THE WALKING DEAD Recap: (S08E08) How It’s Gotta Be

Noetta Harjo

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The Walking Dead is known for its twist and turns. Most fans who have read the comics aren’t always thrown for a loop.  So here’s what has happened in the first half of season  8.  The war with the Saviors began with a hit on the Sanctuary.  Rick had a plan.  TheKing, Ezekiel, Maggie (The Widow) and everyone else knew the plan.  There was a lot of waiting while Rick set things in motion until Daryl and Tara couldn’t wait any longer.  They strayed from the plan, now the Saviors can retaliate.  Rick hoped to get the Scavengers back on his side, but with the situation at the Sanctuary contained, that’s not going to be possible.

Maggie has hostages at the Hilltop. Everyone tells her to kill them, while Jesus says they have to keep their humanity for after the war.  She decided to let them live and use them as leverage. 

Ezekiel, Carol and Jerry survived a Savior ambush, but they were the only ones to return to the Kingdom.  Ezekiel shut down. Carol and Jerry must continue on with the plan.

Carl was holding things down for Alexandria while Rick was gone. He found a new friend, Siddiq and invited him back to Alexandria.  

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Rick (Andrew Lincoln) finds the Sanctuary is no longer in danger. He radios to the snipers to report in.

Flashback

The day that Carl (Chandler Riggs) met Siddiq (Avi Nash) and Rick shot at him, Carl and Rick walk back to the cars with the gas can. Rick says he hopes Siddiq makes it. Carl tells him that if he really cares, he will do something. Hope isn’t enough.  They are fighting to have something left over after the war.  He asks if Rick is going to kill all of the Saviors.  Carl says they have to work together after the war. He asks Rick if he plans on killing all of the Saviors. If so, it’s going to be hard to find a way forward. There has to be more than hope. Carl says that’s ‘How It’s Gotta Be.’

Rick leads the Scavengers to the Sanctuary.  Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) makes a note that it looks different than Rick’s pictures.  The Saviors start shooting at them and the Scavengers run away.  Rick is alone but is saved when Carol (Melissa McBride) and Jerry (Cooper Andrews) drive up.  Rick says they need to split up and warn everyone that the Saviors got out.

Aaron (Ross Marquand) and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) make their way to Oceanside.  Enid is asking if he thinks they will join them. Aaron doesn’t hear her because he’s thinking about Eric and the trips they made when looking for survivors.  He asks if she can drive. She answers that she’s a better driver than Carl.  Enid makes an unexpected stop at a distillery. She tells Aaron it might help if they have something to offer.  

Danai Gurira as Michonne, Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

At Alexandria, Michonne (Danai Gurira) says goodbye to Judith. She tells her that she will bring her daddy back.  Daryl (Norman Reedus) meets her. She tells him that she’s glad he came back.  

Carl sits in his room, writing a note to his dad.  He’s crying as he writes.

Tara (Alanna Masterson) tells Rosita (Christian Serratos) that their planned worked.  Rosita says they will finish it as planned. Rosita brings back supplies from the Savior warehouse.  Tara says they should take everything with them to meet the Saviors.  Rosita stacks everything in Tara’s arms.

Later that night….

Aaron and Enid wait in the dark for someone to check out the truck.  They get out and split up. Enid hears a woman hit Aaron and tells him he should have never come there.  Enid steps out of the shadows and shoots her.  Two woman approach her and tell her to drop the gun.  Cyndie (Sydney Park) runs up and checks on Natania (Deborah May). Enid shot Natania.

Michonne sees Carl opening up the sewer. He tells her he has been helping someone.  They hear loud banging outside the gates.  Negan starts talking on the intercom.  He says it’s over.  He wants an apology.  Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) says he will kill Rick and they will move on.  Michonne and Carl run to the others. The Saviors got out.

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes, Danai Gurira as Michonne – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Carl comes up with a plan to get the families, kids and sick out of Alexandria. They also need to get their guns out of Alexandria so the Saviors don’t get them. Tara and Michonne want to fight.  Rosita says Carl is right, they need to get everyone out. Carl says it’s his show and they all need to follow his plan.

Rick drives to Alexandria. Carol drives to the Kingdom. Jerry drive to the Hilltop and is hit by another car.

Jesus (Tom Payne) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) lead the Hilltop to meet Rick and the others.  Maggie say the saviors have to surrender before they run out of resources. She sees a tree down in the road. She knows it’s the Saviors.  Maggie tells her people to turn around.  The Saviors come up behind them.  They pull up in front of Maggie’s vehicle and reveal that they have Jerry.  Simon (Steven Ogg) gets out. He tells Hilltop to hand over their guns.  He tells his guy to kill Jerry if anyone makes a move,

Ezekiel (Khary Payton) reads a note from Jerry.  He says he had to bounce because they said they would be there. He wants to be there when they win and he wants the King to be there to. (Signed, Deuces).  Ezekiel hears a commotion outside.  He runs and hides as the Saviors enter the auditorium.

Catch up on Season 8 of The Walking Dead Recaps Here

Gavin (Jayson Warner Smith) address the Kingdom.  He tells them they all belong to Negan.  He says they will leave  them enough to stay alive. They are taking people to repair the Sanctuary and they are moving into the Kingdom. Gavin calls out Ezekiel.  He tells the people that he will answer for everything.  Gavin tells them to give Ezekiel up or this will turn traumatic.  He gives them five minutes to give up Ezekiel.  Ezekiel sees the crowd from the auditorium.  He runs into the shadows.

Negan talks to Rick now.  He says he brought this on himself.  All he had to do was follow some rules.  Carl shows up at the wall and tells Negan that Rick is not home.  Carl tells him there’s only families there…Judith is there.  Negan says none of it’s fair.  Carl knows that. Negan says they need someone in charge to make sure this crap doesn’t happen.  Carl says they can figure this out. This doesn’t have to happen like this.

Negan says Rick gave his people a choice, but did not give Negan one. Someone has to pay. Carl tells Negan to kill him.  He doesn’t want to die, but if it saves everyone, it’s worth it.  He asks Negan if this is what is supposed to happen.  Is this who Negan really wants to be?

Austin Amelio as Dwight – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Daryl leads the Alexandrians out of the backside of neighborhood. Dwight (Austin Amelio) is set up at that exit.  Laura (Lindsley Register) tells him that the cars aren’t enough to hold anyone back.  The Alexandrians break through. Dwight tells his people to chase after them.

Negan knows Carl was stalling.  He tells his people to start firing. They blow up houses in  Alexandria.  Carl rushes to get away and hurts his leg.  He sets off smoke bombs as he makes his way through Alexandria. A car explodes, knocking him back.

Maggie asks Simon how they got out.  He doesn’t tell her. Instead he says The Kingdom is being taken over and Alexandria is under attack. As for the Hilltop, they will be allowed to keep producing food and work as usual.  Simon gives Maggie two options.  He wants to put her in a box and take her to Hilltop to kill her in front of everyone.  He says the Saviors will then lead the herd to the Hilltop.  OR. She can turn around, go home and start working for them. He says they have to kill someone though.  Simon kills the guy in the car with Maggie.  Simon asks if he needs to kill Jerry. Maggie says no, but she needs a favor.  She wants the box to take to bury her guy in.  Simon says okay.

At the Sanctuary, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) wakes up at midnight.  Takes a shot and lays back down.  He starts crying. He goes to Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) and tells him he will do as he wishes.  He’s going to help Gabriel get Dr. Carson (R. Keith Harris) out of the Sanctuary. Dr. Carson says Gabriel can’t be moved.  Eugene says that’s up to them. He gave a guard diarrhea so they could get out easily.  Eugene says he did it so he could sleep.  Gabriel asks Eugene to go with them.  Eugene doesn’t say anything.  He drops a set of keys and mentions where the car is.  Gabriel tells him he’s doing the right thing.

Carl gets up and sees Alexandrians leaving the community.  Carl is disoriented, but keeps moving. All of the homes are being destroyed.  

Tara tells Daryl that the Saviors didn’t get out because of the truck.  Rosita says even if they did, it was a mistake.  She says she made one to. Maybe this would have happened, maybe that wouldn’t have happened…maybe.  Ugh!   They wait with Michonne for the Saviors to drive by.  They see cars approaching.  It’s Dwight and his group.  Laura tells Dwight to stop the trucks. They get out of their cars.  Daryl and his group start shooting.  Dwight turns and starts shooting the Saviors too.  Laura comes around and shoots Dwight in the shoulder. She knows he’s the traitor.  A window is shot out and Laura runs away before anyone can shoot her.

Negan moves his people into Alexandria.  He tells his people to blow up all of the houses, find Carl and tie him up.  He’s going to Rick’s house to make spaghetti.

Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Carl is still roaming around Alexandria.  He sees people coming toward him with guns.  It’s the Saviors.  He pulls out another smoke bomb and escapes. When the smoke clears, Carl is gone. The Saviors continue to look for him as he watches from the sewer. 

Ezekiel pours gasoline around the Kingdom and blows stuff up.  Gavin tells his people to see what’s going on. The king drives up in  a bus, Nabila (Nadine Marissa) knocks a Savior over and takes his gun. The kingdomers start running.  Carol runs up and tells the Nabila to go to her house.  Ezekiel tells Carol to save the people like she save him.  He closes the gate and puts a chain on it. Gavin catches up and hits Ezekiel.

Maggie returns to the Hilltop. She goes to the Saviors cage. She tells him to get one of the saviors out and asks for a gun.  Maggie says this particular Savior tried to kill Jesus. Dillion (Callan McAuliffe) steps forward and tells Maggie not to do this.  She kills the Savior and asks Dillion if he wants to be next.  She says the saviors killed one of their own. It’s not even but it’s a start.  She tells Jesus to bury their dead and get ready to start working. 

Maggie tells Jesus the others are under attack which means there are no more supplies, but there will be people. They have to be ready. It will be up to Hilltop to make the last stand. Kal (James Chen) and Eduardo (Peter Zimmerman) put the Savior in the box.  Maggie writes, ‘We have 38 more, Stand Down.” and tells them to leave it where they will find it.

Dwight calls out to Daryl’s group that it’s over.  He tells them that he made sure they could get out the back. He drove the convoy to the roadblock.  Dwight tells them that he can’t go back to the Sanctuary. Laura is going to tell them what he did.  Daryl asks if they got out because of Daryl. Dwight says it was Eugene. He says he knows how Negan thinks and he can help them.  He wants them to win and Negan to die. Dwight says they can settle up after.  Daryl takes his vest away from Dwight. Michonne has collected all of the weapons and tells them that they need to get back to their people. Rosita helps Dwight up.

Morgan (Lennie James) hears Gavin yelling at Ezekiel.  Gavin says they had a good thing going. He feels bad about Benjamin dying, but Ezekiel knows he didn’t want that. Gavin says Ezekiel’s people are going to look up at the Sanctuary fence and see their king…dead.  

Daryl opens the sewer.  A herd walks towards them.  One by one, Daryl, Tara, and Dwight go into the sewer.  Dwight tells Michonne he’s sorry before going in. Michonne closes the sewage tunnel.

Rick arrives in Alexandria. He gets to his house and Negan attacks him with Lucille.  Negan tells Rick that he has plans for him.  He wants to cut him up into little pieces and kill him in front of everyone.  Negan tells him that Carl volunteered to die.  He tells Rick that he’s going to fix Carl because he likes him.  He says Carl will be one of his top guys.  When he’s done with Rick, he won’t ever try this again.  

Rick hits him and knocks Negan on his back.  He picks up Lucille and Negan loses it, yelling for Rick to not touch her. Rick picks up a gun and Negan pushes him through a window. Rick runs away.

Michonne walks through Alexandria, looking for Carl.  A Savior grabs her. He tells her that everyone is dead.  He says it’s her fault. She fights back and kills him. Rick is running through Alexandria looking for Michonne and Carl.  He finds Michonne and stops her from cutting up the Savior.  Rick asks where everyone is.

Michonne takes him to the sewers.  The whole town is there. All of the faces of the war flash on screen. Daryl is holding Judith.  No one is making eye contact with Rick. They see Siddiq and approach him. He says he brought Carl there. Carl is pale. Rick and Michonne kneel down to look at him. Carl raises his shirt. He’s been bitten.  

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Thoughts

Every season, people predict that Carl will die. Even though in the comic books, Carl is very much alive.  Chandler Riggs has literally grown up on this show.  So to see his character die this way is heartbreaking.  Mainly because he was bitten while helping someone.

Things were so…all over the place…it was hard to tell when Carl got bit.  He was bitten in episode 6 (The King, The Widow, and Rick) when he decided to kill a few walkers with Siddiq. Carl was pushed down and that’s when the bite happened.  Since we are time jumping, it’s hard to say if Carl was bitten that same day or the day before. That’s frustrating!

There were clues this season that he would die.  The moral compass talk…the dreamscape that we thought was a flash forward…and his willingness to stay behind and confront Negan. That was bold. He wasn’t just being a leader, he was ready to sacrifice himself.  However, Carl’s bite isn’t Negan’s fault.  Rick will continue his war with Negan.  The only thing he’s really lost to Negan is his home…and his dignity.  Carl’s death will affect Rick and Michonne greatly.

 

So much to look forward to and that I’m dreading at the same time.  The Walking Dead returns in February 25, 2018 with a 90 minute mid-season premiere.  Chandler Riggs will be on Talking Dead immediately after.

Noetta Harjo
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