Last night’s The Walking Dead episode titled; Strangers was a fairly calm episode with the occasional walker kill here and there until those final scenes. So much of Strangers focused on the reunion of the survivors. Whether it was Rick and Carl with Judith or Tyreese and Sasha, Glenn and Maggie and of course Daryl with Carol. They have all left a destroyed Terminus behind for a still unknown future ahead of them. But anything would be better than what they left behind. Or will it? Warning Spoilers ahead…
A couple of curious things occur the following day as Rick and the others continue their trek through the woods. There’s a conversation between Tyreese and Carol as they gather water when Tyreese talks about his discuss with Rick and some others regarding what Carol had done at the prison. Everyone seems accepting of it but he wants to make sure everyone else knows and accepts it as well. Then the talk shifted about the girls from last season. He thinks the topic shouldn’t be brought up and when Carol asked why, Tyreese stated that he needed to forget what had happened. It remains clear how conflicted Tyreese still is despite all that he has seen and been through.
The other curious thing that occurred moments later comes from Abraham. When a walker wanders up to the group, Michonne did what Michonne does; she killed it with the butt of her gun. Afterwards, our attention turned to Abraham and Rosita as he tells her, “Right there is why we’re waiting for our moment.” What does he mean? More on that later.
Carol and Rick have a moment of making amends. She handed him the watch he had given to Sam that she recovered at Terminus. Rick told her that he had seen Sam killed by them. He also acknowledges that it was his banishment of Carol that has led her here and the irony of now him and the others joining her. He asks if she would have him and Carol nodded yes to which Rick replied with “Thank you.”
Daryl and Carol have their first moments alone but not much is said. Carol breaks the silence by telling Daryl that she doesn’t want to about it. She too just wants to forget and more forward. Daryl respectful agrees. After, a suspicious noise gets the attention of both but Daryl dismissed it as nothing. Although later, he would tell Rick that he felt like they were being watched.
As the group moved cautiously through the woods, a horrific cry for help could be heard. With the urging of Carl, a hesitant Rick raced to see what was going on. The group finds a preacher being attacked by walkers. They are quickly defeated. The preacher identified himself as Gabriel.
When Rick asks Gabriel about how many walkers he has killed, he confesses that he had not because God is against violence. Rick then ask if Gabriel was part of a camp in which he stated no but he had a church. Rick questioned whether or not Gabriel was watching them last night. Gabriel says no and that he just keeps to himself. Rick and the others decide to follow Gabriel to his church.
At the church, Rick discovers various religious items, including handwritten scriptures and children’s artwork. It’s yet another reminder of what life use to be. Abraham spots a bus out back and stresses that they should continue their mission to Washington and a potential cure. Rick doesn’t disagree but insists that they continue to gather supplies. Everyone in the group agree that where Rick goes, they follow. It is very clear however that Rick doesn’t trust Gabriel and wants him close by with the group.
The scene shifts to Daryl and Carol as they come across an abandoned car. The car won’t start but Carol discovers a battery charger. She tells Daryl that they should keep the car a secret just in case the group needs it later.
Back at the food bank, Rick, Gabriel and the rest find a bunch of walkers who had fallen into a hole in the floor. Of course the shelves are lined with food. Rick tells Gabriel that he will follow them down. As Rick and Michonne stab their way through the maze of walkers, Gabriel comes across a female walker with glasses that startles him. He panics and runs away only to break through the weakened stairs. Rick rescues Gabriel and he apologizes for his behavior. Rick asks if he knew the walker with the glasses but Gabriel doesn’t say anything.
Back at the church, Rick talks to Carl about the food they found. Carl shows Rick some scratches on the outside wall. He suggests that these were done with knives by people trying to get in. He also shows Rick another discovery, “You’ll burn for this,” carved into the wooden panel of the church. What it means is unknown but it further adds to Rick’s suspicions of Gabriel.
That night as everyone feasts for the first time since forever, Abraham offers a toast. He uses this opportunity to make another pitch for Washington. Eugene joins in and says there are supplies and infrastructure there that will help them survive. It gives them a possible future. After baby Judith makes a sound while being held by Rick, he agrees that they should go. As everyone celebrates, Bob gives Sasha a kiss and wanders off. Rick thanks Gabriel for his hospitality but still feels that he is hiding something.
Back at the car that Carol and Daryl found, Carol finishes charging the battery when Daryl appears but before much could be said, a speeding car races by. Daryl recognizes the cross on the back windshield as the same car that took Beth. A confused Carol goes with Daryl in pursuit.
As Bob wanders off as everyone in the church celebrates, someone in a hoody knocks him out. We then see a scratch mark on the tree in was leaning on. When he regains consciousness, Gareth is seen staring at him. It didn’t take long for Gareth to return. This guy makes the Governor seem sane and reasonable. Gareth tells Bob that it wasn’t personal between him and the others. It was a matter of survival. He continues to tell him that circumstances have turned them into hunters.
The camera then pulls away to reveal Bob’s missing leg. Gareth says that in order to survive, “a man’s got to eat,” as he takes a bite of meat that seemingly is a piece of Bob’s leg. The camera further pans the scene to show Bob’s foot cooking on the fire. Wow! What a shocking ending. Two episodes and season five is already shaping up to be the best and possibly the most disturbing yet.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
