Kinda relieved to hear some people think the Saviours are morons and beatable. I keep thinking of those Hilltop guys with their spears guarding their perimeter and living in trailers while whats-his-face lived in his mansion and I am considering how can they stand up with Rick against Negan in the war I hope is coming.
We have not just lost two beloved characters but two of our best and most courageous fighters (Glenn and Abe could be trusted on their own to handle business) so I hope this Negan sado-mindF&*k does not go on for two seasons. I hope the Kingdom turns out to be good. I need something positive right now. Looking forward very much to seeing Shiva.

 

That's the thing. Maggie is definitely ready to rock and roll. But Rick (and the others but especially Rick) isn't thinking like that: Rick is exhausted, Rick is broken, Rick is done.

He couldn't even muster up the wherewithal to stop the walker from eating Glenn and Abraham's brains.

It'll take a while for Rick to get back into gear. And even then, I don't think it'll ever be the same.

As for the Hilltop alliance, I think we are in for some surprises. Way more than just a few people at the Hilltop don't like Rick. And someone from the Hilltop had to have snitched on the group and told the Saviors about them. Besides, Gregory is still in charge.

Well, yes and no.

Exodus as in the departure of a large group of people. But now that you mention it, Exodus as in God's beloved leaving a land and legacy of slavery and sadness for the promised land has a nice touch to it. Also could be a huge hint that that episode is the beginning of the March to War story.

Or maybe Negan forces the communities under his control to do something really crazy like Pharoah had forced all of his subjects to kill all Hebrew baby boys. Just like Pharoah's madness was the beginning of the end of the enslaved Israelite era, maybe Negan's request will be the straw that galvanizes Rick back into action.

 

Quite apt in any case here Mr Marley...
Jah come to break oppression, rule equality
Wipe away transgression, set the captives free....

Yeah, think gonna listen to some Zion train.

 

Rick will be back. Everyone there was devastated. I think Rick will have blood on his face and say "what?" before the end of the season. I hope Carol can recover and help. They need her leadership strength right now.

 

I definitely agree with this. Maggie is ready to fight, but Rick is broken at this point. He just got broken down. He's not going to be ready to run right out and start a war. We're going to have several episodes of a very subservient Rick.

 

Taking a defensive stance doesn't automatically give you a strategic advantage. Especially not in this case.

Alexandria is not a fortress.

Remember the dozens of gigantic trees that blocked one of the roads to Hilltop? Remember how the Saviors were able to glean information about the community of Alexandria from spies who never got close enough to risk being spotted? Remember how Carol was able to sneak out, how Jesus was able to sneak around and how the Wolves were able to sneak in?

The Saviors have the tools, the people, the intelligence and the means to take Alexandria done.

Locking themselves inside Alexandria is a very temporary solution. And it's not a very good temporary solution at that. Now, if the community was still surrounded by that thousandfold moat of walkers...then, we're onto something.

 

It will take Rick some time to come back. Probably most of the season. And when Rick comes back he won't be the same Rick we saw in season 5. He'll be more subdued, more wary of taking risks without proper intelligence and more likely to defer to someone else for ideas.

Carol also needs to take time to be by herself and replenish herself. She's been the Rambo Den Mother from Hell for so long she deserves a vacation. Of course, she'll have Saviors at her door before long...but she needs a break.