 3 episodes he’ll be dead. (That episode seems destined for something awful.)
Kent: I said in last week’s blog that he was dead as soon as he revealed it. Now it didn’t happen on this week’s episode. Looking ahead to this week, they already showed us that Ezekiel is trying to gather and protect the kids. We know that Judith has a bit of her brother in her because she is nowhere to be found. But that also tells me that Dary is due for a rough episode, seemingly. That also tells me that Ezekiel has to live long enough to protect the kids. That will result in him dying while protecting the kids, or maybe he holds out long enough for Maggie to show up or perhaps Judith owns it. I like all of these possibilities, but Ezekiel is gon get got, which makes me sad.
2. Carol had sex with Ezekiel, had a unique chat with Lydia, had a quick chat with Daryl, but wasn’t featured in the fight scene at the end. Do you think that Carol is finally getting her head straightened out or is she perhaps doing something else (potentially crazy)?
Bob: I hope it’s crazy because it truly seems hopeless for Hilltop. (If she can top the opening of season 5 at Terminus, I’ll be super impressed.)
Raylene: Carol is off still doing crazy shit because she can’t help herself. Maybe she’ll try to kill Lydia in front of Alpha to screw with. I said awhile ago that to truly get to Alpha you’d have to behead Lydia in front of her. (Too soon!!! Lydia is a great character, so I hope that you’re wrong.)
Kent: First off, kudos for the writers to give the responsibility of the kids to Daryl and Ezekiel. Despite Carol’s high ranking, she gets kids killed in her own way. This was a good episode for Carol, and I especially liked her chat with Lydia because it gives me hope to see them do more seasons together. Now that I know what the 14th episode is named, I am assuming Carol may be going rogue again.
3. If given the opportunity, will Alpha kill Lydia or Gamma as soon as she can, or would she try to keep them alive?
Bob: She would want to humble Gamma, then kill her. She would keep Lydia alive, it’s her weakness. (I fully agree with you and have nothing left to offer.)
Raylene: I think Gamma she’ll go after and not hesitate to kill. I’d like Gamma to stick around but I’m not sure that’s happening. (I feel like Gamma or Lydia will die this season. I’d be surprised if they kept both, which is a shame considering how fresh their characters still are and how good the actresses are compared to some of the others. I’m looking your way Oceanside.)
Kent: She would kill Gamma on the spot, not a second thought. I don’t think that she would immediately kill Lydia. I’m not even sure if she can bring herself to do it. I don’t think that she could. Lydia is Alpha’s weakness.
4. Negan has a Whisperer mask with the Joker smile and he gave Alpha some advice that brought back some very fond memories of season 6 episode 16 right before the lineup. Is Negan all in on this Whisperer stuff or is he playing the long game? Secondly, if Negan does turn on Alpha and the Whisperers, what will it take to make him do that? Let’s face it, most likely he will be protecting somebody.
Bob: Little Kick Ass will come to fight and be in peril. Negan is long game, calculating the perfect time to strike with the most impact. (Negan is truly a big picture guy, he has been this whole time and I don’t see him changing suddenly now. I think Brandon made his mind even more clear. The children are the future in his mind.)
Raylene: Negan will be protecting Judith plain and simple. He is just playing the game trying to stay alive. (Will he give CPR to the beat of Stayin’ Alive? Yes, this is a The Office reference.)
Kent: I am confused, which I am happy with. I truly thought that Negan was playing the long game, but to be honest, I think that he is digging being a Whisperer and I have been misinterpreting him. I also think that he kills Alpha or Beta because Lydia or Judith is in peril or a small possibility of it being Daryl. My guess is Lydia though. This has been the build-up for his character since last season, and this will be his denouement.
5. Eugene got to sing “When the Wild Wind Blows” by Iron Maiden over the radio and have had one of the better romances in the show. Rosita seemingly ruined things but then helped Eugene “get it” Give me your thoughts on all of this and do you think this is a good thing that Eugene is set to meet Stephanie in a week in West Virginia?
Bob: I like this story. It is cute and Eugene kind of deserves it. I don’t think the date will be a problem. (You know that I rarely ever say this, but it is cute and I am enjoying it.)
Raylene: No this is like when Alicia ruined Strand’s yacht because she was stupid with the radio. I’d like Eugene to have someone to love but just don’t trust people now. (I am simply curious what kind of barebones crew Eugene will bring with him. I can see Rosita, Travis, maybe someone like Luke, and Dianne.)
Kent: I had never heard this song, but I am enjoying it while writing this. We all knew that Rosita was going to spook Stephanie on the radio. There may not have been a more obvious plot point from this season. Still, I really liked how they did it. Rosita has some episodes where she feels completely expendable and then some episodes where she feels like a top 10 character. Eugene going on a journey to meet Stephanie seems like a horribly timed thing. We know that Hilltop is gonna be in ruins, and I am sure Eugene’s knowledge would be incredibly useful if the plan is to rebuild there. This tells me that either they aren’t planning to rebuild Hilltop or that Earl is about to get a much bigger role. By the way, Earl’s little war speech was fantastic. His hat is silly, but I really like Earl.
6. 1. Is next week’s episode when Maggie makes her return? 2. Talking Dead has 2 mystery guests and Jesus. This may mean 1 or 2 deaths, or none. Let’s assume 2, pick who gets got.
Bob: Maggie who?? Makes sense though so yes she is coming back next episode and saves everything…. Gamma and Alpha get got.
Raylene: I’d rather not have Maggie back period. I don’t like your scenarios period. Not my Beta. I say long shot Michonne gets it doesn’t make any sense but why not. And poor RJ he hasn’t proved useful by any means and get Carl’s hat off. (Michonne is in the next couple of episodes, but RJ can take a bullet in his bubblegoose.)
Kent: 1. Maggie’s return can be this episode or episode 14 or 16. I don’t foresee her coming on a horse with some way to help fight off the Whisperers. Hell, this is one of the best “how the hell are they getting out of this one” scenario….unlike those caves. There’s no need for Maggie to steal someone else’s shine, which worries me that I am wrong. I say no. 2. Ezekiel and Beta both get got in this episode. I think Beta has Lydia trapped and is superfly pissed and Negan breaks Lucille on Beta but it’s not enough to kill Beta. Then Lydia gets the killing blow. I think they are changing ways from the comic again and this is a good way. Scenario 2 is that Beta finds Judith and wants to get her back for shooting him. Ezekiel steps in just in time to save Judith but is killed and then Judith gets the kill on Beta.
Final Thoughts – Just so you know that the next 2 episodes spend a lot of time with Michonne supposedly before we go back to the aftermath at Hilltop in an episode titled “Look At the Flowers”. Then the Whisperer War is supposed to end in the final 2 episodes while Eugene is with a group meeting ________ which should be a treat with the proper person playing her role.
1. Do you even find yourself caring or missing Michonne? 2. Is this good pacing for the show to supposedly end the Whisperer War by the end of the season? 3. Is Carol going to make someone look at the flowers?
Bob: 1. Not at all. 2. Definitely. 3. Alpha (Bob, your’e too wordy. SHorten your response please.)
Raylene: Hahaha I predicted Michonne’s death here so I’m doing well. If the whisperer war is done then Alpha and Beta must be dead noooo. I say Carol is the one looking at flowers I know I know 3 year contracts. Long live Ginny to the rescue of Hilltop (If a Ginny action figure exists, consider your Christmas shopping complete.)
Kent: I don’t miss Michonne. When she comes back from her trip with Virgil with the arsenal to vanquish the Whisperers, she’ll either die tyin’ or just leave the show. I have heard a theory that she may get intel on the helicopter people while with Virgil and set off on her own to go find Rick. This would explain why we see her with 2 minion walkers as we saw her upon her debut. I don’t like that idea. I’d rather have something permanent with Michonne because I can’t imagine her just leaving her kids. Maggie took Herschel with her. If Michonne wants to take RJ, I’d allow that. I guess it is the most reasonable way to get people to watch this Rick trilogy if she appears at the end of the second one. It would probably draw some viewers. I just don’t like it.
2. I like the pacing because as most people know, the Savior War lasted 3 damn seasons, and most would have preferred it to last 1-2 years. I think 2 would have absolutely sufficed because there were some really bad episodes and they lost a lot of fans during that time. I hate to lose the Whisperers, but better to go out while still being captivating and interesting than to be boring.
3. “Look At The Flowers” is a borderline iconic saying for TV fans. It only seems logical that she is on the verge of killing someone. Maybe I’m wrong and Alpha is killed before Beta. Maybe Negan or Lydia gets the kill. You know damn well that you can see Carol and Lydia having a look at the flowers type scene. Lydia with her self loathing, Carol pissed about losing her opportunity to kill Alpha. Lydia makes sense given the scenes that we have seen between the two. But what if it was Negan instead? Negan certainly doesn’t strike me as a character that is lasting into next season’s voyage, presumably to the Commonwealth. Maggie certainly wouldn’t want him roaming free. Is this the way to kill off Negan? Carol isn’t going to kill Lydia, but she may kill Negan, and he has a bit of self-loathing too. Somebody is going to look at the flowers, just a question if there will be blood splatter on those flowers at the end.