S05.E16: Conquer - Pre-Air Speculation and Live Chat

[Raven1707]

This is the point in the week when I usually start to get impatient for the next episode: I've pretty much caught up with the comments, the transcript is done, and I've watched the previous episode 7 or 8 times. Except now I'm thinking about how lost I'll feel this time next week, with Season 5 in the books, when the stark reality of facing 7+ months without my favorite show begins to sink in...

 

It's gonna be a long summer.

[kj4ever]

This is the point in the week when I usually start to get impatient for the next episode: I've pretty much caught up with the comments, the transcript is done, and I've watched the previous episode 7 or 8 times. Except now I'm thinking about how lost I'll feel this time next week, with Season 5 in the books, when the stark reality of facing 7+ months without my favorite show begins to sink in...

 

It's gonna be a long summer.

As someone who binged watched seasons 1-4 last July it was hell waiting until October for the new season.  I don't know how the peeps that started watching from the beginning deal with all this waiting....grrrr

[Maverick]

Here is your pre-air and discussion thread for the FINAL EPISODE OF SEASON 5: Conquer. This thread will remain open until 10:00 pm Sunday night, after which you can all mosey on over to the actual episode thread S05.E16: Conquer to continue discussions.

 

Don't forget, the season 5 finale is 90 minutes long. That's right, 1.5 hours of Walking Dead goodness, so don't forget to set your DVRs/PVRs accordingly to make sure you don't miss a single second!

 

As always, please be respectful and courteous in your posts, please tag any spoilers - comic or otherwise -  and overall, enjoy!

 

 So we can't discuss the last half hour?  is this some ploy to make us pay attention to the details rather than snark?  What is this, some nanny safe zone?  

[HalcyonDays]

 So we can't discuss the last half hour?  is this some ploy to make us pay attention to the details rather than snark?

 

Shit, you're right. Copy and paste, man. I remembered to put the reminder about the 90 min episode, but forgot to update my C+P from last weeks episode. Thanks for catching that. Phew! Fixed.

 

What is this, some nanny safe zone?

 

It may have to be. I can only imagine the tears that are going to be dripping onto people's keyboards by 10:30 pm EST Sunday night. It won't be pretty.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Maybe that's what Cudlitz meant about people being mad after this episode... FPP will still be living.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

As someone who binged watched seasons 1-4 last July it was hell waiting until October for the new season.  I don't know how the peeps that started watching from the beginning deal with all this waiting....grrrr

 

HA!   You think that's bad, I binge watched Season's 1-5A from early-to-mid January and it felt like almost forever before 5B started up again on 2/8.

Edited March 28, 2015 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[TexasChic]

My friends are predicting they're going to kill Daryl. My guess is if they do go this route, they will make it look like he died, only to have him miraculously turn up alive later. If they don't, they're missing a golden opportunity to drive fans out of their freaking minds and create a ridiculous amount of publicity. I know it's been done, but I still think it's a move they can't pass up. Whatever happens, I can't wait until tomorrow night!!!

Edited March 28, 2015 by TexasChic

[lulee]

My friends are predicting they're going to kill Daryl. My guess is if they do go this route, they will make it look like he died, only to have him miraculously turn up alive later. If they don't, they're missing a golden opportunity to drive fans out of their freaking minds and create a ridiculous amount of publicity. I know it's been done, but I still think it's a move they can't pass up. Whatever happens, I can't wait until tomorrow night!!!

It will be so sad at the end of Sunday's episode when Rick and Carl stumble upon Darryl's bloody carseat.

[mandolin]

It will be so sad at the end of Sunday's episode when Rick and Carl stumble upon Darryl's bloody carseat.

That made me laugh!

I do think that spec is decent, especially from a "shocking" point of view. Eta: especially since NR is on Talking Dead.

Edited March 28, 2015 by mandolin

[weightyghost]

 

My guess is if they do go this route, they will make it look like he died, only to have him miraculously turn up alive later.

 

I can hear the fanfics being written as we speak/type.

 

Cut to season 6 premiere when Beth and Daryl show up hand in hand. THE WALKING DEAD - WEDDING SPECIAL. 

[JackONeill]

I can hear the fanfics being written as we speak/type.

 

Cut to season 6 premiere when Beth and Daryl show up hand in hand. THE WALKING DEAD - WEDDING SPECIAL. 

And they go to Hawaii!!! All shows go to a Hawaii at a point, and what a better way to celebrate Daryl and Beth's wedding. And we all know who'll be performing the music.

And, as a two-fer, Rick and Jessie will tie the knot.

[CletusMusashi]

I think Eugene is going to die. He's had a redemption arc, and the last thing the writers want to keep on the show is somebody who can keep electricity running. 

I also think it's looking bad for Sasha. Although if Sasha dies, expect her to take out a few million bad guys and/or zombies along the way.

Gabriel, I fear, is either going to survive, or he's going take up 90 per cent of the episode dying, because the writers seem to think he's fascinating.

I also think that both Daryl and Abraham will dye, but that's a whole 'nother thing.

[kj4ever]

[TexasChic]

At this point I think it would be less predictable if someone didn't die. The only deaths that would truly shock me would be Rick, Carl or Judith, and only because it's too soon.

I mean, I still love the show, but it's been getting to easy to predict what's about to happen lately.

Edited March 28, 2015 by TexasChic

[CletusMusashi]

Michonne would shock me, because she's too popular to kill off. 

Same with Daryl. Plus, they can torture Daryl all they want by killing Aaron or Carol.

Carol would shock me because she's my favorite character. Plus, I haven't sen any obvious vultures circling her, the way they usually do with main characters.

Glenn would piss me off, but wouldn't shock me, because they've shown him finally growing into the leader role that he was meant to. It would be a tragic story arc, but it would be a story arc. As opposed to "one day Carl was walking down the street and a zombie ate him" or something random like that.

Maggie would shock me, because there hasn't been as much buildup on her character as with Glenn. The only in-story way for Magie's death to "make sense" would be if she confronted FPP and he killed her, and, come on. Maggie could kill him in her sleep, and he knows it.

Tara could happen, although I hope not. Abraham or Rosita could happen, but probably not both. More angsty if one of them survives. 

Rick, Carl, and Carl's Hat will never die.

I think Judith is safe until she starts walking. Right now she's an easy way to slow the other characters down, for scenes where you want half a dozen zombies to still seem threatening. Once she has to be corralled, it's a whole new game, though.

And of course Morgan will live, because he's still walking through Georgia, far, far away from CDB. 

[paigow]

I think Judith is safe until she starts walking.... 

...Because Hardwick could not handle twin / triplet babies on Talking Dead

[Zaps325]

I fear that Michonne will die, simply because she has become the new resident moral compass. The moral compasses always day. See Dale, Herschel, and Tyreese.

[paigow]

And they go to Hawaii!!! All shows go to a Hawaii at a point, and what a better way to celebrate Daryl and Beth's wedding. And we all know who'll be performing the music.

And, as a two-fer, Rick and Jessie will tie the knot.

Or Honeymoon In Vegas - Daryl has to join "The Dying Elvises"

[Mu Shu]

Being shot point blank in the head is no longer fatal? I'm glad I don't frequent what ever looney bin that comes from. 

 

It's also interesting that the current description doesn't mention things coming to a head, or anything similar. It's a pretty mild description that could actually have described the last episode as well.

Well, Jessco White did burn out one whole cell of his brain sniffing aeroplane glue from a samrich bag,  so It's possible Beth only lost one cell of her brain, and is existing just as well as Jessco.    They just blew out the part that doesn't sing, so she's fine, but a little disfigured.

Edited March 28, 2015 by Mu Shu

[Watcher0363]

Well, Jessco White did burn out one whole cell of his brain sniffing aeroplane glue from a samrich bag,  so It's possible Beth only lost one cell of her brain, and is existing just as well as Jessco.    They just blew out the part that doesn't sing, so she's fine, but a little disfigured.

The people at Grady had Lucy drugs. When Beth reanimated because she had 100% use of her brain, she was able to function. so well in fact she went back to Grady to work on a cure for the Zombie plague. We will see her in the second half of season 7.

[Caelicola]

I've come to the conclusion that the only member of CDB I wouldn't mind biting it (or being bitten...) is FFPP (the extra F stands for fucking, reader's choice on which one of the two it is...).

There are characters I genuinely love and would be heartbroken to lose (Carol, Michonne, Sasha, Glenn, Rick); characters who I think have a lot of potential storylines in them and whose lost potential would sadden me (Maggie, Rosita, Tara, Carl, Daryl); characters whose loss would devastate another character I like (that's pretty much just Abraham, I don't want to see Rosita sad); characters who I don't care very much about, but Josh McDermitt is so adorable I don't want him to be out of a job (so yeah, that's Eugene).

Some characters cover more than one of these categories.

There are other categories, less important to my enjoyment of the show.

The only categories FPP covers are hot men I want to ogle and last black man standing, and sorry, that's not enough.

I don't necessarily WANT him to die; but if someone has to, he's the one I can take dying.

Now watch them kill Glenn and break my heart forever. (I'm not even a little bit dramatic about this).

[ParadoxLost]

My friends are predicting they're going to kill Daryl. My guess is if they do go this route, they will make it look like he died, only to have him miraculously turn up alive later. If they don't, they're missing a golden opportunity to drive fans out of their freaking minds and create a ridiculous amount of publicity. I know it's been done, but I still think it's a move they can't pass up. Whatever happens, I can't wait until tomorrow night!!!

Then NR already killed the suspense. I swear I saw a post filming interview where he said he'd left AL's beard in his fridge in Georgia. If he's off the show, he's not leaving that behind therefore Daryl lives.

[lulee]

Then NR already killed the suspense. I swear I saw a post filming interview where he said he'd left AL's beard in his fridge in Georgia. If he's off the show, he's not leaving that behind therefore Daryl lives.

Making this the hopefully only time that a castmember's haircut might be a spoiler foiler.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

• "ZOMG!!!  I can't believe they just actually went there!!" shocking = Carl or Rick
• "Wow.  That's a huge surprise!" shocking = Daryl, Michonne, Carol, Glenn or Judith
• "Now that is a big surprise!" shocking = Jessie, Sam, Maggie, Abe, Rosita or Aaron
• "Why the F are they still alive!?!?" shocking = FPP, Pete or Dickless (or as he's known to you, Nicholas)
• "Umm, that's supposed to be surprising?" shocking = everyone else, not already listed

 

^  That's my own personal run down on the possible upcoming death "shock values".

[kikismom]

I thought it was interesting that Gale Ann Hurd made a comment on TTD that when hiring Riggs it was so good that he wasn't interested in growing up to be an athlete or whatever; she said that he was "committed". I couldn't decide if that was reassuring that he wouldn't die, misdirection because he would die, or just irrelevant fluff.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

I thought it was interesting that Gale Ann Hurd made a comment on TTD that when hiring Riggs it was so good that he wasn't interested in growing up to be an athlete or whatever; she said that he was "committed". I couldn't decide if that was reassuring that he wouldn't die, misdirection because he would die, or just irrelevant fluff.

 

Considering its one of the 3 things I (wish I didn't) know about the comics;  I think its more about the first option listed, on Carl's 'prognosis'.

[lulee]

While GAH's statement could be read as indicating Carl's longevity, I just took it as her saying she knew they'd picked the right young actor who wasn't going to want to quit after a year or two, and it's obviously been more than that now.

[Tippi Blevins]

I think I have the wariest feeling about Glenn and/or Maggie biting it. Glenn could get offed by asshole Nicholas with Chekhov's Blender Gun. Maggie could confront asshole Gabriel about his tattling, and he could end up killing her to protect his own miserable congregation-killing hide. On the one hand, it would be kind of obvious for Glenn to die that way. On the other hand... I don't have a counter.

 

On a shallow note, I hope Deanna's surviving son doesn't die just because I'd like to look at him some more next season.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Tippi Blevins

[Nashville]

My bet is on Reg biting it. Nothing against the actor OR the character - but I get the vibe (a) Deanna has a tendency at times to drink her own Kool-Aid, and (b) on such occasions, Reg becomes the governor on her behavior and brings her back down to earth. Lose Reg on top of losing her son, and I can see Deanna going all kinds of interesting medieval Machiavellian cray-cray.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

My bet is on Reg biting it. Nothing against the actor OR the character - but I get the vibe (a) Deanna has a tendency at times to drink her own Kool-Aid, and (b) on such occasions, Reg becomes the governor on her behavior and brings her back down to earth. Lose Reg on top of losing her son, and I can see Deanna going all kinds of interesting medieval Machiavellian cray-cray.

 

They listened to the "run mix" after Aiden died.  What will they do if Reg doesn't make it?   Will she read out of an architectural manual, to her surviving son, by way of masquerading as a bedtime story??

[Haleth]

I had a terrible thought when I was awake at 2am:  The writers wouldn't break our hearts by having Noah turn up at the gates as a walker, would they?  It was hard to see Hershel's walker head some time ago, I don't want to see sweet, chewed up Noah at the wall.  :(

[car54]

Well I certainly hope this is not linked to the finale.

 

http://uproxx.com/tv/2015/03/oh-s-norman-reedus-from-the-walking-dead-is-selling-his-atlanta-area-home/

[MrsRafaelBarba]

I had a terrible thought when I was awake at 2am:  The writers wouldn't break our hearts by having Noah turn up at the gates as a walker, would they?  It was hard to see Hershel's walker head some time ago, I don't want to see sweet, chewed up Noah at the wall.  :(

Judging from the shots of the jaw ripping and Glenn's reaction, there was nothing left

of poor Noah to reanimate.

[SoSueMe]

I can't help but think that it will be highly unfair if I don't get to see any wolves.....

[Rosiejuliemom]

This is the point in the week when I usually start to get impatient for the next episode: I've pretty much caught up with the comments, the transcript is done, and I've watched the previous episode 7 or 8 times. Except now I'm thinking about how lost I'll feel this time next week, with Season 5 in the books, when the stark reality of facing 7+ months without my favorite show begins to sink in...

 

It's gonna be a long summer.

 

The summer hiatus is usually when I binge re-watch and come up with wildly inaccurate theories for the upcoming season based on background shots from the farm and wonder why so many of the female walkers are wearing dresses instead of being dressed like Maggie, Carol, and Sasha.

 

At least Walking Dead's hiatus isn't as bad as Sherlock's. That wait is seriously damaging my calm.

[AllyS]

Coming out of lurkdom again to say...Boy are you folks prolific! Everything I wanted to say in Try was already stated so no sense circa ling that drain. I am excited and apprehensive for tonight. We'll need the 90 minutes to make up for the endless commercials. I am keeping an open mind, but I am not spoiler free. I am just dreading the 7 month hiatus and hope the new WD companion show does not disappoint. 

 

Right now I am doing the re-watch with the all day marathon. RIP so many folks, here's to who makes it out alive, or doesn't tonight. BTW, we're having a WD "party" this afternoon/evening. I may be as crocked as Pete by tonight's airtime! LOL!

[AllyS]

Oh and I need to add that i desperately hope FPP meets the ghost tonight, watching Coda right now and I need no reminder that he needs to go TONIGHT! That clip with him leaving the gates in a white shirt, should have been a red shirt since this is how I've viewed him.

[kikismom]

I can't help but think that it will be highly unfair if I don't get to see any wolves.....

Your comment made me think of the original fable, where the houses made of straw, or sticks, can be taken down but the houses made of brick are safe from the Big bad Wolf.

Maybe that's why some people get the houses built with timber and Deanna gets the brick row house. Now who's Unfair?

[HalcyonDays]

Hey everyone. Just a heads up that for tonight's episode, we have created a second thread to discuss the episode itself, while allowing comic spoilers and comic discussion to take place. As I mentioned, this is a trial run to see how much interest there is for having a thread like this for season 6.

 

The thread is: S05.E16: Conquer - Episode Discussion with Comic Spoilers. As with the regular episode thread, this one will open tonight at 10:20pm.

 

For the conditions of this trial run, refer to my post here. Hope everyone enjoys tonight's insanity!

[kikismom]

Coming out of lurkdom again to say...Boy are you folks prolific! Everything I wanted to say in Try was already stated so no sense circa ling that drain. I am excited and apprehensive for tonight.

 

You need Red Bull and goofballs to keep up with us! :-) 

I feel like a kid waiting to open my Christmas presents; very excited tempered by the knowledge of the inevitable let-down when it is over.

Oh and I need to add that i desperately hope FPP meets the ghost tonight, watching Coda right now and I need no reminder that he needs to go TONIGHT! That clip with him leaving the gates in a white shirt, should have been a red shirt since this is how I've viewed him.

I'm watching the marathon as well, wondering if Noah's last thought was Actually, staying back at Grady Hospital would not have been so bad.

[CletusMusashi]

They listened to the "run mix" after Aiden died.  What will they do if Reg doesn't make it?   Will she read out of an architectural manual, to her surviving son, by way of masquerading as a bedtime story??

Or they'll just find somebody who looks and sounds like him. Maybe break out some old "Spin City" DVDs.

[lulee]

Right now I am doing the re-watch with the all day marathon. RIP so many folks, here's to who makes it out alive, or doesn't tonight.

I've only been able to rewatch a couple episodes during the marathon, but it made me wish that there was a supercut video of all the talk this season of "good people" and not good people. From the Termites talking about being the butcher or the cattle ... to Bob on his deathbed telling Rick that until the prison, he had given up on finding good people ... to the ASZ folks ... and FPP's pronouncements about CDB, there was a lot of such talk this season and I wonder if it could point me to a direction the story's heading tonight.

[SoSueMe]

Oh lord, she's singing on the marathon.

[CletusMusashi]

This is going to be a long, sleepless night. I work late, so I won't be able to finish watching until one. Then, I'll probably have 20 new forum pages to start catching up on! Until then, all I can do is speculate, and think about what they've shown us so far...

 

Previously on AMC's "The Walking Dead:"

 

Deanna: Let's listen to some of Aiden's music.

Reg: But  why would you choose something that you think is loud and annoying?

Deanna: What better way to remember how we all felt about him?

 

Glenn: Nicholas panicked, disobeyed clear safety instructions, and endangered the whole group, resulting in death.

Nicholas: Nuh uh. I'm rubber, you're glue. Deanna! Glenn is a big dumb poopy head!

Deanna: I'm a great poker player, so... you're both grounded! There.

Nicholas: (Fondles Rick's stolen gun.)

 

Carol: I'm the toughest kid on the playground. Go steal me some chocolate!

Sam: Will you kill my daddy? He's a porch dick.

Carol: Trust me, kid, the writers are way ahead of ya.

 

Coral: Hi. I like stalking girls in the woods and talking about knives.

Enid: And the sad part? Still the coolest boy in this town. Wanna hide in a tree trunk together?

Coral: Sure, what's the worst that could happen?

(Zombie herd runs through, followed by Sasha blasting 10,000 rounds of ammunition.)

Sasha: I'm going crazy!

Michonne: There are still people who care about you, though. Rosita and I are here.

Rosita: Wait.. really? Yay! Screen time!

 

Deanna: (At grave site,) Assholes to ashes, douche to dust...

Rick: Hey, apparently there's some domestic violence going on. Can we bring back capitol punishment?

Deanna: Are you a real cop? (Mumbling to self,) I really need to start screening these people better. I'll bet Eugene wasn't a real astronaut either.

 

Aaron: I found some people. Oh, and, look. Ritual sacrifice.

Daryl: Well, it's a good thing I came along to figure out if they're bad guys or not.

 

Morgan: (Sitting in recliner, smoking pipe and reading "War and Peace,") I really will be there soon. I promise. So... just go ahead and kill Father Pee Pants, okay?

 

Rick: Me Batman. You Jane.

Pete: Me HULK!

(Huge fight scene.)

Rick: (Covered in blood, dirt, and broken glass,) You people are weak, and stupid, and don't know anything about safety! This guy has to die! That's why I'm waving a loaded gun at everybody except him!"

Michonne: (CONK!) 

Every single other character: Why did I never think of that before?

[SoSueMe]

I'm watching the marathon and just realized how terrific the opening theme is. I guess I have been ignoring it for a while. That lone walker in the wheat field really hits me hard.

[Rosiejuliemom]

I'm watching the marathon and just realized how terrific the opening theme is. I guess I have been ignoring it for a while. That lone walker in the wheat field really hits me hard.

 

The opening theme is really good. Atmospheric and sets the tone well. Pretty much all of the background music is good. Bear McCreary is an incredible composer. The Hand, which underscored Shane's beatdown of Ed in season 1 still gives me chills.

[SimoneS]

Wow, I came in the thread to see what was going on and you all are already on page 2. I really hope no one dies from Rick's group tonight. I don't think that my heart could take it.

[mandolin]

The opening theme is really good. Atmospheric and sets the tone well. Pretty much all of the background music is good. Bear McCreary is an incredible composer. The Hand, which underscored Shane's beatdown of Ed in season 1 still gives me chills.

.

I really wish they'd release the instrumental score. (And so does Bear McCreary judging by stuff he posts.)

[Too Late Kev]

 

FPP gets my vote for the big "buh-bye" tonight, too. That said...why didn't FPP just stand up when he was on the rock? He's practically reclining, and his bare hand is pretty close to the edge. C'mon, walkers, just step to the left a bit and scratch that hand but good!

Edited March 29, 2015 by HalcyonDays
Put pic in spoiler tags - easier to scroll.

[TexasChic]

Watching the marathon, I just caught Abraham's "WHO"S DEANNA!!!" that I've heard people talking about, but didn't catch the first time around. That was pretty hilarious. Can't wait for tonight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2015 by HalcyonDays
Put pic in spoiler tags because easier to scroll and because My GAWD!, that is a disgusting thing to scroll and see without warning!! :')