“I think you’re a good person,” Jesus tells Maggie midway through Angela Kang’s much improved season 9 of The Walking Dead, and “good people can disagree.” That’s a fairly good reflection of where The Walking Dead is now. The last couple of seasons of The All Out War have been very black and white: The morally flawed good guys versus the morally bankrupt bad guys. It wasn’t just a different view of governing philosophy, it was a different view of humanity.
In many ways, season 9 is more challenging because there are good people on both sides, and here it is a difference of governing philosophies, but in the zombie apocalypse, those differences can cost people their lives. Last week, Gregory was used as essentially a test case on the issue of the death penalty. In the wake of Carl’s death, Rick doesn’t believe in it (hence, Negan is in prison instead of hanging from a tree), while Maggie clearly believes in it. But as her experience with Earl has taught her this week, she also believes in second chances. Just not third, and fourth, and fifth chances.
The different philosophies toward governing has been what’s been thematically most interesting this season. It’s a new beginning, and they’re starting a new civilization, but that also requires that each of the communities hash out their differences, and ultimately, those differences may determine whether Alexandria, Oceanside, The Kingdom, the Sanctuary, and The Hilltop are separate states under the same rules or whether each of those communities will form their own nation, so to speak. Rick and Maggie will not only determine that direction, but Rick’s eventual death may have direct implications on that what form of government eventually gains a foothold.
Here’s a few questions we have after this episode.
How Will Rick Die? — This week’s episode solidified my belief that Rick will ultimately be assassinated, most likely by a disgruntled Savior. While each of the communities has faced their own set of problems, only the Sanctuary truly seems to be suffering under Rick’s leadership. The Saviors are used to a certain way of life — they’re used to being made a priority. But as is illustrated when Justin is denied extra water, that’s no longer the situation. The Saviors are resentful, and they’re being picked off one-by-one by someone, which has only created more fear within The Sanctuary community. I suspect that all that anger and resentment is building, and that a lone gunmen may direct that anger at Rick. My early prediction is that it will be Jed (Rhys Coiro, aka Billy Walsh from Entourage), a recognizable new cast member, but not so recognizable that he attracts a lot of attention.
Who Is Picking Off The Saviors — We answered this question in another post, but I am 85 percent certain that it is Cyndie from Oceanside, who didn’t cut her hand peeling a potato. She cut it while killing Saviors.
Will Carol and Ezekiel Marry? — In past seasons, I might have believed that the writers were playing up Carol and Ezekiel’s romance to enhance the devastation for when they take the rug out from under us and kill off Ezekiel. This season, however, I’m not so sure. With Maggie and Rick leaving, the show does not need another major death in season 9, and after Rick’s death, the series may need to lean into Carol and Ezekiel’s showmance to take the edge off the grief. I think these two will replace Rick and Michonne (who replaced Glenn and Maggie) as the show’s central couple.
But What About Father Gabriel and Anne? — I absolutely adore what’s going on between these two, with Anne aggressively pursuing a a skittish Father Gabriel (did she grab his junk at the end of the episode?), but I don’t believe this is a long-lasting romance. Anne’s fate is somehow wrapped up in that helicopter and not in a future with Father Gabriel, though I love that the priest (who is Episcopalian and therefore not celibate) may be making booty calls very soon.
What’s The Deal With The Helicopter? — I’m still not certain what’s up with the helicopter, which we have seen many, many times now, but I believe that it is connected to Anne, although I do not rule out the possibility that it’s also connected to George and/or The Commonwealth and that Maggie eventually leaves in it.
How Will Maggie Leave The Show? — We also addressed this question last night, but it seems clear that Angela Kang is planting a seed, hinting that Maggie may eventually join Georgie’s traveling show, which may or may not be linked to The Commonwealth.
What About Aaron’s Arm? — The show is finally working in the missing arm from Rick’s storyline, which it abandoned early on because it was too cumbersome and expensive to feature the show’s lead character without an appendage. It makes much more sense with Aaron, who is a main character but who appears only sporadically and sometimes goes three or four episodes at a time without making an appearance. It should also make his eventual new romance interesting.
Will Negan Get Out Of Prison? — Absolutely, but not until after Rick has died. That’s when the show will need someone to help keep the Saviors in check.
What’s Next? — It looks like the war with the Saviors is still going to be suffering from aftershocks well into the new season, but now I’m beginning to think that the eventual assassination of Rick Grimes is what will unite all of the communities, but that Maggie will be the odd man out.
