Season 3 has come to an end with “Welcome to the Tombs”. Those of you who think they know what to expect because they read the comic, sorry, you like myself are in for a surprise.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
The episode begins with both sides preparing for what was to come. The Governor has assembled his own militia. He has feed into their fears about Rick and the others. He has made them more the enemy than the walkers themselves. Before leaving though, he and Milton have their own encounter in the make shift torture chamber where Andrea is held up. He wants Milton Milton Milton
Back at the prison, everyone is packing to leave. They know the Governor’s coming and they are severely outmanned and outgunned. There are a lot of small personal moments that take place. Moments between Daryl as he reflects on Merle’s sacrifice with Carol and with Rick talking to Michonne, who understood Rick’s dilemma from the previous week and held no ill will towards him. If anything, she was very grateful to Rick for saving her and bringing into the fold to begin with. Rick cites that it was Carl’s doing more than his but he was happy she was there.
Speaking of Carl, this boy has certainly grownup (literally and figuratively). He is not too happy around his father and basically tells his dad that he (Carl) has what it takes to do what Rick himself failed to do. It is clear from their exchange that he blames Rick not only for his Mom’s death but even for Merle’s and so many others because of his recent leadership decisions or lack thereof including his failure to kill the Governor when he had the chance. He is not the scared little boy that started out on this journey.
The battle finally arrives at the prison when the Governor and his militia storm in with guns blazing. They shoot everything that moves but not one of them is Rick’s people. Where are they? A frustrated Governor goes inside the prison and checks cell by cell and room by room but no one is there except… walkers and a booby trap. Forced to fight their way through, the Governor and his men are ambushed by Rick and the others who were hiding in the towers. To save themselves, they flee the prison with the unhappy Governor in tow.
An interesting scene takes place when one of the militia, a young man tried to flee and comes across Hershel and Carl. He tries to surrender but Carl guns him down instead, much to Hershel’s surprise and disappointment. It would seem that Rick & Co. have won round one but they know more is to come. They decide to give chase and end this once and for all. They head out towards Woodbury.
With his troop on the run, The Governor demands that they pull over. No one gave the order to retreat and he is not at all happy with them for doing so. As a collective, they refuse to go back stating its one thing to kill walkers it’s another to wage war on the others They have no desire now for war. This is the breaking point that all who have read the comic have been waiting for, The Governor finally snaps and opens fire on his own people killing all except two of his henchmen who were stunned silent. The three of them drive off and we never see or hear from them again, at least till next season.
When Rick, Daryl and Michonne stumble upon the carnage left behind by the Governor, they come across a lone female survivor. She tells them what the Governor did and they continue towards Woodbury and the hope of finding Andrea alive.
When Rick and the others arrive at Woodbury, Tyrese and Sasha open fire. The woman whose name is Karen calls for a cease fire. She tells them what the Governor had done and that Rick had saved her. The gates open and the search for Andrea begins. Daryl leads them to the area where he and Glenn were kept. They discover the door that leads to the torture chamber. When they bust in, they see Milton
Rick and the others return to the prison with what seems like the residents of Woodbury. They will be making the prison their new home. Rick watches on and keeps looking up to see if Lori’s “spirit” appears. But she does not. What does life have in store for all them now? What new obstacles await them? And what of the Governor? So the question is, will these surprises and deviations from the book be a good thing or a bad thing? Only time will tell. I will say this, in my opinion, they’ve done a great job to this point.
Can’t wait for Season 4 come October. But until then…
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
