Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
(Spoilers ahead)
Each week, we comb through the guts of The Walking Dead, much like a horde of hungry walkers, to bring you the episode’s best moments, surprises, and other post-apocalyptic curiosities. This week: murder investigations, labor disputes, and the unintentional consequences of political actions.
Season 9, Episode 3: “Warning Signs”
Most literal: The actual “final warning” sign that appears in the episode’s opening minutes, which we later find out Simon painted on the house formerly belonging to the Oceansiders. Fun fact: This wall also appears in the new intro.
Best combo: We’re three for three on early TWD callbacks this season with Rick’s reference to Daryl about “not killing a guy who left your brother on a rooftop to die.”
Biggest disappointment: We liked Anne/Jadis’s redemption, even though it was incredibly short lived. We’re not mad that Jadis has gone evil yet again; we’re just disappointed.
Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
Second biggest disappointment: The relationship between Anne/Jadis and Gabriel is kaput, right? Meaning that it really did come out of left field and it was just a plot device. Wasn’t there an easier way to get those two in the same room than shoehorning in a romance?
Most in need of a rebrand: When Michonne writes the law of the land for the communities, here’s hoping she doesn’t use Jerry’s terms for the death penalty and life in prison—a Gregory and a Negan, respectively.
Fracturing: At this point, it’s going to take something big to undo all of the splintering we’re seeing within the larger community. Usually, that means an outside threat. We’ve already seen hints of the Whisperers in the teasers earlier this year, but so far, there’s been nothing to indicate them popping up in the fall. If they’re not going to appear until the spring, we’re really worried about what’s going to bring everyone to heel in the next few weeks.
Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
Fan torture: Rick and Michonne’s “family fun day” with Judith was incredibly cute and incredibly bittersweet. The family plays hide and seek, practices stick sword fighting, has storytime with the Wizard of Oz, and to top it all off, Rick not-so-subtly hints to Michonne that he wants to have another child. Knowing that Rick is 99.999 percent likely not to survive the season’s end makes this endearing sequence incredibly painful. Stop torturing us, TWD team! Let them be happy!
0.001 percent theory: Knowing that Anne/Jadis is trading people to whoever operates that helicopter, could this be a way for Rick to exit the show but still survive? It’s not pretty, but it leaves a foot in the door for the character to return. Also, looking back at the previous season, Rick was held captive by Jadis in a container marked “A.”
Best takeaway lesson: Don’t f*** with Oceanside.
Photograph by Gene Page/AMC
Lesson learned? “You did this because of me?” Maggie seems disturbed that the Oceanside crew abducted and murdered Saviors because they were inspired by her sentencing Gregory to death. But this observation didn’t lead to a grand epiphany that Rick was right all along and every life counts. Nope, instead Maggie deems Rick wrong, regroups her coup with Daryl, and heads off to talk to Negan. Wait, what?
Best exchange:
Arat to Jed, after he picks up an ax to attack Daryl: “Stop, it’s going to go too far.”
Daryl, picking up his crossbow: “Nah, it won’t”
Most disturbing image: This week in “wow, the walkers are really not doing well,” as Cyndie tries to push an attacking walker away from her, its jaw literally disintegrates onto her (injured) hand. Disgusting and potentially life-threatening, although we’re sure the walker guts conveniently missed her wound.
Best kill: We don’t really feel that bad for Justin. Sorry.
Episode MVP: Judith, because for one brief moment, we saw a child’s innocence on this show. Considering everything seems to be falling apart, it’s nice to have one ray of sunshine in this TV hour.
And once again, where exactly does Rick fall this week on the calm/crazy scale?
Illustration by Matt Walljasper; Photographs courtesy of AMC
