After last week’s lackluster episode, The Walking Dead returned with an exciting, meaningful episode. With suspenseful confrontations, mysterious encounters and surprising betrayals, the episode proved to be extremely refreshing. Here are the top five moments from Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead.
1. Maggie found an intriguing new character
Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Rosita (Christian Serratos), Enid (Katelyn Nacon) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) discovered an interesting signal when looking out from the Hilltop. The signal contained an invitation to meet with traders who had a “key to the future.” The women agreed to meet with the traders and found an odd, older woman named Georgie, and two female guards. Georgie wanted Maggie to fill a crate with food and vinyl records in exchange for knowledge. Maggie decided to bring them back to the Hilltop before making up her mind. Rosita and Enid thought the idea was stupid and wanted to rob them of their supplies. However, Michonne remembered Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) message of acceptance and urged Maggie to trust them.
In the end, Maggie decided to trust Georgie and gave her supplies. In return, Georgie gave the Hilltop food and a book titled A Key to a Future. The book laid out instructions on how to build things such as aqueducts, windmills and other things needed for a society. Before she left, Georgie promised that she would be back to see all that the Hilltop accomplishes. The gesture showed that the group still can trust other individuals and gave Maggie the tools needed to build the Hilltop further.
2. Rick confronted Negan
Hell-bent on revenge, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) seized his opportunity to kill Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) when he saw the Saviors driving. He then crashed into Negan and attempted to shoot him, but Negan fled into a nearby building. Here, the two had a showdown. Negan tried to make a deal with Rick, stating that if Rick got the Hilltop, Kingdom and Alexandria to fall in line, he would cut the amount of food that the Saviors take. Rick declined the offer because he saw what happened to Jadis’s (Pollyanna McIntosh) people. This shocks Negan because Simon (Steven Ogg) told him that he only killed one of Jadis’s people. Rick then found Lucille, Negan’s baseball bat, and lit it on fire, enraging Negan. The two fought until Negan reclaimed Lucille and escaped out of a nearby window, mysteriously disappearing.
Rick has continued to go against what Carl told him to do. Whether he is blinded by his rage or need for revenge, his actions will likely end up causing more problems. Also, with Negan offering Rick a deal, it proves that Negan may be losing faith in his battle against Rick.
3. Negan learned about the Scavengers
Once Rick told Negan about what happened to Jadis and her people, Negan was shocked. He specifically instructed Simon not to kill more than one person, but Simon had other plans. He killed all of her people and then lied to Negan about it. Negan has been growing increasingly frustrated with Simon, resulting in a tension between the two men. As the two begin to doubt each other, the fate of the Saviors is unknown.
4. Simon takes a stand
When Negan’s car was hit by Rick’s, Simon and Dwight (Austin Amelio) went to look for him. While looking, Simon expressed his doubt in Negan’s plan. He suggested it wouldn’t work because Rick and Maggie never back down. The two eventually find Negan’s car overturned, but see no trace of Negan. Rather than look for him, the men agreed to tell their people that Negan is gone. Back with their group, Simon declared himself the new leader and encouraged them to destroy the Hilltop entirely. Dwight nervously looked on, knowing that Simon’s leadership would have dangerous consequences for everyone.
5. Jadis found Negan
When Negan jumped out of the window to escape, he seemingly disappeared. However, in the last scene of the episode, it was revealed that he had been kidnapped by Jadis. Negan woke up inside a car with Jadis driving and pointing a gun at his head.
Jadis thinks that Negan ordered her people to be killed, so she will likely seek revenge against him. Rick also refused to help her, leaving viewers wondering what she’ll really do with Negan and where she’ll take him. Also, with Negan kidnapped, Simon is free to do whatever he likes with the Saviors in Negan’s absence. Overall, the episode proved to be extremely refreshing as it strayed from its typical plot lines and audiences are eagerly anticipating what will happen to the characters as the show explores new territory.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on AMC.
