Damn, I thought I'd somehow stepped into the future and got a little bit too excited.

 

I just want to see what's going on with Dwight tbh.

 

I'm hoping they might make it to the Hilltop so we can see Maggie and Sophia. I wonder if she and Carl will be friends again?

I'm preparing myself for this to be another Michonne-less issue.

 

Agreed on all of this.

Will Michonne even show up in this volume? She's been absent from the first two issues, probably the third, and the promotional art featuring Rick, Carl, Andrea and Maggie's new designs.

 

Good points. I suspect they're hiding her from us because she's gone through a significant change over the time jump, and when she does appear it'll be a dramatic reveal.

I wonder what it will be? Perhaps she's put her sword down for good.

 

What if Michonne found Terminus during the two year break and she's taking Beth's TV storyline.

 

YOUUU!!! This is the definition of a cheap-shot! LOL But never-you-mind; because the battle for the #130 Discussion thread will be one of epic proportions!


That being said you already know where I stand on #129; Rick and Carl embark for Hilltop. Along the way they cross paths with the herd that the two numb-nuts cowboy's alerted and inadvertently lured toward the Hilltop as they fled. With one boy having a broken leg, and the both of them seeming a little young and incompetent; they are unable to evade the following herd and decide to hide and hope they pass. While the boy hide, Rick and Carl encounter the herd, and being the battle-hardened, badass father-son tag team that Rick and Carl are, they are unshaken by the herd. Since Carl is dead set on getting to the Hilltop, and neither one of them even remotely fear the threat of the undead anymore; Rick and Carl set out to devise a quick plan to dispose of the herd that blocks their path. Totally consumed in their work, and assuming they were alone, they don't realize they have living company, cowering in a nearby ditch. Having never been to ASZ, and only knowing of the Grimes family from local legend passed around the communities, the two boys hear the voices of Rick and Carl as they make short work of the herd; but the two boys continue hiding because they are afraid that the men they hear could be hostile, or worse. After dealing with the herd, Rick and Carl continue on to the Hilltop, and arrive safely, albeit later then they had planned. Shortly after their arrival there is commotion at the front gate; two young men, one severely injured make their way into the Hilltop and begin telling a harrowing tale of finding themselves face to face with a large herd, and they quickly inform Maggie that they encountered the voices of two strange men who quickly dealt with the herd that almost cost them their lives, and that they did it with scary efficiency. He then tells her he didn't get a look at the men, because he was too afraid they may be hostile, or possibly even targeting the Hilltop community. Much to the boys' surprise, Maggie begins to laugh robustly at this news; still chuckling Maggie points to two men standing to her side, she then gives the boys their first introduction to the legendary Rick Grimes, and his heir to the throne Carl.

Meanwhile, back at ASZ; Magna's nosing around where she shouldn't and begins to dig up all sorts of what she deems "dirty little secrets", which in reality are just the event and struggles the community has face as they fought for the very soul of the new world. But I'm sure as she meets Negan, he will have no trouble twisting these tales into unsolicited acts of pure evil; and Magna will buy it hook, line, and sinker. What happens next is anyone's guess, but I don't think it will be addressed in #129; I think the issue will end on a nerve-wracking cliff hanger; something along the lines of the final panel of the issue being a candle-lit-close-up of an unidentified hand as it thrusts a skeleton key into the hand-forged lock on Negan's cell door.

 

I'm not buying into Magna freeing Negan. I think she is smarter than that from the little we have seen her so far. I'm thinking somehow a key gets left behind and he gets free that way. Carl and Rick will make there way to the Hilltop encountering the herd and put it on the path to the Hilltop and eventually wiping it out in the next issues. I believe Carl's main reason to go to the Hilltop is to reunite with Sophia while also wanting to learn a trade in branch out from underneath Rick. Sophia will have a boyfriend making Carl sad. I don't think Rosita is cheating on Eugene or at least I hope not. I don't think we will see Michonne/Ezekiel or Dwight this volume either as much as that pains me.

 

I agree here on Magna. She is no different than Rick when he arrived here at the ASZ: Not wanting to be disarmed, not fully trusting the leadership. Will likely do something along the lines of Rick's group getting their guns back; probably exactly that (Which will make Rick smile as opposed to being upset, unless they do some damage). They just can't fully trust others yet, and have been through similar things as Rick's group did before arrival. She will come around, and probably become important going forward. But only time will tell for sure.

 

Rick had secrets he kept from Douglas too... Things Gabriel thought enough to warn Douglas of like a spineless worm. No one's hands are clean in this world anymore. I hold nothing against someone unless I can verify it was done with malice. I mean, could Magna have really done anything worse than what Rick had before getting here? He tore the throat out of a bandit, and butchered a group of people slowly and one-by one while the living ones had to watch... That there is some dark territory.

 

He knew that he must have done things, but did not receive information about what that exactly was. I am in wholehearted agreement that there is more to Magna than has been revealed, but I doubt it is any worse than what Rick has done. I could be very wrong, but I bet any tension will be misunderstandings unless she is far more sinister than I suspect. But since Abraham has turned a kid inside out with his bare hands, I bet it is nothing worth kicking her out.