The Walking Dead returns with the communities of Alexandria and the Saviors at peace. The show opens with Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes in his final season playing the iconic character stepping outside of his home. Taking in the crop fields as well as Michonne spending quality time with his daughter Judith. First thing I as well as others watching may have gravitated toward was Rick’s beard.
That and his short hair make him look older than he did at the end of season 8 even though none else seems to have aged. It made me confused at first as far as how long after Negan’s capture does season 9 take place. Apparently long enough for some of the other known characters to get a makeover. That’s right, just because it’s the zombie apocalypse doesn’t mean that people will ever stop wanting to look there best.
From Rick’s big grey beard to Eugene’s short haircut and safari outfit, this latest season of the Waking Dead saw plenty of aesthetical changes with the characters. But that’s not the only changes that occurred. There were some heavy lovey dovey moments that I didn’t quite expect. Rick and Michonne having pillow talk sure, but Carol and Ezekiel? Guess I should have seen that one coming.
The scene where Rick and many of the main characters were in the city hall building that was thought to be abandoned was one of the better scenes of the episode. Where they found a wagon of all things inside that they really wanted. So they all pushed the wagon down the stairs, all the while being weary of the walkers that were beneath the glass windows in the floor. Really? What asshole puts windows on the floor where people who are pushing a really heavy wagon need to cross. Jerks.
When the gang had nearly pushed the wagon across, Ezekiel fell through the glass and the walkers were clawing and trying to bite him. Everyone was desperately trying to pull him up and did, no harm done. Ezekiel talks to Carol and admits he was scared there. She was scared for him too as she plants a big wet kiss on his lips. And not just for luck, this isn’t Star Wars.
Gregory proved to be just as slippery a character as ever in this episode. At first, he was being nice enough to Maggie, but when a child from the Hilltop was bitten and couldn’t be saved, things got interesting. The fallen boys parents blamed Maggie saying they he should have never been out there and never should have died. But maybe if the parents just kept a closer eye on their son then he would still be alive.
Maggie felt bad, but could to do nothing but apologize to the parents. Then comes ‘ol Gregory, with a bottle of whisky or something rather as he sat and mourned with the distressed parents. He speaks with the father alone and convinces him to kill Maggie. The father tried, but failed and soon Gregory’s true motives were found out.
He wanted the Hilltop back and Maggie gone. A no brainer there if you have been following the series last season or before. But instead, Gregory was found guilty and hanged in front of everyone at night amid the Hilltop town. About Damn time. Maggie gave a brief speech saying that she didn’t want to do this, but had to in order for their community to thrive.
Daryl was at odds with Rick for giving food and provisions to the Saviors after everything that happened between them. Rick explained that they live in a factory and don’t have crop fields like we do. That’s why Negan needed other communities to get those things for him. Then there was the graffiti by some pro Negan supporters that said “we are still Negan.” This pissed off Daryl who said to some Saviors to take that shit down. When one of them said that it won’t come off, Daryl replied “just paint over it.”
All in all, the season 9 premiere titled “a New Beginning” was all about peace and building a better world. It was good, but I really thought they would show Rick talking to Negan in this episode. Either way, I believe in the coming weeks that Negan has a plan for his most loyal Saviors to bust him out of his cell. Perhaps someone on the inside? I just hope that Rick in his final season doesn’t die by Negan’s hands. That would be the worst thing that could happen to Rick and the show after being the main character of the series since the beginning.
Next week, I am excited to see how relations of the communities will play out. And if they all start building that bridge that was mentioned and when things will go south really fast.
“I’m Corey, and this is my story so far.”
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