“The Damned”
(Reader Note: We split up this recap by individual Savior raids to make it more cohesive. Enjoy.)
The Savior Camp
Aaron, Tobin, Eric, and other Alexandrian soldiers surprise attack a group of Saviors outside one of their compounds. Eric pushes forward while Tobin gets shot in the crossfire. A few of the casualties on both sides turn into walkers and one consumes the leader of the compound. Despite the leader going down, the shootout continues and a few more Alexandrians go down. Aaron hops in a car and drives over to Eric, who has been shot.
The Satellite Outpost
Elsewhere, Morgan creates a distraction outside of the Savior Satellite Outpost, which allows him, Jesus, Tara, and their allies to attack and infiltrate the the compound. Tara and Jesus discover a Savior who pissed his pants and surrendered, but Tara still wants to take him out. “I got it, Jesus. Step aside.” PREACH TARA. Jesus tells her to stand down and then the Savior tricks them and holds Jesus at gunpoint. They get the better of him and knock him out.
Meanwhile, Morgan gets clipped but survives and then goes zero-clear through the hallways, creating carnage in his path. He makes his way outside to find Jesus and the others holding a group of Saviors hostage who they forced to surrender. One of the Saviors, Jared, claims to recognize him and Morgan nearly kills him until Jesus holds him back. “They surrendered, it’s not what we do,” Jesus warns.
The Decayed Urban Area/The Woods
Meanwhile, Carol, Ezekiel, and The Kingdom soldiers recover from the grenade attack last episode and take out a large group of walkers nearby. Jerry instructs the soldiers to protect the King but Ezekiel tells them to protect themselves. They miraculously survive and head into the woods toward a Savior compound. Carol challenges Ezekiel on his optimism for victory but he assures her they’ll be fine. They spot a Savior running away but Shiva takes him out. They hear on the dead Savior’s walkie-talkie that the other Saviors know they’re coming, but Ezekiel summons his inner Leroy Jenkins and decides they’ll still enter the abyss.
The Office Building
Rick and Daryl hunt for heavy artillery in an office building based on a secret map Dwight drew for them. They split up and Rick engages in an intense fight with a Savior before impaling him on the wall. He then uncovers a room with a baby in a crib – this triggers Rick. He looks at himself in the mirror and barely recognizes himself. Rick then heads to another room where he’s held at gunpoint by….MORALES! Rick’s shocked to see him and even more shocked that he’s a Savior. Morales skips a happy reunion and warns Rick he called The Saviors for backup.
How did you react to all of these Savior raids? More importantly, can you believe Morales is back?? Tell us in our comments.
God, I’m going to have a heart attack. MORALES! I really wanted him to be on Fear The Walking Dead, now I guess the crossover is definitely Abraham. Really want to know if Morales knew it was Rick Grimes, when he presumably heard about the attacks from the other communities. Also, the most important thing I want to know is if Morales knows about Glenn, and even worse, if Morales was there and watched. I hope in epsiode three, Morales holds Rick in that rooms, and they share the past with each other. I want to know about what happened to Morales and his family, and I definitely want Morales to know what happened to everyone from the Atlanta Camp, those dead and those alive.
Morales showing up was definitely a shocker. But, his return was well placed. With Rick already in a little bit of doubt after seeing that the guy he killed was defending his daughter, seeing an old comrade on the other side of the war further illustrates the tragedy of the way things are. I also hope that Morales has time to share the past. Also wondering how Daryl will react if he gets there while he’s drawn on Rick.
A completely useless and unimportant character returns to the show after 8 years just to fuck with us. Wow. Nice. Thanks a lot for a crappy cliff hanger. Still love you guys though. 🙂
Morales was a D list character in the first season. He barely had dialogue, and no interactions with any of the main cast that would make him memorable. It would have been much more fascinating if they had written Heath in this plot, and then would have had to explain why and how Heath wound up going to the dark side with Negan, instead of returning to Alexandria. That…would have made more sense. This seems like a pacifier to those fans who have been circulationg “Morales theories” over the years. I hope that the writers avoid the temptation to appease the fans with writing material and instead stick to the comic material upgrades that have kept us die hard fans faithful for 7 seasons.
For me, it’s not about the character, Morales, himself. It’s the uncertainty that comes with Rick running up on someone he’s helped before and the probable changes that encounter brings. That, in contrast to what’s happening with Morgan, Tara & Jesus, and Carl’s encounter makes Morales interesting. Smaller pieces of the puzzle to complete that bigger picture we die hard fans of the comic know is coming.
Agree, I’m interested in Morales to show how people have changed – Rick, Daryl, Carol – since Morales last saw the survivors
Heath’s gonna be with the Whisperers
Something tells me Morales is not the family man we saw before. He looks shell shocked like many of the saviors. You know Rick won’t die so it is pretty easy to see what will happen.
The episode was confusing. I like action but this felt like “overkill”. What really ticks me off is when they have people discussing whether they should or shouldn’t kill someone while in the midst of action all around. REALLY? You want to have some stupid debate about your morals now?? When the saviors are around every corner ready to pop out and kill you?? I think I spent more time screaming at my TV then enjoying the show!
The one I feel for is Eric. It was obvious last week he was going to get shot, He got a ton of screen time last week so I knew he was doomed.
Eastman must be rolling over in his grave seeing what Morgan has become. Personally I really like it when Morgan goes kill crazy. Now if Jesus only would!
Morgan is on fire, Morales on the other side and Rick experienced a bit of a picture of Dorian… Grimes.
Did the walker Ezekiel and Carol took note of have its face peeled off? 🙂
I love how this war is going so far and the theme of the 1st 2 episodes MERCY. And I’m most interested in Morgan. It’s cool to see him all Terminator, but I’m worried if he continues on this path of killing, he will only go deeper into insanity and clear mode. Since episode 713 “Bury Me Here”, I fear for Morgan and feel something really tragic coming his way. And then it hit me after this episode. What if, trying to help Rick, Morgan keeps killing and goes completly crazy, hurts or kills someone on the good side, and Rick is forced to kill Morgan?!!! OMG, Red Eyes Rick, does Rick kill Morgan?!!!!!!
… oh no…
Must not think about that! I MUSTN’T!