*Spoilers Ahead*
Morality has always been a tricky subject for The Walking Dead to tackle, especially in it’s earlier seasons where it occasionally treated the majority of it’s cast as one entity that felt the same about killing. The show has become more nuanced since then and while it still struggles with some characters the show has managed a much better balance between them. It’s what makes most of “Not Tomorrow Yet” work, even when focusing on a blank slate like Heath, who doesn’t seem completely okay with having to kill the Saviors.
The main focus this week, however, goes to Carol who has been sorely needing the spotlight after everything that has happened. We open on Carol gathering supplies and foraging to make some cookies (made of beets and acorns) only stopping to kill an approaching walker. Carol’s always been the most pragmatic character on the show and that continues to be the case even as she seems to be having doubts about her methods.
Despite everything that’s happened, Carol has kept everyone quiet about the Wolf Morgan had captive and while she seems to have not changed her stance on killing those who her wish to harm the group she seems to have decided that not everyone needs to do that killing. She says as much to Maggie, whose presence at the attack on the Saviors, despite being pregnant, rubs Carol the wrong way. Maggie feels she needs to be there because she’s the one who made this deal with the Hilltop but Carol’s the only one who tries to get through to her how stupid this line of thinking is. She’s been so guarded with her feelings that it’s disarming to see Carol actually open up as she does with Maggie or Tobin, who she kisses. She’s regarded her feelings as a weakness that can be exploited and so it’s even more distressing when the episode ends with both her and Maggie captured. Carol let her guard down and it might cost her.
As for the raid itself, it’s a very well paced action scene that further highlights how cohesive Rick and his group have become while also giving us little bits for other characters to come into their own. Gabriel gets to spout bible verses while killing one of the Saviors, Glenn and Heath hesitate but ultimately take their fair share of lives and Aaron reluctantly kills to keep the community he put in danger before safe. In the end, all of the Saviors are wiped out and the group prepares to leave until Daryl spots a guy coming out of the compound on his stolen motorcycle. It connects something I had already assumed, which was that the people Daryl encountered a few episodes back were fleeing from Negan and his men while also showing us that this group is going to be a lot harder to take out then Rick believed.
Rick’s once again led his group into a dire situation and it’s only going to get worse with the presence of Negan looming.
Bits ‘n Pieces
- “When I met you, I thought you were the last woman on Earth. You’re not.” Abraham breaks things off with Rosita in the coldest way possible.
- Those Saviors in the compound are apparently pretty deep sleepers given how long Heath and Glenn just stand over them.
- Rick creeps out the Hilltop guy by punching a decapitated head, meant to act as Gregory’s, in the face to show a fight.
- More of Father Gabriel, Warrior Priest, please!
- “They’ve got some fight in ’em but it’s worth it”
Jesse Swanson is a would-be writer, podcaster and funny guy who covers TV shows of all shapes and sizes. You can find him on Twitter @JesseSwanson