OG Walking Dead Fan here, been watching since Season 1 first aired.
I think Season 10 is the best season since Glenn got the broad side of Neegan's bat, but I am simply baffled by the fan response to the mid-season finale. It's overwhelmingly positive, and the host of the Talking Dead podcast even called it out as being one of the best episodes of all time.. Yet I believe it to be one of the worst episodes of season 10.
A mid-season finale's success comes in many forms: it can be the tragic culmination of a character's run (e.g. Sophia, Hershel and Beth), or it can promise bigger things to come, such as season 3, where Daryl was captured by The Governor / reunited with Merle, but you knew this was just the spark to set off a war to come. In season 10's case, Michonne leaving for the island, and what this potentially means was one of the stronger sub-plots in the episode, as one the one hand, Michonne thinks she will find what they need to eliminate the Whisperers, but it is assumed this trip will lead to her reunion with Rick.
Next, now that Dante and the Whisperer plot is exposed, one can believe ASZ and Hilltop will be preparing for an attack, but how effective will they be with some of their best fighters now captives of the Whisperers?
The show implies Michone allows the boat thief to go because of Rick's old quote "My Mercy prevails over my wrath", yet didn't Rick murder half of alexandria and take it over like dictator from the middle-east?
As The Wormhole pointed out, Rick only killed one person--as requested by Deanna. Many notable deaths were due to:
- Incompetence: Deanna's son Aiden shot a walker with a grenade strapped to it, causing an explosion which caused Aiden to be impaled on a metal rod.
- Unintentional death: Pete slashing Reg's throat.
- Fear: Sam freaking out while trying to navigate through the walker horde.
- Anguish: Jesse refusing to let go of Sam while he was being devoured, so the same happens to her.
- Revenge: Ron tried to shoot Rick, but was killed by Michonne.
- Cowardice: Nicholas, who could not handle the world any longer and committed suicide. Oh, and he was responsible for Noah's death.
- Walker bite: Carter, who plotted to overthrow Rick, but ended up bitten and put down by Rick.(
- Walker bite: Deanna, while trying to defend the community.
Second, how is it somebody who was betrayed and nearly murdered as many times as Daryl would simply take a Whisperer's word for something and walk straight into a trap, without any contingency? This is inexcusable naivety, and as the new "leader" of the group it seemed to be a very odd writing choice. Perhaps this is to make Rick look better leading up to his movies, but I doubt it.. I think it's just bad writing.
Remember, early on he was the one questioning how trustworthy Gamma was, and still doubted her even as Aaron continued to vouch for her.
I can see Carol following her, it makes sense, but the rest of them just blindly run in after her?
They were not going to let her run in there alone, knowing Alpha probably set a trap / has a desire to kill Carol.