Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
(Spoilers ahead)
Each week, we comb through the guts of The Walking Dead, much like a horde of hungry walkers, to bring you the episode’s best moments, surprises, and other post-apocalyptic curiosities. This week: Rick gets stuck in a pit; Rick gets stuck to some concrete; and Rick is about to get stuck in syndicated episodes.
Season 9, Episode 4: “The Obliged”
Best continuation: This week marked the fourth consecutive callback to season one with Daryl reminding Rick that Glenn saved his life.
Worst farmers: If you’re losing a quarter of your crop to crows, maybe invest in something to keep them away? Build a greenhouse? Invest in (i.e. find) a chicken wire cage? Do something! Get creative!
One last time: Rick’s outburst in the pit about Carl is probably the last “Coral!” we’ll hear in TWD.
Worst story: Wait, so the Game Day children’s book just ends right when the kids are going to play the baseball game? We hear about them getting ready, and presumably the lead up to the game earlier in the book, but we don’t see the game? Who won? What lessons were learned? Did Scott Gimple write this story?
Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it explanation: When Michonne is talking to Negan, she quickly wipes something off her arm, just as she did while lying in bed in the previous episode. It’s clear now that it’s walker blood from her late-night adventures.
Biggest question: Where did Anne/Jadis find chloroform in the apocalypse?
Second biggest question(s): Anne/Jadis’s endgame is remarkably unclear. What was the point of killing Gabriel? Why does she need to go “fast”? Where did she even go? Why did one false accusation of guilt make her go off the deep end? We assume answers are coming, but for now, the amount of questions with this storyline is nothing short of frustrating.
Third biggest question: With all the commotion (and gunfire) at the bridge camp, we can only hope our favorite local ATLien character actor, Cooper Andrews (Jerry), got away unscathed. He’s okay, right?
Proof that Jed clearly hasn’t been paying attention: Really? Calling Carol a “weak little woman”? Most inaccurate statement of the century right there. Maybe she’ll bake him some cookies.
World’s best mom: Michonne verbally affirms that she considers the Grimes children as her own, referring to Carl as one of her two sons (the other being her biological son, Andre, who died before we met her character) and Judith as her daughter. Knowing Rick’s uncertain future, it’s just another touching moment rendered incredibly bittersweet.
Best line: “Brother, take my hand.” —Rick to Daryl as he tries to pull him from the pit. (We’re not crying; you’re crying!)
Most disturbing image: Is this how the great Rick Grimes really goes out? Impaled on a pole with two converging walker herds about to descend on him? This is television, so we assume there’s more to it than that, but it’s an unsettling episode closer nonetheless. At least he’s not under a dumpster.
Best kill: Daryl’s double knife kill in the pit—an impressive feat of acrobatic talent in tight quarters.
Episode MVP: Michonne. Her back-and-forth with Negan showcased her strength. He got in her head, but she refused to give him control, and held strong as she explained that while he took pleasure in pitting people against each other, she only did what she needed to survive, and put the future of not only her children, but everyone around her, first. If that means she has to go murder some walkers at night to vent her anger, well, so be it. (Although we have a feeling whatever happens to Rick is going to be a huge test for this relentlessly strong character.)
It all comes down to this: Next week is Andrew Lincoln’s final episode as Rick Grimes. As we mentioned earlier, we’re not sure if he’ll actually die or just go away somehow, but regardless of what happens, it’s sure to be a heavy episode for long-time fans.
Best bridge: Oh, and if Rick does buy the farm next week, we’re fully expecting that bridge to be christened the Rick Grimes Memorial Bridge.
And once again, where exactly does Rick fall this week on the calm/crazy scale?
Illustration by Matt Walljasper; Photographs courtesy of AMC
