Episode 8: How It's Gotta Be

     Ready to commence the midseason finale blues? Grab a drink, you’re going to need it.

Jadis and her Trash People quickly ditch Rick when they see the plan to take The Saviors is not going to happen. Rick gets collected by Carol and Jerry. But then the car crashes. Great.

Daryl and Tara are back home and thinking that their plan worked. That is until Negan and his posse show up. They demand to be let in and kill someone. Because you know them, someone’s always got to be punished. They want Rick most of all. Carl was left in charge and quickly sets to work scattering the Alexandrite’s to safety. He then bravely goes to confront Negan and offers HIMSELF as a sacrifice. When did this foolhardy teenage boy become a great leader?? Carl is really just buying time to give his peeps more minutes to escape. The Saviors shoot some kind of RPG (??) weapons over the gate and make quick work of destroying the town.

Dwight aids in the Alexanderite’s escaping and kills the Savior team he’s with. All accept one lady who wings him in the arm and gets away. Cover officially blown.

Rick shows up to see their home base in flames and goes to his house thinking his family may still be there. Instead he’s greeted by Negan for some hand-to-hand combat. Rick gets out and joins Michonne and crew down in the Sewer. This is where we learn the BAD NEWS. Carl, the sweet child, has been bitten on his stomach. FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUck. That is how they would have us end our night before the long, cold winter of midseason break. I refuse to end this recap on that note because I don’t want to cry for the next two months.

Eugene is still drinking himself to sleep every night. Finally his conscience is overcome and he helps the doctor and Father Gabriel escape. I’m super happy he did the right thing, but those two men are in for a shock when they get to Hilltop.

BUT first, King Ez hides out when The Saviors bust into The Kingdom. General Sad-face is in charge and demands the leader come out so he can be taken alive. Of course he needs to also kill someone as punishment. But he really doesn’t want to. Damn, this guy hates his job. Ezekiel creates a diversion to get his followers to safety and turn himself in. As he closes the gate, he thanks Carol and tells her to save his people like she, “saved him.” Please excuse me while I ugly-cry for the next ten minutes. The Saviors are only willing to take him alive because I’m sure they have some godawful crucifixion/torture in mind. THE GOOD NEWS: Morgan is lurking around the gate and overhears what is going on. Please my dear, precious Morgan, save the bloody King!

Maggie, Jesus, and a convoy of Hilltopper’s get stopped by Simon and his group of Saviors. They have Jerry!! NOOOO. They use him as leverage for compliance. The Hilltop is valued because of their fertile crops, so they are pardoned and can go home and keep providing for Negan. Simon still shoots some poor guy to move his point along. Again, someone is always punished!

When they get home, Maggie gladly shoots one of the captive Saviors to send a message that they have hostages of their own. Our badass gal assures Jesus and the rest that they need to get to work. Maggie knows that the others will be coming and Hilltop will likely be the place of the last-stand battle.

Here is a piece of some potentially important plot: Enid and Aaron go to Oceanside to try and convince the women-only town to help. Finally! We haven’t seen these ladies all season! Remember the elder matriarch, Natania? Yeah, well she sees Aaron and tries to kill him. She almost succeeds, but Enid shoots her. Dead. Natania’s uber cool granddaughter, Cyndie, rushes to her side. Oops. Maybe not the best way to start a diplomatic mission. This is going to scar Enid. Anyway, Natania wasn’t a super nice lady. And she refused to help AHK despite Cyndie thinking they should. Maybe Cyndie won’t be too mad about Enid slaying her grandma? Maybe she’ll be down to help our heroes??

Words cannot express how much I hate the midseason break. Will one of you just wake me up in February, please?