We finally learned about Michonne and Daryl’s scars. They were branded, by children. Crazy trained murderous children. There was some physical and emotional scarring this week. I am very wordy this week. 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, whatever. The contact info is at the bottom of this blog.
1. Let’s start off with Jocelyn. A) How absurd was it that Jocelyn actually knew Michonne pre-zombie world and then found her? B) How absurd was it that Jocelyn basically got these kid’s parents killed and the kids just stayed with her and formed their own posse? C) What made Jocelyn think that she could possibly take out Michonne?
Bob: A) I have to let this fly. Yeah, it’s ridiculous and unlikely… Glenn and garbage cans. (You truly know how to tap into my illogical vein. Daryl and Carol’s ambulance feels left out.) B) Kids truly are impressionable so I believe this fully. C) She hasn’t seen Michonne in 14 years or something. She has no idea that she is second to the Black Panth… I mean, no idea the swords expert she has become and what she has been through. My guess is she is arrogant. (I also must say how happy I am that Black Panther didn’t win the Oscar. By the way, we are doing a ranking of every film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If anyone is interested, there are so many ways to contact me, use one of them and let your voice be heard. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.)
Raylene: A) I said for crying out loud this wouldn’t happen. B) Perhaps the kids were just scared to go elsewhere I’m not sure if they would have survived on their own. C) She apparently thought Michonne was still old world Michonne. (These kids seemed like gangsters who learned self-sufficiency and were Natural Born Killaz. I don’t think they were scurred. Also, an excuse for this video. I don’t own the rights to the song or the video or to New Jack, but I support everything about this and it is most definitely NSFW.)
Chris: A) The odds of that happening are basically zero. First off, they are nowhere near they were when they started. Second, if they were headed in the same direction they would have crossed paths by now. (I liked your point that they would have crossed paths by now. I am still struggling with the belief that there are groups or buildings that haven’t been discovered or raided within a 5-mile radius, minimum, by this point in the story. Keep in mind, Negan forced various communities to scavenge for him or they got got. I feel that every stone would have been turned by this point. That group just magically surviving and not crossing paths, nope, not buying it.) B). I don’t have a problem with this part. Kids are very impressionable. C) Well, to be fair, I don’t think Jocelyn knew Michonne is now a ninja.
Kent: A) I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a good TWD analogy. Remember when Rick and Michonne fought through like a thousand walkers and then they did the 2 car thing on the highway? Jocelyn was somehow more unbelievable. B) I am going to be a jerk here and say that I think everybody here is too deep in the forest to see the trees. If this story played out as explained here, and yes, we all know that kids are impressionable, but why is everybody just stopping at that conclusion. Go watch Children of the Corn again. Or watch Season 4 ep 16 of South Park called The Wacky Molestation Adventures. Wow, I feel awkward recommending something with that title, but if you have seen it, you would get the point.
Kids wouldn’t just stop with their parents. Jocelyn would have been killed and that is the fatal flaw. If you accept one part of this, then the reasonable follow up is the kids killing Jocelyn since they are taught self-reliance. C) I feel that we saw some flashbacks of old world Michonne way back in like season 3 or 4, and she didn’t strike me as soft. The only conclusion that I can draw is that Jocelyn saw that Michonne may have grown soft living in a comfortable settlement without knowing about her journey. Foolishness at its finest.
2. In your opinion, did you like the reveal of how Michonne and Daryl got their scars? Give me your thoughts.
Bob: I didn’t see it coming AND I really want there to still be a meaning to it. It was definitely an interesting and realistic reveal.
Raylene: I was thinking a group was harvesting organs from people. This story was ok it still left me with questions though.
Chris: I liked it. It was its own mini story and it explained why she wanted to be shut off from the world.
Kent: There isn’t much for me to offer on other’s opinions here, sorry. I liked the idea of branding and in hindsight, it seems very obvious. I feel like I should have guessed that and I am disappointed in myself. So it was a pleasant surprise. This was one of the only pleasant things about this episode, in my opinion.
3. Did this episode really provide enough reason for Michonne to be so cold to the other communities? What were your favorite and least favorite moments from this episode?
Bob: Uh-yeah. If you end up killing kids, you’re pretty much going to be a recluse. Frankly, I can’t even understand how she is a functioning person. I really liked the conflict of Michonne holding back and fighting that morale issue. IF it wasn’t for Shane’s child – Shane’s child – she may have been the sheep. (The funny thing is that when I watched it with a couple of friends, we kept emphasizing Shane’s kid. They are not TWD fans, so that revelation was very entertaining to them.)
Raylene: No it did not provide an adequate reason. Many have done horrible things now and Carol killed kids. That was not the main reason that she tried to seclude herself. I liked Negan putting Michonne in her place I never imagined I would be saying that. (The Negan scene was the best scene in this episode for me. Whether people like it or not, Negan is going to be even more popular than he was because of how they are writing his character.)
Chris: Yes. She went through a lot of trauma all while pregnant. Her child was kidnapped, her stomach cut, she was branded, and she had to kill a bunch of kids. I don’t believe Alexandria has a therapist, but I’m sure she needed one. (As we all know, any type of doctor doesn’t fare well in the apocalypse, including psychologists. I would like to think that Kent was a psychologist, but he had to get killed, so that’s what happens. Still incredibly bitter about that.)
Kent: No, no it most certainly did not. You have a counsel for a reason. You are a leader for a reason. If you are not capable of doing your job, then get the fudge outta there. I’m sorry that Michonne and Daryl had to kill some kids. It’s kill or be killed, and you gotta do you. This is a total BS reason for being cold to Hilltop and The Kingdom. However, this is a perfectly legitimate reason to be cold to Oceanside. This makes me even more annoyed that I have to take Tara’s side when she left Alexandria. Michonne, you are making me agree with Tara! That’s not okay!
Everybody has had to do things to survive that they hated having to do. I don’t see this as a moral issue anymore. There are still rights and wrongs, but I don’t see this in that particular light and therefore I don’t like this story at all. I’m not saying that people are wrong if they see it that way, this is one of those things that I could probably debate for an hour and never make any headway. If you liked it or found value in it, great. I didn’t.
As for my favorite moments. Obviously, Negan shutting Michonne down was incredible. Judith consistently being correct is doing wonders for me. The most underrated moment of this episode though has to be when Daryl walks out of the building and sees what Michonne has done, and he still has a look on his face of: “If you think what you did was badass, you should see what I just did.” I loved his reaction. Daryl is having his best season since season 2, no doubt about it. He’s starting to win me over again.
There were, unfortunately, more things that I didn’t like. Judith wasn’t going to be in trouble by that one stupid walker at that very moment. That is some cliche-ridden trash. Judith is better than that. It’s almost as bad as having the biggest badass die to a random walker bite on my birthday. FAIL! The fact that little Judith seemed confused about being happy that her mom rescued her. FAIL! Michonne trying to talk down to Lydia and tell her to sacrifice herself. That’s not cool. Lydia never asked for any of this garbage. Michonne should be giving Henry that lecture, not Lydia. FAIL!
When the words “Hey, we should split up” were said with Michonne and Daryl. When in the history of ever, has that really worked out for the best? FAIL! Daryl hugging kids seemed really weird and awkward, almost cringe-worthy. FAIL! Michonne was able to perfectly rip her shirt in a perfect line. Are you kidding me? FAIL! The fact that too often, the adults are forgetting to carry out Carl’s final wishes because they are too worried about other nonsense instead of coming together to make things better. FAIL! Sorry, I took a ton of notes during this episode because it irritated me.
4. Has Judith officially become the moral compass of the show? Which team is more formidable: Michonne and Judith or Negan and Judith?
Bob: I pick Michonne and Judith only because Michonne is currently in power. Negan and Michonne would be invincible as a team. Judith has developed some importance and value and her moral compass reflects that and her naivete. (After this season, I will be curious how the pikes will affect Judith’s outlook. Quite frankly, that is one of the bigger things I am looking forward to next season.)
Raylene: I say Negan and Judith just because I want to see that storyline. (I am so ready for that to happen.)
Chris: Judith reminds me of Carl for some reason (not just the hat….). I think Negan and Judith could be very formidable, if only he wasn’t locked in that cage…. (Judith and Carl have a lot of interesting similarities, despite having different fathers. I think Judith has had to sit and listen to so many stories and learn on the fly from the best of the best, and put that together with her desire to try to live up to her family’s lineage, Carl often wanted to live up to Rick’s expectations, so I see a lot going on there. Both were constantly learning yet providing a different perspective that was valuable, despite being overlooked too often.)
Kent: I don’t like that they gave away Judith’s hat on Talking Dead. That worries me. Judith is possibly the moral compass at the moment, and that’s not okay. I am going to choose Judith and Negan as a team. Now I know that Michonne is possibly the better fighter, and emotional investment can help, but it can make you careless as well. Plus, I feel that Negan’s style is different enough to compliment Judith’s style. Plus their dialogue is too good to pass up.
5. We know that Michonne is leaving the show next season. I am going to give you 5 names of people who should be considered the next leader of Alexandria. Rank them in order or who you would prefer or think deserves it. If you have any thoughts on each person, that would make this section far more enjoyable. The list, in ALPHAbetical order: Aaron, Eugene, Gabriel, Judith, and Negan.
Bob: ALPHA=BETA-cal order. (I’m so upset at myself for not writing that first. Excellent job!) 1) Negan – this stands on its face and it’s truly why Negan returned. He also has the experience. 2) Gabriel – He would receive the counsel of others well. 3) Eugene – He’s smart and more capable from previous seasons. 4) Judith – She is naive but more or less uncorrupted. She would also take wise counsel. 5) Aaron – He is a panicky nervous guy. (I haven’t seen that movie, but that was an enjoyable clip, and Katt Williams is always a treat.)
Raylene: Negan with Judith as his right-hand girl. The others as counsel. (Thank you for elaborating on this question.)
Chris: 1. Negan. 2. Eugene. 3. Gabriel. 4. Aaron. 5. Judith. Negan understands how to lead, and he seems humbled by his experiences. Eugene is the smartest, but Gabriel is not a coward. I almost think they’d be a good leadership team. (I can foresee a true council being formed eventually. It may make the most sense.)
Kent: I think this would be a great counsel, but obviously there needs to be a leader. 5. Aaron – he seems to be consistently picked toward the bottom, and for obvious reasons. He’s a really likable guy, seems genuine, but he makes far too make poor decisions. Honestly, had Aaron joined Daryl and Michonne in this episode, I would have him ranked higher. 4. Gabriel – I love Gabe and I could argue for him to be higher. He seems on the up and up but I am unsure if he would be a man of action. I feel that he would rely too heavily on the council at times when he would just have to put his foot down. 3. Judith – Everything that Gabe isn’t, but she lacks the experience. She’ll get there soon enough.
2. Negan – I originally had him at one, but there is a fatal flaw. I don’t know how he would be able to get everyone in line to back his decisions. That would be the toughest chore. 1. Eugene – he has shown that he can be a leader. He led his crew at making bullets. Eugene is smart and conniving. He would be thorough and elaborate. He’s also the best right-hand man here. The thing is, I don’t think that any of his flaws are as glaring as the other four, so he’s my choice by default. Plus I just got his Funko with him holding a jar of pickles. It’s wonderful. I also bought a Rick James Funko in that order.
Final Thoughts – On Talking Dead, they showed a pretty awesome preview for next week. In it, it shows Daryl, Carol, Michonne, and Yumiko surrounded by Whisperers, and then Beta orders them to drop their weapons. I like speculative questions, so how do you think this showdown ends for this upcoming episode? Here is a link of the trailer, sorry that it looks a little dark.
Bob: Capture. And Michonne is motivated to do “good” again. (I want her to do good and get got for doing that. I’m officially off of team Michonne.)
Raylene: I say Daryl gets roughed up by Beta perhaps he gets forced to get a haircut hahaha. I want to say that they are forced to watch the massacre. (Interesting idea about being forced to watch. That would be very interesting.)
Chris: I think Daryl will take over for Rick in the comics when he talks to Alpha (won’t spoil anything.). And to quote Tyrion Lannister, “Heads, pikes….” (I think that this group will end up replacing Rick in the comics for this part of the story, but it may just be Daryl.)
Kent: Yumiko is the only expendable one at the moment. I think The Highwaymen take a big loss in the upcoming episode. They should all get their red shirts on. I think Alpha is going to let them know that “this is what happens when you find a stranger in the alps” and then tells them that she has to go on a business trip. I don’t want to forget to say this next week, so I’ll just say it now. When the reveal of the border happens, I really want the Rains of Castamere playing. It would be a nice nod to Game of Thrones ending. It would also just be perfect. 8 more days.