10.08: The Walking Dead - The World Before

[ctg]

A fight causes tensions in Oceanside while the Alexandrians set out on a high-stakes mission.

 

[ctg]

The world before is not gone and I'm glad that I was right about something. There are still stuff in this Kirkman's world that people in the Rickland can still use. Not everything is lost, especially as Michonne's gang raid a library and finds a treasure. Not just in the form of books and knowledge, but as in form a lost scavenger, who just happened to be conveniently on the spot to save Luke from trouble.

Those old librarians are fiercely protecting the knowledge, even after the death. Who would have thought that?

It is intriguing to look at the library and find out that back in the day, when the librarians were still alive, they didn't bother barricading windows or entrances, or even scavenge supplies, which suggests to me that they died as soon as the zombies appeared. More intriguing details is that some of the books seems to be missing, but whoever took them, never bothered putting down the dead.

Yet, when you look at the survivors now, they grave for kind of escapism that the old world culture can provide ... or for that anything that is still in the good shape and haven't fallen apart while the world has turned green. Those forests and meadows, they are superbly green and they seem to be thriving in the absence of man and the machines. It is almost as if the Kirkman's world is returning back to its normal state.

I remember clearly a few seasons back where everything was still nicely cut down and showed signs of use. There is nothing like it today. What's more intriguing is that the Oceanside doesn't show any signs of the great plastic pollution. Everything on those white sand beaches show signs that wasn't even a problem for their world. Then there is Virgil's revelation about the Naval Base.

All the things that might still be in there, could turn the tide of this war against the Whisperers. Michonne stated weapons, but more important is the ammo, as without it, whatever weapons that might be still stored in there, are useless. In the wildest dream it could even mean more people than Virgil's family. It could even mean a fully functional warship, equipped with helicopters, drones, missiles and ammo for the deck guns.

I know that a lot of them are dream things, many times seen in the ruined state, and against the dead unusable. Except if you talk about the drones, which we now is a force multiplier, and could easily turn the tide against the Whisperers. Then again, information about the location of the horde, could also be useful, unless it puts you in the state you saw in the last scene.

Why Carol had to be so stubborn that she would run after Alpha and not even try to shoot her?

Did she really hope that she could capture Alpha and force her to end the war?

Dante wanted them to give up, after he was captured. In his madness he even thought Alexandrian's would force him to act as a doctor. Man, I did bet Rosita would have ended him, as I never guessed that Lord's shepherd would do the deed. It also says that nothing has really changed in the Alexandria, as you still can lose your life in there, and never receive a trial.

Overall it was a good midseason ending, and it stayed true to the traditions. What I really liked was rising the hope with Virgil's revelation!

 

[REBerg]

Michonne's gang raid a library and finds a treasure.

I was surprised that the library was so intact. Didn't the FTWD gang visit one that had been nearly stripped to the walls?

anything that is still in the good shape and haven't fallen apart while the world has turned green. Those forests and meadows, they are superbly green and they seem to be thriving in the absence of man and the machines. It is almost as if the Kirkman's world is returning back to its normal state.

That seems to be a theme of the series. A global plague will destroy all or most of Humanity, and the world will recover from us. Hope for the planet, but not for us.

It could even mean a fully functional warship, equipped with helicopters, drones, missiles and ammo for the deck guns.

What? You're expecting another USS Nathan James?

Why Carol had to be so stubborn that she would run after Alpha and not even try to shoot her?

Did she really hope that she could capture Alpha and force her to end the war?

I believe Carol had no plan but to kill Alpha. I was expecting Alpha to mirror Carol's rush toward her, and the two of them to meet in the clearing for a violent and bloody climax to the mid-season finale.
Carol's rage against Alpha is so overpowering that she didn't hesitate to follow her into a dark cave. How dumb were the others, even Daryl, to follow her in? Nobody saw a big, neon sign over the entrance flashing "TRAP"?[/QUOTE]

Man, I did bet Rosita would have ended him, as I never guessed that Lord's shepherd would do the deed. It also says that nothing has really changed in the Alexandria, as you still can lose your life in there, and never receive a trial.

Wow! Talk about releasing years of pent-up anger -- not that Dante didn't deserve a painful death. I thought it was appropriate that Dante's body was unceremoniously burned, like trash, with only Gabriel and Rosita present.

 

[ctg]

I was surprised that the library was so intact. Didn't the FTWD gang visit one that had been nearly stripped to the walls?

They visited the jewish temple, and it was intact, and in perfect good shape. They visited the mall, with bookshops and other places that looked the same. A lot of place in LA were burned down, just like it had happened in Atlanta. TWD crew visited the DC science museum and it showed a lot of intact pieces. It is as if nobody bothered about the books and knowledge, while they were too busy fighting the dead.

What? You're expecting another USS Nathan James?

Nathan James would do fine. I would keep it stationed outside the Oceanside, and withdraw people into flotillas. The deckgun can do a lot damage and if they'll have a compliment of land attack version of tomahawks, all the better. Those dead are not fresh, and they will be easier to mob up when they don't have legs, or they are in pieces. The bigger thing is the living whisperers among the horde as they will feel full damage, while some of the dead might survive.

Thing is, AMC would never do that. Up most they would do an air-cavalry run with a couple of old huwies. US Navy could lend them (AMC) Super Cobras for the set, and might even feel honoured about it. But it's more plausible to think that no chopper crews survived and therefore cannot give close support. It's still that in the idea level Michonne is doing the right, even if it's risky to go out with Virgil without scouting the place first.

I believe Carol had no plan but to kill Alpha

So old psycho Carol took over and she didn't think to use the bow to shoot Alpha, and wound her before closing in for the kill. Where is her mind and instincts? I know it's a difficult shot but we believe Carol is a competent hunter. The thing about the cave was that it immediately flagged a big warning sing to me. I would have scouted it first and then gone in carefully, while carrying a shotgun.

 

[REBerg]

Up most they would do an air-cavalry run with a couple of old huwies.

We had a couple of refurbished Hueys in town here back in August. Brave souls got rides with Vietnam vets at the controls.

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/mnocYYx1/takeoff_dvd.mp4

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/OCKwtiEZ/landing_dvd.mp4

 

[ctg]

We had a couple of refurbished Hueys in town here back in August. Brave souls got rides with Vietnam vets at the controls.

Yeah, it is a good machine. There is no doubt about that. But going into the modern combat with it, is questionable tactic at best. Too many of them were brought down by ground fire, but against the horde, no problem. They are not going to shoot back.

 

[nixie]

Least they've found the horde.

Alpha sent Dante because Lydia didn't know him, we now know who was responsible for the graffiti, also pleased I was right about who tampered with the water and it wasn't Siddiq.

Who knew Gabriel had that much pent up anger?
I thought Rosita was going to beat him to death with her bare hands. Then when they were questioning him and Aaron walked in, thought he was going to be the one . Never dreamed it would be Gabriel .

I think we can trust Virgil, wonder if he belongs to the group that Eugene was talking too?
Connie's sister Kelly, I don't think she should have been out hunting the horde, her hearing is going and unlike Connie she hasn't learned yet how to rely on her other senses.

I don't think Mary lied to Aaron about the horde, Alpha probably realised Mary was questioning her own loyalties and moved it.

 

[ctg]

I think we can trust Virgil, wonder if he belongs to the group that Eugene was talking too?

We can assume so, but we don't know for sure.

I don't think Mary lied to Aaron about the horde, Alpha probably realised Mary was questioning her own loyalties and moved it.

Least they've found the horde.

I don't think the horde was there ever. Alpha would have stored it in the cave so that it doesn't wander away. If they would have left it in the meadow, they would have needed people constantly herding it. That also suggests Alpha doesn't have too many people. My instincts says that Mary was forced to deliver a wrong location and Alpha counted that Carol would turn up and then chase her.

 

[Judderman]

Some highlights and a few lowlights there. Possibly quality dropped off a little from a couple of episodes ago but the scene with Gabriel raging was brilliantly done. The Virgil story has potential. Maybe Michonne et al will come in guns ablazing just when Carol and her followers are facing their own death. Hopefully will be done less conveniently timed than that. It would require them to be left alive for a few days. Everyone just following Carol was quite annoying, but on the other hand I do like to a scary room of Walkers crowding in.
Good library attack scene too. Otherwise some of the talking scenes were a little drab again, and the walker attack on Oceanside could have been better.

Overall entertaining half season.

 

[ctg]

The Virgil story has potential.

There is a possibility that Virgil will connect to the helicopter people and this is been used to transfer Michonne into the movies, and therefore she will never return back to the series.

 

[svalbard]

Not buying the whole Carol running after Alpha and everyone following. To think that these people have survived for years in this world and do something as stupid as that just does not make sense. Poor writing to create a cliffhanger.

 

[REBerg]

There is a possibility that Virgil will connect to the helicopter people and this is been used to transfer Michonne into the movies, and therefore she will never return back to the series.

While they're transferring characters, how about bringing Maggie back? Her TV series tanked, so maybe she's got some time on her hands.

 

[nixie]

They did say she was returning this season, probably the very last episode.

 

[Judderman]

Not buying the whole Carol running after Alpha and everyone following. To think that these people have survived for years in this world and do something as stupid as that just does not make sense. Poor writing to create a cliffhanger.

Yeah that did spoil the episode. I think even having a hole covered in the ground outside would have been more believable.

 

[Judderman]

There is a possibility that Virgil will connect to the helicopter people and this is been used to transfer Michonne into the movies, and therefore she will never return back to the series.

i would be surprised if they just let another major character disappear, without it being the last season. Unless the actress wanted it that way, which often causes a story problem.

 

[ctg]

Not buying the whole Carol running after Alpha and everyone following. To think that these people have survived for years in this world and do something as stupid as that just does not make sense. Poor writing to create a cliffhanger.

How would have written it? And also do you really need a cliffhanger for the finale?

 

[REBerg]

How would have written it? And also do you really need a cliffhanger for the finale?

Just discovering the horde would have been dramatic enough. No need to trap them too.

 

[svalbard]

How would have written it? And also do you really need a cliffhanger for the finale?

Discovering the horde would have being enough. Maybe a shot of Negan and Alpha together. Carol stepping out from the tree line and eyeballing Alpha from a distance. Finish it there.

 

[ctg]

Carol stepping out from the tree line and eyeballing Alpha from a distance. Finish it there.

In my view they already did that with the quarry shot, earlier in the season and it would therefore have been repetition. It also would have left in the air tension and another cliffhanger. I might have reversed the cave scene and showed it from Alpha's POV and just cut off on her grin, when Carol follows her into the cave. I would have left the other actors outside the cave and ended at there with the high tension moment.

I admit it would be another cliffhanger, and to cut it out, Michonne going to sea with Virgil would have left the season with some hope, instead of tension. It would have been a positive moment, instead of this dread doom hanging over the primary characters heads.

 

[Jeffbert]

Neegan had a thing for tormenting or just annoying people with words. I wonder what Neegan would say to Gabriel about his brutally killing Dante? With so little contact between G & N, N would have seen such a distinctive / large transformation in G.