S11.E14: The Rotten Core

[nodorothyparker]

Streaming on AMC+. Proceed at your own risk for spoilers before the scheduled airdate.

Airdate 03.28/22

Quote

Maggie, Lydia, and Elijah help Aaron and Gabriel on a rescue mission. Sebastian coerces Daryl and Rosita into pulling a heist.

 

[OoohMaggie]

A decent episode, nothing much accomplished apart from further progress on Negan’s road to redemption, he nearly had me feeling sorry for him this week😥. 
No surprises as to the identity of the  gun thief, I was overly optimistic about Loony-Tune lasting a week but Mercer is getting better by the show.

The forced silliness over the safe / alarm wasn’t too cringeworthy,but do they still have to make it so obvious a particular person isn’t going to make it? 🙄

EDITED 4 HOURS AGO BY OOOHMAGGIE

[Mr. Sparkle]

This 2 episode arc was overall pretty decent, and probably the best of this overly long season. Only 2 episodes until the inevitable cliffhanger. 

Random thoughts:

• The Negan/Hershel thing will ultimately go nowhere. I wonder if it'll tie into Negan Takes Manhattan. 
• Mercer is the key to the ultimate fall of the Commonwealth they're clearly setting up. 
• I was wondering who it was going to be at the end. Michonne? Rick? Heath? Of course, it's one of the duller characters on the show. 

[Boofish]

I'm personally here for "new Negan." Had it not been for the forced marriages/rape I would be inclined to wipe his slate clean and allow him a restart. Negan hurt more than just Glen Maggie!!! Her attitude is starting to grate on my nerves. As far as I'm concerned Negan has paid his debt to everyone at Alexandria including Maggie. 

He went to "prison" for 8 years. She didn't even give Gregory the option.

 

[xaxat]

The economist in me wonders how the central bank for the Commonwealth works.

This would seem to be a highly inflationary event.

[Mr. Sparkle]

On 3/21/2022 at 10:47 AM, xaxat said:

The economist in me wonders how the central bank for the Commonwealth works.

This would seem to be a highly inflationary event.

And why they use presumably existing American currency. What's the exchange rate? Can you pick a zombie's pocket for loose change? 

[heisenberg]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:35 AM, Superclam said:

And why they use presumably existing American currency. What's the exchange rate? Can you pick a zombies pocket for loose change? 

So... Not a single dollar can be find in the post apocalypse world?😄  I guess they are with the cell phones,  computers, bicycles, flat screen tv's, etc...  That ceased to exist even if they are supposed to be millions laying around.

[heisenberg]

There is so much characters moving around, that I did not figured out the sexy lady that stole the weapons at the end was Lea.

The long hair and nice cleavage stunned me I guess.🙂

[raven]

On 3/20/2022 at 4:43 PM, Superclam said:

Of course, it's one of the duller characters on the show. 

Yeah, I had forgotten all about her and then there she was.  Meh.

So how long has Negan been gone??  Long enough to find a new settlement, get married and impregnate his wife.  Leaving our group was really good for him, apparently.  Since we're stuck with him, please stop with the sad panda face of his.  It's not believable and I'm never going to have sympathy for him. 

I liked this one as well.  I just hand wave all the ridiculous crap :D  The panic room stuff was different and fun and I liked the escape from the apartment building scenario.    Wearing goofy armor does nothing for your Commonwealth fighting skills, apparently, unless you're Mercer.

Carol's expression when leaving Lance's office was priceless.    Oh, Lance, you are in trouble.

[rmontro]

Yeah, I can't figure out why money has value in this world.  I guess the Commonwealth is using it?  But I find it hard to believe that anyone else is.  Did they get the drugs out of the house?  I would think Sebastian would be more interested in that than the money, seems like it would ultimately be more valuable than the money (to the right people).

Too bad the panic room woman died, I was hoping she'd find a home in the Commonwealth.

Sue me, but I like the Negan character.  Yeah, he's done bad things, but I just can't take it seriously, he's not a real person.  And I guess you could argue he was temporarily insane when he did them, or at least suffering from PSTD.  And don't forget Rick's group murdered a whole compound full of Saviors before even meeting them.

I was expecting it to be Lea at the end.

[theredhead77]

10 hours ago, rmontro said:

Sue me, but I like the Negan character.  Yeah, he's done bad things, but I just can't take it seriously, he's not a real person.  And I guess you could argue he was temporarily insane when he did them, or at least suffering from PSTD.  And don't forget Rick's group murdered a whole compound full of Saviors before even meeting them.

I also like the character of Negan. I don't think he was temporarily insane, I think he was a pre-ZA douchebag who turned into a power hungry monster. He spent quite a bit of time in ZA prison and perhaps gained some perspective. I do wonder if he told Annie everything. That he raped, threw someone into the fire, tortured. and bashed peoples heads in. If he was completely honest with Annie, I question her judgement. There is a huge difference between a reformed bad boy and a reformed sociopathic raping murderer.

Rick's group doesn't have their hands clean, either. One of the Talking Dead episodes they talked about that - Rick's group could easily be seen as the enemy to many of the groups they've happened upon.

I also don't mind Leah. What I want to see is her slit Sebastian's throat. Loving Carol and her "fuck around and find out" look she had after learning Lance was on-board with getting the money. Didn't The Commonwealth take Princess' $2 bill when they were captured and didn't another group find a dumpster full of money or burned money? I seem to recall something about USD being used as currency in The Commonwealth.

[KeithJ]

On 3/26/2022 at 3:31 PM, raven said:

Yeah, I had forgotten all about her and then there she was.  Meh.

So how long has Negan been gone??  Long enough to find a new settlement, get married and impregnate his wife.  Leaving our group was really good for him, apparently. 

His wife says she's twelve weeks pregnant.  Just how much time has gone by since we last saw him?

Also, why don't Daryl and Rosita wear the same neck armor (padding) that all of the other troops are wearing?

[OoohMaggie]

14 minutes ago, KeithJ said:

Just how much time has gone by since we last saw him?

He’s been gone for six months.

As for the armour, it doesn’t seem to be doing much, they’d be better off with jeans and a leather jacket 🙄

Edited March 28, 2022 by OoohMaggie

[KeithJ]

5 minutes ago, OoohMaggie said:

He’s been gone for six months.

They skipped ahead six months?  Did they show that and I missed it or are we just supposed to figure out that much time has gone by?

[madmax]

I enjoyed this episode, but have some of the same questions:

If the USD is the currency of the Commonwealth, what is to stop some peon from finding a bunch of cash left in a bank and becoming one of the Elite?

Negan finds a woman, falls in love, gets married and gets her pregnant all within about 2 and a half months?  You go, Negan.  I don't think even six months has gone by.  Remember, the six month mark was when Daryl showed up at Hilltop with the Stormtroopers and that hasn't happened yet (next episode, I believe, based on previews).

Leah must be one super duper badass to take out all of those soldier by herself.

Mercer used up all his ammo killing walkers, then miraculously had 2 bullets to take out the skeezy guards?

Can't wait for Carol to go full Carol on Lance.

Edited March 28, 2022 by madmax

[OoohMaggie]

55 minutes ago, madmax said:

Remember, the six month mark was when Daryl showed up at Hilltop with the Stormtroopers and that hasn't happened yet (next episode, I believe, based on previews).

That’s right but there are only ten days between Negan reappearing and Daryl going to Hilltop with Lance.

Negan leaves on day +4505 and reappears on day +4680, Daryl goes to Hilltop on day +4690

There is a three month jump between  Pamala leaving Hilltop (the lucky ones) and Lance organising the ‘visit’ to the Riverbenders (Warlords)

[iMonrey]

Quote

 Didn't The Commonwealth take Princess' $2 bill when they were captured and didn't another group find a dumpster full of money or burned money?

Yes they did. Nothing about this made any sense to me. If the governor cut off her son, why don't Rosita and Daryl simply go to her and tell her what Sebastian is trying to make them do? Or do they not have access to her? What's Sebastian going to do with the cash? Buy a new car? 

And I guess Hornsby knew all about this and was OK with it? I don't get it. Why did Mercer shoot the other two guards? What did I miss?

Also, April was locked in the safe room because the power went out. Daryl gets it back on then he and Rosita go into the safe room and close the door behind them. WTF? What if they power goes out again? Then they hear the walkers and the barricade the door. WTF. How did they think they were ever going to get out of there? 

This whole heist subplot left me scratching my head.

[Morrigan2575]

I liked this episode, I've actually enjoyed this mid season block of episodes. It's nice to see TWD going out with a bang instead of a wimper.

Looks like Lance was the mastermind behind both plots but, I'm not sure how or why he got Sebastian working for him. I also don't get why paper $ is still a thing.

I guess we always knew Leah would be back, hopefully someone kills her soon.

Hershel is adorable and, I liked his scenes with Negan. Was the Killer Bill reference intentional?

[rmontro]

7 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

Didn't The Commonwealth take Princess' $2 bill when they were captured and didn't another group find a dumpster full of money or burned money? 

Ever hear those stories about people who get carted off for jail because they used a $2 bill, and they were accused of passing counterfeit money?  Because they had never heard of a $2 bill?  Even the cops hadn't heard of one.

 

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

April was locked in the safe room because the power went out. Daryl gets it back on then he and Rosita go into the safe room and close the door behind them. WTF? What if they power goes out again?

That was driving me crazy too.

[theredhead77]

5 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Also, April was locked in the safe room because the power went out. Daryl gets it back on then he and Rosita go into the safe room and close the door behind them. WTF? What if they power goes out again? Then they hear the walkers and the barricade the door. WTF. How did they think they were ever going to get out of there? 

 

2 hours ago, rmontro said:

That was driving me crazy too.

Same. But in hindsight I'm not sure they latched the door. Stupid AF to not prop it open though.

[SharonH58]

How many of this group's people died while Negan and the kid and Alice and Maggie had conversations??   Oh yeah we have plenty of time to stand around and chat.    I didn't like this episode.   

[Iguessnot]

23 hours ago, iMonrey said:

Yes they did. Nothing about this made any sense to me. If the governor cut off her son, why don't Rosita and Daryl simply go to her and tell her what Sebastian is trying to make them do? Or do they not have access to her? What's Sebastian going to do with the cash? Buy a new car? 

And I guess Hornsby knew all about this and was OK with it? I don't get it. Why did Mercer shoot the other two guards? What did I miss?

Also, April was locked in the safe room because the power went out. Daryl gets it back on then he and Rosita go into the safe room and close the door behind them. WTF? What if they power goes out again? Then they hear the walkers and the barricade the door. WTF. How did they think they were ever going to get out of there? 

This whole heist subplot left me scratching my head.

I think Mercer shot the guards because they mentioned how many people they sacrificed to get the money.

[madmax]

10 hours ago, SharonH58 said:

How many of this group's people died while Negan and the kid and Alice and Maggie had conversations??   Oh yeah we have plenty of time to stand around and chat.    I didn't like this episode.   

I was wondering how many were being killed - you could hear the gunshots - while they were just sneaking around.  At the end, they're all "we have to help these people" and there were what, 5 or 6 left?  Hilltop is bleeding residents, go there.

[iMonrey]

Quote

I think Mercer shot the guards because they mentioned how many people they sacrificed to get the money.

It seems like everyone all the way up to Hornsby knew what was going on, so why did Mercer feel the need to silence those two in particular? Who was he afraid they were going to tell?

[Iguessnot]

20 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

It seems like everyone all the way up to Hornsby knew what was going on, so why did Mercer feel the need to silence those two in particular? Who was he afraid they were going to tell?

He wasn't worried about them saying anything. He was just taking the opportunity to get rid of them. 

[Starchild]

Yeah to me it read like his version of justice in the moment.

[wmdekooning]

On 3/28/2022 at 9:57 AM, theredhead77 said:

Rick's group doesn't have their hands clean, either. One of the Talking Dead episodes they talked about that - Rick's group could easily be seen as the enemy to many of the groups they've happened upon.

I believe they were referred to as "locusts" maybe? That they destroy every community they encounter?

I was thinking that as each member of "Camp Dinner-Bell" made their way through the Commonwealth community (Looking at you  Carol!), knowing that in the end the place would wind up a smoking ruin overrun with zombies...