THE WALKING DEAD RECAP S9EP8 EVOLUTION
“This wasn’t a usual herd. they were whispering to each other” Eugene
“If they can learn to talk maybe they can learn strategy” Jesus
Well as far as mid season finales go this one was pretty tame until the last 15 minutes and then shit got real and then real sad. We lost another regular and it was completely unexpected. The Jesus-Aaron romance was over before it even got started!
COLD OPEN
Daryl, Aaron and Jesus observe a herd of walkers. They’re just milling around. They’ve never seen walkers do this before. Daryl tosses a ringing clock into the field to direct the herd and they move on. We see one of the walkers slowly turn its head toward the sound but not move. Mmmmmmm.
HILLTOP
“I didn’t make the choices I made because I thought they’d be easy. At least they’re alive so they can hate me for it” Michonne
Machine and Sadiq arrive at Hilltop with Magna and her people. They are not greeted warmly. They have to leave their weapons at the gate and enter unarmed. Tara is steely eyed when she greets Michonne. What happened between these two common cities that has caused such distrust?
“I know what you went through, and I get why this is hard for you. But we’ve all lost something. You and me we both lost children and we kept going for each other. We’ve always been a family.” Carol to Machine
Michonne and Carol have an awkward reunion. What happened between them that has caused such a rift? Michonne and Carol have a little talk. Whatever happened in the last six years has made Michonne want to cut of all contact with the other communities. Carol wants her to let Alexandria participate in the upcoming ‘Fair ’but Michonne will not agree. They seem happy to see each other but obviously a lot has happened between them that we do not yet know. The Kingdom is having serious problems it seems. I’m not sure what this ‘Fair’ is – perhaps a time for all communities to get together and exchange goods? Michonne wants no part of it.
Sadiq tries to convince Michonne to make amends with Hilltop but she is not willing. Rosita awakes from her slumber to warn Sadiq and Michonne that they don’t know what they’re up against with this new bunch of walkers.
HENRY
“I’m gonna make you proud” Henry
You already have” Carol
Carol has brought Henry to Hilltop to apprentice as a blacksmith. He has a crush on Enid but Enid and Alden look to be an item now much to Henry’s dismay.
The other teenagers of hilltop take in Henry and show him how they party, They show him a ditch where they’ve captured a walker and plan to play with it like a toy. The young woman walks away, not not the game they’e playing. Henry isn’t into it either. He jumps into the pit and kills the walker which makes the other young boys angry. Henry ends up getting thrown in the pokey for being drunk and disorderly and throwing up on Tara’s boots!
The old blacksmith Earl Sutton has a heart to heart with Henry and decides to give him a second chance.
NEGAN
“You know I read something fascinating the other day. You know what a smell is? It’s when odor molecules activate neurons in your nasal passages. So every time you come in here and change my bed pan and smell my shit, something that was actually in my ass goes right up your nose.” Negan to Father Gabriel
Father Gabriel is having a mediation session with Negan. A futile exercise. Negan seems to like “Gabey’ but he sure loves to needle him. The padre of course, is on edge lately because his girlfriend, Rosita, is hurt and far away in Hilltop. Negan teases him about hearing all kinds of gossip from his prison window, he even heard Rosita talking about somebody not necessarily the padre. But even Father Gabriel gets fed up with Negan’s BS.
“It’s bad enough I gotta to clean up your shit I shouldn’t have to listen to it too.” Father Gabriel
Later that night we see Negan throwing a ball against his cell wall and catching it just like Steve McQueen in The Great Escape.Negan is the new ‘Cooler King”! When the ball bounces out of his cell, Negan gets depressed until he tries something. Negan kicks his prison gate open – it wasn’t even locked. Perhaps Father Gabey wa so upset earlier he forgot to lock the door behind him. He picks up the ball, smiles an tosses the ball over his shoulder and smiles. He’s free! What will he do? Where will he go?
THE FOG
“You are where you don’t belong” Whispering Zombie to Jesus
Daryl, Aaron and Jesus find Eugene hiding in a barn. He’s scared out of his mind! He no sooner tells them that these walkers are talking and circling back to find them then the herd comes back again. Daryl and dog try to divert them but these walkers aren’t falling for the same old tricks! The gang gets trapped behind an iron rod fence as the walkers creep towards them in the dense fog. Creepy as hell. Aaron and Jesus fight valiantly and Daryl comes along as well but if Michonne and Magna and friends had not showed up they would have been toast!
As they pry an escape through the fence Jesus holds off the herd in gymnastic combat style until he swings at one walker who ducks and evades his attack coming up behind Jesus and stabbing him through the back! They got Jesus! Daryl kills the walker and upon further investment funds that this walker is wearing a disguise! Daryl cuts off the mask and reveals a normal human underneath! Ladies and gentleman! The Whisperers have arrived!
SIDE BITES
The graveyard sequence was one of the best of the show. It was pure horror movie with graveyards and fog and slo mo Jesus!
Jesus smashing that walker’s head against the tombstone was awesome!
I’ve tried to defend father Gabriel for a long time but I am growing weary with his sad face.
Will Daryl ever find love? Maybe with Rumiko, the newbie who also has a way with arrows?
5 THINGS I THINK I KNOW
1 Tara becomes the new leader of Hilltop which will bring her in direct conflict with Michonne.
2 Aaron, devastated by the death of Jesus will become reckless in his quest for vengeance.
3 The Whisperers will prove to be an aggressive adversary
4 Negan will join up with The Whisperers.
5 Many more deaths in the back 8 episodes – I predict Aaron!
OK, folks, we’ll see you in February! It should be an exciting 8 episodes! I’m looking forward to seeing what these Whisperers are all about! And finding out about Michonne and Dary’ls scars!!