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Sneak Peek

Discussion in 'Volume 16: A Larger World' started by marsyao, Apr 16, 2012.

  1. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    Here is the sneak peek for the issue #96 (http://blogs.amctv.com/photo-galleries/issue-96-the-walking-dead-sneak-peek/page-1.php), now we have a clearer picture, the hilltop community prosperous, but its residents are weak, and they have no means to defend themselves, it is sad but I have to say, in the ZA, being rich AND weak is the biggest crime you could ever commit. Then come Negan and his group, they came to Hilltop, and offered their protection which the hilltop residents are not allowed to decline, in exchange of this protection, they demand a tax equals to half of the food the hilltop community produces, “I will attack and destroy you if you do not accept it” Negan told them. with no other option, hilltop community accept this proposal, and hand over half of their produces, and Negan and his men did patrol around this area, killed thousands of walkers and kept this area relative safe, until this point, it looks like this is a tolerable, and I may say reasonable deal, but Negan and his men are bad, when they suspect hilltop community cheated with their tax, they would torture even kill the men who deliver the products. Finally hilltop community has enough of this kind of bad attitude, they are secretly collect weapon and looking for allies, this is when Rick and his group come into picture.
    Well, here is my thought, I think hilltop community is making a big mistake, of course they do not like to pay a tax to anyone, but they do not have the ability to defend themselves, it is almost inevitable that some other group who has the muscle but either do not have the ability or do not want to farming to claim them as their subjects, under this situation, the hilltop community only has 2 options:
    1) Organize an uprising, arm themselves, defend themselves, declare war, overthrow Negan and his group, if they succeed, they would be free, and if fail, well, they shall be brave enough to accept the consequence.
    2) Accept their fate, kept paying the tax, It will be also Negan’s interest to keep the hilltop community safe, since this is only way he could regularly receive food
    But unfortunately, Hilltop community choose neither of the options, they choose to looking for outside help, they may forget these help would not come for free, they would risk wrath of Negan’s group, in exchange, even they won, the outcome would be paying tax to their new allies. Carl’s question proves my point; he asks Jesus “If we kill all these bad guys, will you start giving us half of your food and stuff?” Bravo!
     
  2. SVTRay

    SVTRay Active Member

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    Well I guess I wasn't too far off.

    Two things I found interesting:

    1) Carl actually brokered the deal with Paul.

    2) Rick and present company brokering a deal telling Paul they will handle the other group if Hilltop hands over food? Is Rick crossing the Woodbury line so to say?


     
    #2 SVTRay, Apr 16, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2012
  3. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    This is a little too harsh, the hilltop community do need protection, their strength is farming, this is a huge advantage because they are actually re-producing food, but the weakness is that they do not have any muscle to protect them, well Rick and his group could provide that protection, but Rick and his men are no farmers, they can not do farming themselves, so they could use their protection exchange the food, if the word "tax" could hurt one's feeling, we could sugar-coated it, call it salary.
    The thing Negan's group did wrong is their unnecessary violence, in order to keep getting supplies from hilltop community, they should treat residents a little nicer as long as they behave. back in the old times, a smart Lords always remind his Knights "you should not mistreat your subjects, without them, who would give you food and who would provide free labor?"
     
  4. SVTRay

    SVTRay Active Member

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    So what do you think is going to happen next?

    We know the "Survivor" group is in close proximity to Hilltop while Alexandria is a good 1-2 days drive away. It would deplete the groups fuel and vehicles driving back and forth worrying about an attack. So is it going to be an offensive play where Rick's group seeks out and destroys the Survivors? Or is it going to be a defensive play where Rick's group abandons Alexandria and moves in with the Hilltop group?
     
  5. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    Moving to Hilltop is the best option, but would the residents of the hilltop want them to move in? The idea of confronting Negan's group are frighten to many residents, I see many of them are too soft, now "they are not used to see death inside the wall", do they really have a chance if Rick determine to move in?
    Anyway there are only little more than a dozen real fighters in Rick's group, so defense and patrol is out of question, if I was Rick, I will set an ambush at the dropping point, do some really harm to Negan's group and change the odd a little bit. Do you know what is the real nightmare to the hilltop? Well if Negan's group is too strong, then after showing of strength, Rick struck a deal with Negan, and split tax from hilltop between their two groups, it is a very stupid thing for hilltop community to show their weakness so completely to outsider?
     
  6. SVTRay

    SVTRay Active Member

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    Ambush is a great idea, I would camp out around the drop site at least 24hr prior to the drop. Just in case they scout out th sit first before picking up the goods.

    One thing that has been going through my head, wait if it' just one or two people. As you said, the Hilltop guys are doing good fending off the occasional walker but they wouldn't stand a chance against a season people or persons like Rick, Andrea, Abraham, Michonne. Hell, Carl could probably run Hilltop lol So with that said, I can't help but think there is some GI bullying Hilltop.
     
  7. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    It looks to me that hilltop does have a few people who could fight, Jesus is one of them, but majority of residents are getting used to the life safe behind the wall, to them it is not really a bad deal to buy protection, let other do the fighting, so that they could live peacefully inside the wall. we could imagine if Negan and his men are not being so violent, hilltop community would not try to find outside help.
    Ambush is a good idea, not encountering any resistance from hilltop for a long time, Negan's group may have their guard down, so the first strike most like would be a success, but Rick should be cautious, what if Negan's group is very strong? Would it worth fighting a war against such a group? Whatever the result, I would say hilltop community must prepare themselves a big payment to whoever is the winner of this war.
     
  8. SVTRay

    SVTRay Active Member

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    Jesus is one bad mofo for sure but even he was in shock at the site of someone being killed. Everyone just stood by as if paralyzed. The only people willing to fight was on watch tower duty but they didn't seem like much of a threat.

    You're right about ambush and the Survivor group isn't expecting any trouble. One thing worth noting, we may actually see a whole new character...someone who actually appears in he TV show first.
     
  9. Negan

    Negan Active Member

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    I doubt that The Saviors has more than 200 people, so, really, it can't be that much of a deal. Just gather a few men and fight. Maybe strap a few explosives in their supplies and start a war. Yes? No? Maybe so? Or just go all Woodbury on their asses and use Paul's or Aaron's knowledge of the area to spit out a few places where tanks maybe be held. Somebody has to be a soldier in the community? They have 240 people.
     
  10. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    No, hilltop community has 200 people, not 200 fighters, Negan's group could have up to 30 fighters, this is the difference, on the other hand, Negan did not "pull a Woodbury" to hilltop community, he gave them a choice: give up half of what you have and I will protect you, which he did offer certain kind of protection. As far as I could see, many if not most of the hilltop residents though do not necessary like this old time Lord/his subjects kind of relationship, but they do have a chance to live in a safe environment, and they have no stomach to fight
     
  11. Negan

    Negan Active Member

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    That is taking it a little bit too far. Still, they even SAID that The Saviors threatened Hilltop when they met up at the drop. And, look, they actually killed people that were in the Hilltop as said by Ethan.
     
  12. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    That is true, but you should also see that those "saviors" kill thousand of walkers in that area, and the hilltop residents feel safe enough to a point that they are not used to see death inside the wall
    As I said before, those saviors are making a big mistake by committing unnecessary violence, and this is reason that making hilltop community to look for outside help. And I do not understand why Negan wants to kill Gregory, that old man is an effective leader but weak on confrontation, if I was Negan, Gregory would be the kind of leader I want to install in the hilltop. What Negan should do is to treat hilltop people reasonable well as long as they pay their tax on time. "I shall thanks for your labor, without you, we may all be starved to death now, I want you people know that my group is very appreciated your effort", those kind of words worth less than a penny, but it would let their subjects feel good, so that they would not try do something such like arm themselves or looking for outside help.
    Hilltop community is also making a big mistake, if they want to overthrow Saviors, they must do it themselves, but they do not have that kind of will to fight, now they try to depend on Rick's group, even if Rick win, they will have to pay tax to Rick's group, what is the difference except Rick may be more polite to them?
     
  13. Maca254

    Maca254 Member

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  14. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    From Rick's record, I will sadly predict Andrea's day is numbered
     
  15. SVTRay

    SVTRay Active Member

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    I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about her.
     
  16. Undead Larry

    Undead Larry Member

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    I hope you guys are wrong about Andrea, but that did look like the kiss of death.

    I keep thinking there's gonna be some sort of twist, that the Hilltop isn't quite what it seems. Maybe they're the bullies and the Saviors took a hostage to escape. I don't know. Just feel like a swerve is forthcoming.
     
  17. Maca254

    Maca254 Member

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    I'm just telling myself that Andrea technically has that same record, since one for one is still 100%.

    Maybe they'll cancel each other out.
     
  18. ZombieFlanders

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    Thinking about this Hilltop-Savior Situation i kinda expect the next Story Arc to be
    Some Variation of "The Seven Samurai" (or Magnificent Seven if ur more into Western)

    Can't agree with marsyao about the worth of Negans work out there. From my point of
    view the Hilltops Wall looked very stable making me assume they wouldn't have as many
    trouble Surviving on their own. Think Negan and Gregory both know this so saying "We
    Protect you in exchange for Food" is just a polite way to say "Give or we take by force"
    Keeping the Hilltop terified is Negans only Option to stay on top so killing Gregory to send
    a Message like "I did this and theres Nothing you can do about it!" makes sense.
     
    #18 ZombieFlanders, Apr 19, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2012
  19. Negan

    Negan Active Member

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    Still no mention of Kenneth.... Anyone other than me remember him?
     
  20. marsyao

    marsyao Member

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    But that is Jesus himself told Rick that, Paul goes on, telling them; "Half of everything, our supplies, our crops, our livestock, belong to The Saviors... We make regular deliveries and they keep the area relatively clear of the dead. That's the deal. Near as I can tell, they're a roaming band of maniacs on an unending killing spree... Word is they've killed thousands of the dead already."
    As I said, unless hilltop people grow a new set of spine and finally decide to fight for their own freedom, what they are doing now is just nothing more than finding them a nicer master. Now looks like Rick is trying to take the hilltop over, do you believe he would give hilltop an option to say no?
    I would like to know more about Negan and his "saviors", as I said before, I do not understand why they want to kill Gregory and commit so much unnecessary violence. Also I do not know why would not they install a small group of their fighter inside the hilltop as garrison, so that they could guarantee local resident's good behavior. They should know such a prosperous community would attract other stronger groups, I dare to say that if governor was still alive, he definitely would be interested in the hilltop.
    Now Rick is ready for a war, but would his group agree with him? Alexandria safe zone is far less rich than hilltop, but they have enough weapon and manpower to live a relative comfortable life, but if there would be a war, they have to risk what they are having now. I calculate really hard, still I see Alexandria safe zone has about 50 residents, but among them, only 12-15 could be counted as fighters, and only 4, Rick, Michonne, Andrea and Abram are first class fighters, perhaps I could also add Gelnn who is not a first class fighter but is an excellent scout into this list, could Rick risk losing any of them? Even he win the war but lost too many fighters, then he would become so weak that his group would make no difference any more, and Hilltop could easily kick him and his group out, perhaps, that is exactly what hilltop people hopes. I wish Rick would do a through reconnaissance, Glenn could do this job, to find out the strength of the Saviors before commit 100 percent.
     

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