Here it is. The mid-season finale of The Walking Dead, which was set to have The Governor’s…I mean Brian’s forces square off against Rick and the folks at the prison. Does that happen? Is it awesome? Am I actually excited for the show to come back in February or whenever the hell it actually comes back? Find out below.
Spoilers will be discussed for this episode, and the comic may be discussed as well to a degree. As a reminder I typically give my thoughts on the show as things happen, as I write and watch at the same time (mostly).
1. The Governor Brings the Ruckus
Well I guess he’s being pretty serious about this attack on the prison thing. Brian – aka the Governor – abducts Hershel and Michonne and then convinces his camp that it’s time to attack and take the prison and its walls and all away from the killers and thieves that run it. The bad news, for him at least, is that the lady love he’s picked up – Lily – clearly distrusts him now and isn’t so all about Brian anymore. Based off the looks she gives him, I don’t think she’s buying stock in Brian, and I feel like by the end of this episode he could find himself gaining at least one mortal enemy in her.
Meanwhile, Brian’s handling of Hershel/Michonne is creepy friendly in many ways, and his forgiveness of Michonne is perhaps the best example of his sociopathic break of anything yet.
2. Back to the Prison
After two straight episodes with absolutely no prison time, it’s our first time to see the ramifications of the recent actions in the prison side of the world. We see that those who were afflicted by the illness like Glenn and Sasha are getting healthier, that Daryl is predictably unhappy about Carol being booted (but he handles it pretty well), and that whoever was messing with the rats has not been revealed yet, as Tyreese discovers a rat flayed to look like a science experiment. Things are certainly rolling, but you know, they have other problems.
3. Like a tank
First off, I just have to say once again Bear McCreary elevates a great moment. The weird heartbeat like pulse he has running throughout the scene where Rick and crew first discovers Brian’s forces at the gates and when Rick goes to talk to them, it amplifies the awesome dramatically. As for the set-up, honestly, the prison crew seems pretty screwed just like they did in the comic originally, and I’m very intrigued to see what happens from here, especially with Michonne and Hershel standing (or rather, kneeling) in the same spot Tyreese once was in the comic.
4. HOLY CRAP THEY ACTUALLY BEHEADED HERSHEL!
Anyone who read the comic had to have been wondering if the show actually would go that far. If they’d actually kill someone like The Governor did to Tyreese in the comic. When they actually did it, I was actually blown away: I didn’t think the show, frankly, had the balls to do it. Killing Hershel especially considering his growth this season was a heartbreaker, as he was hugely important to the prison camp, and if anything this guarantees that team prison is going to bring the motherfucking ruckus. The whole sequence was really well handled, but I do have to ask – after making the initial killing blow, why the hell did “Brian” follow it up by finishing the beheading? Very bizarre, and when Lily sees him do it with Megan’s dead body in his hand (and his response to that, which was shooting Megan in the head so she doesn’t turn), it makes me believe even more: Lily is going to kill The Governor.
6. The Showdown
The rush on the prison was a typical Governor plan, but it was nothing if not exciting. For the most part, the prison crew tore it up, even having one less tank than the other side had. Near as I can tell, the only people the prison crew lost were some redshirts, Hershel and MAYBE Judith (that part was very unclear but I’d wager she’s alive). Either way, it was really well done, and the type of onslaught of action we’ve been looking forward to since we first found out this show was going to become a thing. The one-on-one moments – Rick vs. The Governor, Michonne vs. The Governor, Mitch vs. Daryl – were all pretty badass, and it was something I was very, very glad to see it come to be.
Continued below7. Called it
See: subject.
8. R.I.P. Brian
JK, I’m totally cool with him having no peace. Brian aka The Governor is no more, partially dead by Michonne’s sword but mostly by the bullet to the head from Lily. After a year and a half run, David Morrissey’s extended run as the character is over, and as good an actor as Morrissey is, he only has the scripts that are written to work with. The Governor was always a problematic character in the show, switching mentalities/moods/emotional states faster than The Flash runs a 5K. It was a problem that was at least partially created by the fact that he stayed longer than he was welcome or destined to be around. Either way, the guy is dead now, and the show will forever be better for it.
9. A Fresh Start
The Governor is dead. The prison is overrun and exploded. Carl and Rick are on an island. Everyone is scattered. Honestly, this is all of what I hoped this episode would be, except no Carol being involved (I would wager an entire year’s salary on her returning in the latter half). The episode itself was hugely exciting and featured some great performances, and it managed to wipe out a lot of the major issues with the show in one fell swoop. All I can hope is that they learn from everything that preceded this and turn it into the reset button it certainly should be. There is a lot of potential here. There always has been. I really hope they capitalize and push the show in interesting directions.
What did you all think of the mid-season finale? How great is it that The Governor is dead? Is Judith alive? What’s up, people? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
