In The Walking Dead Mid-Season Finale, Negan and the Saviors continue to torment the residents of Alexandria, sparking more descent and anger.
Spoilers Ahead…
Hilltop
Maggie (Lauren Cohen) continues to mourn Glenn and the same time, she starts making plans for the community. Gregory (Xander Berkeley) tells her not to let the nice things that people say about her go to head. She tells him not to let it bother him. She asks if he’s going to eat the apple he is carrying. He says yes. Another community member reminds Gregory that Maggie is pregnant. Gregory gives up the apple.
One of the community members makes a pie for Maggie, Enid (Katelyn Nacon), and Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green). Maggie digs into the pie without getting a plate. She says that she’d liked for Jesus (Tom Payne) to get some things for her. Sasha says he left early to go out on a run.
Maggie leaves the room and Enid calls out Sasha for lying. Sasha is only lying to Maggie because she would feel obligated to help. And she wants to keep the operation small to avoid the accountability falling on others. Enid tells Sasha that she is not alone in her thinking. Sasha isn’t the only one who wants to kill Negan. Sasha cuts her off saying that she needs Enid to protect Maggie.
The Sanctuary
Daryl studies the note one more time before bolting from his cell. He is stopped when he hears people yelling and ducks into an open room and listens for approaching people. he looks around to make sure no one is in the room.
Daryl finds peanut butter and starts eating. He puts on some clothes and sees some little wooden figures sitting on a table. He’s in Dwight’s room. Daryl hears the people leave the area. He takes a hat and leaves the room.
Daryl ducks and runs to avoid getting caught. He makes his way outside. As he tries to start one of the motor cycles, Fat Joey catches him. Daryl has a metal rod. Fat Joey pleads for his life. Daryl isn’t taking any chances, swings the metal rod at Joe and kills him. Jesus runs up on them and stops Daryl. Daryl grabs a gun and he rides off with Jesus.
The Kingdom
Carol is enjoying a book and some pomegranate. Morgan brings her more fruit. He is really there to make sure she is OK. Carol says she fine and just wants to be left alone. Morgan says he will try to leave her alone. Richard shows up and wants to talk to Carol. He tells them both that they need to stand up against the Saviors. Richard is afraid the Kingdom will fall to the Saviors. He tells Morgan and Carol that everyone doesn’t know about the Saviors. Ezekiel has kept it a secret since they started serving them. Richard asks them to talk Ezekiel into revolting now.
Richard apologizes to Carol saying that she is probably new to a world of violence. Morgan says that Carol is the most capable fighter that he knows. Carol says she wants nothing to do with it all. She just wants everyone to leave her alone. And Morgan still has his vow that he won’t kill a living person. Richard tells them that any lives lost will be because of their lack of action. Richard leaves. Carol asks Morgan to keep her location a secret.
Richard retreats to a hidden camper. Inside he has a lot of supplies. Richard is upset that he cannot get anyone to side with him.
Michonne
Michonne is still holding a gun a woman from Negan’s group. She tries to ask the woman about her back story, but the woman remains silent. Michonne lowers the gun and tells the lady that she doesn’t want to kill Negan today. She just wants to find a way that will change her story.
The woman stops on top of a hill and Michonne looks down at the Sanctuary. The woman says they are all Negan. She warns Michonne that her plan won’t work because she is outnumbered. The lady tells Michonne to drive the car home and roll in down a hill. There is a silencer for Michonne to use in the glove box. In a surprising turn, Michonne drives away in the car, alone.
Rick and Aaron
Rick and Aaron prepare to cross the pond of walkers. Rick offers to go alone if Aaron wants to stay behind. This bothers Aaron. He says they are both going to see it through. They get about half way across the pond and the boat starts to sink enough for the walkers to reach in. Aaron is pulled into the water by a walker. Rick can only watch as Aaron is pulled under water. Aaron emerges and is okay. They make it to the house on the other side.
They take everything they can fit in the canoe and leave. Rick apologizes for thinking Aaron couldn’t handle the pond of walkers. He says he wouldn’t blame Aaron if he didn’t agree with Rick about the Saviors. A lot of the people in Alexandria don’t agree. Aaron says he was there with him when they met Negan. He understands why Rick chose to provide for Negan. He’s keeping people alive.
As they leave, someone is watching them from across the lake. All we see is their boots.
Alexandria
Negan continues to make himself at home. He shaves using Rick’s razor and makes spaghetti for Carl and Olivia.
Negan is waiting for Rick to get home with his stuff. He starts to get agitated, saying that Lucille is hungry.
The Savior team check Spencer’s things before taking it. Eugene and Rosita keep walking.
Later, Rosita is sitting at the Church, staring at her bullet. Father Gabriel asks if the bullet is for her or Negan. She tells him that she plans to kill Negan. She’s okay with dying as long as Negan dies too. Father Gabriel agrees with her about Negan. He asks why Rosita has to die. Rosita talks about everyone has someone or something to fight for. Father Gabriel asks about Sasha and Rosita stays silent. He tells her that they will find a way together to win. They have to wait, or create the right moment together. Rosita is a part of the team. They need her.
Spencer goes home and finds the place in shambles. He cleans himself up, grabs a bottle and heads out the door. Spencer goes to meet Negan. He sees Rosita sitting on a bench and stops to talk to her. He wants to continue to have a relationship with Rosita, despite the fact that she used him. Rosita agrees to have dinner with him. Spencer continues to Rick’s house.
Spencer is turned away at first, but Negan allows him on the porch. He likes that Spencer brought a bottle of whiskey with him. The two talk about the community. Negan really likes Alexandria. He says the only thing he needs is a pool table. Spencer knows exactly where one is.
A crowd starts to gather around the pool table, including Carl, Oliva, Rosita and Eugene. The two start a game of pool while Spencer talks about what a bad leader Rick has been. He tells Negan that Rick cannot follow rules. He took over the community and he is a bully. Spencer suggests that Negan put him in charge instead.
Negan isn’t impressed. He thinks Spencer has no guts since he approached Negan while Rick was away. Negan slashes Spencer’s guts out in front of all of Alexandria.
Rick and Aaron return to Alexandria. Negan’s men harasses them before letting them go home. They find a note in one of the totes and blame Aaron for it. One of the guys holds Rick back while two others beat up Aaron. Once they stop, Rick picks up Aaron and heads home.
Negan taunts the rest of the community with Lucille and Rosita loses it! She pulls out a gun and pulls the trigger. She shot Lucille. Negan is furious. His watchdog knocks down Rosita and hold a knife to Rosita’s face. Negan examines the bullet. He determines that the bullet was homemade. Rosita tries to convince him that she made the bullet, but he doesn’t believe her. He demands that someone own up to making the bullet. Everyone remains silent. Negan instructs his watchdog to shoot someone. She kills Olivia.
Rick and Aaron walk up to the scene. Negan sums up all the good things he has done for Rick. He brought Carl home after Carl tried to kill him. Negan killed Spencer who was threatening Rick’s leadership. He gave Rick one less mouth to feed by killing Olivia. Rick answers that Negan’s supplies are waiting for him at the gates. Negan wants to know who make the bullet first.
A Savior starts to cut Rosita’s face. Tara tries to speak up, but Eugene interrupts her. Eugene explains what is in the bullet to prove that he made it. Negan decides to take Eugene with him back to the Sanctuary.
Michonne returns home after Negan has left. She finds Rick in Morgan’s cell. She tells him she had to find her way of dealing with things. Michonne realized that they had to handle things their way. They may be outnumbered, but they have to fight together.
The next day, Maggie is on lookout at the Hilltop. She smiles and yells for Sasha and Enid to join her. When the gates open, Rick, Michonne, Rosita, Tara, and Carl are waiting to enter. There’s hugs all around. Rick tells Maggie that she was right. They have to fight.
Maggie looks behind her to show Rick that Daryl is with her at Hilltop. Rick and Daryl are overwhelmed to see each other. Daryl nods to Rick to let him know he is okay. Rick hugs Daryl and the group looks on, smiling. Daryl hands Rick, his gun that was taken by the Saviors. The group head to the big house to start planning.
Later that night, Father Gabriel is on lookout. Someone is watching from the woods. They step on the road to Alexandria. It’s the same person who was watching Aaron and Rick earlier at the pond.
Thoughts…
All of the slow episodes have finally come to a major move. Of course, I knew eventually the different communities would eventually band together. Plus, I’ve read the comics.
I was very happy to see our survivors realize, once again, that the only way they can win is if they do it together. Father Gabriel may have had a rough start to the group, but he has some wise words now. They have to create their moment and be strategic about it. They has seen what Negan and his people are capable of. Jesus, Carl, and Michonne have seen the Sanctuary and know how many people Negan has. Everyone will come together and come up with a big plan to fight the Saviors. We know that there are people in the Sanctuary who also feel that they can take down Negan. He is only one man after all.
The second half of Season 7 will be all about the planning of taking down Negan. Talking Dead showed a preview from the next episode. In that episode, Jesus tells Rick that it’s time he met King Ezekiel. Now…if only Tara will tell the group about Oceanside.
The Walking Dead returns Sunday, February 12, 2017.
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