Spoilers The Walking Dead Season 10

[The Wormhole]

The Negan storyline really carried this episode. The stuff with the teenage fanboy felt a bit meta in parts, what with him trying to do the Savior whistle, always proclaiming "I am Negan" and his slant on Negan's exploits. Negan bonding with the young boy was a nice moment, and then everything went to shit when Brandon the Fanboy kills the boy and his mother. Negan then going berserk and beating Brandon to death was a very satisfying moment.

Kind of disappointed to find out it is indeed the Whisperers who are behind the recent Walker surges at Alexandria and the fallen tree at Hilltop. Not just because it proves me wrong about the Whisperers not being strategists (although there is that) but also I thought it might be a neat idea to have a third party trying to stir shit up between the Communities and the Whisperers. Still, we do get to see there is some dissension in the Whisperer ranks, with more Whisperers starting to question Alpha, Beta apparently still fanatically defending Alpha despite his own doubts about her recent decisions and something apparently going on with Gamma.

Daryl and Connie's budding relationship continues to be an intriguing development, and I believe this might be the first time in awhile Daryl has voluntarily talked about Merle, and shared a somewhat positive memory of him too. The two of them definitely have an interesting friendship which is nice to see, even if it never develops into a romance.

Ezekiel's cancer I suspect is laying groundwork for a possible advanced society arriving in the picture, who will be able to treat what is apparently one of the luckier cancers to be damned with (over 90% survival rate).

Gamma--the other "daughter"--I imagine she might be used as a plant (sans the mask, of course), but it may not work as planned, since she was helped by Aaron.

They could work with that. Gamma goes to Aaron pretending to have doubts and fears about life as a Whisperer, he agrees to take her back to Alexandria but keep the fact she's a Whisperer a secret so as not have the Alexandrians treat her the same as they've been treating Lydia, and then things go from there. I guess the only real snag is whether Lydia recognizes Gamma without her mask, but with Lydia currently in voluntary lock-up after taking credit for freeing Negan, they might not see each other anyway.

 

[crookeddy]

Forgot to mention that "Silence the Whisperers" was another large drop in viewers. From 3.48 million to 3.31 million. They better make those Rick movies yesterday while anyone still cares!

 

[Starkers]

Dang JDM is awesome. Takes talent to make Negan more than a pantomime villain and he genuinely does seem to have changed, although putting the jacket and bat back into use by the end might indicate he's reverting. Seriously if the things Negan did weren't quite so unforgivable the guy could be series lead by now. The only downside to fanboy was that he came out of nowhere (unless he's been around a while and I just never noticed him!)

I didn't quite catch what kind of cancer Ezekiel has?

So it is the Whisperers who are sending the walkers at Hilltop etc, and who downed the tree. I suppose Occam's razor and all that it was the logical reason. Gamma is interesting because she seems to be having as much ptsd as Siddiq. Though Siddiq seemed quite composed this week, odd if he had done something awful given he was in close proximity to Ezekiel, you'd think that might have prompted nervousness.

Magda stealing was a shame but sadly quite predictable.

Negan in amongst the Whisperers is going to be interesting.

Btw, apparently the song Magda was listening to is by

Spoiler

Emily Kinney but was sung by a male voice suggesting it's possible Beta...

 

[137th Gebirg]

I didn't quite catch what kind of cancer Ezekiel has?

Thyroid

Negan in amongst the Whisperers is going to be interesting.

Been waiting for this all season!

 

[The Wormhole]

Seriously if the things Negan did weren't quite so unforgivable the guy could be series lead by now.

Ah, but we only view them as unforgivable due to our perspective. Keep in mind, that Rick technically started the Savior War by launching an unprovoked attack on that satellite outpost and murdering a bunch of Saviors in their sleep. If the show were from Negan's perspective, we'd be thinking that was pretty unforgivable.

Although, I guess we can offer up counter arguments that Rick didn't make everyone bow in his presence, didn't melt anyone's face with an iron for stepping out of line, and didn't keep a harem of wives who were essentially forced there for a better life. Of course then someone else will point out some less than noble deeds Rick did, and we could be at this all day.

The only downside to fanboy was that he came out of nowhere (unless he's been around a while and I just never noticed him!)

No, you're right, he did come out of nowhere. His backstory is kind of sketchy. Apparently he lived in the Sanctuary as a child where his father appeared to be a devout Savior who was implied to have been killed in the war, resulting in Brandon idolizing Negan to a fanatical degree. When Sanctuary fell, he apparently moved to Alexandria, but seemed to have trouble fitting in (based on his "you're like all the others" line).

EDIT: Just looked up Brandon on Walking Dead Wiki and apparently he has been on the show previously this season. He's been the guard escorting Negan while he's been out of his cell on day parole doing chores around Alexandria.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Dang JDM is awesome. Takes talent to make Negan more than a pantomime villain and he genuinely does seem to have changed, although putting the jacket and bat back into use by the end might indicate he's reverting.

It has to mean more than just trying to--as I once theorized--to use the Whisperers to conquer one or all of the communities to establish the Saviors/Sanctuary 2.0. That would be too predictable and a total rinse and repeat of how the Governor tried to take the prison in 4A.

The only downside to fanboy was that he came out of nowhere (unless he's been around a while and I just never noticed him!)

I did not notice him as a featured player or extra, but he served his purpose to show where Negan was psychologically speaking.

I didn't quite catch what kind of cancer Ezekiel has?

I believe its Thyroid cancer.

Magda stealing was a shame but sadly quite predictable.

She's become such an asshole; even prisoners like season three's Axel and Oscar learned the difference between predators/enemies and those who offer help. Magna is habitually surly, sees the world only through the lens of her vengeful prison experiences--not a wise woman at all. Yumiko was on-point to ask Magna to sleep somewhere else.

Negan in amongst the Whisperers is going to be interesting.

The teaser certainly promises that.

 

[RPOW0614]

Hardwicks comments on fanboy were spot on.
"He's like a fanboy at Negan-con."

The kid was a little one note and annoying. His killing of the woman and her son was unnecessary but predictable. They needed a reason for Reformed Negan to turn back into Bad Negan. Negan has shown he genuinely does like kids and I don't think he would intentionally hurt a child, but fanboy had it coming.

The clip for next week was amusing.
It's going to be very hard for Negan to be a Whisperer because the guy just can't STFU.

Magda stealing, who cares? How many other rescued survivors have done this?
Daryl covering for her is an odd choice for him. He is usually truthful to a fault.
Zeeks cancer is sad but someone had to get a disease that couldn't be cured with stiches and band aides.
Gamma as a double agent could be interesting.

In general I'd like to see a swift end to this story line. Maybe in the comics the Whisperers were a good enemy but on TV they are a little unbelievable. Do they sleep outside in all weather? Do they shower? Where do they get their food? Their clothes? Their weapons? If you look too closely at them the entire idea of this cult falls apart.

 

[The Wormhole]

The kid was a little one note and annoying. His killing of the woman and her son was unnecessary but predictable. They needed a reason for Reformed Negan to turn back into Bad Negan. Negan has shown he genuinely does like kids and I don't think he would intentionally hurt a child, but fanboy had it coming.

I'm not sure this means Negan has reverted to Bad Negan. In the comics, Negan kills Brandon exactly because he's sick of Brandon's fanboy idolatry of Negan. The fact they gave Negan a far more legitimate reason to kill Brandon in the show suggests they're going somewhere with this storyline other than "Negan's dark side has reawakened."

Daryl covering for her is an odd choice for him. He is usually truthful to a fault.

I don't view it as covering for Magna so much as trusting Connie to deal with the situation. Daryl can be extremely loyal to his friends, sometimes perhaps to a fault as well.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Exactly. In fact, I predict we're on course for full-on Negan redemption based on his current actions, possibly to his own terminal peril. We are promptly reminded that he has an exceptionally strategic mind by the call-back of his famous line, "people are a resource" to the fanboy. He is rivaled only by Alpha in that respect. He does not indiscriminately kill unless it serves a greater strategic purpose.

And before we get into a debate about humanizing/normalizing/lionizing/any-fuckin'-ionizing Negan, let's remove the "right" or "wrong" of all of it for a moment. We, as a comfortably advanced society, are woefully unqualified to judge the motives and actions of people living in the context of a post-apocalyptic society. The old rules no longer apply and I'm not interested in debating them.

Anyways, he has clearly allowed himself to be captured by the Whisperers, hence his screaming, "Little Pig, Little Pig, Let Me In!" at the top of his lungs while smashing "guardians" in Whisperer territory. He is intentionally putting himself behind enemy lines, at the very least to passively observe their movements and tactics and acquire intelligence to be used in the inevitable and emerging conflict between the Whisperers and the townspeople. At most, he will be positioning himself as a poison pill, undermining their movements from within, ranging from mocking and psychogically torturing them in his own uniquely "Negan" way, all the way up to full-throttle sabotage and subterfuge. He has a game plan and I think it will be quite satisfying to see it all play out.

We should, however, be prepared for his demise in the coming war because of his efforts. He may even be painted as a fully redeemed and sympathetic character before the end in a way that would be hard to swallow for some. Best kind of literary conflict!

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I'm not sure this means Negan has reverted to Bad Negan.

I was just going to say that. I think it's entirely possible that Negan plans to infiltrate (in the sense of feigning allegiance to) the Whisperers to destroy them from the inside in order to protect Alexandria.

We should, however, be prepared for his demise in the coming war because of his efforts. He may even be painted as a fully redeemed and sympathetic character before the end in a way that would be hard to swallow for some. Best kind of literary conflict!

Yep. But by golly I want Negan vs Beta!

 

[137th Gebirg]

Absolutely! It promises to be on par with Clegainebowl.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Absolutely! It promises to be on par with Clegainebowl.

I missed GoT, but I'll take your word for it!

 

[crookeddy]

Absolutely! It promises to be on par with Clegainebowl.

A fight hyped for the whole series that ends in a meaningless brawl while everything around them crumbles?

 

[137th Gebirg]

Guess you watched a different show.

 

[crookeddy]

Guess you watched a different show.

I even liked the ending unlike most, but still was disappointed in Clegainebowl. And I know opinions are a dime a dozen, but I just can't process how anyone wouldn't be disappointed...

 

[RJDiogenes]

Well, it looks like Negan had his Norman Bates moment and now he's back in harness, complete with Fonzie jacket and Lucille II. Based on his reaction to the fanboy's hero worship, he must have really undergone some growth all those years in the cooler-- but his white-hot rage at the senseless murder of a woman and child who he actually intended to help, and the ensuing indulgent violence seems to have wiped all that away, and we see that the Negan of old has returned in his interview with the Whisperers. I wonder how he'll fare against Beta. He can't be in such great shape after six years in the drunk tank.

And here we find out that there is more to Ezekiel's depression that first met the eye-- after that red herring over at Fear The Walking Dead, we now have someone who is facing a cancer diagnosis in the ZA for real. A 98% chance of survival in the before times, and a death sentence in the after times. Unless the black helicopter puts in a timely return appearance, our favorite eccentric king may not be long for this world.

And speaking of ad hoc approaches to crime, our former inmate has been stealing supplies for unclear reasons. Was she planning to bug out or is it just a compulsion? In any case, Daryl was easily convinced to keep things quiet, proving that the crush is mutual, whether he knows it or not. But the relationship between Jailbird and Yumiko has taken a turn for the bitter, not just because of the theft, but because Jailbird was apparently a murderer before the ZA, which I don't believe either we or Yumiko knew.

Finally, Gamma seems to be harboring a lot of pent-up rage toward Alpha and Alpha, having lost her daughter to the people who live in houses, now wants to send in her stepdaughter as an undercover spy. A master of strategy, that one.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Hardwicks comments on fanboy were spot on.
"He's like a fanboy at Negan-con."

..and some YouTube channels...

Magda stealing, who cares? How many other rescued survivors have done this?

She's still walking around with her BS convict attitude, and does not trust people who took her in, hence the reason Michonne quickly sized her up when Magda's group was initially brought before the council, and in this recent episode, Daryl also judged her for who she is, while Yumiko has had enough. Hopefully forever.

Daryl covering for her is an odd choice for him. He is usually truthful to a fault.

He did it for Connie. If anyone else asked for that favor, I doubt he would have honored the request.

Gamma as a double agent could be interesting.

I see that double agent status leading to someone's death.

In general I'd like to see a swift end to this story line. Maybe in the comics the Whisperers were a good enemy but on TV they are a little unbelievable. Do they sleep outside in all weather?

Do they shower?

From the looks of things, you would probably want to hold your breath when hanging around them....and as often as they wear decomposing skins, if they were concerned about hygiene, that would make the entire skin gimmick pointless. They probably smell like an outhouse that has not been cleaned in a year.

Where do they get their food? Their clothes? Their weapons? If you look too closely at them the entire idea of this cult falls apart.

That probably applies to many WD antagonists. Take the Terminus cannibals--unless they successfully lure a large number of victims to their compound, how are they feeding themselves, since they do not supplement with real food? From the number of members, it would take more than a handful of victims (and preservation techniques) to sustain that group, but....

...its a fantasy/horror show, so...

 

[The Wormhole]

Well, it looks like Negan had his Norman Bates moment and now he's back in harness, complete with Fonzie jacket and Lucille II. Based on his reaction to the fanboy's hero worship, he must have really undergone some growth all those years in the cooler-- but his white-hot rage at the senseless murder of a woman and child who he actually intended to help, and the ensuing indulgent violence seems to have wiped all that away,

Again, not sure I agree with that assessment. The white-hot rage in reaction to the murder of the mother and her child seems perfectly consistent with a changed Negan. Negan had been developing a bond with the boy, and we know Negan has a soft spot for children anyway. In all honesty, any reaction to their murder other than beating their murderer to death would have been more out of character for Negan.

As for the "indulgent violence" that was entirely against Walkers, and if we accept the premise that he does indeed have a masterplan regarding the Whisperers, it's too soon to make a judgement as to what that might mean.

And speaking of ad hoc approaches to crime, our former inmate has been stealing supplies for unclear reasons. Was she planning to bug out or is it just a compulsion?

According to Talking Dead, it was an insurance policy with things going tits up at Hilltop, she was preparing for a complete collapse.

But the relationship between Jailbird and Yumiko has taken a turn for the bitter, not just because of the theft, but because Jailbird was apparently a murderer before the ZA, which I don't believe either we or Yumiko knew.

This is the first time we know Magna committed murder before the apocalypse, though it was revealed last year she'd been doing time in maximum security prison when Michonne recognized one of her tattoos as a prison tattoo representing hard time. Since Yumiko was her lawyer, she likely knew Magna was accused of murder, but based on her reaction to Magna's confession in this episode, Yumiko didn't believe Magna was actually guilty until now.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

According to Talking Dead, it was an insurance policy with things going tits up at Hilltop, she was preparing for a complete collapse.

So no trusting people who took her in (instead of assaulting or killing her), then stealing from them (including the sick and children) at a time when they're struggling is justified? She behaves like the convict she was, and its no wonder that Yumiko--as of this episode--wanted to separate herself from Magna.

This is the first time we know Magna committed murder before the apocalypse, though it was revealed last year she'd been doing time in maximum security prison when Michonne recognized one of her tattoos as a prison tattoo representing hard time. Since Yumiko was her lawyer, she likely knew Magna was accused of murder, but based on her reaction to Magna's confession in this episode, Yumiko didn't believe Magna was actually guilty until now.

So, Yumiko bought into Magna's defense just as planned, and now she's paying the price for being naïve. In all honesty, she should not trust Magna's intentions moving forward--even when the Whisperer War fires up. Oh, the showrunners might have her "prove" herself to the communities, but up to this point, she's everything (and worse) Michonne and Daryl saw in her.

 

[The Wormhole]

So no trusting people who took her in (instead of assaulting or killing her), then stealing from them (including the sick and children) at a time when they're struggling is justified?

Funnily enough, Talking Dead did survey the audience their opinion as to whether they thought Magna was justified to steal the supplies. I think the "No" side won, but it was actually a very close poll, with the "Yes" side almost winning at one point.