THE WALKING DEAD 6.8

Start to Finish

The mid-season finale opens with Sam, who's been locked up in his room dealing with his reality. He should really turn that record player off though... there's a creepy scene where ants are entering through his bedroom window. If you've ever experienced this, you know they form a line to where they are getting their food source. In this case, it's food (or something really weird) that's been left intentionally or unintentionally. But, I think it's also referencing, now that the Alexandrian walls have been crushed down by the tower (where we were left last week), that now the walkers will do the same thing these ants are doing. 

Sam's picture he's working on in the opening scene

Next scene is the tower outside of the Alexandrian wall crashing through. As the dust starts to settle we hear the familiar growls of the walkers, followed by stomping and other things as they start ti file in on the unprepared Alexandrian's. Rick's yelling at everyone to get back. The heard is entering Alexandria as everyone starts to run to take cover. Carol and Morgan take refuge together. Deanna's following Rick, as she's injured. Maggie's fighting off walkers as she makes it to the rickety latter that comes untied as she's hanging on for her and her unborn child's life. She fights desperately and makes it to the top of the platform as she gazes at the ascending green balloons. Cut to Eugene, he has the walkie when Daryl is trying to get a hold of someone and Eugene says "help" as Rosita and Tara come to his aide, and they take shelter in a garage. Michonne and Carl come to the aide of  Rick and Deanna, as a bunch of them take refuge in Jesse's house. The camera pans over Alexandria as we see the infestation of the walkers.

Glenn and Enid are watching the walkers going in, Glenn tries to keep positive. "This is how it happens, and it always happens Glenn" Enid. But, Glenn keeps trying to get her to understand she still needs to care, now, and even when they're gone. Cut to Sam in his room, he hears the commotion, he seems to freak out a little as he's watching Rick and Michonne deal with Deann's injury, Judith's crying, and it all sort of echoes. Back to Morgan and Carol, he wants to check her wounds (she had fallen down) she tells him how she doesn't trust him, he comments "at least you're honest." Polar opposites theologies, this will be interesting to see. But, Carol must have a concussion. It's not cool to see her weak. The Doc is with The W man; he's crazy and she's naive. I hope she realizes that he's legit psycho. He has a psychotic look on his face as she gets stuff out to patch him up - my thoughts - he's going to kill her! Cut to Michonne working on Deanna and they find she's been bitten... "Well... shit" Deanna.

Jesse and Rick discussing Deanna's wound, he tells her how she doesn't have long. Rick's trying to come up with a plan to lure the walkers away. Michonne talking to Deanna, comforting her telling her how the plans she gave them could work. Michonne asks her about the Latin "Working with my family toward a better future", she says how she got to do what she wanted, right up to the end. Carl sees Ron Jr. go out to the garage and follows him to make sure he's okay. Ron thinks Enid's dead, and he thinks they're all going to die. Carl tries to comfort him, but Ron doesn't want to hear it. Ron seems to be losing it. He locks the garage and pulls the gun, Carl charges and they're fighting, Ron has Carl up against the broken door as walkers are drawn to the sound. Rick beats down the door as walkers break through. Theyrun for the house as walkers continue to pile in. Carl lies for Ron Jr., I think the parents understand. Ron and Carl go into a bedroom, Carl pulls a gun on Carl and tells him to give him a gun and tells Ron that he needs to come to terms with the fact that his dad was an asshole.

The group in Jesse's house are watching the walkers from the windows, Judith starts to cry and Rick goes to calm her, see's that Deanna isn't in the bed where they left her, she's at Judith's crib. She hasn't turned yet. He explains how someone needs to be with her until she turns. Deanna hands a note to Rick for Spenser and Maggie; she asks him to look out for Spenser like his own and tells him that Alexandria is his now. Jesse calls Rick, he picks up Judith and leaves Deanna. Back to Rosita and Tara, they're held up in a garage with Eugene. Rosita asks if they think Alexandria is over, Tara explains how they need to work for it; continue to fight for it. Rosita worries that Abraham is dead, but Tara tries to comfort her, while Eugene just reads quietly on the floor. Eugene "Lock pickin' is within my skill set". Back to Carol, Morgan asks if she's all right, she replies that she's just resting her eyes. Carol can't be hurt!! Carol pushes Morgan out of the way and makes a run for it. Back to Rick and his group, the walkers are breaking through, Michonne goes to action, they all retreat up the stairs, trying to block the stairwell on their way. The Doc with The W man, Carol enters the room and orders her to get away from him, Morgan enters, standing between Carol and Morgan.

Rick's plan is to gut the walkers and use them to get to the armory, Michonne helps Rick as Father Gabriel, Jesse and Ron Jr. watch (they're disgusted). Rick tells them anyone who stays ther eis going to die. Father Gabriel asks about Deanna, but Rick just looks at Michonne as they continue to cut up the walkers. Carol vs. Morgan. Carol tells Morgan that she doesn't want to have to kill him. Michonne goes to see Deanna, she explains how the rest of them have to go. "Someday this pain will be useful to you" Deanna explains the Latin verse to Michonne before she leaves her. The group wearing sheets and spreading the walker blood and guts over them, Sam walks in and doesn't understand what is going on, she tries her best to get him to go along. Carol and Morgan debating over The W Man's life. Morgan knocks the knife from her hand and they fight, he picks her up and slams her down (she's knocked out) as The W Man knocks Morgan out and pulls his knife on The Doc. Ricks group all gored up and ready to go. The W Man cuts through his binding as the doctor tries to convince him not to kill him. Tara, Rosita, and Eugene walk in as The W Man takes the doc as his hostage. He leaves with The Doc, as Tara looks on in horror, she tried to tell him he won't make it out there, his response was "we'll see." Rick's group get ready to leave, as they walk by the walkers. Glenn and Enid are climbing a tree trying to get in to Alexandria as Glenn sees Maggie on the scaffoling, surrounded by walkers. Deanna holds her gun to her head, but hears the walkers outside, she opens the door and uses the last of the ammo to shoot them, screaming at the inevitable. Rick and his group stand among the walkers, they hold hands as they make their way through. Sam starts calling "Mom." That'll get the walkers attention, and like in the comics Jessie and her sons get torn apart by the walkers.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite mid-season finale. I think the episode was full of tension with the walkers entering Alexandria and the fight between Morgan and Carol, but it was lacking in the end game, if you know what I mean. I feel like there needed to be more at the end to have us on the edge of our seats itching for the rest of the season. I'm also upset that they're trying to push Into the Badlands so desperately. They included it in the Start to Finish, The Walking Dead Story Sync, and then just last last week they have the blurb during the first commercial set. I'm disappointed that it was just some thug talking about Negan and not a glimpse of him or even a tease of Lucille or something more substantial. But, I guess that's because we're so use to such excellence that even the exceptional seems less than the standard we're use to. What are your thoughts on the mid-season finale? What was your favorite part, and what do you think it was lacking (if anything)?

Link

AMC - The Walking Dead - Start to Finish - Story Sync