This week, Simon leads the Saviors to the Hilltop and we have biological warfare. Tara, Tobin, and Kent are all attacked with varying results. Rick doesn’t want to do much talking. Henry is trying to be Carl Jr. and failing. All of this and more in this week’s blog. My name is Kent, and I ask 9 episode-specific questions, and 2 bonus questions, and that’s how we get the 9 Deuce. 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, whatever. The contact info is at the bottom of this blog.
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The 9
- We have seen Rick really turn out to be an interesting guy. Did you agree with his decision to kill the Saviors who wanted refuge at Hilltop?
Bob: I know in the moment we are more likely to say No no, that was bad. However, I will stand by my former decision about taking prisoners at all. Rick did what should have been done before. I am not even certain the converted Saviors are safe from Rick. (Good call on the converted Saviors. Is anybody really going to say no to Rick Grimes if he wants to kill any of the leftover Saviors? I doubt it.)
Bitty: It was unexpected that’s for sure. I want to agree I really do but I keep thinking that they need more people on their side. People are resources and he needs to see that. (Here, we have the flip side to Bob’s perspective. This is why Negan has such a huge army and Rick doesn’t. Negan knows that people are resources.)
Chris: I am torn. Clearly not all the saviors are bad people. He probably did the right thing, but went about it the wrong way. (The hard part for me is to figure out what the “right” way would have been.)
Kent: Really, what else was he supposed to do? These Saviors are out for Rick’s blood and his group’s. To the people with a mindset like Bitty’s, my question would be, how could he have trusted them, after they cleared that place out, is Rick going to trust them, or Morgan for that matter? Still, for all of Rick’s aggression, where was that attitude towards any number of individuals that screwed his plan up last half season to unleash hell at Sanctuary? That’s the difference. Negan would have punished Daryl and put him in line because he’s a good soldier. Rick doesn’t do anything. Also, the word resources has been used, but that’s really the biggest issue, a lack of food resources at Hilltop. Now you want extra mouths to feed? Yikes.
- Was Jared right all along? Also, you can talk about his cool death scene.
Bob: Haha, this scene was so very pleasing to me. It was definitely a climax. I would get the sense that Jared would have been able to break free with the adrenaline rush but that is no match for mental health issues strength. (You know I liked the character and yet I found the scene incredibly satisfying. He outlived my expectations, so kudos to him.)
Bitty: Jared was a Jerk. He couldn’t think past pleasing Negan. He also was “too far gone”. His death was intense for me. I had to look away when his face was torn off but when Morgan threw up his hands that was enough closure for me. (The whole pleasing Negan thing was always his problem. I can’t imagine Simon or Dwight tried to suck up that much. Jared was just a soldier or a thug, the heavy, never meant to be a leader. I think he was delusional too.)
Chris: Jared got a death he deserved. That blank stare by Morgan though. So cold…… Scarier than the flesh-eating zombies. (The Morgan stare was incredible. It was perfect. Lennie James never lets me down.)
Kent: Jared was right in wanting to escape all along. Jared was right in a lot of things. Jared was also delusional in thinking he was ,pre than just a cog in the wheel, a very unimportant cog in the wheel. Still, he was a great “love to hate” character. His scenes with Richard were really some of the best stuff of season 7 in hindsight.
- Is Henry the new Carl?
Bob: No. That’s all the answer that deserves. (I think you speak for a large majority of the audience.)
Bitty: I really hope not. We just don’t know enough about him. Plus I’m getting annoyed with the same story line for Carol and the kids. (Carol having to film a scene in the exact same location where Sophia was left, come one. Callbacks are one thing. The same exact location was sloppy in my opinion. Carol deserves better.)
Chris: It’s looking that way, though I’m hoping I’m wrong. His age is more appropriate for where Carl is during the war in the comics. I don’t know if they are doing the whole thing with Alpha and Lydia next season, but Carl’s story is so important there. (When I read your answer, it made me angry again. It’s such a good story and you can picture Carol in Rick’s role in the comics to find Carl in that storyline. I fear that is where they are going with it. That makes me sad and angry.)
Kent: When Henry survives getting shot twice, grows his hair out, tells off his father figure, and eats a big ass can of pudding, we can talk. Til then, oh helllll no!
- What do you make of Jadis and the helicopter now?
Bob: Jadis wants out and sitting around the garbage all day… I would know all the times and patterns that were occurring. (Yeah, really, what else did she do during the time in the heap? You would keep all kinds of mental notes I would assume.)
Bitty: Love this! She knew the helicopter would come back and was ready for it. I’m curious about her living arrangements. Did they all live underground? (I am going to say that she had dibs on this room, but there’s not a whole complex underground. Of course, I could be wrong, I am thinking the budget for that wouldn’t be worth it. Cool idea to consider.)
Chris: She clearly knew who they were. Now I’m thinking the whole garbage people thing was just so people would never ask them any questions. She clearly has access to nicer things (I.e that bedroom with all new fixtures.) (I really want an episode about only the Scavengers. Like how they came to be and how they lived. I think that would be such a great episode, and way better than so many episodes last half season.)
Kent: She knows way more than she let on and that is why her group always took the better deal in hopes of being left alone. She’s got connections it would seem, and access to some cool stuff. It makes sense why The Scavengers flip-flopped so much.
- Do you foresee Jadis and Negan working together again?
Bob: I will say yes but what this REALLY made me think about was Rick and Negan coming together. Negan seems to be able to have that effect. (Negan is all about bringing people together. He’s just a lovable guy.)
Bitty: No. I think we will loose Jadis at the end of this season. (I don’t like your attitude or your prediction. She’s a survivor, she’s got Thug Life written all over her.)
Chris: No, I get the impression that it was a one-off deal. Plus there’s a good chance one or both of them will be dead by seasons end. (OKay, 2 of you people predicting doom and gloom. This makes me sad. The war has to end with some huge casualty though it would seem. Was there on though in the comic? I really can’t recall.)
Kent: Jadis and Negan will meet again down the road. That’s the best I can offer at this moment.
- Has Negan become more likeable than Rick?
Bob: Yes. I began liking Negan after his episode with Carl. He has brutal methods, a little beyond Hammurabi’s code but it gets the point across. Negan is almost what we need in our snowflake society. (Yeah, we do need to toughen up a bit. Also, I didn’t know who Hammurabi was, and I was hoping that he was a sidekick to MC Hammer, but his story was relatively interesting. For those of you not familiar, here you go.)
Hammurabi
Bitty: We all know where I stand on this. I have always been a fan of Rick and his ideas but there have been moments in every episode where I see the light of Negan. It’s safe to say my hatred for Negan is less and less every season. (Before you know it, you’re going to be singing Little Richard’s “Lucille” on your way to work. It’s going to happen.)
Chris: He was always more likeable. I mean who else could pull off saying ridiculous things like “What the shit?!?” At the same time, he did brutally murder my favorite character, but I still blame Daryl for it. It seems like every season Rick goes through the same moral crisis. He’ll Read Carl’s letter and now he’ll be Officer Friendly again. (I enjoy Rick as Officer Friendly. It’s just weird when he is the main character.)
Kent: Negan may have always been more likable due to his charisma. When was the last time that you got super excited at a Rick moment? When he killed Gareth maybe? When he killed Porch Dick? I am seriously asking..
- Why can’t Daryl, and to an extent Rosita, leave well enough alone?
Bob: Who is Rosita? And after thinking about Daryl of old… Neither one of them are team players and are both just angry. (This is a perfect display of Rick’s weakness. He shouldn’t allow either of them to run roughshod the way that they do.)
Bitty: They both need to stay busy. They are very similar, both out for a fight and both out to end the war. However they try to find a different angle every time. (They are the person in the room when everybody else agrees, they have to be different just for the sake of being different I feel. Like attention seekers of the apocalypse.)
Chris: It seems the show has to have someone wanting to kill Dwight at all times. Daryl has become too whiny this season. While I’m not the biggest fan of his, this season he’s been basically a throwaway character. I think Rosita is justified in wanting to kill Eugene. He did betray them (or did he????) (The thing with Rosita is that SHE tried stepping up to get taken captive rather than Eugene when The Saviors took Eugene away after killing Spencer. I hate how they did her character at times. I feel it must be difficult to portray her character.)
Kent: Daryl is just mad because he hasn’t had a good storyline since we last heard Easy Street. Rosita……I like that she wants to do stuff, I just hate her methods, basically. Just go attack and get killed or kill. Just do something and end it.
- Who do you like to see Carol paired up with the most? I am not referring to a relationship because that is lame. I simply mean as a person that she shares screen time with? You can go past or present if you choose.
Bob: Negan. His charisma and his cunning nature would be a very intriguing compliment to Carol’s viciousness and manipulative ways. (Huh, you are right. Have they ever met? I am thinking that they haven’t. Negan would be enthralled by her I think.)
Bitty: Carol needs to have more screen time with adults. I’d like to see her in charge with Maggie and the other lady from the Kingdom (not sure of her name). (Not sure if you are referring to Dianne or Nabila. I am fine with Carol and Dianne going out and doing some work. They are both badasses. I want to have Nabila and Jerry in scenes together.)
Chris: Merle. They would have some awesome conversations, and be an unstoppable killing machine! I agree with the above comments. She is always put with kids. It would be nice to see her hanging around adults for a change. (Yeah, that’s a guaranteed gold star. I miss Merle so much. Makes me want to watch Hypothermia again, which was filmed not too far away from here on the Sacandaga Lake.)
Kent: Ed……I kid I kid. I think her and Abe could have been fun as hell because he’s funny and she has some witty lines. Everybody chose well here. We all win.
- Will Morgan remain on TWD past this season?
Bob: No, let’s call it quits, he needs to be somewhere else. (Awww, I want to keep him. But somewhere else boosts a show that needs some serious boosting.)
Bitty: I don’t see his character remaining on TWD. His story line has gone full circle now and he needs new material. (Will it truly be new material? I am curious.)
Chris: I think when this is over he has to leave for his own sanity. I don’t think he’ll be back on TWD. He’ll be a good fit on FTWD. (He actually is a good fit on Fear. I’m very excited for it.)
Kent: He’ll make a comeback on TWD. Morgan was always meant to last until the very end. Believe that.
Bonus Deuce
- If Rick got bit, would he die?
Bob: This depends on whether or not he was bitten by a walker or not. 😉 (Goooo on….)
Bitty: If Rick got bit he’d have someone cut off whatever appendage got bit and not die. (He’d cut it himself. He is gangster.)
Chris: Well, since last week I suggested he might be immune, I guess I’ll go all in. No, he won’t die. (I basically asked this for your theory’s benefit. I feel I have done my job.)
Kent: No, just no. He’s like Hulk Hogan. He does no job for a scrub. Wrestlemania is tonight….brother!
- We know that Morgan is going to be on Fear The Walking Dead. First of all, do you watch that show? Secondly, will his time on the show send us back in time between the Clear episode and him tracking the group to Alexandria, or will it take place in present TWD time?
Bob: I do watch FTWD. I think Fear will just catch up on the timeline. But it’s an interesting thought to think that big gap in time for Morgan on TWD would be him on Fear…
Bitty: I only watched the first Season and couldn’t get into it. I may try again now that they are further into the apocalypse. I’m not sure if the timeline with FTWD so I’d like to say it’s in the present.
Chris: Yes, Fear is awesome. I think it will be present time, but I would think there would have to be a time-skip on Fear for it to make sense. From where Morgan is now to where Fear takes place, pretty long walk.
Kent: Yes I shall. Back in time we go, although if you think about time frams, Fear Is close to caught up because TWD had 3&4 & 5 all close in months Then 6 & 7 & 8 all happened close by. Think about it.
Final Thoughts – Aside from Simon, do you think we will get any other major character deaths between now and the end of the season (2 episodes remain)?
Bob: Eugene.(BOOOOOO Bob BOOOOO. They already killed one of the 2 most important people, so why not?)
Bitty: The core crew will remain but we will most likely see Jadis and Gabriel die. I keep routing for Gabriel to kick it. Are we going to mention Jesus? His quick cameo appearance the other week? Where’s Oceanside? What is the time frame between the killing of Glen and Abe until now? (Shouldn’t Jesus have returned last week for Easter? I cannot be the only person to have wondered this. Also, I have spent time on your theories. We will discuss later. But Mania…..ya know.)
Chris: Tara, Tara, and Tara. In all seriousness, I do think she’s going to sacrifice herself to save Dwight. Also, Jadis , a crapload of Saviors, and the worst death of all, Lucille. Also, WHO GOT IN THE CAR WITH NEGAN?!?!? My guess is Ghost Lori! (I think it was Gregory in Negan’s car. I hope it is at least, and yes, Tara sacrifices herself.)
Kent: Gregory, Tara, and Daryl. I think the Saviors are safe by and large.
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