The Walking Dead: Because Season Ate Nine (Comic Spoiler Thread)

[Pecan]

I like the time jump, but I feel like it should have been even longer so that Judith was aged up even more. I can't really buy into an eight or ten year old badass. She's just too vulnerable physically. 

All the crap they did to Rick, impaling him on rebar, then the blood loss, and then the explosion and being washed down the river and somehow still alive - I just feel like it was too much and not really necessary. All that really needed to happen was for the helicopter to take him away. All the other stuff simply strained credibility and was kind of a waste of time. 

[dbunting]

Overall I liked the episode but as others have said Rick lost way too much blood to realistically survive.  Not sure how I feel about the Rick Grimes movies. Maybe he will tone down his act and it will be better, I was tired of his speech pattern and voice so maybe this will help.

Not so happy about a 10 year old pulling off long distance head shots with a powerful hand gun, not to mention the over the top visual of her holstering that while having a katana (I know its the short sword but can't think of the name of it) and putting on the sheriff hat, all symbolizing Rick, Michonne, and Caaaaarrrlll wrapped in one badass 10 year old Judith. If she was 14-16 then maybe,

[red snow]

15 minutes ago, dbunting said:

Overall I liked the episode but as others have said Rick lost way too much blood to realistically survive.  Not sure how I feel about the Rick Grimes movies. Maybe he will tone down his act and it will be better, I was tired of his speech pattern and voice so maybe this will help.

Not so happy about a 10 year old pulling off long distance head shots with a powerful hand gun, not to mention the over the top visual of her holstering that while having a katana (I know its the short sword but can't think of the name of it) and putting on the sheriff hat, all symbolizing Rick, Michonne, and Caaaaarrrlll wrapped in one badass 10 year old Judith. If she was 14-16 then maybe,

When people can easily spoof Rick's speech you know there's a problem. Maybe the loss of blood results in amnesia and brain damage which results in him sounding English?

It's not the first time characters have survived ridiculous loss of blood or injuries so I tend to roll with it. I still think if Rick had died the way he almost did it would be a hilariously bad way way to go out. After all the scrapes he's been in, it was falling off a horse right next to some random construction work that did him in. As the show constantly reminds us, zombies are easy to kill, it's only stupidity and dumb luck gets you killed by them now.

Similarly falling into a convenient pit immediately after a skirmish because Darryl and Maggie were too childish to talk it over with him. Maybe I missed something in the previous season but was this the ricktatorship or were the the group as a whole able to have a say and vote on negan's fate?

I hadn't considered the optics of Judith as a gun toting kid but it's pretty bad for a show where kids can get hold of guns relatively easily.

Has the show ever explained what the A/B thing is? Is it a ranking system, is it blood/genetics it is it some random shit the writers thought would generate speculation but they have no idea what it is themselves?

 

[dbunting]

4 hours ago, red snow said:

Similarly falling into a convenient pit immediately after a skirmish because Darryl and Maggie were too childish to talk it over with him. Maybe I missed something in the previous season but was this the ricktatorship or were the the group as a whole able to have a say and vote on negan's fate?

I hadn't considered the optics of Judith as a gun toting kid but it's pretty bad for a show where kids can get hold of guns relatively easily.

Has the show ever explained what the A/B thing is? Is it a ranking system, is it blood/genetics it is it some random shit the writers thought would generate speculation but they have no idea what it is themselves?

 

The Negan decision was Ricktatorship 100%, they had the stupid Godfather scene to close that episode out with Maggie being the coppo telling her crew that this wasn't over.

I completely understand in this world kids having weapons from a young age and am really surprised they don't show them getting even more training, even if we just see it in the background. They should all be doing physical fitness stuff and survival skill training from age of 5 or so.

The A/B thing hasn't been explained on the show yet. I think the B is more timid and A more aggressive and willing to stand their ground. When she told Gabriel she thought he was a B, but he was an A all along...it was right after he stood up to her. I think she was lying to the helicopter people about Rick being a B.

[DMC]

51 minutes ago, dbunting said:

they had the stupid Godfather scene to close that episode out with Maggie being the coppo telling her crew that this wasn't over.

Coppo?  C'mon man!  Capo, or more formally caporegime.

53 minutes ago, dbunting said:

I completely understand in this world kids having weapons from a young age and am really surprised they don't show them getting even more training, even if we just see it in the background. They should all be doing physical fitness stuff and survival skill training from age of 5 or so.

This reminds of the complaints during LOST about how are they still getting water and/or food.  They addressed those things, and belaboring the point would frankly be boring.  Same thing here - they've shown the need for children to be trained (and its pitfalls) both at the prison and more recently at the kingdom and oceanside.  I think that'll do.

[red snow]

1 hour ago, dbunting said:

The Negan decision was Ricktatorship 100%, they had the stupid Godfather scene to close that episode out with Maggie being the coppo telling her crew that this wasn't over.

I completely understand in this world kids having weapons from a young age and am really surprised they don't show them getting even more training, even if we just see it in the background. They should all be doing physical fitness stuff and survival skill training from age of 5 or so.

The A/B thing hasn't been explained on the show yet. I think the B is more timid and A more aggressive and willing to stand their ground. When she told Gabriel she thought he was a B, but he was an A all along...it was right after he stood up to her. I think she was lying to the helicopter people about Rick being a B.

shit, they are going to be really disappointed when they discover that Rick is far from timid! I guess this suggests they import slaves or people willing to maintain the status quo in this society with helicopters etc. Maybe the first movie will be Rick's escape or more likely take over/destruction of this new society. Don't underestimate the ricktator.

19 minutes ago, DMC said:

Coppo?  C'mon man!  Capo, or more formally caporegime.

This reminds of the complaints during LOST about how are they still getting water and/or food.  They addressed those things, and belaboring the point would frankly be boring.  Same thing here - they've shown the need for children to be trained (and its pitfalls) both at the prison and more recently at the kingdom and oceanside.  I think that'll do.

That was one of the better and more horrific stories in the show when that girl was killing other kids in order to make them zombies. Did TV Carl ever kill any "feral" kids for the good of the team?

[DMC]

1 minute ago, red snow said:

That was one of the better and more horrific stories in the show when that girl was killing other kids in order to make them zombies.

"Just look at the flowers [Lennie]."

2 minutes ago, red snow said:

Did TV Carl ever kill any "feral" kids for the good of the team?

No, but comics Carl did.

[red snow]

Just now, DMC said:

"Just look at the flowers [Lennie]."

No, but comics Carl did.

That's when Carol transformed fully from being the background character to a key member of the show. I really hope her role gets expanded in the jump forward. In many ways I think she'd make a better leader than Daryl. If not I fully expect her to be his key advisor/enforcer. I certainly hope they don't turn her into just being Ezekiel's wife.

I thought I remembered Carl doing that it one version. It's probably a decade ago since it happened hence the blurring between the two.

[DMC]

1 minute ago, red snow said:

In many ways I think she'd make a better leader than Daryl

Yup.

2 minutes ago, red snow said:

I thought I remembered Carl doing that it one version. It's probably a decade ago since it happened hence the blurring between the two.

In the comics Carl kills the character Ben, who had just killed his twin brother Billy because he was convinced he'd come back.  The show obviously put its own angle on this with Lizzie and her little sister.

[red snow]

Wondered where I'd seen one of the new characters before. It's Dan Fogler from Fantastic beasts! I wonder if that means he's more likely to be a short guest star?

Speaking of guest stars Zach McGowan's appearance in the show must have come as a shock for fans of him in "black sails". I was convinced he'd become a major antagonist. Either it was very clever usage of the actor or Black Sails is sadly very. very underappreciated.

[The Unborn]

So was I. I thought he'd be a new player in the show, but nope he was in there for 2 episodes.

[red snow]

34 minutes ago, The Unborn said:

So was I. I thought he'd be a new player in the show, but nope he was in there for 2 episodes.

It wasn't even like he'd just been cast in "the witcher" and they had to cut his role short

[dbunting]

4 hours ago, DMC said:

"Just look at the flowers [Lennie]."

No, but comics Carl did.

Carl did kill that one bad guy after he put down his weapon or he wasn't armed, I think Herschel witnessed it. It was after that when Rick gave up the Sheriff hat and gun and became a farmer for a while.

[DMC]

6 minutes ago, dbunting said:

Carl did kill that one bad guy after he put down his weapon or he wasn't armed, I think Herschel witnessed it. It was after that when Rick gave up the Sheriff hat and gun and became a farmer for a while.

Yep.  But the question was about putting down "feral" kids.  In that instance Carl just gunned down a surrendering dude.  Which, actually, is much worse than what he does in the comics.

[DMC]

I already want to punch this episode in the face just after the way too heavy handed cold open.

[DMC]

What I liked:  Judith subbing in for Carl in Negan prison convos.  "It doesn't matter if you're good or bad on the inside.  The numbers don't care."  Enough to break an empiricist's heart.

The introduction and characterization of Magna's group.  Particularly like the dude from the new Harry Potter movies.  Seems like he'd get along very well with Eugene.

Carol and Ezekiel "adopting" Henry.  This is a featured aspect of the comics that hasn't really been presented in the show.  I've always found the notion adults would "adopt" the plethora of orphans in the zombie apocalypse a cool part of the series, and good they finally did it (at least extended beyond Rick raising Judith).

Eugene and Rosita being the first to discover the Whisperers.

What was meh:  The love triangle between Eugene, Rosita and Gabriel.  I mean, it kind of makes sense IRT what happens in the comics, but seems a bit weird.

What I didn't like:  Gabriel pulling all this ass.  I thought priests liked boys.

Michonne as Badass Warrior Queen as the response to what I assume is Rick's assumed death.  That should not be her character arc.  At all.

The Sanctuary apparently going to shit.  It cheapens All Out War - and a larger point the impression I got is the communities are much more disparate than they are in the comics.  This all makes Rick seem inconsequential.

Carol apparently having Daenerys-like fire powers, or at least that of a pyromancer.

 

[HokieStone]

What I'm already finding tedious - the references to some "incident" that happened in the past which is why they're so mistrustful of strangers.  I assume Michonne's scar is part of that.

Also, since we know Rick's alive, and they're tugging on the heartstrings with Judith's "I'm starting to forget their voices"...they're already setting up his return, and now we have to wait a season or two, and his standalone movies for that to happen.

I guess Morgan and the Fear crew won't be leaving for Alexandria any time soon....

[Isis]

On 11/5/2018 at 11:16 PM, red snow said:

That horse was a pendulum from saviour to fucking liability throughout the episode.

I enjoyed the guest appearances. Was a nice surprise to see Shane back with a timely reminder that Rick became him in many ways (just not deranged) and a reminder that Judith was his kid (not that this mattered to Rick). Herschel's scene was touching as they must have filmed that shortly before the actor's death. Not too sure about sonequa Martin green appearing. It stunk more of "she's the lead in a star trek show now" rather than bearing any relevance to Rick. Were they ever that close as characters? Surely Glenn was more apt? I assume Carl and his wife were left out because of the "searching for his family" thing but I guess Glen wasn't available or the lead in a popular show to do a guest slot?

I actually quite liked all the dream sequence type scenes as they reminded me of The Sopranos, except that they were a bit more literal and a bit less surreal. But you know, Rick was/is the show so I guess he deserves a whole episode devoted to his 'end'. 

Also going back a bit - I really like Michonne's montage of being all mumsy by day and then slashing up zombies by night. Tbh I feel cheated if I don't get some of this type of content in a show about zombies.

I resisted watching this season as I felt a bit fatigued with the whole thing. But the spoiler risk was getting a bit much and I caved in and watched it all while I was working at home today.

The part with Negan and Maggie sucked. Bit of a let down.

But I quite liked Judith, mini sheriff.

 

[dbunting]

21 hours ago, DMC said:

Michonne as Badass Warrior Queen as the response to what I assume is Rick's assumed death.  That should not be her character arc.  At all.

Michonne was a badass warrior Queen before she met the group and Rick. She only softened because of Rick and the group. So to me, her going back to hardening herself from being hurt again makes total sense. No mention of Daryl reverting back to his former self? He was originally a bit of a loner (after Merle died) and went off hunting alone, exactly like he was shown this episode.

I liked most of the episode. I thought they should've killed Rick off last year to let the show survive, so I want to see what they can do with it now. 

I loved it when Carol lit up the former saviors, I was like hell yes, look at the flowers....I mean look at the flames!

[DMC]

2 hours ago, dbunting said:

Michonne was a badass warrior Queen before she met the group and Rick. She only softened because of Rick and the group. So to me, her going back to hardening herself from being hurt again makes total sense. No mention of Daryl reverting back to his former self? He was originally a bit of a loner (after Merle died) and went off hunting alone, exactly like he was shown this episode.

Disagree - I think as a single mother she would make sure not to revert back to how she was.  We all saw how that affected Carl at the prison when Rick went acted like that, and so did she (albeit she was just getting to know the group).  As for Daryl, yeah that makes sense.