WHERE TO BEGIN. I can’t do this Dead Digest as my usual recap. There is just too much going on. Too much WONDER. To say I was pleased with tonight’s mid-seasonal finale would be a vast understatement. It didn’t go how I thought it would, and I am so totally happy with that.

• For starters, Daryl is safe. Well, safer. He’s on the lam after that little love note last week helped him escape the compound. He met up with Jesus and killed the heavy-set gentleman who was supposed to be on watch. Negan is gonna be hella mad when he finds out his handy-dandy bargaining chip has escaped. Luckily, Rick & the gang all have alibis. But I’m still recommending Daryl lay low for a while now that he’s “safe” at The Hill Top. Yeah, I know, it’s not going to happen.

• Spencer is dead. I knew that would be coming soon. I never liked that preppy, spoiled weasel. His only redeeming factor was that he made Rosita kinda happy. Negan gutting that loser was gross AND satisfying. He massively underestimated Negan. Negan is smart. A diabolical genius who doesn’t take too kindly to the fake nonsense Spenser was spewing. Good riddance. Oh, and Rick stabbing zombie Spencer in the head was even better. Take that you alcoholic mama’s boy.

• Michonne. She is so beautiful, and oh so wise. I could probably just watch her read the phone book for 90 minutes and be totally happy. I get it; she had to see the compound of The Saviors with her own two eyes. Waltzing through the front gate for an assassination attempt is not going to work. Even if you are an epic badass like she is. Most importantly, this realization led her to that gorgeous monologue she shared with Rick. They’re a family, a team, a unit, and they can only fight this evil as a united front using their combined super powers. Or something to that extent. Whatever, it was a touching moment. Father Gabriel has been saying this for like, several damn episodes now and no one was listening. Except me.

Running up to Negan + shooting him in the head = BAD. Blindly living in servitude to Negan = BAD.

• Rosita still had to try and shoot Negan with Eugene’s homemade bullet for some stupid reason. This will come as a shock to absolutely no one, but that plan didn’t work. Lucille took the hit for her man, and he got REALLY angry. Denise the inventory lady is dead now. Eugene manned up though and confessed that he can craft ammunition and was carted off as property of The Saviors. I think he’s going to be ok though, he’s too useful to them.

• Carol, it was lovely to see you! Too bad you’re still being an emo child, sulkily reading books and pouting on the outskirts of The Kingdom. Morgan was his regular Zen/chill self as always. One of King Ezekiel’s knights was trying to get our pair on board to attack The Savior. He knows he needs them to help get the king on board with the crusade. Yeah, they were none too pleased with that notion. Which brings us to

• The sweet, uplifting, and hopeful ending. We see Rick and all the key players meeting up at The Hilltop! And the teaser for the show picking up again in February is clearly setting up these three communities as uniting to take Negan down. But how will they tumble this despot?!? They’re really going to have to put their brains together to solve this pickle. Not to mention, who is this mysterious hooded figure watching everyone from afar? Is it a man or woman? Are those electrical wires really effective as shoelaces?! And more importantly, is this person friend or foe?

Okay, I need to stop now. It’s late, and my cat won’t go to bed until I do so I need to wrap this up. Now begins the long, cold winter were myself and the other Walking Dead fans go through the stages of grief until our beloved show returns.

P.S. I still think Negan’s downfall ultimately will be at his own hand. Also, why didn’t Carl get grounded for sneaking into that truck and killing men with a machine gun? I hope his punishment was to clean up Spencer and his guts off the asphalt.