Previously: Review: 11x14 The Rotten Core
- S 11 x 15 TRUST -
Directed by Lily Mariye
Written by Kevin Deiboldt
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| I just love this picture of Ezekiel |
I would love to be the person who designs Lance Hornsby's wardrobe - that waistcoat has to be the worst yet. Also, isn't Gabriel getting more badass (and more handsome) with every episode? 'We're not going to take the fall for this' - ice cold!
Of course Cheesy Video Guy guessed exactly what went on at Riverbend, especially after finding Hershel's cap and seeing the tyre marks, but our crew are far too clever to allow him to prove it.
When Lance pounced on Maggie's truck at Hilltop, so sure it would spring into action, I must say I wondered why Maggie didn't point out that her property is nothing to do with him and that the Commonwealth's laws don't mean sh*t at Hilltop - but yeah, I suppose better to let him look around, knowing that he wouldn't find anything, than to act like she has something she doesn't want him to know about.
As for the location of Negan's group, I wonder if they've hidden down that tunnel at Hilltop that Sasha made in Season 7 (to hide from ... Negan).
And I don't imagine for one moment that Hershel would have been Lanced into giving anything up - he's much too sharp.
On the way there, when Lance demanded that Aaron, Gabriel and Daryl got rid of the Walker herd in their path - seeing as they know how to handle themselves - the look in his eyes was an interesting one. Not irritated (like when the truck wouldn't start) or in awe about how efficiently they dispatched them, but gleeful; I suspect he was thinking 'that's my crack team of soldiers right there' - given that his opening line to the Wicked Witch of the East (Leah) was to offer her a job, I wonder if this will be the case.
At last we saw exactly what the 'Six Months Later' thing from 11x9 No Other Way was all about, anyway - and why Gabriel was standing with a load of Commonwealth soldiers in a blood stained t-shirt - I've been wondering about that since I first saw a picture of it, weeks back.
Lance appears to think he's more clever than anyone, that he's so above them all that he doesn't even care if they don't trust him, so sure is he that he will always get what he wants. But he gives himself away, without realising; that psycho look in his eyes when he said 'Shame we couldn't be friends', to Maggie, and the way in which, once more, he unwittingly echoed Gregory: 'I'm a nice guy'.
Sad bit: Hershel crouching by Glenn's grave (another reason why Maggie is determined to stay there, I am sure...). Then walking away, to show us all the other graves, too.
*
Dialogue award of the week goes to Ezekiel: 'Darkness is heavy. Some of us carry more than others because we're strong enough to take the weight. But we make the light. You make the light, Carol.'
No, I don't think they'll get back together again ('cause, you know, New Mexico won't explore itself!), however much he wants them to, but I am sure they will remain very dear friends; that was a beautiful scene in the veterinary centre, when they sat by the wall in the dark.
That appendectomy scenario I thought was a bit peculiar, though - were we supposed to know who it was, or was that not relevant? Seemed a bit hurried through as a plot line, and ditto the sudden appearance of the veterinary medical centre that for some reason Carol hadn't seen yet.
Elsewhere in the Commonwealth, the founders of the Resistance are coming together - when Eugene asked Max to find 'secret files', it occurred to me that life and the years have made our people fearless, determined to get to the bottom of what's going on and make it right, whatever the risk. Like they don't even consider that something might be dangerous, if it's got to be done.
... then we have Daryl, Gabriel, Aaron, Mercer, Princess, Max, Ezekiel, Tomi, all acting against the rules of the regime - will this bring Yumiko in, too, as she is in a position of some power? Or has she, like Luke, Scott, Kal and Eduardo, fallen into the TWD Black Hole? She hasn't been seen in 11B yet, and Magna's only had one small scene. I wonder if they were not popular characters so have been removed from centre stage?
When Ezekiel said this to Carol: 'You'd think being here would make life easier, huh? Feels like there's a lot more grey instead.' I thought, it's not only because of the corruption - it's because they've been out there for too long. As I mentioned in my review of 11x10 New Haunts, you can't just go back to pre-Fall life and (click fingers) adapt - maybe they could have if they'd found the Commonwealth say, after the prison, but since then there have been years and years of Alexandria, Kingdom, Hilltop, and independence from the corruption and general BS of totalitarian regimes, which it is fast becoming clear that the Commonwealth is.
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'Drink deep from the cup of knowledge and listen to your teachers'
I did love seeing Carol delivering Judith and RJ to school, though, and meeting up with a nice man with an umbrella (clip below). Though I wish Judith would put the hat back on, to go with the Rick-style cowboy boots she wears!
☔☔☔
I thought the scenes with Princess and Mercer were most interesting - we saw yet more sides to him. All the doubt that comes with his inner conflict about having killed Sebastian minions Alves and Castle, and generally what is the right thing to do; should he turn a blind eye to the corruption to keep himself and Max (and Princess) safe, or be a force for change?
All in all very much 'the calm before the storm' as all good Episode 15s should be (preferably without too many heads on spikes) - next week looks like all out war - with the Wicked Witch of the East on the opposing side with plenty of weaponry. Guess she hasn't forgiven Maggie for killing her chums...
I have to admit, I am loving Josh Hamilton in this cartoon villain role--we have never seen a character like this before and I think the light touch he brings to his psycho persona is just right. I am not sure of the benefits of exposing the dark side of the commonwealth--it's obviously very entrenched and has 50,000 people (they repeat that figure a lot) counting on it to keep running--people with kids and illnesses that need medical attention, etc--they are risking their lives for a potential payoff that does not seem huge (speaking of the wicked witch, do they imagine the soldiers will all be on their side if they do destroy the head of the beast, like the flying monkeys? seems unlikely to me). It is weird how certain people have disappeared (I thought for sure we'd get a glimpse of Luke at Oceanside, but no such luck) and the vet hospital and mystery appendectomy were also rushed and odd. Next week looks like a great one, though.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Josh H is spot on!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, re the Commonwealth. As in real life, most people turn a blind eye to any whisper of corruption, lies and cruelty if it means they get an easier life. I would have agreed with you totally, if I hadn't seen next week's episode already - obviously I won't give spoilers, but suffice to say that Cheesy Video Guy's plans do not just affect the Commonwealth.
Starting to see a lot of parallels between TWD World and this world, I have to say!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Talking of that daft appendectomy plot line and Carol knowing nothing about the veterinary medical centre despite being so close to Ezekiel, I remember something like that in S5 - when Michonne and Rick were dragging back trolleys of food from Father Gabriel's canned food drive, and Michonne hadn't got her sword because someone at Terminus had nicked it. Rick said, 'How did you get so good with it, anyway?' I thought ... you've been living in close quarters for well over a year, been on the road together for weeks, but you've never discussed this before???? Similarly, Carol never told anyone about Lizzie and Mika. She would have told SOMEONE, surely....!