Carol had an identity crisis tonight and I’m not entirely
sure which side won.
The Same Boat was another episode of the Walking Dead
dealing with the total brutality of the current world. Both sides are in the
same situation, which makes the title a perfect fit, doesn’t it? I didn’t know
what to expect tonight, and the episode did a great job of keeping the tension
high. There wasn’t any moment in the episode were the outcome could have been
predicted. Carol or Maggie could have easily been killed off tonight and it
wouldn’t have been a surprise with how the episode was played out.
In the end our heroes, if we can still call them that, made
it out. Carol went back to playing the meek mouse and luring the captors into a
false sense of security. Maggie tonight was vicious and the one who comforted
Carol, which was an interesting change of pace. Carol in the end was able to
take control and become the killer who has become a staple of the show, but she
isn’t okay with it. She is worried about losing her humanity. Why is she having
a crisis now? Is it because of Sam or has Morgan gotten to her?
With her hesitating to kill Polly we see the struggle she
was having. This might be her ultimate downfall. I thought the last episode was
preparing us for the loss of Carol, this episode did little to repudiate my
thoughts. Who knows who will be lost, but Carol and Daryl are two who are high
on my list. People may riot if Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride leave the show
this season. Carol no longer wants to be the vicious cold hearted person who
can kill on a whim. She had to kill a little girl, some part of her has to be
broken from this action. It was the correct decision, but after living normally
again it would begin to eat at you.
Carol still did what was necessary. She escaped, saved
Maggie and killed but she didn’t want to. Maggie was the one who knew they had
to stay and finish the job. The burning of the last two men was unexpected. Not
that they killed them, just in the manner in which they did. Burning alive is a
not a nice way to go. The knives in the head while sleeping was a more humane
way to murder. It was murder, last week and this week. Our gang is no longer
the righteous ones. They have become a shade of grey. I don’t think we as an
audience are supposed to be okay with the decisions they are making. The line
the girl told Maggie was apt, you aren’t the good guys, which they aren’t, they
are just trying to survive.
There wasn’t much wrong with the episode. Yes it was slower
paced and not much happened, but the tension of not knowing what was going to
happen to Maggie and Carol made up for the slow pace. Alicia Whitt was fantastic
as Polly and I wish she would have ran and escaped, so she could have been on
the show longer. The only quibble I had with the episode was Carol not shooting
her and slowly walking towards her allowing a fist fight. It would have served
more character purpose for Carol to have the gun shaking in her hand, but then
pull the trigger. She sees herself in Polly, and is worried she is becoming
her. Carol is too smart to walk up close to a person and let them get the
better of her.
I focused on Carol, but Maggie had a tonal shift tonight as
well. She didn’t hesitate to kill, and was the more proactive in initiating the
violence. It will be interesting to see where they take her down the road, if
the show stays true to the comics. I’m not sure it will with how they used
Glenn earlier in the season. Maggie saw the need to kill everyone to ensure
Alexandria and the Hilltop stayed safe.
It was interesting that all of the Saviors called themselves
Negan, which caused Rick to kill the last man. We know there is a true Negan,
but it sounds like he empowers all of his followers to think of themselves as
strong as he is. When he does finally make his appearance I have a felling it
will extremely chilling and haunting.
This season of the Walking Dead continues to not disappoint.
The only slow moving filler episode seemed to be before the winter break. Since
we have come back each episode has added and advanced the story or characters.
I have almost become to dread watching each new episode, because I know we are
eventually going to see the loss of some of our favorite characters from the
show.
What did you think of tonight’s episode? Did you think Carol
and Maggie were going to make it out, or that they would be still be held
hostage? Comment and let me know.
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