Previously: Review: 11 x 13 Warlords
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| 'I mean, I liked 'em before.' |
- S 11 x 14 THE ROTTEN CORE -
Directed by Marcus Stokes
Written by Jim Barnes and Erik Mountain
In TWD world every scene, every piece of dialogue is relevant, and Daryl and Carol arranging to meet up for lunch so that Carol could tell him more about her 'side thing' was no different - thank goodness she was waiting in the diner wondering why he didn't turn up, eh?
Still can't get used to Daryl and Rosita being dutiful Commonwealth cops, but of course it puts them in a good place to find out what's going on - though when Colonel Vickers walked past and ticked Daryl off for being late, I silently shouted out, 'You don't speak to Daryl Dixon, Slayer of Whisperers, Master of Dog and Protector of Children, in that way!'
The Daryl-doughnut-cop-stereotype scene will be included in many a 'Best of Daryl Dixon' article in months to come, I am sure. Classic moment. Want to see it again? His face... 😂😂
Not to mention the wonderful putting down of Silly Sebastian, who was boasting about the way 'I handle myself with rotters.' Not a word that Daryl could have got called out for, but the way he said it spoke volumes. 'Oh yeah, yeah, it's good stuff' 😂😂 .
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...Sebastian totally missing that at this stage in the zombie apocalypse world, dealing with Walkers is just part of a day's work, and anyone who can't do the head-knife thing at a moment's notice is already dead - unless they've been completely shielded from the monsters by Mummy.
His plan in which Rosita and Daryl must risk their lives was so sick, in a world where, Commonwealth apart, bank notes have become just pieces of useless paper. Something of no intrinsic value at all - like how Slimeball Sebastian views people's lives. I hope Pamela will soon find out what he's been doing, and what became of poor April, whose last moment of hope before the needless snuffing out of her life was a few exchanges with Rosita in the dark.
Not to mention how he waved away the deaths of others he sent to do the same job, like they were just collateral damage. Pamela seems fairly decent - I hope I'm not wrong.
(Incidentally, I love Rosita's Spanish lilt when she says her own name :)
So Carol and Mercer arrive to save the day after the malfunctioning alarm alerts the Walkers, and the party has to 'gut up and go' (love that!) once again...
... though this time it is not to reach a van to get them and their friends out of the city in which they're trapped, or to save themselves and those they love from the herd in Alexandria...
...but to collect a bag of old bank notes so that Sebastian Milton can live in luxury. Mercer was top stuff again in this, and now he's fully aware of the rotten core, surely he will take an active part in cutting it out - eventually. I was surprised when he took out Alves and Castle, though. Seemed like it was a heat of the moment decision, born of utter disgust and fury.
Back at the Commonwealth when counting up his spoils, the faces of Daryl, Rosita and Mercer said more than any words - Seb's not very good at reading the room, is he? Or maybe he just doesn't care; he considers himself above everyone else, after all.
While this was happening, Carol was busy doing one of the many things she does best, i.e., being her sweet self in order to find out information, such as whether or not Hornsby was involved in Seb's plan ... that one word, 'Finally', when she revealed that they'd retrieved the cash, gave away his involvement in the scheme.
Meanwhile, back at Riverbend, Toby Carlson's insane rampage continues, as he and his men kill anyone who won't give up the location of the weapons they haven't got.
Lots of good Negan moments - that nice little 'Hey kiddo', when he saw Lydia again, the revelation of his new relationship status, and the scenes with Hershel. That conversation between the two of them, when Hershel asked him if he was a bad man and he said that he used to be - there's always remained the question of whether or not he really is a reformed character, but maybe it's been answered now.
Many of us have thought that Negan would, at some point, save Hershel's life, but I didn't expect it to happen this early (though indeed there are only 10 episodes left!) - I wonder if he will do it again, more dramatically, in such a way that Maggie and Hershel will (sort of) forgive him. There's a way to go with that, yet.
The conversation with Maggie and Annie was an important one, what with Annie being pregnant - I wonder if it will go some way to help Maggie move past you-know-what.
Every episode there is one important, profound and sometimes prescient piece of dialogue, and this week it came from Lydia, when Gabriel told Negan that where they live now is different.
'No it isn't. They just want to swallow up other communities. They're like the Whisperers. They just wear different masks.'
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As for Carlson, there's nothing like seeing a loathsome worm get the death he deserves, though I was surprised to see him leave us so soon. A refreshing surprise to see that it was Aaron the Idealist who took the shot, without any hesitation whatsoever. Worth another watch!
As they know Riverbend is no longer safe, I imagine they will gather their supplies and go off to Hilltop with Maggie - including Negan and Annie? I can see her and Maggie becoming friends ('we bonded over how to raise a child in a devastated post-apocalyptic world - Negan Junior was brought up on mashed turnips'), though I wonder, somehow, if Annie will last the course. Don't know why, just a feeling. Like losing her would be Negan's final penance.
Next week shows Aaron and Gabriel not being believed about whatever story they cook up between them ... and, finally, we find out what that 'six months later' scene from 11x09 No Other Way is all about.
Then there's the Wicked Witch of the East, of course ... Leah. Your guess is as good as mine.
Looks like Mercer is taking off the pumpkin-coloured spacesuit
- could the rebellion be about to start?
