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First off I feel so happy and nervous all at the same time that this wasn’t the mid-season finale. Nothing good ever happens in the mid-season, someone always gets offed and with Negan running the show and Carl already acting out who knows… Negan sitting at Rick’s house holding his daughter and getting into Carl’s mind or Daryl acting out to Negan again and his inevitable attempt at escaping.
Michone tells Rick “everything we have we got by fighting” but maybe right now fighting isn’t a good idea. Negan clearly still has the numbers and Rick you just don’t have everyone on board with you. Rosita is off planning an assault, Carl has already attempted one, Carol is well I think she’s back on track to being Carol, Spencer (which now I think I might have been calling him by his One Tree Hill name at a different time. I wouldn’t be surprised if I accidentally call him Julian again) is probably off planning a coo or just being the sh*t he is. But it’s all ok because Father Gabriel is on your side.
So let’s get to it.
Take a lesson from Jesus, Carl.
Now it seems to me, what little I know about Jesus, that he’s kind of a studier of people and plans. “It isn’t usually the fall that gets us. It’s trying to fight it.” Unlike Carl he doesn’t just go in guns blazing. Carl could learn a thing or 2 from his planning, patience, plan follow through and slyness. But no, Carl has one thing on his mind and he would never listen to reason. But maybe, as Jesus is watching Carl ride away in the truck, he thinks ‘Hmmmmm… this might be a good opportunity. I can infiltrate and no one will be looking at me when they got this hot dog of a kid running around killing people and causing trouble.’
So I guess in a way Carl didn’t Carl-up the infiltration he made it better?
Carl’s got a new daddy.
Carl has made quite the impression on Negan. Enough so that when he jumps out from behind the boxes like he’s at a surprise party and, surprise, starts shooting up and killing some of Negan’s men Negan does nothing. I mean, not that many episodes (or days ago if you’re in the Dead-verse) Carl was kneeling there in the dark watching Negan destroy his friends. It’s like no matter what Negan throws at Carl you can’t break that can-do-will, rebel and won’t take no for an answer Carl down.
And it’s not only me that Carl makes nervous with his act first never think actions. “You are cute. But kid you scare the sh*t out of me.” even Negan doesn’t trust that Carl won’t go all Rambo and kill him, he’s hiding behind his Negan’s until he can figure out how to really get in Carl’s mind.
I mean, Carl is a kid and in his mind what does he really have to lose. He already has shown that he more than knows how to make the hard decisions and follow through with them. He’s willing to sacrifice what future he would have to avenge his friends, his fallen pride and let’s face it a little for vengeance. If Carl was a little older damn he would make a much better leader than Rick, but is that just a result of him basically growing up in this world. But let’s face it, Carl is turning into a little badass. He refuses to bow, kneel, or listen to anyone whether you’re his dad or not this teenager goes his own way. But… he’s still a kid and if a big, bat wielding psycho is coming at you you’re still going to be a little scared even if your Carl.
“Number 1 don’t shatter my image of you. You’re a badass not scared of sh*t. Don’t be scared of me now. It’s disappointing.” So in the end it’s like Negan decided to take Carl under his wing rather than punish him or anyone else for killing his guys. Carl’s people seem to be undecided on if they should treat Carl as an adult or a kid and here’s Negan just praising Carl for his teenage antics.
Is Negan, the Grinch’s, heart beginning in to grow?
Is there something about taking Carl under his wing that is having a sort of effect on Negan? Is it Carl’s sunny disposition or optimistic outlook on life? Could Negan have been a father before all that awesomeness that is Negan happened and he is just reverting back to what he knows? Whatever it is Negan actually seems concerned by the effect he is having on a kind of fragile Carl even to the point of apologizing to Olivia for calling her fat.
Or… is it a masterful trick and Carl is trying to manipulate Negan? Doubtful. But still, maybe Carl is a master planner?
After he goes out of his way to make Carl feel vulnerable but taking off the bandage he seems concerned by the sad teenager. Trying hard to be like the dad who accidentally says the wrong thing followed by ‘Oh, come on man. I didn’t mean anything by it. That hole in your face is actually super badass. Own it. I was just joking around.’
So he takes Carl around the ginormous Sanctuary, how many people does Negan really have working for him cause that is a huge factory building, and shows him all the essentials of being a badass like Negan. I smell something fishy going on. Negan shows Carl the respect he gets from his people, while at home you have someone like Spencer walking around tarnishing Rick’s good name, Negan shows Carl this brothel of ladies, when let’s face it, Rick’s 1 lady at a time thing hasn’t really worked out for him. 2 died and then there is Michone. Negan even has beer. What teenager wouldn’t like that.
He even lets Carl hold his bat and to me it’s not the same ‘I’m going to demoralize and break you more’ way he did with Rick. He even lets Carl sing to Lucile, so I guess not that Carl knows Lucile’s weakness he can survive a future attack from her with song.
Could Carl decide that the grass is truly greener on the other side? Is he going to become Negan’s apprentice?
Is that the Negan’s whole master plan here? Take over Rick’s home, get his son on his side and be physically in control of his daughter. But watching the way he interacts with Judith… I can’t help but have that ohhhh he’s so good with babies moment. This is just another way to test Rick and show him he could and might just take all the things he has and holds dear. How is Rick going to take Negan knowing about Judith, it could just be the thing to push him over the edge and revolt.
Trouble in Paradise for Spencer.
Oh, Spencer. Like Rosita you have your own sort of train going on but yours is a ‘I hate Rick’ train and you are definitely soliciting to the wrong audience. I would think your first choice would be to rant your ramblings of how Rick has ruined your life to your fellow Alexandrians. You know, get your people on board first. You say everything sucked as soon as he showed up well if that’s the case it sucked for them too. But no you think the way to go is through your midnight lady caller or the priest?
Sure Father Gabriel has been… less than the ideal group member but you know ever since his, oh let’s call them indiscretions, he has really fallen in line and seen the light at the end of the Rick Grimes tunnel. He’s a real productive member of the group. Fighting, staying behind to take care of Alexandria while all the heavy hitters go out there and bring more trouble home. Who stayed home and made sure Judith was being taken care of?
So lesson, play to your audience Spencer.
Here’s this twit trying to what get Rick’s people to see the same light he does and rise against Rick. I guess if you’re going to start somewhere start with the last to arrive. So you pretend to be talking to a priest about sins and what not then just decide to unburden why Rick is a subpar leader and why your mom was awesome? Deana created an amazing little community and sure Rick’s arrival might have been followed by a lot of Alexandrian deaths but, I believe Father Gabriel says, Rick coming might have saved a lot of people and ‘having these thoughts and questioning Rick and blaming him’ for not delivering awesomeness and such ‘doesn’t make you a sinner or a bad person. But it does make you a sh*t.’
Seriously Spencer, even the questionable member of Rick’s group thinks you’re being a giant turd and would rather get out of the car and walk back to Alexandria and deal with walkers than spend another moment with your ungrateful, selfish hoarding whininess. I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a car with you either. You’re lucky you’re pretty cause you don’t have much else going for you. You’re a hoarder and only wish you could be as clever and awesome as you mom was. Dream on little man, you’re just a poor excuse for her legacy.
What would se be saying about you right now?
Eugene’s super power is taking insults?
I mean come on Rosita. Sure Eugene lied to you and Abraham and took you on a wild goose chase to the cure of the apocalypse, but cut a mullet a break! Hasn’t he atoned for that already, he did take a crazy beating from Abraham and has been trying to be useful to the group by kind of learning to fight and thinking about making bullets. I know you’re going through some things, you lost a lover than you watched him die in front of you, and it’s like you’re on this path to try and get people to jump aboard this Rosita-train to revenge but you don’t really have a good enough way with words and inspiration and the stuff of leaders to get everyone on your train.
So stop being so mean to Eugene! I would like to think that between her and Abraham they said all these mean, painful things to Eugene because they know what he is capable of and they know he isn’t living up to his potential but… I think they really just had all of his crazy that they could take. And I think Rosita just can’t control and hide her pain like some of the other apocalypse survivors have learned to. It’s kind of like her version of talking to dead people and raising piglets.
Who knows, if she keeps this up we may be seeing her on the dreaded mid-season couch talk of Talking Dead.
Rick and Aaron and the curious case of the house boat.
What more is there to say than what the what is going on here. I don’t know what was written on the sign because I just couldn’t pay attention between Aaron’s ruggedness and my child, who doesn’t know that when mommy watches Walking Dead, silence must befall the house. But the general gist I got is this is some crazy, prepared for the apocalypse, nut job who may or may not be alive. Probably on that boat, but it’s clear to me that he read Harry Potter.
This nutter surrounds his houseboat with a bunch of floating dead, or as Harry would say Infiri. Keep your arms and legs inside the raft at all time or they’ll drag you down, well that and they will probably eat you cause they’re walkers. Crazy lagoon guy gives you a bullet ridden boat that you know is just going to sink way before you even reach this home. Good luck suckers! This guy is super serious, he doesn’t want anyone knocking on his door to borrow a cup of sugar. Also he is clearly dying to live out a Harry Potter fantasy, who could really blame him for that. I mean if I was alone in the middle of a pond I would probably re-enact some of my favorite fandoms too.
But my friend Emma brings up an excellent thought! 1. Was that hunting guy Spencer found in the tree crazy boat guy? 2. Rick and Aaron aren’t going to wade through the walkers just to find Spencer took it all?
Cause really… Spencer just doesn’t seem smart enough to figure out how to get through the river of walkers, even if he can speak Latin.
How did tree guy get stuck up there? Was he a part of Negan’s group? He did have a walkie. Or was he just trying to spy on the Saviors?
I don’t even know where this final episode of the year is going to go. Is Carl going to jump ships and become a Negan? If he does is it going to be legit or is he going to be like a little spy? Negan does seem to be everything he is looking for in a father and leader right now, he really fills all the holes Rick is making.
Who wrote Daryl the note and is it a trap? Well, my money’s on Dwight and not a trap. It just seems like there is more behind what Dwight feels for Daryl than just jealousy and wanting to be him. He could really want to save Daryl like he couldn’t save himself or his wife.
What is Michone going to do, what’s the endgame for when she gets to Negan? She can’t go all crazy katana girl on the Sanctuary, she has seen that there is a crap ton of men working for Negan not even Michone is good enough to take down all those people by herself. Is she going to rescue Daryl? Demand he come home with her.
Has Carl truly become the badass of the group? NO matter what any throws at him he just won’t stay down. No one puts Carl in the corner! Carol, Maggie, Rosita, Spencer…. there are so many loose ends and yet I know we won’t even begin to touch on half of it.
And ‘That’s a Wrap’ for “Sing Me a Song”. I don’t know how there are still watches working in the apocalypse but Rick must have one damn good watch guy cause it’s 5 o’clock somewhere. “I don’t know why you’re crying. It’s all going to work out aces for you.”
