I took a break from The Walking Dead after the Richonne reveal. I never saw it coming but it seemed like everyone else had been wishing, hoping and expecting it. I spent days over thinking things and wondering if we were all watching the same thing. It was a ridiculous endeavour really. I mean I’ve been shipping Daryl and Carol for years and I’m sure there are people out there who think I’m way off with that one. Well they were proved right.
So I finally caught up on the last four episodes and I have to say I was still shipping Carol and Daryl right up to the point when Carol kissed that Alexandrian guy (I will learn their names when they become integral to the plot). I get it now, that’s not going to happen.
“We gotta come for them before they come for us.”
I’m really glad that I took some time out because the four episodes that I watched really did need to be seen back-to-back.
Watching Not Tomorrow Yet I was constantly thinking, would I do this? Am I capable of killing non walkers to survive? It was a great episode for introspection. Over the years Rick and Carol have done some bad shit to protect the people they love but going after The Saviours whilst they slept was one of the most questionable decisions Rick has ever made. They basically murdered people. I get it, it’s a crazy time to be alive but still doesn’t sit well with me.
In the following episode The Same Boat, Carol saw a reflection of herself in the Saviour woman Paula. Both started of as timid women who’ve had to toughen up to survive. When Paula told Carol “You’re not the good guys, you should know that.” It was an opportunity for the audience to step back and think about it. For years we’ve been rooting for these guys to stay alive by whatever means necessary. They are our people so by default they’ve been the good guys to us. But they aren’t are they?
Like I said it was good to watch these episodes back-to-back because it really highlighted the consequences of being part of the Ricktatorship. In Twice as Far Denise and Eugene decide to ‘sack up’ because to survive you have to be like Rick and ’em. Sadly like a round of the Hunger Games, there can be only one survivor and Denise paid the ultimate price. At least Eugene gets to go on to the next round.
Whilst staying and protecting the people she loves proves too much for Carol’s soul to take, I expect Rick to stay the distance always. He’s had to be that kind of guy. I think the picture above sums up Rick right now. He might care for his people but you have to be a little dead inside to make those kinds of decisions.
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