S05.E16: Conquer

[Pete Martell]

Maybe they meant that we were supposed to see Morgan as dangerous but he was actually very clear-headed while Rick was the dangerous one?

[CletusMusashi]

Jumping the shark.  Not good.

I'm not sure I agree. I'll take Fonzie Daryl over Crybaby Daryl any day of the week.

So is Aaron Richie? I'm guessing Carl would be Chachi... Abraham would be Ralph Malph...

Let's just hope Aaron isn't Ted McKinley.

Edited March 30, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[Constantinople]

I'm glad to see Morgan, and I hope he "sticks" around next season, but I felt a little underwhelmed by this episode:

 

• I never felt Rick, Glenn or Daryl were in any danger; I wasn't worried overly much about Aaron and I care so little about the guy who shot Glenn that I can't even remember his name
   
• The Walker Missionary position is getting a bit dull
   
• Reg & Pete were around for 1/4 of a season, so I'm not exactly shedding any tears.  Ultimately, they just felt like plot devices.
   
• The new Big Bads, the Unfair Wolves, point unloaded guns at people and host Walker Raves to set-up traps for no discernible reason (unless it's religious in nature).  No wonder ASZ has been so care free.  After CDB-ASZ take out the Wolves in Season 6, will they go after finger pistol packing 5 year olds in Season 7?
   
• The lack of specifics by CDB when discussing what's out there during Rick's Rick-free intervention was puzzling, though par for the course (such as when no one who visited the CDC called Eugene on his BS)
   
• Father Gabriel:  the mono in montotheism isn't supposed to be short for monotonous (though the Maggie-Sasha-Gabriel prayer circle was true to the characters).

 

I flip flop about whether the red poncho wearing red shirt was mildly amusing or too clever by half.

[kikismom]

Another great Carol line, to Rick again, was the one about him wanting to tell the truth:  "You want to take this place and you want to tell the truth?  You can't have both, sunshine." 

 

Sunshine!!  lol

 

 

So why did Carol make Pete a casserole?  .....  if he went after her and she killed him, there would be her casserole as proof that she went with good intentions.

[Bad Example]

I am still confused about the Glenn/Nicholas stuff. Why did Glenn go chasing after him? Why not let Nicholas become walker chow? Glenn is one of my favorites so I hate to see him run off and do something irrational.

 

I think Glenn went after him because he knows Nicholas is shify.  I think he wanted to make sure he wasn't doing something that was going to get more people killed since he's not someone who can be trusted.  Climbing the wall is suspicious, and Glenn is our White Hat.  He had to check it out.  As for not letting Nicholas become walker chow... I think Glenn's just a better person than I am.  But as much as I wanted Nicholas dead, I loved the choice Glenn made.  I was rooting for Glenn to hold on to his soul, and he did.  

 

Although, by the same token, Daryl's lack of a helmet is stupid beyond compare. 

 

Nah, he's just considerate like that!  Major crash?  He's not going to turn, his brains are already splattered all over the road.

 

Hmmm, another mini cliffhanger. Carl is maybe attempting a romance with Enid who may or may not have some kind of preliminary relationship with Jessie's and Pete's older boy. And guess who killed that older boy's dad.....

 

ooooohh..... Carl and Enid... so THAT'S why Carl didn't hear Pete downstairs!  (Bad Example:  Making things up on TV forums for over 10 years)

[kikismom]

I haven't seen it in a few years so I probably added to it in my head. 

 

This is what I meant (from the TWD Wiki):

That part where Carol urges him is when they all hear a twig snap and are "what was that?" and Glenn says was it a walker? and then they want to get going, and Carol says to Rick Do something! and he says "I am doing something! I'm keeping this group together!" (Well, except for Andrea).

[Bad Example]

Oh, also?  I *really* need to make a point of calling more people "Sunshine".

[Nashville]

One small thing I haven't seen anyone else mention (if you have, sorry).  After Carol left Pete, and he dropped her dish, he went into the other room. Normally, they would have ended the scene then. Both characters were gone from the camera. But suddenly, you heard Pete, "This isn't my house."  Now I could be wrong, because my memory's faulty - I've already forgotten how to spell my last name (again) -- but he didn't sound pissed, But, rather, dejected, depressed.  I think that was the tipping point.

Considering he was shouting it - and throwing furniture around too, judging from the sound of it - I'd say more like frustrated to the point of rage. Abusers are all about possession and control, and Pete had lost most of his. They have put him out of HIS house. They have separated him from HIS wife and HIS children. And why? Because of Them - these new people, these Outsiders who have entered what was once an ideal (to Pete) setup and screwed up EVERYTHING. Why, Jessie would never have left him if it wasn't for Rick. People on the street wouldn't be whispering behind Pete's back when he walked down the street if Rick hadn't exposed a FAMILY AFFAIR to the scrutiny of the entire town. And now Carol - Carol, this Suzie Creamcheese Junior-League wannabe, surely one of the weakest of Them - even she has to rub in his face how impotent he's has become, so that even SHE is not afraid of him???

It's NOT RIGHT.

It's NOT THE WAY THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

So, how to set things right - back to how they are SUPPOSED to be?

Simple. Everything was great before the arrival of Them.

All Pete has to do is get rid of Them, and everything will be right as rain in short order. Why, he can move right back in his house, regardless of how Jessie feels about it. What ASZhat is going to back her up against the town doctor, when they - or their kids - might be under his care or his knife next week? It 's not like they ever did before, after all.

So all Pete has to do is get rid of Them.

Especially that asshole Rick.

[CletusMusashi]

I still can't believe anybody has ever survived surgery performed by Pete. I mean, I like to drink. I like to drink a lot. But as drunk as Pete constantly is, I wouldn't even trust the guy to fry an egg. I'll bet the percentage of people who die after injuries plummets now that he's gone. And if Carol ever wants to try her hand at surgery again, she can help out the one or two that did survive by removing all the cigarette butts that he accidentally sewed up inside of them.

[kikismom]

.  I am certain that the 3 people kicked out of Alexandra are most likely the ones in charge.  But why did they not come back to Alexandra right away and take over.  Its not like they couldn't because the Alexandrians are clueless.  Or are they making their way back and picking up like minded crazies to help take over?

I think it explains the Richmond incident.

The ASZ people who just went on runs still went as far as 53 miles out; how far would they go to lose someone?

What if ASZ banished 3 people and had them taken 100 miles away and dumped?

The exiles got moving back to ASZ, Rick and group were right behind them.

When CDB were talking they first mentioned that the trip from Atlanta to Richmond took 17 days. Then they were on the road again and talked about 21 days.

The ASZhats said they exiled 3 people "last month". That would put them a week or less ahead of CDB who were just heading north when Aaron came.

[Nashville]

So, so, SO what ^^CletusMusashi^^ said.

[Nashville]

Also:

• Aaron said three people were exiled - two men and a woman.
• The walkers which attacked Rick? Two men and a woman.

Coincidence?

In this show, ain't no such thang.

P.S.: Waddaya reckon the odds are that one - or two - of the three exiles were Enid's parent(s)?

[kikismom]

I still can't believe anybody has ever survived surgery performed by Pete. I mean, I like to drink. I like to drink a lot. But as drunk as Pete constantly is, I wouldn't even trust the guy to fry an egg. I'll bet the percentage of people who die after injuries plummets now that he's gone. And if Carol ever wants to try her hand at surgery again, she can help out the one or two that did survive by removing all the cigarette butts that he accidentally sewed up inside of them.

 

 

So, so, SO what ^^CletusMusashi^^ said.

I'm out of thumbs but I had to post a LIKE for this. Aaron said they had a doctor who had done amazing things. He did not say successful things or helpful things.

Attaching an extra head on somebody would be amazing. Amazingly wrong. It's like another Seinfeldism---What do you think of the baaaaayyybeee?

• It's...really...something!
• It's breathtaking!
• It's some baby!

[ghoulina]

I entertained the idea of the Wolves being the people ASZ banished, but now I don't really think they are. At least not the original wolves. This seems like something they've been doing for a LONG time. Although, I suppose the Banished could have met up with the Wolves and bargained for their lives by promising to take them somewhere even better.

[kikismom]

ooooohh..... Carl and Enid... so THAT'S why Carl didn't hear Pete downstairs!  (Bad Example:  Making things up on TV forums for over 10 years)

My wish for the Season 6 premiere:

Judith starts talking. A lot.

[Evie]

I think it explains the Richmond incident.

The ASZ people who just went on runs still went as far as 53 miles out; how far would they go to lose someone?

What if ASZ banished 3 people and had them taken 100 miles away and dumped?

The exiles got moving back to ASZ, Rick and group were right behind them.

When CDB were talking they first mentioned that the trip from Atlanta to Richmond took 17 days. Then they were on the road again and talked about 21 days.

The ASZhats said they exiled 3 people "last month". That would put them a week or less ahead of CDB who were just heading north when Aaron came.

I thought Aaron said they exiled the three early on. Was last month said by somebody else?

[SometimesBites]

[Carol] thinks she is so bad, I would love for Olivia to catch her stealing some chocolate, and give her an ass-whipping.

So...the woman who was instrumental in taking down Terminus is not actually "bad"? Hm. She seemed quite bad at Terminus, and often seems to me to be ruthless, proactive, and practically fearless, but I suppose we all have various scales of what constitutes "bad." Maybe I'm mistaken and she's not actually strong and post-apocalyptically capable (mildly nuts, too, but who isn't?). At any rate, Carol and most of the CDB women can populate my ZA any day.

[Pete Martell]

I know Carol had medical training from Hershel but did she ever do surgery?

 

It would be nice if they had her teaching and working with some of the others like Rosita (who also seems to have basic medical training), and maybe some of the people in Alexandria, although I know that would mean Carol would not have the generic bad-ass moments that many seem to demand of her 24/7.

[kikismom]

I'll have to check Aaron's statement. There are also people saying that one of the exiled ASZhats is a woman but Deanna said it was 3 men.

 

I thought Aaron said they exiled the three early on. Was last month said by somebody else?

[JBody]

Re. the "someone is not who we think they are" quote, did anyone figure out who that was regarding? If it was about FPP squealing on CDB to Deanna and being a huge dick afterwards (especially to Sasha) that's kind of lame. I wasn't surprised by anything that little worm did during this episode.

[morgankobi]

 

Upon rewatch, I'm changing my call. Rick was directly facing Deanna (and Reg) when Deanna said, "Do it." At which point Rick turned - taking him away from facing Reg - and fired. So unless Rick was suddenly feeling all bad-hair-day homocidal and decided to pop a cap in somebody's random ass just for the hell of it, I think it's safe to say his target was Pete.

 

I wonder if TPTB consider it open enough that they can go either way. With all the gore and such, it's interesting we didn't see it at all.

 

I dunno - sometimes the shitty can get pretty gritty. ;>

 

Yeah, that's why I said "usually." Didn't want to start that discussion :)

 

 

Andrew Lincoln's a very sensual guy, so maybe it was just that, but I did wonder if that scene was supposed to be oddly sexual or not. Right down to the...spray at the end. 

 

I guess Rick finally did get some after all.

Hell, yeah he is.

 

Am I remembering wrong, or are Michonne and now Morgan the only two who have been shown to be so diligent about cleaning their weapons after kills?

[morgankobi]

Not enough likes I can give for this post, but:

5. As nicknames, I suggest that the longer-haired Unfair Wolf who talked Morgan's ass off be called Romulus, and the shorter-haired one who snuck up from behind be called Remus.

 

6. Little Red Poncho Guy got off easy, in the grand scene of Season 5 deaths. I mean, he's been rubbing leeks all over himself. Can you imagine how thrilled Gareth would have been?

 

10. I think nine is kind of a weird number to stop at.

5. Awesome and seconded

 

6. Beautiful

 

10. When I was a teacher I would make sure any tests or quizzes ended in multiples of 5, and not because of grading, just weirdness on my part. I feel you here, Cletus.

 

So how does one build a utopia? Losing the wife beaters meant losing the doctors.

 

 

Speaking of teaching, I would sometimes do a project in my Sci-Fi class where groups would create utopias. Once a week I would drop a realistic problem specific to their societies on them and they would have to deal with it. It only took a few weeks before freedom, rights, and choices were having to be taken away for the "greater good of the community." Every one of them ended up as a dystopia before long. Mwahahaha!

Edited March 30, 2015 by morgankobi

[kikismom]

I'll have to check Aaron's statement. There are also people saying that one of the exiled ASZhats is a woman but Deanna said it was 3 men.

Okay, this is weird. Deanna clearly said 3 men were exiled; Aaron just definitely said it was 2 men and 1 woman. So I am already thinking Deanna lied? Would she not want to admit she exile a woman ("effectively sentencing them to death" was her way of comparing to Rick saying he killed people).

[Pixiebomb]

I liked this episode. I think 90 minutes let them tell the story more and it didn't feel as rushed. Here are my take aways from the finale.

1. How come Arron and Daryl need to go so far out to find other survivors when FPP stumbles on a freshly eaten person whilst out on a stroll? 10 minutes earlier and that guy might have made it.

2. I hope Rick lets Deana sit there holding dead Reg until he turns. I don't think the ASZ's know that everyone is infected. That will be a nice surprise.

3. The food. The fact that these people just leave casseroles on the floor is mind boggling to me. It just shows how soft they are. The never had to eat dogs or worms. I can't wait to see them when Alexandria gets overrun which I bet is not too far in the future. There is no sanctuary.

4. Morgan - reminded me of Gandalf.

5. The Wolves- not what I expected. But so glad that my worst fears have not come true and the "W"'s do not have anything to do with political commentary on how the zombie apocalypse is all George Bush's fault.

[Raven1707]

Here are the Nielsen ratings for Season 5 in full:

 

10-12-14 “No Sanctuary” 17.3 million
10-19-14 “Strangers” 15.143 million
10-26-14 “Four Walls and a Roof” 13.801 million
11-02-14 “Slabtown” 14.518 million
11-09-14 “Self Help” 13.534 million
11-16-14 “Consumed” 14.068 million
11-23-14 “Crossed” 13.329 million
11-30-14 “Coda” 14.807 million
02-08-15 “What Happened and What’s Going On” 15.643 million
02-15-15 “Them” 12.267 million
02-22-15 “The Distance” 13.438 million
03-01-15 “Remember” 14.430 million
03-08-15 “Forget” 14.534 million
03-15-15 “Spend” 13.781 million
03-22-15 “Try” 13.757 million
03-29-15 “Conquer” 15.784 million

 

*Edited to include updated ratings for 03-29-15

Edited March 31, 2015 by Raven1707

[leisawoo]

He should've killed him because he knew they would do it to other people. He's gonna be clashing with Rick if he thinks pieces of shit like them deserve to live, which I guess was the point of the whole thing.

THIS. Rick saved countless others with his logic when he took out the termites, telling them that they would run into others and what would happen to those people.

[Boofish]

I was impressed Father Pee Pants could whistle and walk at the same time he so darn useless. 

 

Also, when Aaron was introducing himself and Darly to Morgan did anyone else say in their head "And this is my other brother Darly?" 

[Nashville]

He wants to make sure that if he crashes that he doesn't come back as a zombie, no helmet he hopes scrambles his brain.

Great.

I bet that's Production's plan if they get into a contract dispute with NR.

Daryl will spill his bike, NR will go down, and Gary Bussy will get up.

New levels of horror in TWD.

[car54]

The jacket on Daryl may have been for practical reasons---NR said on Talking Dead that it was really cold and uncomfortable when they were filming that car scene with all the zombies.

[morgankobi]

I liked this episode. I think 90 minutes let them tell the story more and it didn't feel as rushed. Here are my take aways from the finale.

1. How come Arron and Daryl need to go so far out to find other survivors when FPP stumbles on a freshly eaten person whilst out on a stroll? 10 minutes earlier and that guy might have made it.

 

So, I have been yelling about ASZ's declaration that they haven't seen anyone living or dead in quite sometime when we have seen evidence of both on multiple occasions. Since they scout and spy on people for quite a while before approaching, what would they do with someone who wandered up to the door? Act like they weren't home? Anyone who had the sense to last this long (I'm not counting FPP, and you can't make me!) would be smart enough to scale those beams and see what was inside. Plus, they've cleared the road up to the front doors-that's going to cause people to wander your way, even without maps and radio broadcasts.

[Nashville]

So, I have been yelling about ASZ's declaration that they haven't seen anyone living or dead in quite sometime when we have seen evidence of both on multiple occasions. Since they scout and spy on people for quite a while before approaching, what would they do with someone who wandered up to the door? Act like they weren't home? Anyone who had the sense to last this long (I'm not counting FPP, and you can't make me!) would be smart enough to scale those beams and see what was inside. Plus, they've cleared the road up to the front doors-that's going to cause people to wander your way, even without maps and radio broadcasts.

That would assume people are wandering in that area. Two years into the ZA, I'd expect most - not necessarily ALL, but most - people would generally be avoiding areas of (formerly) dense population, such as DC. Plus, we're talking about what is in reality a pretty small chunk of real estate - a few houses, on the back side of a subdivision, in a small off-the-beaten-path suburb. Heck, Deanna and company wouldn't have known of its existence if it weren't for some soldiers. I bet you could be walking two blocks away and miss it entirely - so long as you don't have a couple of assholes outside on the street trying to beat each other to death and raising a ruckus, that is.

[bosawks]

I'm a little disappointed that Rick and Jessie didn't knock boots.

 

I had a "She Schtupps to Conquer" joke ready and raring to go.....

[morgankobi]

FPP ran into someone freshly dead on a relatively short walk, the last/ episode before last started with a Sasha picking off a walker at night by the wall with fresh, wet blood on his mouth and chest, and that's in the last few days alone. Going to DC would likely occur to a few looking for help, so I'd guess there have been a Jehovah's witness or Amyway salesmen or two in the past year and a half. (There'a also way too much wooded area portrayed around ASZ for a development that close to DC, but it doesn't matter since everyone and their brother from ASZ and CDB is wandering around out there.)

 

But the fun is speculating what they would do with a knock on the door, assuming it's actually closed and someone is actually guarding it.

Edited March 30, 2015 by morgankobi

[Ohwell]

Even with Abraham, it took leaving a woman to die and said woman knocking one of them on their ass to get them to wake up, and even then, it was iffy.

Yes.  I'm not saying it would have been easy to convince all the Alexandrians but I do think they would have come around.  I just think Rick & Co. could have done a better job of trying to convince them.  Beats waving a gun around like a raging lunatic. 

[Canada]

Can someone clarify for me... did Rick shoot Pete or Reg?  I assumed Pete, but then I thought maybe he'd shot Reg to stop him from coming back.  I wonder if the Alexandria-ites (no idea what to call them!!) are even aware that the dead come back, even if they're not bit by a walker.

[RazzleberryPie]

 

Thrilled to see Morgan back, but I`m a little worried. This show just lost its last black guy, and we all know how that works...

 

I volunteer FPP as Tribute.

I'm confused about one thing: are we supposed to have feelings about Red Poncho?

Little Red Riding Hood being thrown to the wolves? He might know how to repel mosquitoes, but seriously, get some camo instead of waving a red cape in front of a bunch of angry bulls.

 

My longest-running problem with TWD has always been the dialogue. This is not how real people talk. The writers think they're being profound and capturing an older way of speaking that used to be more common in the south, but it just doesn't work. That meeting at the end was so damn frustrating because...no one talks like that. No one communicates in so many half sentences that are as vague as possible. "The things we've seen....terrible things....things you haven't seen..." Jesus. EXPLAIN. Tell them very specifically about the things, about Terminus and the Governor, tell them about how Grady operated, tell them about the biker gang that almost raped Carl. Tell them how Lori had to have her baby cut out of her and Carl had to put her down. Tell them about Noah's community and the Unfair Wolves. Tell them about how everyone is already infected. Use your words.

 

But, you know, that means the characters might actually resolve shit every now and then so why bother?

 

Morgan's found Rick and Glenn didn't die so I'm happy enough.

 

Oh, YES. Why have they not told Deanna that they've seen zombie gladiators, cannibals who feed people their own legs, child rapists, disease, eating dog food, etc. First thing I'd scream is "ONE CRAZY GROUP BEHEADED MY DAD AND ANOTHER ATE PEOPLE."

 

For a second, I thought Daryl and Aaron being in that car was going to turn into a fanfic moment. "There's gotta be something in here we can use to cover the windows!" "Yeah... our clothes."

 

And Glenn letting Nicholas live. No. Just no. There are times to take the high road and then there are times when you kill an asshole who's a genuine threat to you and others. 

I so wanted those two to fall in love at that moment. Glenn has seen too much to be that nice.

 

Aaron's hand was bleeding, from a scratch? I wonder if Glenn got bit, too. Since nobody meaningful died last night, I expect a slaughter in the season opener. Once again, I volunteer FPP.

[ikmccall]

There were mattresses tied to the walls of the trailers. I imagine that was to deaden the sound of them lurching around inside.

The zombies don't always move around, Without some kind of stimulus, they go into an almost fugue state.  Remember the cafe in "Clear"? The zombies were just sitting there until MIchonne and Carl sent in the caged rat on the skateboard.

[diebartdie]

Eh, who cares about the American dream. The ASZ: Come for the promise of the American dream. Stay for the infrastructure and booze.

Now that Dr Drunky Drunk is a limp porch dick, there will be SO MUCH MORE alcohol! Cheers everyone! Have a drink on me! Or on Pete rather. Or hell, do shots off Rick's butt, its all FREEEEEEE!!!!

[walnutqueen]

I entertained the idea of the Wolves being the people ASZ banished, but now I don't really think they are. At least not the original wolves. This seems like something they've been doing for a LONG time. Although, I suppose the Banished could have met up with the Wolves and bargained for their lives by promising to take them somewhere even better.

 

Re: the Banished.  Two men and a woman that Aaron brought in early on.   Davidson was their leader - he was smart as hell and strong.  They didn't work out.  Drove them out - far - and left them with a day's food & water but no guns.  The two Wolves Morgan met didn't seem that right.  :-)

 

Speaking of Morgan - where the hell did he get those mad stick skills?  They certainly weren't evident the two times we saw him with Rick.  Although he was shown to e a clever and resourceful fellow the second time ...

[Cthulhudrew]

Also I hope Glenn wasn't bitten (I keep thinking of Bob).

 

And I always have one foot in real life so I feel kind of bad for the dude playing Nicholas. Hard to picture him getting much love at Comic con. 

 

Unintentional humor is gud. lol :D

[SoSueMe]

Unintentional humor is gud. lol :D

Oh wow, haha, totally unintentional, I promise.

[Guest]

I wonder if TPTB consider it open enough that they can go either way. With all the gore and such, it's interesting we didn't see it at all.

 

I don't think any ambiguity was intended.  I think the absence of seeing the gore of Pete's death was because there was no way to film it without destroying the intent of the scene.

 

Pete was inconsequential.  He was a tool that Rick and Carol wound up and set loose so Rick could eliminate a threat to prove to the rest that they had to change so he could save them.  Carol literally whispered "not now" to stop Rick from taking Pete down before he hurt someone.  Then Rick waited.  He made Deanna order the kill because he needed her on board to get everyone else on board.

 

That then worked out nicely for Morgan's return.  Because Morgan literally sees Rick kill on command.  No hesitation or speechifying.  He gets an order and puts one bullet in the head of a man who is on the ground and subdued.  Rick is back in his pre-ASZ look covered in gore reminiscent of when he tore out Joe's throat and that is what is supposed to be horrifying.  No Pete gore needed. 

 

And when Rick looks, up we realize we are seeing everything from Morgan's perspective now.  And Morgan's perspective isn't about the man on the ground.  Its about Rick Grimes who he has been searching for because the world needs men like Rick Grimes and when Morgan was cray cray, Rick had found his family and was mostly sane despite Lori's death.  Rick likely sparked Morgan's turnaround and gave him hope.  Except that Rick is gone.

Edited March 31, 2015 by ParadoxLost

[TexasChic]

In the conversation being played, when Rick was getting ready to go to the meeting.

 

"This world vs the Real World"

 

Was that between him and Bob, I couldn't remember...anyone know?

Yes, that conversation was between Rick and Bob. I noticed Rick and Michonne had a similar conversation (Rick asked if Deanna was smart for 'before' or smart 'now', and Michonne said "This is now", or something to that effect). I want to say there was another conversation like this, but I'm not sure.

 

Something that keeps coming back to me, as easy as Enid has been able to get in and out by scaling the walls, how long would it take the Wolves (or anyone else for that matter) to get in there once they discover the place? And how stupid do you have to be to not realized a complete breakdown in society means you have to take measures to protect yourself from murder and mayhem? 

 

And add me to the group squeed when Morgan mentioned the Buffy musical. 

  

Edited March 31, 2015 by TexasChic

[maystone]

I don't think any ambiguity was intended.  I think the absence of seeing the gore of Pete's death was because there was no way to film it without destroying the intent of the scene.

 

Pete was inconsequential.  He was a tool that Rick and Carol wound up and set loose so Rick could eliminate a threat to prove to the rest that they had to change so he could save them.  Carol literally whispered "not now" to stop Rick from taking Pete down before he hurt someone.  Then Rick waited.  He made Deanna order the kill because he needed her on board to get everyone else on board.

 

That then worked out nicely for Morgan's return.  Because Morgan literally sees Rick kill on command.  No hesitation or speechifying.  He gets an order and puts one bullet in the head of a man who is on the ground and subdued.  Rick is back in his pre-ASZ look covered in gore reminiscent of when he tore out Joe's throat and that is what is supposed to be horrifying.  No Pete gore needed. 

 

And when Rick looks, up we realize we are seeing everything from Morgan's perspective now.  And Morgan's perspective isn't about the man on the ground.  Its about Rick Grimes who he has been searching for because the world needs men like Rick Grimes and when Morgan was cray cray, Rick had found his family and was mostly sane despite Lori's death.  Rick likely sparked Morgan's turnaround and gave him hope.  Except that Rick is gone.

 

I agree with everything in your post except for that last sentence. That Rick isn't gone, although it does look that way out of context. Morgan from Clear didn't instantaneously become Morgan the Merciful with Rick's visit. Something else major must have happened to create the Morgan we're seeing now. I'm hoping that whatever that was is so deeply ingrained in Morgan that seeing Rick acting like an executioner won't suddenly flip the switch back an iteration.

[maystone]

As much as I think that Glenn is at the moral center of CDB, I don't think it was just his sense of mercy that kept him from killing Nick. When he followed Nick over the wall, the town meeting hadn't happened yet. All he knew was that Rick (and by extension the whole family) was in danger of being banished out of ASZ's fear that they were psycho killers. He had to bring Nick back alive; if he showed up bloody and alone, with no Nick to be found after the two of them being in a very public feud, it would have absolutely turned the town against them.

 

I'm very afraid that Glenn was bitten. We got off too easy in the finale. I think all of those proverbial grains of shit are going to hit the fan in a big way when the show comes back. TPTB killed off a main character when 5b premiered; there's a precedent now. I don't want Glenn to die! I actually bolted upright and yelled, "Glenn! No!" when the walkers piled on. (Fortunately my landlady, who lives in the apartment beneath mine, is really hard of hearing.) I just can't see how he got out of that walker pile untouched.

 

The Wolves have a picture of Rick and Carl. I just … my heart sunk. Thanks, Michonne! You had to make a big deal out of the fact that the ASZ promo package didn't have any people pics. Well, now they do. Nice work! All right, I don't really blame her, but damn.

[Hava]

Unpopular opinion here, but I don't really care for Glenn and am completely annoyed at his nine lives/near-miss deaths. How did Glenn manage to fight off three walkers with a hurt shoulder? And why don't the walkers ever go for our heroes' feet? I actually hope that it will turn out that Glenn was bitten or else I'll be disappointed in this show's writing (once again).

 

I don't know why, but I wasn't all that excited to see Morgan. I loved his character the first season and really wanted him to join Rick's group, but I guess since it's been so long the connection between Rick and Morgan feels unfamiliar to me.

 

And someone has got to say it, but I LOVE crazy Rick. I really really hope Morgan showing up doesn't bring Rick back from the brink. His character is so much more interesting and, yes, so much sexier when he doesn't really give a shit. 

 

Also, does the show always have post-credit scenes?? If so, I really need to go back and watch the show from the beginning. 

Edited March 31, 2015 by Hava

[Dodginblue]

I hope Morgan isn't going to become the new Tyreese, the guy who just does not want to accept that there are people who need killing in the ZA.  For example, he didn't take out the two wolves and red poncho man paid the price, yes?  I laughed when he told Aaron and Daryl that he rescued them because all life is precious, the way both of them had the same expression... uh...ohhkkay...Zen Master Morgan. 

 

I get why Father Gabriel has a death wish, what I didn't get is why he wanted it to come at the hands of a walker and end up being turned himself.  Happy to see that he gets the concept of taking them out.  I don't think we've seen him put down a walker before that scene, at least from what I remember.  That noose was handy. 

 

Good to see everyone in the group get a few moments on screen.  

[Guest]

The Wolves have a picture of Rick and Carl. I just … my heart sunk. Thanks, Michonne! You had to make a big deal out of the fact that the ASZ promo package didn't have any people pics. Well, now they do. Nice work! All right, I don't really blame her, but damn.

 

What they have is a very non threatening photo of a father and son.  Won't they be surprised when they figure out exactly who they are going to be messing with.  I hope there is a nice snapshot of sweet as pie Carol in there.

[candall]

Am I the only one who thinks killing alcoholic wife-beater Cutthroat Pete was a really stupid thing to do?  Dr. Herschel, DVM:  dead.  The doc in Atlanta made Beth kill the only other doc in Atlanta.   The prison doc hacked up a lung.  Bob at least knew the pharmaceutical lingo, but. . .

 

Carol needs to drag in some walker corpses and start practicing appendectomies.

[Dodginblue]

Am I the only one who thinks killing alcoholic wife-beater Cutthroat Pete was a really stupid thing to do?  Dr. Herschel, DVM:  dead.  The doc in Atlanta made Beth kill the only other doc in Atlanta.   The prison doc hacked up a lung.  Bob at least knew the pharmaceutical lingo, but. . .

 

Carol needs to drag in some walker corpses and start practicing appendectomies.

 

I'm not sure I'd want Carol performing any kind of medical procedures on me.  Rosita seemed to be taking care of Tara, maybe Pete left some medical books around and she can do a crash course and become the group's medic.  Or Eugene, he can do the diagnosing and someone else do the actual treatments.

 

I think what they might need more than anything is a dentist.  I keep waiting for someone to have a toothache or have a crown fall out or something.  But then I watched Cast Away a few nights ago so that's probably what made me think of it.