Spoilers for last night’s Walking Dead and speculative spoilers follow
Last night’s Walking Dead, the penultimate episode this season, was full of “don’t do that” moments. It felt like an 80s horror movie because the characters kept splitting up and making poor decisions. Carol left the compound due to her moral crisis over killing people and then had to kill a bunch of people to survive. Rick and Morgan went to search for Carol and eventually split up, with Morgan promising to come back he found her and Rick returning to Alexandria. Whether Morgan survives or not, I doubt he’s going to come back. He hates Rick’s scorched earth approach to enemies. (It seemed like he was actually getting through to Rick a little in his speech about how saving the Wolf eventually led to Denise being alive to save Carl. The Wolf is the one who put Denise in danger in the first place, so that circle of life speech made no sense to me.)
Daryl left Alexandria to get revenge on Dwight, the guy he saved who later killed Denise. (There are parallels here between the characters’ choices to save people.) Michonne, Rosita and Glenn followed Daryl, leading them all to get captured by Dwight’s gang. At the end of the episode, Dwight and another baddie had guns pointed at Rosita and Daryl from behind as they prepared to save Michonne and Glenn, who are tied up in the forest. We heard a shot, which seems to come from Dwight. Then we saw blood, presumably Daryl’s as his body falls forward and blood obscures the camera. The scene went black and we heard Dwight say “you’ll be all right,” which was not reassuring at all.
On Talking Dead, frequent guest Yvette Nicole Brown echoed a lot of people’s sentiments when she said that Dwight was not worthy to kill Daryl because he’s not enough of a “big bad.” She also explained that every important death on TWD has been witnessed by someone else in the group, which could mean that Daryl’s dead. The general consensus on Talking Dead was that Daryl wasn’t dead yet and had only suffered a shoulder hit.
In interviews with The Hollywood Reporter and with EW, actor Norman Reedus confirmed that his character, Daryl, was shot at the end of the episode. He wouldn’t say whether Daryl was dead or not though:
An episode after he narrowly missed killing Daryl, did Dwight really shoot him in the shoulder?
You don’t know where he shoots him but that definitely is his blood right there. Dwight knows if Daryl spins around, he’s not spinning around to say something; he’s spinning around to attack. Dwight knows if Daryl turning around Daryl is going to end him. But that’s definitely Daryl’s blood.So is Daryl dead??
I can’t tell you that. But Dwight definitely shoots him.How quickly will Daryl’s fate be resolved in the finale. Will we know if he survives?
I think somebody will mention it at some point. But he definitely gets shot. You’re definitely seeing exactly what happened.
So Daryl is shot at this point, he isn’t dead yet and it would be supremely stupid for producers to kill him off because he’s a fan favorite. However we don’t know what might happen to him and we don’t have any potential ideas because he’s a new character who isn’t in the comics.
Meanwhile, back at Alexandria, Maggie got her hair cut into a face-framing shag and then almost immediately started having sharp pains in her stomach. We know that the only ob-gyn in the area is at the Hilltop, and we also know that the group is severely weakened, with their best fighters currently away on existential journeys and/or captured by Dwight’s group. We also known that Big Bad Neegan is going to make an appearance in the final episode next week. With a potential trip to Hilltop looming, this sets the stage for that showdown.
Next week’s season finale is 90 minutes, and will hopefully see Daryl survive. You know that won’t be the case for all the core characters though. As Yvette Nicole Brown said on Talking Dead, getting mad at character deaths on Walking Dead is like getting mad when people kiss on soap operas. Dying is an inevitable part of the apocalypse. (I’m still going to get mad if/when they kill off someone important.)
photos credit: AMC
It’s pretty hard to buy carol as anything but tough. I guess her anxiety is real but man she’s pretty good at eliminating threats.
She was amazing when she she saved Alexandria from the Wolves pretty much by herself. I’m buying that she starts to feel guilty, but leaving and bringing herself and others in danger? So stupid.
She is also great at acting. She always pulls off the “poor little me” weak act well and then destroys people.
If they kill off Daryl, it would be a stupid idea. He helps make the show.
They won’t. I’m afraid they kill off Glenn, which I’d find devastating. I love him and he’s there from the beginning. Such a cool and nice and humble character.
ugm why are you watching for one person? don’t watch anymore you where never a fan! he cant act either.
just so bored with this show I stopped watching last year
Daryl does not make the show. He might be a favorite, but he’s not the only reason TWD is popular.
I love Carol and Daryl. Rick is the only one the show could not survive without. Carol is so methodical and amazing in her role as the poor me who can take down an army. I think she’s more of a badass than Michonne because she’s so damn smart. Word on the street is that Daryl is going to die, but who put out the rumors. He does get the show big ratings with his sexy albeit redneck self. People always say this, but I really wouldn’t be interested in watching without him. He is so my hall pass, even my husband doesn’t want him to go….fantasy love is everything
I think killing off Rick would allow the show to refresh it’s dynamics. I think Darryl is one of characters with the most depth.
I would LOVE to see Rick go!! The show doesn’t need him…he’s just another character.
There are rumors he was seen on set filming in the last few weeks as well, for next season. Don’t think its Daryl.
Filiming for next season starts at the end of may.
Also I read somewhere that Daryl has a new TV show about motorcycles so I hope he’s not leaving TWD for his new show!
Daryl won’t die/they won’t kill him off. But I disagree on the whole “he brings the show ratings” thing. I’m pretty sure the show would not suffer that much if he died.
And I’d rather see him die than Daryl. He might be a deep character in theory, but there has been no development or whatsoever in the last seasons. I’m pretty sure that at this point, the writers are not interested in developing that character any further and I lost interest in him.
I don’t think he’s dead. But I think Dwight deliberately shot him through the shoulder so it would be difficult/impossible for Darryl to use his crossbow (ever?) again. Remember Dwight kept mentioning the nasty recoil when Daryl first reclaimed the crossbow?
If anyone is familiar with the comics you know that the character of Daryl doesn’t exist. So his fate in this world is unknow.. Also they are following parts of the comics and not others. Denise didn’t die in the comics. So now it is all up in the air. It will be interesting to see what character dies at the final. Sadly I think they are going to finally kill Glen. If they stick to the comics on this one it will be Glenn. His character doesn’t have much of a presence outside of standing by Maggie and being passive. Which I don’t get; because when Glenn was searching for Maggie he was ready to kill anyone. NOW he is so just “There”. And same with Carol; her character is being invented as the show goes on; so not sure what will happen with her.
I loved how they have made Father Gabriel a bit of a kickass. He has such a quiet calm; but will take care of business. That scene with he and Rick was good.
Denise actually had a much more heroic death in the comics.
I like that they are mixing it up. Surprises for the people familiar with the comics.
You mean Morgan? Not Father Gabriel unless you’re referring to a few episodes ago?
Anyway, everyone was an idiot last night and deserves what they get.
-TheRealPinky
Haha, true! They were wandering around like idiots, knowing that Negan is on his way…ridiculous.
Yeah, Denise inherited Abraham’s death (I love that they kept Eugene’s moment though!), so maybe they’ll save Abraham for now, his character is entertaining after all, but Glen has to die next week. Or during next season’s premiere, but I’d rather have him meet his faith, and Lucille, next week, I would be really angry if someone else was to die instead of him, it’d change the whole dynamic.
It also seems like the writers don’t know what to do with Carol and Darryl anymore; those characters aren’t in the comics (well, Carol is but she’s so different that it’s almost another character) and they had a good thing going on for a while but it seems like no one knows how to include them with the rest of the group; Darryl dying soon wouldn’t be that surprising. And Dwight will become an important character, people have to learn to hate/like him.
I don’t think Daryl will die yet. But I fear that season 7 could be his last because he is getting a lot more work and he may leave to pursue other opportunities. I hope I’m wrong.
I think Daryl is gonna meet Lucy………. And I’m ready to see Jeffrey Dean Morgan being a sexy mothertrucker. That’s all I’m hoping for in this 90 damn minute finale.
That he was shot in the shoulder in this episode, is for me the sign that he won’t meet Lucille. I’m afraid it might be Carol or Morgan.
I think it will be Glenn. He’s been on borrowed time for a while and his character has become sort of wishy washy (except for the devotion to Maggie.)
I have the feeling that a couple of characters have become wishy washy or (like someone said upthread) writers don’t know what to do with some characters anymore (Carol and Daryl). Also, why is every tough fighter out there looking for someone. Carol for peace, Daryl for Dwight, Morgan and Rick for Carol, Glenn, Rosita and Michonne for Daryl… Negan and his Saviors are lurking in the dark and they send the strongest ones out of Alexandria. Why? Because all the other plans have worked so well in the past?
I think it is Glenn too. When they were driving off from Alexandria, you see Maggie in the mirror and I was thinking it shows him leaving her behind.
How do we know it’s not Michonne? Her character has rather flatlined too with exception of becoming a couple with Rick…I’m just throwing that out there for discussion..
@annaloo: that would be a real shocker! And so devastating to the group, esp. Carl (and Rick).
I think it might be Glenn too……mainly because out of all of the main characters they could kill off (Carol or Daryl or Michonne or Glenn), I’d be least mad about Glenn getting killed off. I agree, he’s been so wishy washy. The other three, I’d be pissed if they killed!
I wonder if the beating death will be Rosita. I became convinced she will die after the silly way Abraham dumped her, and her over the top hysterical response. I thought it was a set up so Abe can be tortured by guilt when she dies.
I think if Maggie loses the baby, Glenn will live. No way is the show changing the baby Hershel plot. Too sentimental for the fans.
I think too that it’s Glenn and I found the scene showing Maggie in the mirror also very telling. Like a goodbye. I hope it’s not Glenn though. Gosh, I know that the show would be pointless if there wouldn’t die members from the inner circle as well, but I still don’t want anyone to die!
Agree, Glenn and possibly a 2nd person. They have killed a lot of Saviors, maybe Negan decides to take out 2?
I think Glenn’s going to die and I hate it, he’s my favorite character and I think he’s more interesting than a lot of other characters on that show.
This show has jumped the shark….I’ll still watch though, I’m invested.
Like three years ago, for me. Like you, I’m not ready to let go….
Spoiler alert. If you love Glenn and Maggie don’t read this. In the beginning I liked Glenn, he was young, rather naïve, didn’t have a kill yet…….then things changed. Never been a fan of theirs although I know they’re popular. I gave them the combined named Brangelina type thing……..Gaggie! Her Southern accent really needs some work….please. Daryl more than makes up for any of the ones that get on my nerves.
Agree Nancy. Glenn is a watered down & boring character since Maggie. they could both go and couldn’t care less. Wish Negan would take out both of them and just completely get rid of their storyline.
Carol is the most annoying character. She constantly seems parched for male attention. I just can’t with her pathetic goo goo eyes…
Wow- I read her completely different than that. Not “parched for male attention” at all! I do think she has reached her limit in killing and she’s at a moral crossroad. I think she is one of the stronger characters. To each her/his own opinion tho.
Agree islandwalker. She is so smart. Playing the tearful house frau carrying her rosary, while having her weapon up her sleeve. She looks like the lady down the street baking cookies and could kill a monster, and has. I loved when Rick said can we join your team. Rick and Daryl know her inner strength and total ability to seek out and kill the bad guys while wearing a flowered blouse. amazing.
Me too. Carol parched? Nope. Her character has had the most interesting development. She went from being a mousy victim of domestic abuse to digging deep to find out what she’s capable of to survive and protect others. Her current existential crises is the most believable. You can’t live the life they’ve been living and not have a crises of the soul?
The most annoying character is Carl then father Gabriel then Morgan. Carol besides Michonne is the strongest and most interesting character on the show.
I agree with your assessment.
Abraham can leave any time he wants. I don’t even like looking at him. Eugene is kind of a comic relief. Michonne is the assassin but hardly as cerebral as Carol and last night’s love scene didn’t create the stir as the first time around. Don’t know if they want to keep Rick with one woman, who knows. Maggie and Glenn (Gaggie) can ride into the sunset. Just don’t kill Daryl!
Ummm…what makes Carol “cerebral”? Because she can play up her past when necessary? Give me a break.
Because she can come across as a terrified women afraid of dying, begging for her life and pull out a weapon and blow away four men. She isn’t young or pretty, she uses her wits and takes care of those who need her help to survive. This isn’t a reflex, it’s a plan and she uses her brain……..at least in my opinion.
It’s definitely just your opinion, lol. Even children know when to “play it up” and when to “tone it down”. Michonne has demonstrated the same level of wit and a heightened sense of character assessment multiple times. It’s like people are so used to her saving other people’s asses or something…
I think Daryl was shot in the shoulder and Morgan is going to be the one introduced to Lucille. His no killing stance will make his death by evil Negan even more traumatic for RIck and the group. Glenn could survive an asteroid landing on him, so he’s good lol. Carol is too badass for words, so she is safe.
I think so, too. People repeat over and over again, that you need to kill to survive in this world and I think, then this isn’t a life worth living. Morgan is a moral compass and that is what you need in a society. You need to have faith and trust in people. What kind of life is it, that you have to attack a group first or might get killed by them?
Kill or be killed is what the Terminus people lived by, they just phrased it differently and they ate everyone.
Morgan is the conscience of the group but he’s so heavy handed with it. He’s no Hershel.
Morgan and Carol won’t die in the mext episode imo, the trailer pretty much confirms that he’s involved in a different storyline.
Haven’t seen the trailer before. Glad if I find an oppurtunity to watch the episodes 😉
PS: I don’t want to watch another horse die!
I tried to not include any spoilers, so my post might sound a bit vague. And I can’t find a link to the trailer, but it’s a comic storyline which would result in Carol and Morgan not being present when Negan kills someone 🙂
It’s like the creator/producers of this show has a desire to see its fan base start the zombie apocalypse RIOT when Daryl bites it or something!
I mean watching Glenn and Maggie in the shower together I’m like CMON! SOMETHING BAD IS GONNA HAPPEN NOW!!!! Tryin’ to get Glenn and Maggie to stay in the DAMN HOUSE! already! Show keeps messin’ with my emotions!!! lmao.
Carol is the new Mad Max badassry last night! Did not see that one comin’ but I’m scared for her.
Where I live (and in many/most other European countries), new TWD episodes premiere a day later, so I haven’t watched yet (or read), but I’m just here to say how much I hate the spoilery headlines, who ruin all the fun for us, who watch later. CB’s would be fine – someone got shot, but we don’t know who – so it’s ok, but it seems like all the other sites use the name of said shot person and it’s so annoying. I made sure to avoid fb, imdb and other known-to-be-spoilery sites, and then I clicked on some random, should-be-safe kind of site and there was a list of featured links, most about TWD and all the headlines were like – “Norman Reedus talks Daryl’s shocking moment”, “Daryl’s shocking cliffhanger” etc. I came here, knowing that CB is always safe, but thanks to those other sites, now I know that Daryl got shot. Sorry for the rant, but the TWD is my one little pleasure after a hard Monday at work.
I’ll comment more substantively after watching, but I hope it’s not fatal and it will be just a cheap cliffhanger like in Glen’s case.
I still think Glenn might die. They mixed up some stuff this season, but they might stick with that. However, if they are too afraid to kill of a major character, then it might be Aaron.
Daryl won’t die, although I’d rather see him being killed than Glenn. I could see Abe dying, but he might be safe, too- Denise got his death and Kirkman said that he regrets killing Abraham off, maybe the showrunners will keep him alive longer.
If I had to come up with a list, I would say my money is on Glenn, followed by Aaron, Eugene and maybe Abraham.
SPOILERS
Morgan and Carol seem to meet someone from Ezekiel’s kingdom and The Spoiling Dead pretty much confirmed that they are safe ’cause they won#t be involved in the Negan scene.
If the spoilers are correct and they won’t show who’s getting killed off in the season finale…well. I’m not saying I’m done with the show (cause I’ll still watch it); but this would be another proof that the producers would do nearly everything that increases the ratings and hype, even though it doesn’t benefit the storyline. This is cheap soap opera storytelling.
Also, the point of Negans introdution is to show how terrible he is. If the episode ends with a cliffhanger, the focus will be on “who got killed”, not “how awful is this guy”.
Also, there is no way they can keep it a secret. Filming starts in may, I’m sure we’ll know by june/July who’s missing on the pictures from set.
I just cant say enough how much i love carol. I love that she will bake you cookies but then slit your throat after lol. And i think it was the shoulder for Daryl. It was a stupid decision for everyone to leave when they have a major threat hanging. I felt like the writers dropped the ball on that one. They had every badass character leave except Abraham and Sasha!! I dont think Glenn will meet the bat cuz everyone will expect that but at the same time i feel that Negan is such a big character that theyll have to have someone big get lucilled to make his entrance a big deal..
As another commenter pointed out, the shot of Maggie in the side view mirror, fading from view as Glenn drives away is heavy foreshadowing. It implies that the Maggie we have known is gone forever, left behind, and that Glenn will never see her again. The showrunners gave us one last tender Glenn and Maggie scene, them in the shower. Because this episode has used such heavy religious symbolism, I interpret the shower scene as Glenn’s baptism. He is washed clean of his sins and now he can meet his death with a clear conscience. Rick and Michonne with the apple represents the hubris leading to the Fall. “The world is ours and we know how to take it” is like Adam and Eve eating from the tree of knowledge. They now “knew” everything, but the result was disaster, as it will be for Rick and the rest very soon. As for what that will look like, I am not sure. The writers have set Glenn up for death in every way, so if they don’t kill him, I think there will be a backlash against them for misleading viewers. Andy Lincoln said the script for the final episode made him sick. I know that Negan’s people take the women. They don’t believe in “rape,” but they do coerce women into sex by giving their loved ones more food and other survival necessities if they comply with Negan’s polyamorous desires. I think that’s what’s coming that made Lauren Cohen vomit after reading. But I also believe that it’s the brutality of Glenn’s death also. I don’t think we find out for sure who dies under Lucille’s swing until the October 2016 premiere, but some really upsetting things are going to happen in the finale that won’t necessarily be death. And next season? “All Out War.”
Her cutting the hair is a big sign its Glenn. Glenn is still guilty of murdering people in their sleep and think the shower scene was just showing they’re still very much in love, a one last intimate scene with them. You can tell he still feels guilty about it and know the Saviors will invade because of it. Think Glenn will end up sacrificing himself to Negan because he does feel guilty and the rest of group not so much. He will also do it because he may believe it will stop the Saviors from invading Alexandria. He will do it for the group, Maggie/baby and maybe to cleanse his conscious. Glenn will end up taking that punishment.
I just have to comment because I love that you cover the Walking Dead. I was frustrated by this episode too- what was everyone thinking? Why?!! I do not think they will kill Daryll- it seems suicidal. I agree it will be Glenn.