The group is scattered. Alexandria is starving. And the only thing between them and the supplies they need are a shadow army laying in wait. These Reapers are brutal and efficient killers who disappear just as quickly as they appear. But this episode, we explore exactly who this faction actually is, and the powerful religious ties hinted at before.
**SPOILER WARNING** for all of that.
1. Shifting Perspectives
Last episode opened with Maggie in the spotlight. Almost literally considering the harsh lighting of her introduction. This time around, we open with Daryl and Dog escaping the Reapers. Same basic set as last episode. Daryl fights his way through the ambush, makes it into town by surprisingly sudden daylight, only for more to reveal themselves. But rather than several popping up after apparently just hanging i out for a few days in case, one in particular stalks Daryl as he makes his way through the abandoned buildings and warehouses. Whoever it is, Dog seems to like her, She pulls off her to mask to reveal—
2. “Never thought I’d see you again”
—Leah (Lynn Collins). After she disappeared last season, her “family” found her. She tells Daryl that while he stopped looking for her, the Reapers never did. The reunion gets even worse when more make themselves known, throwing a bag of Daryl’s head and taking him prisoner. While Daryl denies knowing the group he was traveling with, telling his ex he was “traveling light,” While not entirely out of character, Leah resorts to torture.This is where we get the title of today’s episode, as the Reapers waterboard Daryl. Daryl doesn’t break. Instead he gets thrown in a dog kennel to wait while they figure out what to do about him.
When torture doesn’t work, Leah instead tries speaking with him. The conversation straddles a fine line between exes awkwardly reconnecting and captor/captee well, with Leah comment how stubborn Daryl has always been. Daryl insists that he has never lied to her, and would help her if he could. But he doesn’t give up anything, still denying he was a part of the group. This doesn’t change until a Reaper named Michael Turner is brought back to their base. Seeing the distress it causes Leah makes Daryl give out a few pieces of information, mostly vague details about the makeup of the group. Daryl didn’t break as openly as he could have, but it was enough for Leah to report back to her boss, who we’ve only heard a few mentions of.
3. The Reapers Live in a Haunted House
Four episodes in, this season has been one of the strongest atmosphere-wise. From the graffitied subways tunnels of Washington, to the creepy faux-normalcy of the Commonwealth, this season has been consistent in nailing a unique sense of place for each of its principle locations. And the Reapers home base is no exception; even if, like the Reapers themselves, it veers hard into silliness. Because their hideout is a straight up carnival haunted house. I promise to cut back on the video game references in these, but we’re introduced to Pope after Leah essentially walks through a Resident Evil house. The dog kennel dungeons where they hold Daryl gives way to flickering light hallways and candle lit ceremonial chambers. A single Reaper chants over a fallen comrade (Turner), waving in arms in ritualistic fashion, as Pope appears from the shadows.
4. “God is here. He’s angry.”
I had two reactions to Pope’s reveal. The first is that Richie Coster, who joins the show’s long line of British actors perfectly nailing regional accents, is immediately terrifying. Seeing the fallen Reaper (who we learn is named Michael Turner) clearly enrages him, even as he barely manages to maintain control of that anger. But there’s a hit of sadness in the performance as well, implying that this new villain is as true of a believer as his troops. From a few lines of dialog and a couple steps forward, we’re presented with a truly terrifying antagonist. We know the horrifying acts the Reapers are capable of. But what we don’t know is how much their leadership is willing to do in the name of a greater good. The second is that Robert Kirkman, creator of “Battle Pope,” has finally given us Battle Ned Flanders.
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But what’s interesting about Pope’s relationship with Leah is that it’s not a matter of cult leader and devotee. They speak to each other plainly and bluntly, particularly in regards to her previous relationship to Daryl. Of course, they have history with each other. Both of them served in Afghanistan, becoming mercenaries after their tours ended. As guns-for-hire, they were contracted to handle the dirty missions. The dirtiest and most brutal being after the fall. Most of this exposition gets told to Daryl by Pope, because Leah pulls a favor to get him recruited.
5. “Just follow my lead.”
Daryl’s taken to a shed, where he will “meet the man.” As he and Leah wait together, gasoline is poured under the door and lit from the outside. They both escape, only to be greeted by Pope’s men. Leah falls into formation as they praise the new recruit “forged in fire.” After a brief attempt to convert Daryl, Pope gathers everyone to honor both Michael Turner, as well as his brother. The Turner sibling carried Michael ten miles on his back, earning the praise of Pope. For a while at least. Until Pope mentions that the surviving Turner’s wounds were all on his back. This gets the living Turner cast into the fire, with Pope’s boot against his head as the flames melt the flesh from his face. Because the Reapers do not run, they face the fire. This episode may have been light on walkers, but it’s still Walking Dead.
With that note, we leave Daryl caught in this fanatical mercenary army, with both the unresolved feelings between him and Leah, and the watchful eye of Pope. A tense ending to an equally tense episode, even if the new villains are just a tad on the over-the-top side. But as with the last few, the solid performances ground it.
