When I was your age, television was called books. Thankfully, the Professor is here to walk us through 21st century tech!
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Saitama’s easily taken out a number of monsters, including a crabby creature, a malicious mosquito girl and a muscly meathead. But his humdrum life takes a drastic turn when he meets Genos—a cyborg who wants to uncover the secret behind his strength! |
By: Marianne Paluso (@Marianne_P81)
“A Wondrous Place” was a wondrous episode of Once Upon a Time, filled with fun, adventure, heartfelt and touching moments, amazing callbacks and parallels, interesting symbolism, and poignant themes. We see what makes a hero; how true love can transcend realms, save the day, restore our faith; and importantly, that the reality of that love goes far deeper than sweet kisses and adoring looks. It is an episode that is a shining example of magical realism. Yes, there were some minor qualms, but the ways in which everything was connected with what was seen in this episode and from seasons past was a thing of beauty and truly shows how often the show is as intricately woven as a magic carpet. One of the things I love is that describing episode’s plot sounds so wild both in and out of context. Captain Hook, Aladdin, and Jasmine board the Nautilus with Captain Nemo with hopes of returning everyone back home. After damages from a kraken nearly destroy the submarine, Hook, Jasmine, and Aladdin find Ariel on a remote island, defeat Jafar, restore Agrabah, and free Aladdin thanks to True Love’s Kiss. Meanwhile in Storybrooke, Regina and Snow White take Emma out to drown her sorrows, but Snow gets unordinarily drunk and ends up playing bar games with a group of Vikings, while Emma opens up to a bartender named Aesop, who unfortunately was Gideon in disguise who steals her tears, preventing Killian from returning home, but not before he’s able to get a message to her and proclaim his love and promise that he’d never leave her and is determined to return home to her. Sounds pretty wild, doesn’t it? But when it comes to Once Upon a Time, that can often be the case and that is what is so amazing.
In fact, “A Wondrous Place” had moments I never knew I wanted to see until they happened, as well as ones that continued to the delight and warm my heart. As I said in my previous review, Nemo is such a wonderful and compassionate character and the kind of father figure Killian deserves, and Faran Tahir exudes such warmth and wisdom. I also love seeing Killian’s brother Liam (Nick Eversman) again, fences now mended with camaraderie remaining. It warmed my heart to see the two brothers – who as Liam says never get enough time – hug each other goodbye, not with a sense of finality but with Killian saying “til we meet again.” I would unabashedly watch more adventures aboard the Nautilus – which is one of the most gorgeous and evocative sets the show has ever created – just as long as next time,
Emma could come along for the ride.
Just as I love the Nautilus, so too did I adore Agrabah. Its costumes and beautiful scenery were magical and full of color, from Aladdin and Jasmine looking down upon the city to she and Ariel going on a magic carpet ride. How could one not smile or be in awe? I also loved Oded Fehr’s Jafar, whose villainy is such mustache-twirling, scenery-chewing deliciousness. He takes sheer delight in hurting others with his motivations being completely personal. He’s the kind of villain you love to hate. However, it was odd that there was no explanation as to how he was able to break free of the Genie curse. I suppose because he’s powerful, he simply needed to be released from the bottle, but it was left unexplained. This was one of the qualms I had with the episode. So too was I a bit disappointed to see Emma’s family not offer any hope or faith about Killian leaving. David who, besides Killian, understands Emma the best was also the best at offering support and took the news about his father fairly well – though I suspect more is to come for these two. It was nice to see Regina’s heart was in the right place and her offering up a girls night out is miles better than trying to use the dagger to get Emma to open up. But once again we see that although her intentions were good, the method wasn’t really what Emma needed. The person she opens up to the most isn’t there and is the source of her heartbreak, so it’s not surprising opening up to a stranger was easier for her. Of course he played on her vulnerabilities and deep issues and insecurities, but that’s another story. I suppose the most jarring was the way Snow and Henry acted. It would have been nice to see Snow give a hope speech, especially given her sweet scene with Killian last week. But it’s hard to find complete fault with her as she admittedly has trouble comforting her daughter, and needed a night out as well. Plus a drunk Snow White is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen and Ginnifer Goodwin clearly had fun completely going to town with it. Kudos to Snow who may have been completely hammered, but still retained her knife-tossing accuracy perfectly. The sight of her playing pool with a Viking helmet on is one I will not long forget. The only behavior that I found most confusing was Henry’s, who seemed disinterested that Killian was gone and his mother was hurting. Considering his grown affection for his future stepdad, and history of being loving and sympathetic, his behavior was just odd. I’m not sure if this was meant to reflect how teenagers act, internalizing everything. The only good thing is that in not listening to his mother, Emma was able to hear Killian’s message, so I suppose all is forgiven.
When it comes to guest stars, when they are given a great deal of focus, they should be engaging and related to whatever the main storyline is – and in turn the main characters – to warrant such focus. When I think of my favorite guest stars – The Frozen characters (especially Georgina Haig and Elizabeth Lail), Victoria Smurfit’s Cruella DeVil, Liam Garrigan’s King Arthur, and Elliott Knight’s Merlin – these attributes are what made them such. And “A Wondrous Place” felt so reminiscent in terms of sweetness, emotional poignancy, and adventure of two of my two favorite arcs – the Dark Swan/Camelot arc and the Frozen arc. So it’s no surprise that the guest stars in this episode did as well. Joanna Garcia Swisher’s Ariel continues to be a favorite guest star of mine. Her presence is always a joy and comes at a crucial story points. Swisher’s mermaid is bright, bubbly, funny, sweet, and unaffected, and was the perfect companion for the journeys of Aladdin, Jasmine, and Killian. Her one-liners, arguing over the magic carpet being a rug, hugging Killian instead of slapping him, her delight at witnessing true love, and her kindness were not new to her character, but continued to be absolutely delightful. Swisher is the perfect Arial but if I had a Genie wish, I would wish to see more of her story with Eric, because as wonderful as it was to see Gil McKinney on my screen again, as well as funny when I realized it wasn’t the real Eric when I heard his line about liking mermaids poached, I still wish that we could see the real Prince Eric again. However, this did a good job of maintaining the continuity of the show and the callbacks that were abundant in the episode. Dating all the way back to season three, Ariel knew Eric was leaving on a grand expedition to far off places including Agrabah, but her voice was stolen before she could reach them. As Ariel said, it’s another story how she obtained the necklace that gave her legs and her voice back, but her presence in Agrabah to find Eric and team up with Jasmine, perfectly aligned with her character’s story. And I must laugh at the consistent portrayal of her kleptomaniac tendencies. She can’t seem to resist taking dinglehoppers (forks) as well as corkscrews, but at least she asked if she could have the ring of Agrabah instead of simply taking it this time. But in all seriousness, Ariel’s presence in “A Wondrous Place” lent itself to the all-encompassing story in a seamless and important way, and reflected the other characters as well.
Ariel may not know everything about the human world, but she knows about life, and about the importance of being brave and fighting for love. It’s why she was the perfect companion for this episode. It’s wonderful to see how much the relationship between her and Killian has changed. Now friends, I loved the knowing smiles and easy friendship between them and that she gave him the much needed mermaid magic “shell phone” so he could communicate with Emma, smiling in the background when he spoke to her. Equally wonderful was fast friendship between her and Jasmine, who share an understanding of feeling the pangs of regret of things left unsaid. It was these characters that produced some of the episode’s brightest moments and showcased the episode’s most poignant themes.
Karen David and Deniz Akdeniz make the ideal Jasmine and Aladdin, and while I adored what we’ve seen from them in previous episodes, it was in “A Wondrous Place” that they shined the brightest, not only for their journeys as characters, but in the way they beautifully reflected and connected with our main story, characters, and themes. The banter and rapport and clear affection between the couple was a joy, especially when they were speaking with Killian about the other, who was bemused at the poor communication between the two people in love. But significantly, themes about true heroism and true love were ever apparent in their story. Jasmine’s entire arc centered on her guilt about failing her people and trying to find a hero to help rectify these failings. The scene between Jasmine and Killian was one of the most significant as it revealed so much about each character. It was heartbreaking to hear Jasmine believe her failings meant she didn’t deserve love, but also so touching that Killian was the one to not only understand how she felt, but also offer the sage advice that hiding behind that guilt is not the answer. The captain has come so far and this wisdom was moving to hear, as was his admission about how much he misses home, when he once thought he’d only ever live at sea. When you fall in love and find the person with whom you wish to share your life, everything can change. You do things you never thought possible. Killian’s home is with Emma and he will face any dangers to get back to her. It’s the recognition of not only that love, but also their own courage that was important. Jasmine learned what Killian already had. She faced her fears and realized that she was braver than she thought possible and smarter than Jafar believed her to be, not only in the way she defeated him, but in restoring Agrabah from the ring it was trapped in. I knew there had to be a reason Aladdin and Jasmine had not kissed and it made their moment so much more meaningful. Jasmine realized she could save Agrabah with love, and restoring the city with her and Aladdin’s True Love’s Kiss was one of the sweetest and most magical moments of the series. Besides the very first one with Snow and Charming, and Emma’s with Henry, this was one of my favorites we’ve seen because it was built out of such a powerful message and resolution. Jasmine learned to believe in herself and in the power of love, and in that recognition, she herself became the hero she had been searching for all along. Restoring both Agrabah and freeing Aladdin from the Genie, love and belief was their saving grace. Aladdin may be a Savior, but Jasmine became everyone’s hero. This was truly beautiful as a story on its own, but also a reflection on others, revealing poignant character beats, parallels, and significant moments.
One of the loveliest things about Emma and Killian’s relationship is that for all the magical elements, it also is such a remarkably real depiction of the beauty and joys and struggles and issues that embody the deepest and truest kinds of love, for the strongest relationships are not perfect because no person is. We all have insecurities and faults but can learn to work through them with trust and faith. And while we may still have moments where these come back it, doesn’t mean the love is not strong. And if our faith falters and we need something or someone to help restore it, that also doesn’t lessen how deeply we feel or the faith we have deep down in our hearts. It was so significant to see Emma and Killian going through these personal struggles at the same time because it illuminates the depth of so much about them and what they’ve gone through together. And the way Morrison and O’Donoghue portrayed their journey throughout this episode was illuminating and moving as well. Emma’s demeanor and speech pattern was a perfect representation of the Emma Swan with walls a mile high and as someone so hurt that she has trouble opening up. Emma is heartbroken, confused about how to feel, and realizing her worst fears once again are coming true, so her deeply-rooted abandonment issues come to the surface in full force. She is short and stoic in her speech, stiff in her demeanor, and her clothes are an obvious reflection of what she is feeling. Gone are the light colors and more flowing garments; here she is in all black and a turtleneck. She’s closing herself back up, reverting into her protective shell of armor. It’s only when her guard is momentarily down around a stranger that the tears begin and she relaxes a bit, but her speech was still riddled with uncertainties, filled with “probablies.” What I found so important and meaningful was that this was Emma and Killian finally dealing with the deeper struggles they went through as the Dark Ones, which had not been dealt with in any significant way up until now. And the fact that they are now doing so is a signifier of their continued growth and another step towards their commitment to each other. In “Broken Heart,” Emma brought up how everyone she ever loved abandoned her, but Killian balked back that he never did and was so hurt that she didn’t have faith in him to fight against the darkness. What was important was that they were both right, and at fault. They were able to overcome the darkness, but perhaps it’s even more significant that now as their normal selves, they are dealing with these issues once more, truly in sync with each other, with their worst fears causing their faith to falter.
Killian thought Emma wouldn’t be able to forgive his past and felt as if he is not worthy of her, while Emma believed Killian, like everyone else before, had abandoned her. It’s important to note that Killian, with no knowledge of what she was told, instinctively knew that Emma would believe he left her, because he knows her better than anyone. He always comes back to her, but this time it is different because every other time he had been separated from her from her, it had not been by choice, from the curse in season three to his death in season five. But now he knows his momentary mistake at the thought of leaving will bring back those walls she had come so far to bring down. O’Donoghue portrays Killian’s steadfast determination to get home to Emma and to make sure she knows the truth with such fervor, showcasing the depth of his profound devotion and love, making the scene where he magically communicates with Emma deeply moving and beautiful.
This moment of True Love transcending realms was a profound and exquisite demonstration of the magical realism of their relationship and the brilliance of their performers. The moment Emma hears Killian’s voice telling her he would never leave her and that he loves her, Emma’s tone of voice and demeanor changes. Smiling through her tears, Killian’s profession of love and determination restores Emma’s faith and it was beautiful to witness. Killian didn’t know if Emma could hear him, but that didn’t deter him from laying out his feelings to her. It’s also a true testament to both actors’ ability to express the depth of their characters’ love for one another. They’re not together, but you can feel and see the depth of that affection, demonstrating that duality of magic and reality. They may have spoken to each other with a magical means, but the feelings and struggles they went through were deeply real and profoundly moving, just as their love story is.
The final scene between Emma and Gideon solidifies that importance and the nature of Emma and Killian’s love story as Gideon’s sadistic plan centered on keeping them apart and played upon her deepest fears in order to steal her tears. It’s fascinating that the “tears of the Savior” hold so much power and that in the hands of a villain it keeps lovers apart. What kind of power do her tears truly hold? It’s also interesting when remembering the way tears of been used in the show in the past. “A Wondrous Place” had clever and significant callbacks I didn’t expect with the use of the enchanted harpoon and the shell phone. But it’s the tears that I find most intriguing. All the way back in season two, Rumple gave Snow one of Regina’s tears that, when combined with her own, was a way of her finding the Queen. But more like in the current episode, last season we saw Merlin’s tears that were stolen by the Dark One trap him in a tree, with Henry’s tears freeing him. And most similar was the tear Rumple got from Anna. It was one from someone who faced their darkness and turned away, with the love she had for her sister all that he needed. Rumple played on her emotions to get what he wanted and she wisely proclaimed her disdain for him turning love, the most precious thing in the world, into a weapon. Seems it’s a case of like father, like son as Gideon has now used Emma’s love for Killian as a weapon, preventing them from reuniting until she agrees to kill the Black Fairy. It’s most assuredly significant that this parallel has arisen, most especially because it’s a reflection of what tears truly are, and in turn what love is at its truest form. Tears are a physical and literal projection of our emotions and when they result from love, it only proves how powerful they can be. But with a renewal of faith and determination, nothing and no one can stop true love. It can break any curse, transcend realms, restore what once was lost, and make the impossible possible. What powers reside within Emma’s tears and within her control remains to be seen. But what we do see is that with True Love and the realest relationships, things are never be easy but it is worth it to be with the one who is your deepest love, your heart, your home.
Favorite Moments: Killian communicating with Emma, telling her he would never leave, loves her, and is fighting to get home was truly beautiful from the depth of their feelings seen to their expressions. It was both magic and real at the same time. Equally beautiful was the True Love’s Kiss between Jasmine and Aladdin as it not only restored the city and freed Aladdin, but also was the culmination of Jasmine being the hero she was searching for. I also adored Ariel’s effervescent presence, smiles and kindness; Nemo and Liam’s warmth towards Killian as family; and Snow White getting drunk as it was absolutely hilarious.
Favorite Lines:
Killian: Emma, are you there? I didn’t mean to leave. I was on my way back to you, and Gideon sent me away. I would never leave you. Emma, he wanted me out of the way. I love you. I don’t know if you can hear me, but I’m trying to get home to you and I won’t stop until I do.
Emma: I love you, too.
Ariel: Son of a fish!
Jasmine: I finally realized that the way to save Agrabah was with the kind of magic that could break any curse.
Jasmine: How could I lose, facing him with three heroes at my side?
Aladdin: The way I’m counting, I see four, Jasmine.
By Craig Barton (@disnerdcraig)
Floyd Norman may have been the first African-American animator at Walt Disney Productions in 1956, but breaking a cultural milestone wasn’t what was first and foremost on his mind. “People have often asked me, ‘How did it feel being the first African-American at Disney?’ Well, I wasn’t even aware that I was an African-American. I was another artist looking for a job.” The significance of his position is not, however, lost on Floyd. In numerous interviews, he has often been asked what it was like working for Walt Disney, repeatedly shooting down persistent rumors that Walt was racist. During in a discussion in 2010 at Atlantis Fantasyworld in Santa Cruz, CA Floyd addressed that rumor quite bluntly. “Walt didn’t really care who or what you were. He cared about your talent and your ability.”
In the documentary Floyd Norman: And Animated Life (Michael Fiore Films, 2016), we get to see the talent, ability, and man that Floyd himself is. Directed by Michael Fiore and Erik Sharkey, An Animated Life tells the story of Disney Legend (2007) Floyd Norman, through interviews with peers, fans, friends, family, and Floyd himself. Aided with archival footage and interviews, along with new animations from “up-and-comers” in the industry, the viewer learns about a hardworking and talented individual whose achievements span far beyond that of a career in Disney animation.
I was pleasantly surprised and amazed upon viewing this film to realize exactly how much Floyd has accomplished throughout his long career. Through following on social media and his personal blog, “MrFun’s Journal,” ( http://floydnormancom.squarespace.com), I knew that outside of Disney, Floyd had worked for animation studios such as Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears (If you’re a child of Saturday-morning cartoons in the 70’s and 80’s, chances are you’ve seen Floyd’s handiwork in those shows!). What I was less aware of, were his days in his own company, Vignette Films (co-founded with fellow animator Leo Sullivan), started when Floyd left Disney after Walt’s untimely passing in 1966. Floyd and Leo used Vignette to make educational films on black history. A year earlier, Floyd and Leo took a camera (one used for Disney’s True Life Adventures) into the heart of the Watts area of Los Angeles and shot footage of the Watts Riots, footage that eventually went national through NBC news. Disney animation director Gary Trousdale (Beauty and the Beast, The Hunchback of Notre Dame) refers to Floyd as the “Forrest Gump of animation.” Not because of his IQ – Floyd is an incredibly intelligent human being – but because of the enormous presence Floyd has held in the world of animation through the years. After seeing this documentary, I can certainly see why.
In addition to his life and illustrious career, An Animated Life also takes a look at Floyd’s forced retirement at age 65. After returning to the Walt Disney Studios and working as hard as ever on movies such as Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., Floyd was told by the studio that it was time to retire. This movie pulls no punches on the subject of ageism and how it affected Floyd. We’re looking at a man who is driven, loves what he does, and plans to never retire. All of a sudden, he’s told, “You have to retire.” Fortunately for Floyd, and for us, the story doesn’t end there. Married to Adrienne Brown-Norman, who works for Disney Publishing, Floyd continued to show up at the studio with her, visiting others, offering advice, and doing commissioned drawings for fans worldwide – or as he refers to it himself, “Floydering.” After watching An Animated Life, following his blog and social media posts, and personally meeting him in 2015 at the Disney D23 Expo, I am convinced Disney and its fans are better off for said “Floydering.”
There is so much more to Floyd, his life, and career that I feel I haven’t touched on (including his reputation of “troublemaker,” as he has never been shy about voicing his opinion, even if it’s of the company he’s worked for). However, one does not review a movie and not leave content for the viewers to discover themselves. This is especially the case with Floyd Norman: An Animated Life. I would definitely recommend for any DisNerd, fan of animation, or anyone interested in the accomplished life of an extraordinary man.
Floyd Norman: An Animated Life is available for purchase on Blu-Ray, streaming through Netflix, and digital purchase through Amazon and iTunes.
By: Emily Offshack (@CanadianEmily)
The cliffhanger-free season finale of The Walking Dead brought us the beginning of the war we’ve been anticipating all season.
SPOILERS AHEAD. You have been warned.
Sasha dies while listening to music in the dark. That’s how it begins. Going backwards in time throughout the episode, we see Sasha, still alive, thinking about the last conversation she had with Abraham before they left to escort Maggie to The Hilltop. She didn’t want him to go, but Abraham convinces her that everything they do is for someone else now, and Maggie’s baby is the future. We know that they go, and Abraham dies.
Dwight warns the Alexandrians that Negan is coming the next day. Daryl decides to trust Dwight instead of stab him in the eye. Everyone is counting on Dwight to delay Negan’s arrival, and then lead them to each of the Saviors’ outposts after they kill Negan. They let Dwight go.
Preparations for the fight begin on all sides. The Scavengers arrive in Alexandria. Ezekiel convinces Morgan to join The Kingdom as they are on route to help out. Maggie faces her first big decision as leader of The Hilltop, as Gregory is gone, as to whether they should go to Alexandria or stay behind as Rick has suggested. Negan plans to use Sasha as a hostage to make Rick stand down, but he still plans to kill someone as punishment; at this point, it’s unclear how Negan knows about Rick’s plan. Eugene gives Sasha music for the ride to Alexandria; he assumes she has decided to not use the suicide pill. Sasha voluntarily gets into the casket that Negan wants to present her in when they get to Alexandria. Everyone but Sasha thinks she’ll be alive, rather than undead, when they get there.
Negan arrives in Alexandria after clearing a roadblock of tree branches constructed by Dwight. Only the Scavengers have arrived before him. Eugene comes out to talk them down first, and Rick asks for Negan. When Eugene declares that he is Negan, Rick has to painfully decide to go ahead with setting off the explosives they hid in a truck, and Rosita pushes the trigger. The bombs fail, and the Scavengers turn their guns on the Alexandrians. It’s a set up. The Scavengers found a better deal.
Negan emerges, questioning Rick’s morality in trying to murder Eugene. “You people are animals!” Negan bets that Rick thinks differently about Sasha’s fate, so he gets Dwight and Simon to unveil the casket. Rick demands to see her before making any deals, and when Negan opens the casket, walker Sasha stumbles out on top of him, knocking him off the truck. She misses her chance to kill Negan, but she manages to bite off the face of another Savior. Your recklessness is forgiven, dear Sasha.
Carl is the one who smartly uses the distraction to take out the Scavengers around him, and a battle ensues. Rick is trapped by Jadis, Rosita gets wounded, and Michonne battles a Scavenger on a balcony. The Alexandrians are overpowered. Rick and Carl are on their knees in front of Negan once again. Negan wants to kill Carl and take off Rick’s hands. Just as Rick thinks Michonne has fallen to the ground dead, he maintains his fight and tells Negan that even if he kills Carl in front of him and takes off his hands, he will still kill him one day. Rick also has beach ball-sized…oh, nevermind.
Negan brings Lucille up to swing at Carl just as Shiva pounces on a Savior behind him. Tigers frighten Negan. He runs, Rick and Carl escape, and the battle continues. The Hilltop shows up, and Negan notices Maggie: “That widow is alive, guns a-blazing!” The numbers (and the tiger) are enough to make the Saviors and Scavengers leave, for now. Rick and Carl find Michonne, alive. Besides Sasha, some background Alexandrians are dead.
Rick, Maggie, and Ezekiel — the leaders of the free world — talk to their group of survivors. Daryl finds a note from Dwight written on an action figure: “Didn’t know.” Jesus and Maggie find walker Sasha on the way back to The Hilltop, and Maggie helps her die. Negan is now suspicious of Eugene with regards to Sasha’s death, but he’s ready for the bigger war.
Next season: war.
“Glenn made the decision, Rick. I was just following his lead.”
The voiceover of Maggie at the end of the episode was a cry fest. Glenn didn’t get to make an appearance in the episode, like Abraham did, but the existence of the family of survivors is attributed to him. He chose to risk himself to save Rick in season one. If that hadn’t happened, none of them would be where they are today, and a new little baby wouldn’t exist at all. The Hilltop went to help Alexandria, because that’s what Glenn would do, and that’s what our group does.
I miss Glenn. So much.
This episode demonstrated that one way to separate good versus evil is the willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. It could mean putting yourself in danger, giving up something you have, or working hard. Abraham and Sasha decided to put themselves in danger to help Maggie. Sasha decided to kill herself to help build a safer future for Maggie’s baby, Enid, and Judith. The quick scenes of Sasha and Maggie sitting outside of The Hilltop before Sasha left for The Sanctuary implied that a new era would begin soon, and it’s in large part due to Sasha.
Negan has a big weakness: his craving to add more powerful people to his group. Not only powerful people, but also powerful people who defy him. Dwight, Sasha, Daryl — he loves these people. He must be lustful for Rick right now.
This desire for other powerful people is hurting Negan. He trusted Sasha enough to go through with his plan, which gets him almost killed by walker Sasha. He trusts Dwight enough to continue to have him by his side — though maybe this is due to lack of trust — and Dwight is trying to take him down from the inside. Daryl. Daryl would never comply with Negan, but Negan would try to make it happen until one of them was dead. Whether Negan likes to feel in control of other powerful people, or he just wants to socialize with people who are “similar” to him, it’s going to backfire.
They’re going to have a bromance someday, right? Maybe not, but if Dwight manages to help them defeat Negan, Daryl is not going to carry through with his promise to kill him. Dwight has done awful things, but so have many of the people in our group. Dwight did what he had to do to maintain the life that Sherry chose for them, and he tried to escape with her, twice. Maybe he let Negan control him more than Daryl ever would, but if his persistence results in Negan’s demise, maybe it was worth it.
Tara really wants Dwight dead, too. She egged on Daryl to do it right away, and when he didn’t, she was mad. If Daryl doesn’t kill him, Tara just might. It’s hard under these traumatic circumstances to avoid seeking revenge for the wrongdoings that personally affected you.
Look, I don’t like most historical dramas or any show where the dialogue is similar to how Ezekiel speaks. But it’s a perfect moment when Shiva saves the day and Ezekiel arrives with knights and horses. He shouts, “Alexandria will not fall! Not on this day!” It created a heightened sense of this being an epic battle, and it served as a necessary distraction that allowed the Alexandrians and their allies to gain ground on their enemies. If I was on the wrong side of that battle, there’s no question that I’d hear Ezekiel and think, “What the heck…” for long enough that Morgan could smash his staff through my face. Even in absence of Shiva.
Speaking of Morgan, the look exchanged between him and Rick in the middle of the battle is great. It was as though Morgan said, “Look at me! I’m killing for this war,” and Rick said, “Cool. I like you again. Let’s get to it.” The ability of friends to accept massive personality swings is awesome.
Gregory is off searching for Simon, while Simon is at the battle. If they find each other, Gregory has saved himself from being associated with the war, but at what cost? Will he go back to The Hilltop as a spy?
Heath! You are out there, somewhere, on your own and without glasses. Are you so blind that you can’t find your way back to Alexandria, or has something happened? I hope we see you early next season!
“I want all the guns you managed to scrape up. Yep. I know about those, too. I want every last grain of lemonade you have left. I want a person of your own choosing for Lucille. Daryl. Oh I gotta get me my Daryl back! I see you. And…the pool table and all the pool cues and chalk, and I want it now!”
Negan wants these things, sure. He wants control. The zombie apocalypse isn’t an exercise in survival for Negan. For him, this is fun. He serves pancakes with smiley faces to prisoners. He gets to make the rules. He wants everything, and he truly believes that punishing those who break his rules is how he will get it. Can’t say it hasn’t worked for him, but a new enemy is created every day. He has now reached the tipping point where he has enough enemies to defeat him.
The Scavengers just want the best deal. Oh, and Jadis wants Rick, which makes him look bashful for the first time ever. Maybe Rick should have offered himself as a new deal while she held a gun to his head. Negan offered to give Jadis 12 people; there’s always a chance one of them will be as attractive as Rick. There are so many weird components to this deal. First, Negan plans to hand over Saviors, and they’re expected to become Scavengers, just like that? Who would he give? Workers, who might find it freeing to be rid of Negan? Or some of the higher-up Saviors, who would just be there to spy? It’s a bad deal, Jadis. After Rick is temporarily captured, Negan reduces his offer from 12 to ten people, and though Jadis tries, there is no negotiation. As usual, Negan’s in control. He might retract the deal completely now that the initial battle failed. It’s good that Jadis understands that people are the most important resource, but why does she think forcing Saviors to join is a good method to increase the population? Plus, she already has a lot of people. Did you see all those trucks and bikes pull into Alexandria? Bikes were odd, yes?
Alexandria, The Kingdom, and The Hilltop want freedom from Negan, which would result in the ability to reconstruct a civil society. Society may never look the same again. It might have a king with a tiger. But as long as it’s safer than it is under Negan’s rule, it will be better. Will Rick think it’s necessary to take out the Scavengers, too? Jadis did shoot him and push him over the wall. They can’t be trusted, but are they innately dangerous without Negan around?
Oceanside. Remember them? Their guns have not been stolen yet, but Rick still needs them. All Natania wants is a safe space for her own people. That’s okay, but it can’t last if Negan is around. Hopefully they will join Rick in the battle next season.
Then there are Eugene and Gregory, who are shortsighted in their desire to protect their own safety above anything else. Given that Rick was willing to kill Eugene, I don’t know what would need to happen for Eugene to be accepted back into Alexandria or if he’d ever want that. If Negan is defeated, where does that leave Eugene? Maybe he’ll move to the Junkyard. As for Gregory, it’s doubtful that Maggie will let him back into The Hilltop if she learns he went to the Saviors for help. It’s possible he’ll come back before she discovers what he’s been up to, though.
You got it, Michonne. Even when someone is smashing your face into concrete, you manage to survive, and Rick and Carl are there to find you. It’s not about these three, of course. It’s about the descendants, biological and otherwise, of those who fight for the greater good. They will be the ones who live, instead of merely survive, generation after generation. They have to be. Someday they’ll all be free…
…though likely not until the series finale.
