The episode starts off with Deanna at the main entrance to the town, eavesdropping on Maggie and Michonne’s conversation about Glenn. Michonne informs Maggie of Glenn’s plan to light one of the buildings on fire to lure the walkers away. She also told the possible widow that her husband stated he would signal them to let them know that he was ok. At that moment, Rick made his presence known. He was screaming his head off to open the gate. We see Rick running with the herd of Zombies within grabbing distance of him. Michonne manages to open the gate for him and he makes it in safely. During this time Deanna goes into PTSD mode when she sees the amount of walkers at the gate.
Rick gives a speech to the town, basically telling them that everything is going to be ok and to not give up hope. Everyone who is lost to them will return with their vehicles and help them lead the herd away. Aaron decides it is his turn to confess his sins and tells the whole town that the reason why they were attacked was because of him. In season 5, he dropped his pack with the photos of Alexandria and he believes the wolves followed him and Daryl back. PTSD Deanna doesn’t want to hear this and shambles away. She truly looks like she belongs out there with the rest of the walkers.
Jessie attempts to bury the body of the women she stabbed to death in her kitchen. Rick stops her and says that they do not bury killers inside the walls and that she should wait until it is clear. Then they can take the body outside. Jessie agrees.
The town’s people throw a hissy fit and attempt to steal all of the food out of the storage area. Tiffany tries to stop them but they say that they do not see a point in starving when they won’t live to see tomorrow. Tiffany looks to Deanna for help who just stands there in agreeance with everyone else. Luckily Spence came to save the day (didn’t think I would say that) and tells the group that doing this is the start of tearing the town apart. The town’s people change their minds and put the food back.
Aaron sees the wall with a list of people who died in the recent attack. We see Maggie write Glenn’s name on the wall. He catches Maggie in the Armory loading up and tells her that he will help her search for Glenn and he knows a safer way out than what she had originally planned.
We see Deanna snap out of her PTSD for a moment and come up with a well-crafted plan for future sustainability of the city. Unfortunately, a drunk Spencer comes in and blames his mother for the town’s state of disarray because they were not fully made aware of what the world was like outside of the walls. He also reveals that while he convinced everyone to not raid the storage, he went back and raided it himself because he too has given up hope when it comes to their survival.
Carl and Ron get into a shove fest over Enid. Carl tries to tell Ron that Enid went over the wall after the attack. Carl volunteers to guy find her but he needs Ron’s help. Ron says he will not help him. Carl explains that it will not be to help him but their friend Enid. Ron corrects Carl because apparently Enid was Ron’s girlfriend. There seems to be some hostility when Ron announced this. Perhaps he realizes what those googly eyes between Carl and Enid was about. He tells Carl that he warned Enid about the dangers on the other side of the wall and that he wasn’t going to let Carl go. The shoving starts and then ends with Ron on the ground. Ron tells Carl that if he goes over the fence, he will tell Rick and then Rick will follow Carl and more people will die. Carl leaves angry.
Tara visits Denise in the hospital. Denise says that she has pretty much given up hope and that it is the end of the world. Tara tells her that it is not and that she could still save the patient’s life who is behind Denise. She then tosses the depressed doctor a book on the human anatomy before leaving.
While walking home, Jessie hears snarling and finds out that one of the neighbors turned into a walker. I don’t know if a Wolf killed this woman or if this woman committed suicide but it is dire times for the Alexandrians. After ending the zombie, Jessie gives a speech to the people of Alexandria. She tells them that they need to accept the way things are now because if they don’t, they will die.
Aaron leads Maggie to a sewer and explains that this is how they can exit. She tells him that she has it from here but Aaron is persistent. Maggie says that she has to find out about Glenn because he either needs her help or he is dead and she needs to know for sure. She also tells Aaron that it is not his fault that this happened but Aaron doesn’t accept that. While down in the sewer, they come across two zombies that nearly kills them but they managed to get the upper hand.
While reading the book Tara slid to her, Denise find out how to save the patient’s life. As a reward for Tara, she kisses her and explains that she did it because it was the end of the world. Tara tells her that it’s not.
Ron goes to Rick and snitches on Carl before asking Rick to teach him how to shoot. Rick removes all of the bullets from his gun before handing it to Ron and showing him what to do in order to protect himself.
Maggie and Aaron comes to the end of the Sewer and there are a ton of zombies on the other side. Maggie gives up and announces that she is pregnant.
Jessie tries to bribe her son Sam with cookies because he won’t come down stairs. It doesn’t work.
Deanna is walking outside and is stopped by Wolf Walker. She breaks on of the bottles that’s he is carrying and starts stabbing him in the chest instead of the brain. Rick comes and helps her. He tells Deanna that she needs to get her act together because the town needs her. Deanna tells him that the town needs Rick. She also tells Rick that she wants to live and she wants this place to stay standing.
Maggie wipes Glenn’s name off of the memorial wall. Aaron helps her and says that when Glenn gets back they should discuss naming the baby Aaron or Erin.
Rick and Jessie talk about the speech she gave. She also tells him that they need to do something about the bodies of the wolves. She explains that Glenn, Sasha, Abraham, and Daryl may be back but they have to deal with the situation they are in as if they won’t be because this moment is the most important. Rick kisses her.
Deanna hits the gate with newly found strength. She walks off and we can see there is a crack in the wall.
The Review:
I have to be honest with you. I liked this episode but I didn’t love it and I am trying to prevent my bias from influencing me too much. I am personally not a fan of Rick and Jessie. They are not good for each other because of who they are as people and the events surrounding their coupling is highly suspect. Not to mention Ron and Sam’s feelings towards Rick. I believe that Ron is going to be a problem but to what extent, I am not sure.
Jessie’s speech was supposed to be an impassioned speech but no. I don’t know if this is the actress’s bad delivery or the character’s unlikable nature but this speech was boring.
She reminds me of Lori so much, even down to the bad parenting.
I am sick of this PTSD B.S. Does everyone have to get a sudden case of it? Instead of it being a psychological issue, it is being treated as more of a disease. First Ricks group was (some still are) experiencing PTSD. Then we had Nicolas’ suicidal ass and now Deanna. Please writers, find a different psychological disorder for the characters to face. No more PTSD. Please!
Deanna is wrong. The town needs her as well. Deanna knows how to govern. Rick knows how to protect. They need each other to sustain the town or find someone who is an amalgam of both traits.
Maggie’s pregnant…ok. I am more concerned about Aaron’s partner. Where the hell is he?
Tara and Denise’s moment prior to this kiss totally gave me a different vibe. I thought it was sisterly comradery instead of sexual. I thought it was cool that Tara was checking on her but I wish they had more chemistry. It really felt forced. Maybe a buildup was needed but Denise’s comment after the kiss may have explained it. She released any inhibitions because it is the end of the world from her perspective. I would like to see where all of this goes.
So next week we are supposed to find out more about Abraham, Sasha and Daryl. I just want to find out about Glenn. It’s been weighing on my mind and I don’t know how much longer I can take this. I need them to just reveal his fate but I feel that we will not learn more about Glenn’s predicament until penultimate episode of the first half of the season.
Fight between soon to be stepbrothers. I loved every minute of it. Carl handed Ron a nice shove sandwich; kind of reminds me of Rick and Pete…hmmm.
I want to know more about the wolf that Morgan has tied in the basement. We need an interrogation!
Final Score: 8/10
