The Mid-Season premiere picks right back up with the Biker gang informing Daryl, Sasha, and Abraham their property “now belongs to Negan.” The main biker seizes their guns and instructs one of his men to have Daryl show him the rest of their truck. Known to us but not the gang, this is not a group to mess with. Daryl takes matters into his own hands and shoots a RPG at the gang and BOOM, they’re free and back on their way.
Meanwhile, Alexandria is still overrun by a horde of walkers that Rick and the gang gingerly trek through outfitted in walker gut ponchos. Rick hatches a plan to use the vehicles at the quarry to round up the walkers. Father Gabriel offers to keep Judith safe in the church in the meantime.
A few houses down, Tara pleads with Rosita to rescue Denise from the Wolf outside but Rosita talks her down. Carol comes to, borrows Rosita’s gun, and heads off to find The Wolf. Meanwhile, Glenn and Enid scour the church for resources to rescue Maggie from the watchtower (Enid locates a much-needed gun at the pulpit). Outside, The Wolf concocts a plan to jump over the wall with Denise and make her his wolf bride?
ANYWAY, now nighttime, Sam (who’s the worst) becomes upset after spotting a child his age who’s turned. Jessie tries to calm him down when a GROUP OF WALKERS COME OUT OF NOWHERE AND START EATING HIM. Paralyzed by emotion, Jessie herself BECOMES CONSUMED BY THE WALKERS. An emotional Rick overcomes his flashbacks and axes Jessie’s arm off of Carl, causing his gun to fall. Ron grabs it, aims it at Rick, and is STABBED by Michonne from behind. As he falls he fires the gun and HITS CARL IN THE RIGHT EYE, re-creating up the iconic “Dad?” scene from the comics!!!!
A distraught Rick grabs Carl and they sprint towards the infirmary while Michonne carves a path. Meanwhile, the Wolf and Denise make their way to the guard post. They’re immediately surrounded and The Wolf surprisingly saves Denise from a walker…but is consequentially bitten. They run towards the infirmary when Carol shoots the Wolf in the chest. In his last moments, he tackles a walker to let Denise escape (Morgan was right, he CAN change……oh well).
Denise makes it back to the infirmary on time for Rick to show up and ask her to save Carl. While she works on Carl’s eye (or what’s left of it), a vengeful Rick heads outside to deal with his emotions. Axe firmly in hand, Rick goes full Mel Gibson from The Patriot on the walkers. Michonne and the others head outside to help him, creating an all-out brawl. Olivia, Eric, Rosita, Tara, Carol, Morgan, and even Father Gabriel and Eugene join the Avengers-esque battle.
Glenn makes it to Maggie and creates a distraction to allow Enid to help her climb down. Backed into a corner and out of ammunition, it looks like it’s the end of Glenn (again). Suddenly, Abraham and Sasha come to the rescue and mow down the walkers with assault rifles. With Maggie safe, Glenn jumps into Daryl’s truck and begins emptying fuel into Alexandria’s lake. Daryl shoots an RPG into the water crating a giant fireball. The walkers naturally walk towards it and catch fire as Rick and almost everyone in Alexandria band together for once to massacre what’s left of the undead. Alexandria has been saved (for now).
It’s morning and the streets of Alexandria are littered with bodies. An emotional Rick sits by Carl’s bedside and admits he was wrong about the Alexandrians not being able to fight. He vows to rebuild the town and begs Carl to wake up. Moments later, Carl grasps Rick’s hand…signaling he’s still alive.
WOW, that was one hell of an episode. Characters were lost, other characters grew, and comic fans got to see their favorite scenes finally come to light! Let us know YOUR thoughts in the comments below:
Dad?
Wow from across the pond! Best episode ever. One to watch again and again…. Fantastic!!
COOOOOOAAAARAAAL
What did you think about the episode, Quinn?
I thought it was one of my favorite episodes in the entire series. The final scene was insane and amazing.
Un believable
OMG…BEST EPISODE EVER….BEST VALENTINE’S GIFT EVER
Eye can’t believe it!
Sorry about ricks girlfriend and her young son but this episode was MAGNIFICENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glen is like a cat he has 9 lives..i still got goose bumps..excellent
I almost have to pop an aspirin watching glen escape his dilemmas. Best episode ever. But glen can’t die! Did anyone notice that so far he’s the only Asian to survive the apocalypse. (Not being racist here, having Asian in my blood). With all the Asian brilliant technological advances, the one that survives is the guy who delivered pizzas. Only goes to prove what I always tell my daughter, to treat EVERYONE with respect. Because its the right thing to do and in life you never know who you will need to help you with some dilemma.
IT FINALLY HAPPENED. MY BOY LOST HIS EYE, YESSSSSS.
Also, seriously? With the fucking Daryl OP bazooka bullshit? Jesus Christ, the dude already took out a tank in a scenario that was impossible to begin with and now he’s got a fucking rocket launcher? Come on.
But for real, I’m so happy that it finally happened. Carl is scarred by the world.
I have been waiting for this day for too long and it was every bit as epic as when I read it on the page. I was seriously concerned that the show wouldn’t be able to take Carl on this journey because of Chandler’s age and possible logistical hurdles there. I am so, so, so fucking happy that we’re going to get to watch Carl go next level on this apocalypse!
My only regret is that Rick didn’t get a chance to show Jessie his nightstick.
Did I just watch one of the best episodes ever?
(I think yes)
I think Negan is going to kill Daryl. He lost his bike, his bow, and now he has been stabbed in the wing (of his vest). Daryl is like the Guardian Angel/ Savior (OH SNAP) and he is about to get his wings clipped. That scene had to of meant more than just getting cut. And why right on his wing? Stop faking Glenn deaths… it makes me freak. Jessie I really thought you were going to survive… damn. By far, the best episode yet. The best scene was definitely when they all came together and the camera shifted by everyone’s faces as they made a kill. Love everything about it.
I would be satisfied with Darryl being the one to take the #100 so to speak. Who knows, he could catch a bolt too?
I really want the walking dead miniature game now. Would be so sweet to replay the big battle on a giant board with 100+ walkers.
Just saw they unlocked Glenn on the kickstarter
I usually cringe when they try to make Daryl too cool, playing to the fangirls. But I’ve got to say, I liked the rocket launcher scene. I didn’t expect it. And his dismissive line about the other guy being a tough sumfabitch was pretty good. This was a really good episode. I hope the plot continues to move forward at a good clip this half season. I’m ready for a larger world. Its time… I’m ready to meet Jesus now!
I’ve got to go back and watch again, but was I the only one who missed the actual gunshot that took Carl’s eye? I never saw the gun go off. I must have blinked.
When Michonne stabbed Ron he swivels his arm to the side and fires, likely an involuntary reaction at that point.
Wonder how long till Dary on a tanker with missile launcher becomes a t-shirt
I want the poster.
So….I need a point cleared up for me. At the end of last half season’s cliff hanger. Sam and group are walking out of the house, and Sam is calling for his mom (quite loudly) as they make their way through the herd. Prior to last night’s episode starting, they reiterate that exact scene. However….no zombie attack? This doesn’t cause them to stir at all? This seems like a major continuity point, that they are glossing over. Anyone have any insight?
I’m guessing they just decided that Sam decided to be quiet afterwards before the zombies stirred but it foretold the doom he’d bring.
I can’t buy that. It was the prominent part of the cliff hanger, then they showed it again as the lead in to this episode. The continuity just doesn’t jive. Don’t get me wrong, really enjoyed the episode, but that just really bugged me. And I can’t believe no one is talking about it…it just didn’t work with the flow of the story.
Oh, I’m not disagreeing with you. It’s weird that they would end the last episode on that tease then act like that never happened and Sam fucks up later.
But I just think the best explanation is Sam either shut up or his mom got him to only for him to break down later, when we saw it. Great episode. Continuity is a little wonky there. But I’ll pretend this happened to make it make sense.
Omg OMG!!!!!!!!! OOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH MYYYYYYYYY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!! best episode ever. I mean it. Everything happened the way I thought it would. From Negans gang getting slaughtered to how Carl got his eye shot out to Denise being rescued. Only thing I didn’t expect was the ending save of Glenn and the community. That shit was fuckin raw. I am still hyped up from that episode. Way to deliver Kirkman Gimple. Nicotero. Hurd. Huth. Omg that was what I’ve been waiting on. Best episode to me of all time. Definitely the best mid season premiere by far. Anybody else just absolutely love this episode the way I did
Amazing episode! It was great to see so much of the comic played out on screen. I honestly didn’t think Jesse or even the kids would be killed off. I assumed Jessie would replace Andrea’s role from the comic… as Carl’s “mom.”
Now I’m just wondering how they hell they’re going to keep up with the eye wound for the rest of the show. The bandage will be there for probably the rest of the season i’m guessing. But after that… CGI in every episode?
An eyepatch would be pretty effective…
Well I guess I’m thinking more of later issues where he has the eye exposed more. I guess he’ll just have to roll with the young governor look in show.
I like what Bigfatwalker1997 said. Once that thing “heals” and scars over, they’ll likely just keep the prosthetic handy and use makeup magic to seal it on his face for filming. Because once it’s scarred over it’s not going to change in appearance much.
The makeup for Carl’s eye didn’t look too extensive compared to what they put walker actors in, they could keep up the eye wound with practical effects fairly easy. Glad Carl finally got his right of passage!
Guess Chandler Riggs will have a green screen eye patch?
Sorry about ricks girlfriend and her young son, but last nights episode was MAGNIFICENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I too wondered why they didn’t show the transition from Sam calling his moms name to saying nothing at all. Thought that was going to be the catalyst to the zombie brawl.
Best episode EVER!!!! When Darryl blew Negan’s crew up I knew this was gonna be a wild episode. I was hanging on for dear life through the whole thing. It was so intense, I can’t wait for next week!
Good episode, yes, but not great. Best episode ever?!?! Abso-fucking-lutely not. The pacing of the episode was just off, and didn’t really hook me back in until almost halfway through. Why was there such a delay between Sam getting eaten and the cliff hanger? It took me right out of the episode, because I was cursing the show writers for doing possibly doing another fake out. And then they’re able to stop in the middle of the heard and have a conversation about Gabriele taking Judith? Come the f@#$ on, this is supposed to be craziness all around them, and they just stop for a quick breather and to adjust their plan?Once we finally got to the teased scene, things finally started to get to where the episode needed to go, but it took way too long to get there.
Oh my fucking God, there’s always one.
I always lose it on your comments LMAO
Heh. Thanks.
did I miss the rule on this page that says I have to think every new episode is the greatest episode ever? The episode didn’t pull me in from the beginning like I was hoping it would. So fucking what? I was satisfied with the second half and still enjoy the show as a whole. Good for you if you thought it was amazing from start to finish, but we apparently see things differently. Welcome to the human existence, where people can have different opinions and stil live side by side.
Right. This episode was great. People want to talk about continuity like goodness gracious you put together a show like this then let us judge and play compare and contrast. This was a great episode. Yes one of the best. Up there with no sanctuary. The Grove. Loved how much they stuck too yet twisted comic storyline. These writers know what they’re doing
This was the best episode I have ever seen. This episode had it all. Couldn’t have done a better job of depicting the moments of the comic and I loved the mix of zombies and death with character development and a sense of community. Glenn’s speech to Enid was awesome, I loved the psychology and sociology of the show, for example the depiction of how people can change (the wolf) , the type of interactions that show what family is, how a community can be created during times of catastrophe and the capabilities and strengths of people working together. The acting was amazing, the portrayal of Jesse as she watched her son being eaten was heartfelt. Glenn scared the sh*t out of me..again (thanks Abraham). Daryl is the ultimate badass (loving all the explosions by the way) and eye think the makeup aritsts on set deserve extra prays because they did an AMAZING job. Well done!
I want to see from panel to screen right nowwwwwwwwwwwwww
RPG!!! And, besides wanting to slap Rick’s face, Cheese Pizza!
Did anyone else see the car drive away right before the saviors exploded? Someone was watching the gang and likely knows where Alexandria is now.
No!!!!!!! Oh, oh. Got to watch it again. Gonna report back to Negan!
Watched again. No car.
Best… Episode… Ever!!!
Kirkman or anyone else with special knowledge on rocket launchers Please respond about Daryl and the rocket launcher scene where he blows everyone up on the motorbikes.
According to my husband who’s retired military, it was a HOLLYWOOD rocket launcher. But it WORKED!!!!!!
Hi TWD fans I’m new to this post . I live across the pond so had to wait an extra day to watch my all time favourite episode .The acting ,story line and directing was awesome. I was on the edge of my seat ,Glen certainly has nine lives .Watching the community come together brilliant ,my wish they rebuild and all live happily ever after ha ha no excitement in that.I know their futures are sealed but will be deverstated if any of the main characters are killed off.
So congrats to everyone involved can’t wait for next week .Bring it on
Welcome.