The Walking Dead world just got a WHOLE lot bigger…but let’s start at the beginning. The struggle is real with Abraham, who can’t seem to reconcile his love for Rosita and desire for Sasha. He and Sasha clearly share a connection but realize their limitations. Meanwhile, Carl pulls a gun on an unsuspecting Jesus and demands he explain himself.
The following morning, Jesus explains he comes from a community similar to Alexandria and he took their truck because his “community needs things.” He mentions there’s other settlements his community trades with and says, “Your world’s about to get a whole lot bigger.”
Rick tells Carl if Jesus is telling the truth it could “be the start to everything.” He apologizes about not telling Carl about Michonne but Carl’s cool with it. The gang leaves Alexandria in the RV to go to Jesus’ community. (Funny side moment: Abraham asks Glenn if he meant to conceive with Maggie by saying, “When you were pouring the Bisquick were you trying to make pancakes?” and Glenn says they were).
Rick stops the RV at a suspicious crash site and threatens Jesus saying, “If this is a trick, it won’t end well for you.” The gang explores an abandoned house next door to save Jesus’ friends. They hit the road again and we’re introduced to a doctor named Harlin, who was on a supply run for medicine. The RV gets stuck in mud but Jesus assures them “We’re here. That’s The Hilltop.”
The gang approaches the wooden gates and is threatened by guards with spears. Jesus asks them to trust his people and the guards open the gates. Jesus explains the majority of the people and trailers came from FEMA camps. Jesus introduces them to Gregory, the leader of The Hilltop. On Rick’s suggestion, Maggie speaks with Gregory alone about how his community’s survived. Maggie suggests they start trading but Gregory dismisses it, says Alexandria has nothing to offer, and proposes her people work for it instead.
Jesus asks Rick and the gang to give him a few days to change Gregory’s mind about trading. They head outside to confront people coming back from a supply run gone wrong. Apparently, Negan said they didn’t have enough supplies and killed two of their own. Suddenly, Nathan says he has a message from Negan and stabs Gregory in the stomach. Rick tackles him while Abraham gets saved by Daryl who breaks the attacker’s arm. Michonne says, “drop it” and Rick takes the opportunity to stab Nathan in the throat…covering himself in Nathan’s blood. One of the women punches Rick for killing him and Michonne takes her the f**k down. Jesus breaks up the fight and calls Nathan a coward for doing this.
As Gregory heals up Jesus explains that Negan is the leader of a group called The Saviors. He reveals once The Hilltop was up and running Negan showed up, made a lot of demands, and beat the life out of one of their own. “Said we need to understand right off the BAT,” Jesus said. Abraham confesses he, Daryl, and Sasha blew some of The Saviors up a while back. Daryl proposes they kill Negan and rescue Craig in exchange for food and medicine. Maggie later convinces Gregory to accept this proposal.
Rick and his group gather supplies into their RV and promise to get Craig back from Negan. Rick questions him on Negan’s compound and convinces one of them to tag along. Maggie receives an ultrasound and sees her baby’s heartbeat for the first time.
Great episode! Exactly like the comics. Almost to the T. And the choice of actor for Gregory is perfect. Spitting image and just as weasily. Great job on this one. Looks like Negan may appear sooner than the last episode.
I hope he doesn’t. It really would ruin the “surprise”, if you know what I mean, if it was on the next few episodes instead of the finale.
Seeing Gregory interact with Maggie just creeps me out, especially knowing what happened recently in the comics.
very satisfying as a comics fan. I really thought the episode would be all just on the road to the Hilltop and end with them seeing it. Got so much more Im excited for some all out war
Can`t wait to play this stuff in the Walking Dead miniature game. kickstarter ends tomorow. They just said Negans going to be part of the kickstarter!!!!!
This episode might have been as close a representation to the corresponding comic issue than any episode of the series! The fight scene with Gregory and Nathan and Rick was to the tee from the comics! Gave me goosebumps watching it.
I absolutely LOVED how close it was to the comics. Hell, you could even see Earl (I’m pretty sure it was Earl) on the forge!
Cool episode. BASTET, I found comics in my area. OMG!!! Now I understand where you comic readers are coming from. Carol and Tyrese! Who’d a thought it. And when I turned one of the pages and saw Dale and Andrea getting it on!!! I had to put down the book a moment. The comics storytelling of events are so different at times than the show. Shane didnt make it to farm. Tyrese has a daughter. Lori loved Rick. I didn’t think she really did on show. The comics are more story driven and the show more character driven. I am nonplussed by all the differences. Will discuss more later. Darn keyboard acting up now for some reason. Oh, I’m up to when they find prison.
MARK thanks for website info. They have cool stuff too.
You just get to when you’re up to date with the show 😉 The comics are great and continue to impress
Can’t wait. Gonna take some time. I’m way behind.:-)
Where do you live? Here in Brasil, I manegd to find the physical comics but they cost a FUCKING KIDNEY! So I buy them on iTunes or the comics app.
I live in the good ole USA. There’s a small chain of stores here where i live that aren’t in the big cities called Hastings. If they don’t have it they try to find it at no extra cost to you. Then there’s a family owned store called Odd Ball who does same. They aren’t cheap but prices are better than I’ve seen other places. I’ve been to Brazil. The people there are not only gorgeous but were so nice.
Thank you <3
You’re welcome. 🙂
I’m here, Peaceful! I’m glad to hear you ventured into the comic! I KNEW you’d love it… haven’t come across anyone yet who doesn’t! I’m avoiding these show discussion posts but I’m still looking forward to your take on the comic discussions!! Enjoy! ☺
I’m here, Peaceful! I’m glad to hear you ventured into the comic! I KNEW you’d love it… haven’t come across anyone yet who doesn’t! I’m avoiding these show discussion posts but I’m still looking forward to your take on the comic discussions!! Enjoy!
P.S. Mark is part of my crew elsewhere… I’ll pass your thanks onto him.
It’s almost like two different stories at times between the comics and tv. Going back to get more comics soon. Thanks.
Thank you.
Amazing episode Melanie, I mean Natalie :p. I would not want to play Maggie in a game of cards…
Yay! Hilltop! That Prick Gregory! Negan!! And the blacksmith as well!!!
I may be a little overexcited.
wow except for all the utterly forced interracial and same-sex relationships these recent episodes are actually decent.
Really? You don’t have to watch you know, it’s not compulsory, and we wouldn’t mind.
I hope that Negan’s introduction to the show will be just as impacting as his comic intro. That is to say, I hope the stakes are raised by a huge and unsettling character death. That being said, I could also see him cutting off Rick’s arm as well, a job originally given to the Governor in the comic, but that ship has obviously sailed. No doubt the decision to have Rick keep his arm on the show was a budgetary decision based on the expense of constant visual effects work on the show’s main character, but at this point in the game, I bet they could pull something like that off. I’m calling it now, Negan takes a life AND Rick’s arm.
I think having Rick lose his hand would represent to much of a challenge to production. Wrapping it in green/blue, editing it out and limiting his character I feel is too much. I always though Merles bayonet hand looked clunky.
Everything about Hilltop gave me chills and was so perfect! I love how much they are honoring the source materials. When they first entered the Hilltop grounds I thought for sure it was CGI because everything was too perfect. Of course, these wonderful people used the comics to build the most perfect set though. I love love love it!
And The actor playing Gregory is so nailing the douche-game! Cheers!
I just recently re-read the “Something to Fear” story arc. The beginning of that arc is basically where we are at on the show right now. Given that the show has been really tight on the source material lately, and where we are on the timeline, if it plays out anything like the comic, I could see Abraham meeting his demise within the next couple of episodes – possibly even next week. We’ll see…exciting times. 🙂
Awesome episode! I am still cringing every time I see Abraham, expecting his death at any moment. But maybe they will play out the Rosita/Sasha thing and extend his life.. for now. I agree with all that Gregory is as big a whiny pain in the ass as in the comics. I loved how he said the antibiotics made him sensitive to the light.. sniff sniff!
I have to add that an episode in which Rick is covered in blood is the true mark of a good episode.
Rick looked awesome with his lion kill face!! I want Negan next episode. All out war hasn’t been on since The Governor. Every episode from here should be war. War!!!!!