The Walking Dead

[Chris]

Damn, tonight was pretty good.

So Simon was responsible for killing all the men/boys at Oceanside. He went out like the bitch he is. But now Negan seems to be going off the deep end. I just can't wait to see what route they go in the finale next week. Probably the first time I've been kind of excited for this show in a while.

 

[Stark]

Great episode. Show has definitely picked the quality back up this half season.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Yeah I kinda agree but I’ll wait and see how it’s handled

Way too many people have died in the meantime because of his scheme for enabling the Saviors to break out of the Sanctuary.

Those were pretty much Rosita's words exactly. But, I do think it almost certain now that he's going to betray Negan -- I think Rosita's statement about all the dead people really got to him, and his statements about "changing the history of the Saviors forever" was sufficiently ambiguous that he's going to turn.

Of course, it would be far more interesting if he didn't. He'd be kind of a great villain -- a guy who would never be your primary enemy, but would bring his evil talents to whomever you are fighting.

 

[Chris]

Those were pretty much Rosita's words exactly. But, I do think it almost certain now that he's going to betray Negan -- I think Rosita's statement about all the dead people really got to him, and his statements about "changing the history of the Saviors forever" was sufficiently ambiguous that he's going to turn.

Of course, it would be far more interesting if he didn't. He'd be kind of a great villain -- a guy who would never be your primary enemy, but would bring his evil talents to whomever you are fighting.

Hard to disagree. Or else what was the point of his little trip with Daryl and Rosita? It has to be that he is now going to betray the Saviors.

But it just seems like it’s going to be hard to believe if Rick and Co just take him back in. Wonder if he gets iced next week.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Hard to disagree. Or else what was the point of his little trip with Daryl and Rosita? It has to be that he is now going to betray the Saviors.

But it just seems like it’s going to be hard to believe if Rick and Co just take him back in. Wonder if he gets iced next week.

Well, the "taking back in" may be consistent with Rick turning more towards the "good" side. Have to see. I really hope Negan bites it. But with the revelation that it was Simon who massacred all those people when they first took the Sanctuary, it looks like they may be setting Negan up to be "redeemable", and I'd really hate that. Negan isn't a psychopath like Simon. He's basically a very cruel, calculating dictator who treats people as nothing more than resources. The fact that he doesn't kill people gratuitously because he sees them as useful to his goals just puts him on a par with most of the world's shittiest leaders now.

But him challenging Simon to a fight rather than just killing him outright was pretty good. Also, I think this nasty Negan is much more interesting than the "lean back and chuckle" Negan, which was getting really fucking old. The sense of humor they gave him was just...not funny.

 

[Chris]

I’m not sure it was really supposed to be funny, I think it’s just consistent with the wise-crack he was in the comics. But I think it was over played. Seeing him the way he was last night’s ep? Wish we had seen that Negan more. The way he now thinks he has to kill everyone, ala Simon’s philosophy, makes me think he’s dead. But then there’s Rick’s arc with Carl’s letters, Michonne reading Negan’s...and it really makes me think he’s gonna live. With what Negan has done he is never gonna be seen as a protagonist I don’t think but that doesn’t mean him sticking around couldnt be interesting/fun.

It could go either way at this point. And I’m fine with whatever as long as it’s done right.

 

[natedagg]

I really liked last episode...

If Negan dies, his #1 and #2 are dead so that would pretty much eliminate the saviors.

We also had Rick’s promise to kill Negan.

I think too many people want him to die, so I can’t see what would happen to get everyone to stop fighting.

OTOH, Carl’s letters. I just don’t see a realistic way for it to end in a happy way. In fact that might piss me off lol.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

I really liked last episode...

If Negan dies, his #1 and #2 are dead so that would pretty much eliminate the saviors.

We also had Rick’s promise to kill Negan.

I think too many people want him to die, so I can’t see what would happen to get everyone to stop fighting.

OTOH, Carl’s letters. I just don’t see a realistic way for it to end in a happy way. In fact that might piss me off lol.

I'm almost dreading the "nobody is really bad at heart" turn the show would have to take to bring Negan into the fold. Whitewashing the shit he did -- including basically keeping women as sex slaves -- to make it forgiveable would turn my stomach.

 

[Chris]

*yawn*

If Negan survives and is kept around, it won't have anything to do with "redeeming" him.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I'm almost dreading the "nobody is really bad at heart" turn the show would have to take to bring Negan into the fold. Whitewashing the shit he did -- including basically keeping women as sex slaves -- to make it forgiveable would turn my stomach.

Well, in the comics he's kept around, but no one just excuses what he did. No idea if the show will do it the same way or not, but in the comics it made sense given what Rick was trying to accomplish.

 

[natedagg]

Well, in the comics he's kept around, but no one just excuses what he did. No idea if the show will do it the same way or not, but in the comics it made sense given what Rick was trying to accomplish.

I know they have diverged significantly from the comics, but how about a spoiler tag on any future story possibilities?

 

[chrisrich91]

This show has completely lost me. I didn’t appreciate the direction they took on a lot of things in that finale at all.

 

[Chris]

This show has completely lost me. I didn’t appreciate the direction they took on a lot of things in that finale at all.

Like what? They went the comic route it looks like. Slits Negan's throat, then saves him just like the comics. Eugene's intervention was predictable but still awesome to see, I thought it was suitably satisfying at least and I know I said I wouldn't forgive him but I kind of did. He pretty much saved Rick and Company and won the war, hard to stay mad at him.

Anyways, I enjoyed it, but...can we talk about the Maggie/Daryl and Hilltop thing at the end? Holy shit, are they really going in that direction? Maybe that's what you're talking about. Just awful IMO.

 

[Real Deal]

This shit has WWE heel turns written all over it, wtf is Maggie, Jesus, and Daryl going to do to Michonne and Rick? Maggie looked evil and twisted, I was shocked at that and was completely unpredictable.

But I predict nothing gets done. They beef for 7 episodes then a new group like the Whisperer's gets introduced and kills somebody.

But I get it, they had to make the medic that Carl saved mean something, so he had to save Negan because Carl wants complete peace and prosperity for all. It was Carl's idea to keep Negan alive and use him as an criminal in jail, but come on, he's going to bust out, or save an important life down the line, like maybe Maggie.

All Negan is to AMC is ratings, and this heel turn by Hilltop is complete shock value.

 

[Chris]

This shit has WWE heel turns written all over it, wtf is Maggie, Jesus, and Daryl going to do to Michonne and Rick? Maggie looked evil and twisted, I was shocked at that and was completely unpredictable.

But I predict nothing gets done. They beef for 7 episodes then a new group like the Whisperer's gets introduced and kills somebody.

But I get it, they had to make the medic that Carl saved mean something, so he had to save Negan because Carl wants complete peace and prosperity for all. It was Carl's idea to keep Negan alive and use him as an criminal in jail, but come on, he's going to bust out, or save an important life down the line, like maybe Maggie.

Yeah, I dunno, that whole thing seems off. At the very least, no way Jesus is involved. This is a guy who ten minutes prior was convincing Morgan not to kill people anymore. Now he's conniving with Maggie and Daryl to attack Rick and Michonne? Over Negan? Nah.

I suspect this is some cheap narrative hook to pull us into Season 9, and like you said, won't turn into much. But I could be wrong. They have been saying that Season 8 ends the show as we know it. Wouldn't be surprised for them to take the story in a totally different direction than the comics are doing right now. Which means no more war with yet another big bad group, which I have to say after two seasons of this, would be a bit stale. They said a bigger, more evolved show is coming, whatever that means.

I suspect it has something to do with the helicopters.