Have you recovered from Sunday’s mid-season finale? A measure of a good series is how emotionally invested you are in the characters. I think it’s safe to say that The Walking Dead is such a series. Even though you may have read all the issues to date and know the outcome of some characters, there is still sense of surprise and sadness when that character or any character for that matters dies. Warning spoilers ahead…
Sunday’s finale titled Coda, was a roller-coaster ride from the start. It opens with Officer Lamson on the run from the previous episode and Rick in pursuit in a police car. Rick ordered Lamson to stop but he doesn’t so Rick slams Lamson from behind sending the officer flying through the air. Lamson pleads for his life but Rick is not it in the sparing mood and shoots Lamson, killing him.
The scene shifts to a school where Gabriel winds up after fleeing the church. This is the same school where Gareth and company was held up. It is here where Gabriel finds the remains of Bob’s leg and a bunch of walkers trapped inside the school building trying to break free. The reality of everything Rick had warned Gabriel about, finally hits home with him. When the doors that held the walkers breaks, they swarm towards him. Gabriel makes his way back to the comfort and safety of the church where Michonne and Carl are still there and they let him in.
After breaking down the barricade that was put up for they’re safety, Michonne with baby Judith, Carl and Gabriel fight back a walker attack and tunnel they’re way out of the church. While contemplating their next move, Abraham driving a big red fire truck and the others arrive in the nick of time. After exchanging pleasantries and learning that Eugene had lied about knowing how to save them, the groups focus was on joining up with Rick to save Beth and Carol.
Back in Atlanta, Rick and Daryl decide to move forward with their plans of exchanging the two remaining officers they have for Beth and Carol. Before the exchange, Dawn and Beth averted a “hostile” takeover when after a fight between Dawn and another cop ends with Beth (under Dawn’s order) shoves the cop down an elevator shaft.
At the swap, everything goes according to plan until Dawn demands the return of Noah. She doesn’t really need him but can’t afford to look weak in front of her people after giving in to Rick’s demands. Rick refuses and Dawn states that there’s no deal then. Noah however agrees to go back. As Noah heads back to join Dawn, she tells him that she knew he would be back. It was that smug remark that became the tipping point for Beth.
Beth goes up to Dawn and tells her, “I get it now,” she then plunges a pair of scissors she was hiding into Dawn’s shoulder. All we see and hear afterwards is gunshot and Beth’s bloody head falling back. Everyone on both sides is stunned. A devastated Daryl fires his gun and kills Dawn. A standoff ensues but is quickly halted by Officer Shepherd’s plea for peace. She extends an offer to Rick and the others to stay but he turns her down. Instead, he makes his own offer to any of them who wants to join him.
As Rick and the others leave the hospital, Maggie, Glenn and the others arrive. Smiles turn to heartbreak when Maggie spots Daryl carrying Beth’s body. The scene ends with a distraught Maggie on the ground weeping for the lost of her sister.
A post credit scene involves Morgan finding the church and a map with Rick’s name. Fade to black and we wait till February to see what happens next. A solid episode filled with raw emotion. That’s television done right.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
