The Walking Dead S08E08 "How It's Gotta Be" (My Review)
I still have finals left but the worst part is over and I can finally keep cranking blogs!!!
For the people who haven't seen it yet just scroll to the bottom to read my "initial thoughts", "conclusion" and after if you don't want any spoilers.
Initial Thoughts:
If you guys read my last review you guys remember that I have higher expectations since THIS IS THE MID-SEASON FINALE and I expect this one to be BIGGER AND MORE AT STAKE than the previous seven episodes of Season 8.
What I dislike about it (Spoilers):
- I'll start off with the dislikes with the only part I remember disliking after watching this episode was Saddiq. I have no freaking clue to what part will he play in the future stories/seasons and I stopped giving a shit when I watched S08E06 "The King, the Widow, and Rick". Now that I think of it I should have given that episode a thumbs down but I said it was okay and realized I was being too lenient on grading episodes. Lessons learned. I'm questioning why did the show have a scene of Carl writing a letter to him or about him. All I know it had to something to do with this guy and I just don't care.
- Another part of the show that confuses me was Michael and Enid going to Oceanside to convince the people to join the war to fight Negan. Watching this you see that they ACCIDENTALLY killed one of the Oceanside people who is an important person to that community. I don't dislike or like this part but I am very curious and seriously pondering on how are they going to persuade the Oceanside community? They screwed up REAL bad.
What I LOVE about it (Spoilers):
- This All Out War(pun intended if you read the comics and know what I'm talking about) feels just like an all out war where Negan and his Saviors strike back at Alexandria, Hilltop, and Kingdom. You all know that Negan is very powerful and he is the first antagonist of the series so far to last this long longer than the Governer. How powerful is Negan? The last half of season 6 clearly explains it. Last half of season 6 Rick and his gang killed a bit more than 50 Saviors with Negan still left with over a hundred men probably several hundred men we will never know but we know that Rick and his gang with Alexandria and all the other communities were under the dictatorship of Negan for the whole entire season 7 with Oceanside hiding in secrecy and Scavengers not picking a side. Don't forget to mention the amount of Saviors killed/held-hostage in the previous 7 episodes of the All Out War with Negan still having more men and firepower to invade Hilltop, Alexandria, and the Kingdom all at once. I loved how this episode just brings it all back.
- Carl definitely shined in this episode. The scene with him and Negan was a good one. I loved the part where he told Negan to kill him as punishment to save everyone else and gave a speech of how people dying is meaningless as a distraction for everybody in Alexandria to hide and escape. We all have to admit the relationship between Carl and Negan is a type of father-son relationship which made Negan let his guard down when hearing Carl's speech. I also love the part where he did the disappearing smoke act that made him look like he vanished. The episode ended with Carl with a bite mark on his stomach got me confused as to how this happened. Also we don't know if this was a bite mark from a Walker? Carl is an important character to die plus there is more story to him after the war.
- The small fight between Rick and Negan was a good teaser and gave people a little taste as to what will come.
- King Ezekiel played his character well he played as a heroic king letting his people escape Kingdom when it was invaded by the Saviors. We also see Morgan watching from far away and we know hell will break loose when he attacks.
- Dwight's betrayal is hands down my MOST favorite part of this episode with the second being Carl. Honestly I was waiting for this moment and we all know that he is the mole in Negan's group and the tv displayed it better than the comics although I wished they showed a TV version of Jesus catching the grenade and throwing it back to the Saviors. Dwight definitely proved to be a great asset in the team. Sadly he got caught by this female Savior named Laura but I am pretty sure that he will give another advantage to Rick's team. Who knows maybe Laura won't snitch.
Last Note (Minor Spoilers):
If anybody expected both sides to go all out face to face then clearly they're stupid. A confrontational war like that is suicide for Rick's group. Rick and the other communities are clearly outmanned and outgunned by Negan and his Saviors which is why Rick and his group had to draw MANY Walkers to Sanctuary, why other communities had to attack other Negan's outposts right after bringing the Walkers to Sanctuary, and why they all have to hide in the sewers during the attack on Alexandria.
Questions unanswered (No Spoilers):
- How is Eugene going to redeem himself? What will happen to him at the end of Season 8?
- Where did the helicopter came from and where is it heading? We saw it in S08E05 "The Big Scary U" Will we find out about it or is it just a filler plot hole to keep the show interesting?
- How is Morgan going to reign hell on the Saviors since he is still alive?
Conclusion (No Spoilers):
This episode definitely raised the stakes up. The explosions are really awesome and it makes Michael Bay jealous. (Sorry can't help myself) This episode had plenty of plot progression and still leave plenty of story of the war for the next few episodes. I hope with the last half of this season they won't spread it out too thin. This war definitely feels like a war compared to the first episode. I loved plenty of things about it and I can't wait to watch more episodes to come!!
My grade for this:
If you guys enjoyed my review check out my other ones on the previous episodes of The Walking Dead:
S08E01 "Mercy"
S08E02 "The Damned"
S08E03 "Monsters"
S08E04 "Some Guy"
S08E05 "The Big Scary U"
S08E06 "The King, the Widow, and Rick"
S08E07 "Time For After"
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I think Carl is done for. This was foreshadowed by the scenes showing Rick a broken man in the future. Also, Carl's unexpected appeal to Rick to save Negan's life was seemingly motivated by Carl being in shock over the knowledge of dying very soon. Carl was killed off by a random event as he seems to have got bit while saving Saddiq. For a long time, when somebody important has been about to die, the writers have dedicated entire episodes for them. Now they kill off Carl of all people out of the blue. It's a little too late to introduce an element of uncertainty like that. Strangely, I did not feel anything when it was revealed that Carl was going to die. I have nothing against Carl. I think that was caused by the poor writing that has plagued the last season and a half.
Speaking of poor writing, some events have suspended my disbelief out in the Parmese sun to become delicious dried ham. Mostly the problems are with Negan. When the Alexandrians showed up at the Sanctuary with their armor-plated cars, Negan stepped out onto the platform in front of all the Alexandrians to give yet another one of his annoying speeches. Everybody's guns were pointed at him. It would have been trivial to end the war right there and then. As we saw in a later episode, the Saviors would most likely fallen apart without his leadership.
It has also been super annoying to see the protagonists act in such undisciplined and self-centered ways as to put everybody else in jeopardy. They seem to jump off to do random stuff without any kind of co-ordination. Also, their propensity to mercilessly kill people in large numbers and/or on impulse in contrast to Negan's emphasis on never killing people gratuitously is starting to reflect badly on them vis-a-vis Negan. But I really want Negan dead because I can't stand his mannerisms.
I think the first season was completely superior to all that followed. Also, I think the first episode of the entire series is still unparalleled.
I think the Governor was a better villain than Negan. The Governor was a cold-blooded and ruthless man. But he had a human side and thus some depth. The heart-wrenching tragedy of what happened to his daughter had fucked him up. Negan, on the other hand, is a shallow and badly written character with tiresome mannerisms. After the shock of the last episode of season 6 and the first episode of season 7 wore off, he was given way too much screen time. I haven't read the comics but I think Kirkman made a big mistake in allowing Negan to go on living and become Rick's close ally. Once having lost his power, it should've been impossible for Negan to avoid being murdered by any one of the dozens of people he has left hating his guts, some of whom have taken huge risks trying to kill him before.
maybe you are right about carl cause i remember the vision in the first episode mercy. I'm not going to make any conclusion about carl unless i see the WHOLE thing. he plays into the story after the all out war so I hope they don't kill him.
if they shot negan in the first episode all the saviors would see him as a martyr and they would attack hilltop, Alexandria, and Kingdom with the saviors as the winner cause more men and more firepower. (light spoiler)in the comics negan explained why he didn't kill rick. i believe they needed to execute negan in front of all the saviors. if you watched dark knight returns part 1 batman needed to fight the mutant leader and beat him in front of all the mutants so they won't follow their leader just like how Rick needed to execute Negan in front of the Saviors or embarrass him in the most humiliating way.
i believe the tv show will explain about negan leadership and how he became a leader with so many followers. also i know what happens to him in the comics when the war is over but i don't know how Rick is going to win in the war.
Governor vs. Negan. The governor has a better backstory but Negan is more powerful because he is more sane, can lead, and can take risk but his biggest was rick.
if they shot negan in the first episode all the saviors would see him as a martyr and they would attack hilltop, Alexandria, and Kingdom with the saviors as the winner cause more men and more firepower.
If Negan had been shot by the Alexandrians when he appeared before them at the Sanctuary, it would've been game over. When Negan was in the RV with Gabriel and lost to the Saviors, his lieutenants became very nervous. One them, the woman, even shot one of the workers when they came upstairs demanding to know how the encirclement crisis was going to be solved. It was clear to me that without Negan they would've collapsed in short order. Negan is a tyrant whose iron fist is the only thing holding the Saviors, a team of villains, cohesive in the first place.
(light spoiler)in the comics negan explained why he didn't kill rick. i believe they needed to execute negan in front of all the saviors. if you watched dark knight returns part 1 batman needed to fight the mutant leader and beat him in front of all the mutants so they won't follow their leader just like how Rick needed to execute Negan in front of the Saviors or embarrass him in the most humiliating way.
I think it was obvious why Negan did not kill Rick when they first met and after that. Negan likes strong people because he sees them as potential assets to work for him. He has no use for weak people.
i believe the tv show will explain about negan leadership and how he became a leader with so many followers. also i know what happens to him in the comics when the war is over but i don't know how Rick is going to win in the war.
I have read about the comics and I know the overall plot leading up to Rick and Negan being loosely allied.
Governor vs. Negan. The governor has a better backstory but Negan is more powerful because he is more sane, can lead, and can take risk but his biggest was rick.
Negan is a textbook psychopath but with enough self-control to be able to act according to long-term plans.
Negan being dead in the beginning would just make every one of the saviors attack the Rick and the other communities and the people falling apart in Sanctuary on "The Big Scary You" who knows we haven't seen the WHOLE thing of the people there falling apart without his leadership. also the tv people who make these episodes want to extend it as much as possible you already notice in the last half of season 4. i don't read the comics only a few parts here and there and but not the story that take place after the TV.
also the reason to Negan not killing Rick in the beginning you re not wrong but I think the very specific reason is that this is who he is. i mean that is how he build his empire. he obviously is not completely evil he cornered Rick real good and he only killed a few of Rick's people since Rick killed A LOT more of his people. he does show a lot of mercy. his way is what brought stability to society even though if it is a dictatorship.
im not going to go into the one you said about a loose alliance cause i don't want any more spoilers.
maybe he is a psychopath but he is more human than the governor in my opinion. he is not revenge driven like the governor since the tv show and the comics show his moral side.
Negan being dead in the beginning would just make every one of the saviors attack the Rick and the other communities
How? The outposts were destroyed and the Sanctuary was surrounded by a very large herd of walkers. The situation inside was becoming chaotic as the workers had become restless enough to almost openly challenge the soldiers. Only Negan's timely reappearance calmed the situation down. Without him, things would probably have escalated and a full-on fight inside might have ensued. The workers were becoming desperate as food and water were starting to run out.
and the people falling apart in Sanctuary on "The Big Scary You" who knows we haven't seen the WHOLE thing of the people there falling apart without his leadership. also the tv people who make these episodes want to extend it as much as possible you already notice in the last half of season 4. i don't read the comics only a few parts here and there and but not the story that take place after the TV.
The problem with the TV series in this season is in the writing. Too many episodes have been confusing and difficult to follow. But based on the aforementioned sequence where the lieutenants have a hard time reaching consensus as to what to do and the workers start pressuring them and where one of the workers gets shot makes it clear that without Negan the Saviors would've been lost. Remember, the Saviors thought Negan had died because they hadn't seen him for quite some time after the shootout and the appearance of all the walkers in the yard.
also the reason to Negan not killing Rick in the beginning you re not wrong but I think the very specific reason is that this is who he is. i mean that is how he build his empire. he obviously is not completely evil he cornered Rick real good and he only killed a few of Rick's people since Rick killed A LOT more of his people. he does show a lot of mercy. his way is what brought stability to society even though if it is a dictatorship.
Negan is no wanton killer, that's for sure. As he said, people are like money in the bank and their lives are not to be wasted. But that doesn't mean he would not be perfectly willing to kill anyone at the drop of a hat if he believed that would best serve his interests. He loves nobody. In fact, such people are constitutionally incapable of loving anyone. Remember the scene where Negan told Rick he would kill Carl as punishment for rebelling against him (that was right before Shiva distracted the Saviors and allowed Rick to escape the situation)? He was willing to kill Carl just like that to punish Rick even though he liked Carl. To such people all other people are of utterly of no value unless they happen to somehow serve their interest.
The Governor, albeit a ruthless person, is not a psychopath. The Governor loved his daughter deeply. Losing her was deeply agonizing to him and drove him crazy. Her death was so painful to him that he kept her hidden in his apartment in her reanimated state in a desperate attempt to find a cure. The Governor was a man capable of love. There is no doubt in my mind that he would gladly have sacrificed his own life to save his daughter.
im not going to go into the one you said about a loose alliance cause i don't want any more spoilers.
Ok.
maybe he is a psychopath but he is more human than the governor in my opinion. he is not revenge driven like the governor since the tv show and the comics show his moral side.
Negan is completely selfish. A true psychopath, he is completely alone in the world. From his perspective, every other human being is a tool to serve his purposes. He is also a sadist who gets a kick out of the suffering of others. He gets pleasure from tormenting others. That's why he has chosen to create a community held together by terror. People like him have an explanation for everything like you could see in his conversations with Gabriel. But evil is how evil does.
i still feel that the people and the soldiers in Sanctuary would still find a way to get rid of all the walkers. the tv created that kind of plot hole when it came to the strategy but i strongly believe Rick should not kill negan in episode 1.
The governor and negan are like two different people i wouldn't compare which one is better but i will say Negan is more powerful but the governor has the more interesting personality.
idk much about Negan and I don't overthink about character development i try to be unbiased as i can and judge only what i witness all i can say is that he is the person that brought stability to society and held an empire. he is a psychopath but still more humane than the claimers, governor and especially the hunters
You are right in that Negan has not gratuitously killing people going for him.
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Please if anybody want more of my opinions or have any questions ask away!! I am very passionate about the Walking Dead
I'm real into the Walking Dead as well and the only thing I kind of didn't like about the episode was that the King was limping around pretty bad from the leg injury but that he was running pretty well when the Saviors showed up. I guess we could say Adrenaline
I like the show overall and it is sad to see that Carl is toast
i think Morgan will save the king. i don't think Carl is toast. Its too soon to say that. Remember when people thought Glenn was eaten alive by walkers when standing on the dumpster. We didn't see the whole thing and it turned out that they were eating another person on top of him when they fell. Im pretty sure the TV will find a loophole to this and give us another perspective just like Glenn.
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