Episode 10: The Lost and the Plunderers

   Yikes, that is a weird episode title. However, the episode freaking rocked, so let’s talk about it!

   Michone and Rick are trying to mourn Carl in peace when a whole mess of walkers rudely interrupt. Michonne uses the heavy front gate to peel the face off of one. Yes, that’s right. The face easily tears away from the bone. Like a grape. The pair manage to save the town square gazebo from fire before escaping. I take this as a sign of hope that our heroes will one day return to Alexandria and rebuild, just like Carl would have wanted.

    TRASH PEOPLE! Damn, everyone wants Jadis and her crew of garbage folk on their side. We see Simon and Negan in a heated agreement about how to handle them. Negan sees them as a useful resource, while his right-hand general wants to blow them away. Oh, the seeds of discord are being sewn! The two receive Maggie’s “gift," one of their own in a pine box. She’s got more, and she will kill them if need be.

    Simon is supposed to go and get the Trash People back on board. Jadis claims they never sided with Rick. In fact, they delivered him to The Saviors and got shot at for their trouble! Simon goes off script and kills both of Jadis’ loyal generals! The nerve! These people are her family! Her tribe! She punches him and he orders his men to open fire. Once they get back to The Sanctuary, Simon lies to Negan and says the plan went fine. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

   Michonne and Rick go to the Dump and find a tearful Jadis surrounded by her former friends, now walkers. She gives hints to her life as an artist before all this. And how making her tribe and their unique culture was the ultimate art piece. Despite her pleas, Rick leaves without her. Jadis is left no choice but to lure her former family members into a trash shredder-thingy. Like a meat grinder, her people come out the other end a sloppy pile of bloody pulp. Now, you all know I love Jadis. Silly Rick, you will regret scorning this woman.

    Michonne points out that abandoning Jadis is exactly what the late Carl would NOT have wanted. Her man can sure be dense sometimes. Rick reads his and Negan’s letters from his son, and decides to Call Negan up on the radio. We all know that Negan actually really liked Carl, and has a soft spot for kids. Once the Big Bad Wolf gets word from Rick of the boy’s death, he CRIES. NEGAN CRIES. He tells him how he had big plans for that boy, he was the future! And Rick got him killed and will ruin everyone’s lives. And that all this fighting and death is Rick’s own fault. Rick tells Negan about the letter, and how his child pleaded for peace, but that Negan will not find it. Amazingly, Negan still insists that he could have saved everyone. The man really drinks his own Kool Aid and believes that he is HELPING people by ruling over them.

     How do you combat someone SO DESPERATELY convinced that they’re doing the righteous thing?

    In other news, Enid and Aaron are at the mercy of Cindy and her women-warriors. Despite Enid basically being forced to kill Cindy’s grandma (and former leader) before the mid-season break, Cindy spares their lives. She and her ladies will not aide in the cause to take down The Saviors. Enid is supposed to go home and tell Maggie the situation while Aaron waits on the edge of the women’s village. He is determined to get their help. He’s right. These gals are fierce, and we need them!