(SPOILER! review) Let's Talk About The Walking Dead Season 8 Mid-season Finale

For the uninitiated, this is my spoiler review of Walking Dead Season 8, first 8 episodes in. You've been warned as I will dwell into lot of plot details especially ones in spoiler territories.


Wow, so this is it. It feels like yesterday I was watching Frank Darabont's original inception of TWD with season 1 before he left after production of season 2. How that quickly spiraled down into bowl of plot twists and dramatic nonsense is beyond me for the 6 years or so, how I wish I could pick this show apart one flaw to another. But alas, this is the ship I've sailed with and will have to continue to do so in a painstaking manner, the final chapter for Rick, Carl, Daryl, Maggie, Michonne, Carol, Judith, Rosita, Tara, Father Gabriel and Morgan. But this season, one of them did die with some difference being is vanity. Eight episodes are in and with due diligence I do us a favor of reviewing it before the last 8 episodes release in February which speaking of, I found a video teaser here. Also really Scott Gimple? really? this is the ending you've picked? doesn't feel like it was earned in the right way. Anyways, moving on




It's an all out war, blood for blood at hefty price:
The residents from Alexandria, Hilltop and Kingdom come together to fight against a common enemy and boy this was brutal as hell. There was a lot of suspense at first drawing out the mindset that things will go their way and they would have won against the saviors hand over fist. Nope, Negan had way too many surprises hiding out and his saviors were well-prepped against the worst case scenario possible. Alexandria with what's left of it, takes up arms but suffer major casualties before retreating back and seeing their settlement finally being destroyed by Negan's vengeful wrath. Hilltop takes prisoners, with Jesus brokering a more pacifying solution to keeping them around, maybe convert them to their side. While Maggie is being dragged by a noose to the neck by one of Negan's leaders; Simon after the fallout. Kingdom, well Ezekiel suffered major casualties after that ranch ambush and later on, after trying to escape with Carol and Jerry; Ezekiel stumbles and loses his grasp on his role after the countless loss he had and tragic one for last, Shiva being devoured by the undead after rescuing attempt of Ezekiel from pit of walkers. This was a lot to take in honesty and sad that, I missed season 7 and couldn't bring myself to finish that before judging this. But I want my full judgement on this saved for another paragraph so I'll hold my thoughts there. Just to be clear, people died. In fact our quintessential people's gay couple; Aaron and Eric, faced a grim reality when Eric got shot before bleed to death and eventually turned into a walker joining the pact near the forest. The death at this rate is worse than Glenn, Abraham and Sasha put together. Reminding us that this war is a means give it all to end all in grand scheme of things.




Fractured ties that bind:
It all came to this, Daryl scuffle with Rick on decisions combating against the saviors when they're trapped inside the factory before eventually losing faith in Rick's plan dragging along Michonne, Rosita and Tara to sabotage an opening so that the walkers crawl inside and have them cornered. This inadvertently gave Negan the advantage he needed just with a little help from Eugene. I can't seem to blame him, he was distraught with what Negan and his accomplices did to the group, what their sense of order was and with lot of people already lost to Negan's hands. Fueled by anger and total directive to get rid of Negan once and for all. Eventually that won't happen since well guessing if the show is still following the comics, Negan will be kept captive and as an example of their victorious crusade as well as Rick's motto "My mercy prevails over my wrath" as quoted from the Quran thanks to Siddiq, whose addition I did enjoy and found humble respect because they finally represented a good Muslim character within the show even though he's also in the comics. But how it all unravels will be found out in the next half of season 8. I think Daryl will have to answer for his insubordination one way or another. I also think Daryl should have kept his head up high, this isn't you man, you're usually copacetic with Rick's gameplan, am still shocked after all this time he decided to foil his plan. It was even bad enough he shot the unarmed guy dead who surrendered and gave him information about other saviors since the attack. I guess loyalty can only go so far, but maybe that's why the mid-season ending finally took place, to put an end to all this ruckus and get the group's sanity in check. Eugene's character fully materializes the more he works under the saviors with his new "biological imperative", the highly versed in south man of science puts himself into more work while fulfilling his sense of purpose helping the workers before that goes haywire after Daryl's sabotage, he was then lead to revaluate with whom he swears fealty to. Knowing Eugene however, he still isn't a killer and has maintained that status quo so far and am glad he did, would have been nice to have one guy who doesn't go guns blazing in full wrath just like everyone else is. But the bigger question remains is why he hasn't given up Dwight to Negan, maybe he isn't fully convinced about being a savior just yet even though he tries very hard to be one.

 


Confessions of a dangerous mind:
This is the best part of the season, one I loved. It's where Negan reveals his more pre-apocalypse urban self. Why he took the mantle of becoming the leader of the saviors. Jeffrey Dean Morgan brings out a much different version of Negan apart from the one in the comics, I actually kind of like this villain to be quite honest. Apart from all the antagonists going from Shane, The Governer and Terminus cannibals, Negan is the real deal. His candid and savage personality with his suave banter makes for a great personality and his character had further depth revealed after his confession with father Gabriel, this is the second survivors character that Negan has found profound respect and admiration for apart Carl. Negan revealing he had a wife before the apocalypse and that afterwards once she became infected, he couldn't muster the act of killing her. The best part, her name was Lucille just like his bat. But here's where things got sketchy, right after their escape attempt Father Gabriel by some chance got infected and he's been in the sickbay with Dr. Carson ever since, could it be that Negan intentionally got him to this position just so he could kill his confession with Gabriel for the long run? we'll have to figure out and probably hope Dr. Carson found a medicine to suppress the infection before he dies and reanimates. Wouldn't want that from Father Gabriel.




That freaking ending:
Lord, why did it have to be Carl? why? I guess he's such a pivotal character, the showrunner decided his death would be the ultimate turning point for both Rick and his team. It's not the first time a death has serve as a change of course for certain character's paths but this one has changed the entire ballgame including Negan. I just have couple of nitpicks, like say why was this lead up poorly build? the editing is a mess, there's gaping holes in the timeline. I guess they wanted to serve this as some kind of plottwist later on or something. It could be more likely that when Carl found Siddiq and was fending off the walkers, one of the bit him but that didn't seem like the case considering he has gotten into sticky situations before and now he just dies out in vain thanks to a bad clean up of walkers in the forest. That sequence could have been properly handled, but the fact remains is that reason why Carl was willing to give himself up as penance for going up against Negan even though Negan was not happy with the offer pretty much might have given us that semblance of clue that Carl was already dying. In fact, watching this show, he has taken a more heartful approach to winning this battle instead of massive bloodshed. I just wish the emotional payoff was much better, this is a central character of the show and you ruined his death with these two episodes put together.


Summary:
Walking Dead has turned fans into detractors easily after what season 5-6 did to the storyline. Me sort of included, I was hesitant to comeback before Negan showed up, skipping season 7 notwithstanding. Till now everything was going well, Morgan finally accepted the ultimatum that the Saviors aren't worth having over even with Jesus's humanitarian efforts, before going berserk and leaving them to themselves. In fact, it seems everybody from Rick's group wants the Saviors gone forever, with extreme prejudice. Carol has found great admiration towards the king. Instead of following Rick like she used to she finally pledge her new allegiances to the kingdom even after Ezekiel lays in despair after the loss he suffered, but only to rise to the occasion once more when the saviors attacked his compound and his people. While Rick venture in some moral dilemma that maybe there's a better outcome for this, with Siddiq now part of the gang after Carl's sacrifice, things are moving ahead in brisk momentum. Kingdom cornered with the king at savior's grasp, Hilltop at high alert and using the captured saviors as hostages and Alexandria all up in flames with Negan's presence. But I can't say I won't miss the violent world of TWD, it's still choke full of intense moments even though the story loses its luster at times. Am fully aware that missing season 7 has given me lack of impact from season 8, but I think it's admissible considering things have improved. For me, all bets are pretty much off, it's going to end well for the show and we're just 8 episodes away.....unless of course Kirkmen decides to fool everybody and announce season 9 will be coming as well with the group going against the Commonwealth. Interesting times indeed. As for Carl, if you guys still want him to stick around, pray there's an Ex Machina that'll hit up soon.


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Please read my earlier Steem review for TWD, that might also highlight other key moments missed here.

If you liked this one, please leave a vote. Would also love to know how you think every situations could have gone instead of what transpired in the show right in the comments.