Basically all of it. Loved the episode and the especially the character moments

 

Such a lovely review, @Dnae. I especially liked your description of Zeke's despair, Lydia's scenes and the parallel you've drawn with Rick/Carl and Michonne/Judith fighting together the first time like equals.

 

Best episode of the season for me. I did what I haven't done in a long time, and watched it again two hours later. Second time I loved it even more.

The opening sequence was great, and I really liked how the song got a reprise at the end.

Daryl having dinner with the Grimes family all full of smiles? My heart melted.

Michonne ... she made me cry on both watches, needless to say. When she said "that walk"... just destroyed me. She could have said anything personal regarding what she misses about Rick, beyond partner in crime and sounding board, but somehow she picked his walk, and the image of Rick walking, yes... that slayed, because so much personality was fuelling that walk. The essence of the guy was embodied in that walk. God I miss him.

Loved Judith as mini-me Michonne. She's just such a little badass and fun character, and the two of them together as mother and daughter work like magic.

Negan... wow. That was brilliantly done. He did good again, and talked a lot of sense to everyone who cared to listen. He really had to get the hell out of there, and I'm glad he did, because this will be crunch time now to see who he really is now, what he will do next: whether he has plans to return after he takes it on himself to deal with the common enemy, or not. Somehow, I don't think he would want to try out on his own anymore.

The whole Michonne-Zeke scene was beautiful. I so dreaded it, but it worked for me. Zeke also broke my heart with the "I don't even know how to talk to her (Carol) any more". It's always so refreshing when Zeke talks like a normal person. I loved how Michonne got him back from the edge, and the kiss made perfect sense in that context. And I loved how they joked about it afterwards.

Daryl was just all shades of wonderful in this episode again. Bless him, he's really struggling in this father role, despite trying his hardest. It is crazy how natural Negan is at relating to kids. He must have been an excellent teacher.

Daryl did good though, supporting Lydia, and accepting, even reluctantly appreciating that Negan helped her. The poor girl, this was so hard to watch, how those assholes turned on her. And good riddance of the bitch who lead the assault. Lydia's situation is breaking my heart, and sadly she's right, and the cell is the safest place for her right now. Daryl had to go along with it, even though it was cutting him up. Hopefully it's gonna be a very short lived thing, Lydia in there. It's unbearable.

Interesting thing with all these disasters happening in every community, how much is a coincidence, and what is orchestrated by the Whisperers.

Trouble in paradise between Yumiko and Magna? It seems like Magna cannot handle her lover taking charge? That's really a poor personality trait. Im going off Magna a little bit. And I'm really worried how much screen time Luke's goodbye gotten. It clearly means he's not going to return... and I hope that just means Oceanside love nest, and not death.

Much as Gabriel has been getting on my nerves this season, I really liked him in this episode. Very level headed. I wondered if he'd let Negan go, hence the ruse of "having to sleep on it". But from next week's review it seems it was probably Brandon.

So.... this is very exciting now, and so unpredictable. They're really mixing things up.

Loving this season.

 

For whatever reason this scene really got me. The other was Siddiq screaming into a bowl of ice water, I don't know why.

I also have absolutely no idea who Brandon is and why everyone else seems to. Another one of my "do I even really watch this show" moments.

 

I think those two moments were my favourite heartbreakers too, along with Michonne saying "that walk" and Daryl's smile fading looking at the empty seat in the Grimes family table.

I think we are not supposed to know anything about Brandon at this stage other than he was one of Negan's prison guards and called Negan "sir" which was a bit odd. Comic readers know him, because he features heavily at this particular plot in the source material.

 

HA! I never would have thought about that. LOL