Episode 12: The Key
If you liked our swamp zombies, you’ll love our flaming-hot eaters this week.
Dwight is nestled back into the fold with The Saviors. He, Simon, Negan and a small band head off to The Hilltop with sharp, blood tainted weapons to turn some heroes into the shambling undead. A type of psychological warfare.
Our buddy Rick is out scouting when he sees the convoy and seizes the moment. A car chase on this show is rare thing. The chase turns into a crash and the two take their fight into an abandoned building. Walkers are simply streaming in while the two exchange blows and barbs. “Why didn’t you just let me save you, Rick?" Negan is exhausted by their cat-and-mouse. He points out that The Saviors were fine, and the children of his people were fine, until Rick came along like the boogeyman and ruined everything. Negan even wants a new deal! Rick brings up The Saviors turning on Jadis and her trash people, which is news to Negan since that was Simon acting against his orders. Whoops. Someone is going to be in trouble.
Rick finds Lucille in all the confusion. He manages to light her on fire and lets loose a room full of trapped, “Eaters.” Negan’s devotion to the bat is borderline obsessive, so he doesn’t like Rick having his grimy hands all over her. The thing is his “wife” after all. Anyway, the two mange to escape and Negan has vanished…
Meanwhile, Simon and Dwight go out to look for Negan after the crash. Simon lays it all out there, he wants to be in charge and would run things better. Forge relationships, explore, expand, so on and so forth. It all sounds pretty good to Dwight! He burns the evidence of Negan’s car, and agrees to collaborate the story of Negan being nowhere to be found. Despite the fact that they hardly looked and care even less. The two head back to their party and Simon gives a rousing speech! He claims they’re all still “Negan” (of course) and that the fearless leader is missing, but could be back. And until that time comes, he will lead them on a holy crusade to completely exterminate The Hilltop. The look on Dwight’s burned face speaks volumes. He may have just help put a guy in power who is worse than Negan.
Back at home, Maggie and “the gals” find a note! It’s someone asking to meet up and exchange goods. Namely, they want food and phonograph records. It could be a trap, but Michonne is all in. After all, she’s toting herself as the lead acolyte to Carl’s vision of the future. Maggie, Rosita and Enid come along. Yay, we meet new characters! The leader is a middle aged woman named Georgie. She’s dressed for office work and seems friendly, yet a tad wacky. Her companions are Hilde and Midge, decked out in the standard post-apocalyptic gear. Georgie explains that they trade stuff for knowledge. Knowledge is The Key. Michonne wants to bargain, but Maggie decides abducting them and their van of belongings is a better idea. WTF Maggie? Like Michonne, I am disgusted! Georgie is insisting that this is what they do. They want to build friendships and get humanity back in line! We need a leap of faith here, Mags! But no! Why should we be good people when we can pillaging a-holes, right??
Carl’s vision has become the conscious compass for the show. I guess they needed something to be since Morgan has been a little crazy lately. And yes, we all now know that Morgan is leaving the main show for, “Fear the Walking Dead.” I’m just not emotionally prepared to talk about that tonight. Michonne talks sense into Maggie and the deal is struck. Only, Georgie is so impressed and happy with The Hilltop and what they’re creating there, she tweaks it. She will take one carton of records, plus give THEM their food, and hands over The Key. The key is a giant encyclopedia of preindustrial revolution “how-to’s.” How to make windmills, silos, aqueducts, and all the good stuff to get communities up and thriving without modern accommodations. She promises they will meet again…someday. And she hopes to see progress. I am choosing to 100% believe that Georgie is legit. As Michonne reminds Enid, fighting is necessary, but there needs to be room for “after.”
So, as if that wasn’t already a FANTASTIC ending, there’s more! Negan wakes up in the passenger seat of a moving car. The driver, JADIS, has a gun to his head. Jadis!! The Trash lady/artist/leader/creative linguist I love! I knew she’d be back. I just figured she would go after Rick first. I’m sure she’s got a plan…
This episode was full of so much awesome girl power, my heart is singing. Oh, and that includes the naked lady walker. Yeah, I saw her.
