2018. november 12., hétfő

The Walking Dead 9x06 Who Are You Now?


Generally, I’m not a big fan of time jumps. I hate the feeling of missing out on potentially important developments concerning my favourite characters or couples (you hear that OUAT season 4? Those six fictional months were really important to me), and it’s even riskier when there’s such a big jump that characters invariably have to be recast with actors who will fit their new ages better. You can tell me that it’s the same character all you want, but if the new actors’s not good enough, I simply won’t feel about them the same way ever again. On the other hand, I will admit that sometimes it’s worth to have a time jump for all the new mysteries such a big change could bring (wait, when did that happen? Why are they not talking to each other? Oooh something BIG must have went down, I can’t wait to find out what!)… except when you have insufferable showrunners who handwave it all away with „oh you know, time has passed, people change, you’ll get used to it”… and then that’s another whole new kind of feeling fucked over. So with all that said, I’m happy to say that I really enjoyed The Walking Dead’s first post-time jump episode! By jumping forward a whopping six years, I was spared from having my heart broken from watching Michonne’s fresh grief over Rick’s „death”, which I appreciate a lot. Moreover, the only character who had to be recast was Judith, and her new version is wonderful so far, and there was even a little bit of mystery peppered in, although this is not necessarily the kind of show where I expect that sort of thing. So it was great! Overall I’m still surprised by how much I’m loving this season, and I’m a bit sad we only have two more episodes to go before the winter break.



So what happened during those six years? Well, we don’t know everything yet. What we do know is that the bridge Rick blew up was never rebuilt, and the survivors are still seem to be living in the same separate communities as before, except that I think Alexandria and the Kingdom merged into one. It was never outright stated but they at least have a council now with representatives from both of those communities, so it might just be the case. Meanwhile, something bad must have happened at Hilltop, because we’ve been told that „nothing’s been the same there since…” Since something. Obviously they really want us to think that Maggie died, but nah. I’m not buying it yet. I’m sure she, Hershel, Jesus, and Enid (was anyone else significant living at Hilltop, I can’t remember) will appear in the next episode, and so will Tara and the rest of Oceanside, also conspicuously absent this week. Living outside all the communities is Daryl, but I don’t think it’s been the whole six years since he’s been out there.  And if you, like me, were hoping that this time gap would be the perfect opportunity for him to finally cut his hair, or at least clean himself up a bit, you will be disappointed. He still looks pretty disgusting, and considering all the glorious new hairdos that Michonne, Carol (!) and Eugene (!!!) were sporting, he really has no excuses left anymore.

The main conflict of the episode rested on the new group of survivors who we’ve already seen in the last moments of last week’s installment. Judith decided to bring them all home which got them in trouble with Head of Security Michonne, as it is against the rules to bring new people in just so. At this point a council was convened to determine what should be done about the newcomers, and just as they’ve managed to convince everyone that they were not a threat to Alexandria’s safety, Michonne revealed their leader Magna’s prison tattoo, which was a dealbreaker for her. Now, even though it was technically up to the council, the group decided they don’t even want to stay anymore and would instead keep trying their luck out in the wild. Then, just as the hour was coming to a close, Michonne changed her mind, urged on by Judith (reminding her that Rick would take them in, obviously), and decided to send the group to Hilltop, where they’re sure to be treated well. So that’s what makes me think thtat next week’s episode will be a Hilltop-centric one.

Speaking of Judith, she’s pretty much the best. Adorable, kind, funny and fearless, she’s basically the perfect person to continue Rick and Carl’s legacy. Her asking still-imprisoned Negan’s help in solving some math problems was one of the many highlights of this episode. I’m still not sure what to make of this new and improved Negan, or to trust that he won’t become a threat ever again. I don’t think Jeffrey Dean Morgan was made a series regular just to appear for a few seconds every week, so I’m sure there’s more to come for him, and soon. But right now, I’m content with watching him banter with Judith, since he clearly cares about her in his own twisted way.

Other highlights of the episode include the revelation that Gabriel and Rosita are a thing now (damn Gabriel, he really has his way with the ladies!), Carol dispatching some Sanctuary mooks (why are they even still around?) who threatened Henry, by using her trusted old method of setting them on fire, Michonne and Rick’s baby son (!!!), and finally,the Whisperers. They haven’t been officially introduced yet but just as Rosita and an injured Eugene were hiding in the mud from a herd of walkers, you could hear them whisper. That was a surprise for me because I thought they wouldn’t appear until episode 8, but I liked this little tease a lot. I can’t wait to see what other surprises these six years have brought at the other communities.

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