This week’s episode of The Walking Dead, “The Well,” was a good episode on its own, but an even better episode when contrasted with last week’s grim, brutal and horrifying season premiere. “The Well” is exactly what the series needed after an unrelentingly grim sixth season and a premiere that contained not one moment of relief from the dread beyond the Tostitos commercials that occasionally broke the monotony of shock and revulsion. This week’s episode of The Walking Dead was a welcome relief, a reminder that occasionally The Walking Dead can be hopeful. Or at least, amusing.
The episode also did a good job of previewing what the rest of this season is about: It’s not just about survival. It’s not just about defending themselves from Negan. It’s about how the survivors of the zombie apocalypse are going to rebuild the world, one settlement at a time.
What’s Up With King Ezekiel?
This guy is a character! Those who haven’t read the graphic novels — or bailed after Issue #100, as many did — probably didn’t know what to expect from King Ezekiel. The series promos suggested an imposing figure who ruled over his kingdom with a fierce tiger. What we see when we are first introduced to Ezekiel, however, is something completely unexpected: A circus act. He carries a staff, he has a royal court, he speaks in ye olde English, and his tiger is mostly a showpiece. It’s hard not to laugh at King Ezekiel, which is the first instinct of Carol. As she so often does, however, Carol decides to be who she thinks everyone wants her to be, which in this case is a fawning subject in the realm of The Kingdom.
The scene was almost comical. But here’s the thing: If King Ezekiel had remained a caricature — if he had been played for only laughs — it probably would’ve gotten old after an episode or two (or maybe three or four, because I really like King Ezekiel). But by the episode’s end, he was revealed for who he really is: A zookeeper with some community theater experience who is just trying to make the best of a bad situation, who is just trying to be what his people want him to be: A larger-than-life figure who can command a tiger and, most importantly, protect his colony. When King Ezekiel was on the level with Carol, he was a completely different man: Warm, charming, and completely beguiling. He is every The Walking Dead fans new favorite character.
What’s Going on With Carol?
Carol is always a wild card on The Walking Dead because there’s no roadmap for her character in the comics. Some seasons, the writers do right by Carol. Some seasons — like last year — they blow it. Carol was all over the place. She was deadly, and then guilt-ridden, and then a pacifist. It’s hard to know for sure what turn she has taken this season. Her introduction to Ezekiel suggests that she is back to her old cynical ways. The way she judges the people of The Kingdom suggests her inner Rick has returned, but her decision in the end to live alone at the edge of The Kingdom suggests she is more like the Carol who left the Prison earlier in the series run and decided to live on her own.
I did love her playful interplay with Morgan in the end — those two once-rivals seem to be developing a strong bond — but I have mixed feelings about Ezekiel showing up at her house. An Ezekiel/Carol relationship is intriguing, but I’m not quite ready to give up the Carol/Morgan ship. (Comics spoilers: It looks like Carol is replacing Michonne’s Ezekiel storyline in the comics, which is to say: When Ezekiel showed up at the end of the episode, he was there to hook up with Carol).
The Trouble with Morgan
Here’s my concern with Morgan’s arc: In killing a member of the Saviors in the sixth season finale, he recognizes his pacifistic philosophy is not perfect. I love that Ezekiel values Morgan because he’s not a kill first kind of person, but Morgan also realizes that sometimes killing is necessary. The rub here is with Blake, the kid that Ezekiel asks Morgan to train. Blake has taken an interest in Morgan. He’s also got Morgan’s Book ‘O Peaceful Wisdom, and my fear is that Blake is going to buy into Morgan’s “life is precious” belief system. That belief system is going to get Blake killed. If Blake dies because of Morgan, it’s going to get ugly. The Saviors, like The Wolves, are not the kind of people who should be given second chances. They’re not redeemable. If Blake decides to spare a Savior, he’s going to be murdered, and Ezekiel is going to hold Morgan responsible for the death of his squire.
One more note on Blake: Given the way that Ezekiel lies to protect The Kingdom from The Saviors, there’s no way there’s any truth to the story that Blake’s Dad — the best knight in The Kingdom — died on a supply run. He definitely got Abraham’d.
The Savior Problem
We didn’t see Negan in this week’s episode (a welcome respite), but we did see a few of The Saviors. We also discover that The Kingdom is under the same arrangement as is The Hilltop Colony, and as Alexendria will be going forward. Ezekiel, at least, is quietly protesting the Saviors by feeding their pigs zombie rot before giving them up to The Saviors (once again confirming that the zombie virus does not affect animals, nor is it passed from animal to human).
That’s great, but the delicate peace between Ezekiel and the leader of that particular sect of Saviors will break as soon as The Saviors find out they’re being delivered zombie-fed pigs. My guess is that the lead knight, Richard, is going to pay the price for that quiet aggression.
Overall Thoughts and a Look Ahead
I couldn’t be happier with this episode. Greg Nicotero — who directed “The Well,” written by Matthew Negrete — did a strong job of selling what could have very easily been a silly, cheesy storyline. Ezekiel is an immediate fan favorite, and we’re going to be thankful — instead of resentful — when the action moves away from Alexandria and to The Kingdom. In fact, I hope they can keep The Kingdom free of Rick and his bad mojo for a few episodes. I’d like to see The Kingdom in action for a little while longer before Rick ruins it, because — as we have seen from six seasons of The Walking Dead — Rick ruins everything that is good in the zombie apocalypse.
Next week moves back to The Saviors’ camp, where it looks like we’ll get another heavy dose of Negan’s sadism.
