S09.E02: The Bridge

[nodorothyparker]

Airdate 2018.10.14

Quote

The communities join forces to restore a bridge to link up communication and trade.  Someone is gravely injured at the construction site.

[nodorothyparker]

Reminder: This thread is for discussion of the episode.   DO NOT talk about spoilers here.   That includes what may or may not be in the comics or news about casting comings and goings.  Discussion of that can be found in the Spoilers and Speculation thread.

[AimingforYoko]

Damn, Enid went Civil War medic on poor Aaron. That arm was gnarly as hell.

Carol and the King are ridiculously cute. 

Spoiler

Please don't go with his comic book ending.

[SimoneS]

I am enjoying this season. This was another good episode until the end with "it" who shall not be named. Rick's naivety seems over the top. Michonne's too. If the law says that people who murder people should be executed, are they going to demand an exception for "it" for Carl?

I like Maggie as the leader of the Hilltop. Although I still think that these separate communities is hurting the show. 

Poor Aaron. At least, he is still alive. I don't think that Saddiq could have done much better. The arm was crushed. 

I am usually ambivalent about Carol, but she and Ezekiel are cute together. I have no use for Jadis, but I am happy for Gabriel since he apparently has use for her. Ha.

I would like to give whoever is "taking out" the saviors a cookie, but it is more likely that they are probably all hiding out, plotting to kill Rick, and take over.

Edited October 15, 2018 by SimoneS

[Butless]

1 minute ago, AimingforYoko said:

Damn, Enid went Civil War medic on poor Aaron. That arm was gnarly as hell.

Carol and the King are ridiculously cute. 

  Hide contents

Please don't go with his comic book ending.

Legit laughed at the "Wut??!" reaction to Doc Enid's diagnosis.

[Morrigan2575]

The two most interesting things to me are: #1 Michonne wanting to create rules/laws...I love Civics & History (my two favorite subjects).

#2 this whole Murder/Mystery plot. What's happening to the missing Saviors? Someone out for Revenge? Is Justin a red herring? He knew his assistant. Were they taken by the new bad guys?

As for the rest, Aaron's arm was nasty, didn't need to see that. Ezekiel is totally going to die this season. Sooooo many death anvils ?

[patty1h]

Was that a shooting star or a plane that Ann saw?  My old eyes couldn't tell.

[AngelaHunter]

4 minutes ago, patty1h said:

Was that a shooting star or a plane that Ann saw?  My old eyes couldn't tell.

My CC said "Helicopter blades whirling."

Boy, Rick's aim is not consistant. Now he can cleanly cut a rope with a rifle shot, when before he couldn't hit Negan with a 100 rounds from a machine gun. And if Negan has to keep listening to Rick droning on, he'll be welcoming death as a sweet release.

Poor Aaron is the most inoffensive person here and always gets the shitty end of the stick. Why bother with Dr. Enid? CDB amputations have traditionally been done with swords, axes and garden tools.

Charles Vane isn't leaving us already, is he? Haha - he sees Daryl as Rick's dog, just as I have for ages.

[Straycat80]

I am enjoying this season so much more than last season. Mainly because it's not all about war and Negan. And as long as Negan stays behind those bars I'll continue enjoying this season. 

[tennisgurl]

Poor Aaron is just the nicest guy in the world, and he always ends up getting screwed over. That arm was grisly, it was like watching a really hard core Ken Burns documentary. 

Ezekiel and Carol are super cute together. I really hope this isnt a "just one day until retirement" kind of happy times. 

So we have Michonne and Maggie creating a new community, complete with laws, and a murder mystery. Sounds promising, especially as its finally something different besides war and pain in the ass Saviors. Oh, and the Saviors are still pains in the ass. Captain Vane cant be trusted! He never plays well with others long term! 

If we can keep Negan to a bare minimum, I think we might have something here!

[nodorothyparker]

The helicopter is going to go down in TV history as the longest tease ever.  Some bits, like tales of the teenage medic, are as goofy as ever but I'm mostly enjoying this so far.

The writing for Rick is bordering on painful.  It's great to have a vision for something beyond scavenging and subsisting after all this time, but he's coming across as dangerously naive to think that no one on either side of their big All Out War has any feelings all these months later about all living on top of each other and playing share and share alike.  Especially now that we learn that there was no real punishment for any of the Saviors beyond being disarmed and having to live under Daryl's "leadership" while still getting their neighbors to endlessly supply them.  Rick can do all the dick waving he wants at Negan about how he "won" and how everything is being remade to fit his vision, but on some level he either already knows the cracks are showing or he really is delusional to the point that he shouldn't be in charge.

[SimoneS]

Rick has taken the same dumb ass pill as Morgan and Jesus. It is such an obvious and overused plot device on the show. They could have changed it up a bit and at least have Rick put the saviors who participated in the brutal violence on trial and punish them by locking them up. It would at least give the saviors a rationale for their resentment. Also, why don't the saviors just leave if they are so resentful? It isn't like Rick would kill them like he did Garth.

Edited October 15, 2018 by SimoneS

[AngelaHunter]

6 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

The writing for Rick is bordering on painful. 

For sure. His smirky sunshine 'n lollipops, nyah, nyah! taunting of Negan is excruciating, especially since what Negan says to him makes more sense.

It's almost as bad as having to listen to Earl recite his tale of woe and booze. I know it necessary in order to make Maggie "see the light" and spare him, but damn - it ground the ep to a screeching halt. And who's looking after the baby while she's gadding around, bustin' broncs, visiting the dungeon and organizing a lynch mob?

Why does Michonne always speak in a scratchy whisper?

[peach]

34 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

Rick's naivety seems over the top. Michonne's too. .

Did he lose his red machete?  Is that the problem?  Rick hasn't been naive for a very, very, very long time.  I hate that they've done this.

Let's all be friends!

[SimoneS]

7 minutes ago, peach said:

Did he lose his red machete?  Is that the problem?  Rick hasn't been naive for a very, very, very long time.  I hate that they've done this.

It is also out of character that Rick didn't have a nervous breakdown and go on murder spree on the saviors after Carl died. I don't care that 18 months have passed, it is difficult to buy that he is so emotionally stable and optimistic. I would expect Michonne to be in charge as Rick is barely functioning, spending most of his time farming and taking care of Judith.

Edited October 15, 2018 by SimoneS

[peach]

2 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

It is also out of character that Rick didn't have a nervous breakdown and go on murder spree on the saviors after Carl died. I don't care that 18 months have passed, it is difficult to buy that he is so emotionally stable and optimistic. I would expect Michonne to be in charge as Rick is barely functioning, spending most of his time farming and taking care of Judith.

 

Right?  Instead of being devastated, he has a new lease on life.  Thanks, Dad.

"Yes, I know I can be emotionally unstable and prone to extreme violence, but ever since my precious son and reason for my existence died, I got better!"  Shane needs to haunt him daily.

Edited October 15, 2018 by peach

[suomi]

Rick to Aaron: "I'm so sorry this happened to you." That's what he said in the first episode to the female half-a-walker who was dragging what was left of her body across the ground. I've always remembered him saying that. 

Maggie is a marble mouth sometimes, so when she was talking with Michonne on the deck it sounded to me like she called her Richonne. Cool overhead view of Daryl taking out two walkers at once, left and right. 

[Anela]

2 hours ago, peach said:

Right?  Instead of being devastated, he has a new lease on life.  Thanks, Dad.

"Yes, I know I can be emotionally unstable and prone to extreme violence, but ever since my precious son and reason for my existence died, I got better!"  Shane needs to haunt him daily.

It sounds like I miss Carl more than he does. Geez. 

I have the episode on my DVR, but I know “he” is at the end of it, and that he will surely be on much more in the future. Why keep him around otherwise? 

[AngelaHunter]

On 10/15/2018 at 12:12 AM, suomi said:

Rick to Aaron: "I'm so sorry this happened to you."

I immediately picked that up too. I wonder if it was deliberate. They've done that with other lines and I always appreciate it especially because they don't assume we're idiots who need it explained.

 

On 10/15/2018 at 12:12 AM, suomi said:

Cool overhead view of Daryl taking out two walkers at once, left and right. 

I liked that. I liked it too when he grabbed a pot to bean Charles Vane, since that was pretty well the only way he'd beat him. I wonder if Dr. Enid stitched up the cut, now that she's a doctor and all.

Edited October 16, 2018 by AngelaHunter
"expecially"? I was drunker than I thought.

[spiderpig]

Another solid ep.  I didn't see the Jadis/Ann/Father PeePee relationship coming at all, but it cheered me.

Very bummed about Aaron.  He's adorable and in real life (Ross) is hilarious and an awesome impressionist.

Still love Carol, Ezekiel and JERRY!

Maggie has hardened into a much more interesting character, and little Hershel is cute as all get out.

[thuganomics85]

Love you, Michonne, but is Gregory really the guy that's making you suddenly be concerned Maggie is going too far?  It's not like she executed him for stealing: he did try to stab her at the end, even if one where to look past him sicking Earl on her.  And as she said, she actually gave him plenty of chances to change, but he didn't.  Really not seeing why everyone is walking around on eggshells around her.  They're acting like she's becoming the new Negan or something.

Meanwhile, Rick.... means well, but he really needs to realize that his "everyone works together in perfect harmony!" plan is not going to be that easy, and he either needs to find better ways to have the factions get along or know when someone just isn't working out.  It's bad that I actually think Negan has a point.  Even Daryl is doubting him and that's never a good sign.

Well, Jadis and Father Gabriel is apparently happening.  This is totally one of those couples that is so weird, but actually makes total sense because both of them are just so kooky.  You do you, guys!

Ezekiel's crestfallen reaction over not getting to do his speech for the proposal was hilarious.  I'm sure it was a grand one!  One that he no doubt practice in front of Jerry each day, and also got a cheery thumbs up from him!

Maggie talking about her dad/O.G. Hershel hit harder then normal due to Scott Wilson's passing.

Aaron really can't catch a break, huh?  Credit to Enid to handling getting tossed into the deep end as well as can be expected.

So, someone is apparently taking Saviors?  It looks like the guy recognized whoever it was.  Hmm.

[Butless]

I hope its Georgie, in her polyester pantsuit, who's taking Saviors.

[Butless]

2 hours ago, AngelaHunter said:

I immediately picked that up too. I wonder if it was deliberate. They've done that with other lines and I always appreciate it expecially because they don't assume we're idiots who need it explained.

 

This is the outrageously lazy and hacky way the shitty writers go about "paying tribute" to the characters and show. Theyve said it before, as if this is somehow something the audience or fans are going to get all squirty about.  They hamfistedly reuse dialogue , imagery, etc, to evoke the past, and their 'better days'.  To me, this is done so manipulatively and comes of as cheap and ugly, frankly. 

[Macbeth]

6 hours ago, peach said:

Right?  Instead of being devastated, he has a new lease on life.  Thanks, Dad.

"Yes, I know I can be emotionally unstable and prone to extreme violence, but ever since my precious son and reason for my existence died, I got better!"  Shane needs to haunt him daily.

Maybe Shane fathered Carl as well. 

Carl had the dark hair and Rick refused to say his name properly. 

[sigmaforce86]

Aaron losing his arm was just..........stupid.............screw that plot line idea.  I'm all for drama and the camps going through hardship, dealing with walkers, how to build a new world etc.  But main or mostly main characters losing limbs especially this early in the season - well, just hope they're going somewhere with this.   And now we have to watch him cope one handed, raise Grace one handed, maybe find a partner to help him with that (the only good part of the plot and if they do it I think I know who it would be but leaving out names to avoid spoilers).  Just feel like there's a lot more he could be doing and could have done going forward without this set back so would really like to know where they're going with it.  But have fun taking his arm out of every scene special effects team!  Too bad they didn't have Eric as one of the walkers though,  Aaron seeing Eric moving towards him would have been more of a gut punch.  

Carol snuggles with Ezekial and accepts his proposal AND kisses Henry and acts all loving Mother towards him?  Geez show why not just paint big targets on their backs?  Doesn't bode well for them being with Carol or will she ever get a happy ending? 

Jadis Anne looks good with the longer non-dyed hair and sounds good with the full sentences.  She's going from character that grates to someone interesting to watch.  Certainly her attraction to Gabriel was out of left field but it's not a bad pairing.  But that helicopter - I have a guess what it means but whether right or wrong it goes into comic spoiler territory so leaving it out for now (and it's just a guess). What I can't guess since Jadis Anne isn't in the comics is why she seems scared of the copter.  Her face last night wasn't so much I don't know if I trust that as I'm frightened of that.  Interesting.

Also triple points for the walker herd and Rick taking them down with rolling logs.  Realistic that most of them would be so decomposed their heads would just squash immediately.  Wonder if TPTB read comment boards complaints that last season was Neegan talking heavy and walker light that we've gotten the first two episodes with pretty decent walker threat representations.

[Mahamid Frauded Me]

What a touching moment all the couples around the firepit as Grimes tenderly looks on. I swear I was watching Bachelor in Apocalypse 

Edited October 15, 2018 by Mahamid Frauded Me

[nodorothyparker]

My husband said the same thing about cleaning up the log mess.  We just watched how hard it is for this crew to stack those.  Now they're going to have to restack them and clean the walker bits off them as they plane them down to use on the bridge.

I'm liking a lot of what they're doing so far this season, even if we do have to hand wave away the logic of putting a guy who's already been causing trouble to the point of a fistfight on the rather critical job of diverting the herd.  We're apparently supposed to think Rick decided to put some distance between Justin and Daryl, which isn't a terrible idea, but maybe don't give him anything really important to do if you're already worried he's untrustworthy?  Still, I realize this is all plot driven to tie Justin to whatever's happening to the missing Saviors.  And it gives us the bonus of Zach McGowan who played one of the original pirate badasses fighting Daryl, which warms my geek heart and feels like the stuff crossover fan fiction is made of.

Also really liking Maggie and Michonne being written as real people this season, even if I might have expected Michonne to be a little savvier than Rick to the reality of all the discontent bubbling up around the edges of the arrangement of their confederation of communities and the Saviors' place in it.  That can maybe be chalked up to her wanting to believe so badly in Rick's vision for Carl's sake that they'd rather spend their time banging square pegs into round holes with some still very dangerous people than admit that they're following the whims of a dying teenager as if it was gospel.  I'm just happy their increased interaction is such an integral part of the plot.   

I'm one who enjoyed Gregory right up until the end because I found him consistently entertaining for what he was, but Maggie's not wrong that he had chance after chance and chose poorly.  And while I do think it matters more than they credited him for that he built and led Hilltop when no one else wanted the job and managed to make it successful enough that they were the one of the few communities we met sufficiently feeding themselves even with everyone else lining up to take their cut before being muscled out, the final plotting with drunks to kill Maggie and her kid and then trying to swipe at her himself is not a good look.  And because it's a small community where everyone would have almost immediately known about it, it would have made her look weak to continue to let him loiter about the place after that.  Should she have handled it differently?  Maybe.  But from her perspective every time these people haven't dealt a decisive final blow, it's come back to bite them in the ass horribly.  See, also the Governor with his tank rolling up to behead her father or the Termites snatching and eating Bob.  That's part of where the disquiet over this story of letting every last Savior and Negan too live comes from.  It never ends well.

Please, show, can you just let Carol have this respite of happiness with her new family?  It looks wonderful on her, and as much of a ride or die Carol girl as I might be, I'd really rather not have to watch her prolonged going to pieces again over losing another family.

[Boofish]

I don't think Rick is naive. I think after all the years of killing, not trusting, not listening, always suspicious, punching Aaron in the face -  he has decided to try Carl's way to honor him after death. Help people and rebuild.  I see his current behavior as his grief manifesting itself in a way it did Susan G Koman sisters after she died of breast cancer. I can sit around and be an emotional mess or I can do something. I admire the way he is honoring Carl's spirit but I fear it will not end well for him.

However, I don't think it's fair to ask Daryl to be in charge of the Saviors after what they did to him

It's such a relief to see Carol happy.

[AngelaHunter]

6 hours ago, Butless said:

They hamfistedly reuse dialogue , imagery, etc, to evoke the past, and their 'better days'.  To me, this is done so manipulatively and comes of as cheap and ugly, frankly. 

I agree there is way too much that is corny and even groan-worthy when we're beaten over the heads as though the audience is composed of nitwits and dullards. The parallel one-liners ("Kill them all"....."no use begging then/I ain't gonna beg".... "No") are one of the few more subtle, not-sledge-hammery/pseudo-artistic/sick-making crap that is spewed out way too often. That is, "subtle" compared to what else we've been subjected.

 

3 hours ago, sigmaforce86 said:

But have fun taking his arm out of every scene special effects team!  

I bet we won't be seeing much of Aaron from now on. The arm removal thing is apparently a pain in the ass and expensive to do, so I guess he'll be more of a stay-at-home Mr.Mom.

Am I the only one who finds Tara so NOT cutesy or charming, with her orange shades and her silly handles while using the  walkie-talkie? She acts like a teenager.

Ricky, sitting there being all smart-ass with Negan like some Mean Girl, is going to get very old, very fast. I'm already sick of it.

[nodorothyparker]

If they're going to keep Tara around, they're actually giving us the right amount of her this season so far.  She pops up for a line here or there and then goes back to her lookout duties.  Limit her to this and I won't complain.  It's when the show elevates actors beyond their abilities to the point of building whole episodes around them that they become intolerable.

[jaigurudeva]

This show is actually halfway enjoyable now that there's a focus on interpersonal dialogue instead of mustache-twirling monologues. I hope this doesn't change when we discover whatever's in the bushes picking off Saviors. I'll take a blood-thirsty Sasquatch over another Negan. At least Sasquatch can't talk.

[Persnickety1]

Well, thank goddess Darryl has that greasy curtain of hair covering his eyes or that sand could have been disastrous  (insert massive eye roll here).  

So, baby Grace would be about 1-1/2 to 2 years old at this point? 

Good luck handling a toddler with only one hand, Aaron.  

Maybe Tara can make herself useful and help him out with that...preferably off camera.

Or maybe Eugene can create a bionic limb for Aaron and save the proverbial day.

Anyone else get flashbacks to the season 1 Camp Dinner Bell disaster-laden fish fry while watching this episode?  

I love Carol and Ezekiel together...and they look so goddamned happy that I can smell some catastrophic event right around the corner.

All things considered, so far I'm enjoying the first couple of episodes this season more than any of the episodes last season, so I'm cautiously optimistic.  

[sugarbaker design]

4 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

 

ETA:  When Rick was talking to Nagen, I couldn't see Nagen in his cell at all.  I know the scene was supposed to be somewhat dark, but I still should be able to see Nagen.  Hell, I would rather see Nagen than hear him.  At least his dialogue was cut relatively short.  At least short for Nagen, that is.

I saw Negan's silhouette, that's all I needed.  I always turn the lights low on my end to better enjoy darkly lit scenes.

[Ouisch]

It seems like since 18 months have passed, Anne and Father G would've known more about each other by now (i.e. that he was Episcopalian, not Catholic). Sometimes the dialog between characters sounds like it's picking up right where Season 8 left off, rather than a year-and-a-half later. (In a similar vein, Grace is older than Baby Hershel, who is now a toddler. Would Aaron really be "picking her up after her nap", like an infant? At that age, don't kids usually hop out of bed from their nap on their own and are usually busy getting into mischief before Mama or Papa finds them?)

[Macbeth]

18 minutes ago, Persnickety1 said:

Well, thank goddess Darryl has that greasy curtain of hair covering his eyes or that sand could have been disastrous  (insert massive eye roll here).  

So, baby Grace would be about 1-1/2 to 2 years old at this point? 

Good luck handling a toddler with only one hand, Aaron.  

 

Oh no.  Aaron teased Daryl about having kids of his own.  Don't tell me Aaron is going to die so that we have scenes of Daryl taking care of Grace??

The amount of $$ needed to CGI Aaron's missing arm may mean that Aaron will be dying sooner rather than later.  omg the amount of suckitude this show has is epic.

Edited October 15, 2018 by Macbeth

[Persnickety1]

9 minutes ago, Macbeth said:

Oh no.  Aaron teased Daryl about having kids of his own.  Don't tell me Aaron is going to die so that we have scenes of Daryl taking care of Grace??

The amount of $$ needed to CGI Aaron's missing arm may mean that Aaron will be dying sooner rather than later.  omg the amount of suckitude this show has is epic.

A mandatory blast from a fire hose should be required before Darryl is allowed to take care of baby Grace or any young child.

Oh hell, he should be required a mandatory fire hose wash down under any circumstances.  

Maybe now that he's actually speaking coherently again, a shower/bath/fire hosing will follow shortly.  

[mrspidey]

I like that they're putting Georgie's books to good use. I like even more that they're still in contact with her. So is she Toledo? There was a Toledo sign amongst the signs pointing towards the various comunities.

[iMonrey]

Quote

There was a Toledo sign amongst the signs pointing towards the various comunities.

I caught that too. WTF? Is there a new community called Toledo? Did I miss something?

I know this has been brought up countless times, but the way the rolling logs turned all those zombie heads to mush demonstrates how deteriorated they are at this point - the consistency of their skulls is less firm than Jell-O now. That being the case how on earth could they even have the strength to bite anyone? Hell some of their jaws are just hanging by a thread. I guess there isn't much point to debating zombie-logic but really, they shouldn't even be a threat at this point so the chaos they called seemed unrealistic. An approaching hoard shouldn't be met with much more than a shrug.

Edited October 15, 2018 by iMonrey

[EllipticalAddicted]

The ever amazing Maggie will create a new robotic arm for Aaron using a box of scraps she found in a cave whilst discovering a new miraculous supply of food.  

[AngelaHunter]

1 hour ago, Persnickety1 said:

Good luck handling a toddler with only one hand, Aaron.  

He better hope there isn't another "diaper explosion."

6 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

the consistency of their skulls is less firm than Jell-O now.

And yet, there so many skulls from ancient times still hard and in fine condition. Why would the thick bone of zombie skulls turn to wet cardboard after only a few years? Those logs should have just pushed their heads into the earth and not squished them like rotten pumpkins. Oh, that makes me think: Our communities can have the best ever Halloween decorations. Judith is old enough for trick or treating.

[apollonia666]

8 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I caught that too. WTF? Is there a new community called Toledo? Did I miss something?

No, it was mentioned on Talking Dead that it was a wink to the signpost from M*A*S*H.

This is super trifling but it really bugged me that Father Gabriel and Anne sat down next to each other with his bad eye on the side next to her. Wouldn't he have had to turn his head all the way to the right to make eye contact while they talked?

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, mrspidey said:

I like that they're putting Georgie's books to good use. I like even more that they're still in contact with her. So is she Toledo? There was a Toledo sign amongst the signs pointing towards the various comunities.

Could the Toledo be a little joke, either by the characters or the show runners, referencing the famous signpost at the 4077th on M*A*S*H? 

Oh, I see I got the answer in the post above this one.  

Edited October 15, 2018 by Bryce Lynch

[Bryce Lynch]

1 hour ago, apollonia666 said:

No, it was mentioned on Talking Dead that it was a wink to the signpost from M*A*S*H.

This is super trifling but it really bugged me that Father Gabriel and Anne sat down next to each other with his bad eye on the side next to her. Wouldn't he have had to turn his head all the way to the right to make eye contact while they talked?

Maybe Gabriel tried to sit on the other side, but she beat him to that seat, kind of like what happened to Jerry and George on Seinfeld, in "The Implant", except with their good arms, not their good eyes. :)

[iMonrey]

Quote

No, it was mentioned on Talking Dead that it was a wink to the signpost from M*A*S*H.

I'd say inside jokes like that are beneath them but at this point nothing seems to be beneath this show. It's still dumb, though, IMO.

I still don't understand why The Hilltop seems to have ALL the food and the brunt of responsibility and power. Weren't Alexandria and The Kingdom growing their own food? Do they have smaller fields or something? It doesn't really make a lot of sense.

[peach]

5 hours ago, Boofish said:

  I see his current behavior as his grief manifesting itself in a way it did Susan G Koman sisters after she died of breast cancer. I can sit around and be an emotional mess or I can do something.

But was Susan G Komen a ruthless killer before that?  lol  I see your point, of course.  Just not into it.

[AngelaHunter]

4 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

That would seem to make much more sense than to try to build a society out of Carl's vision of what the future should be.

Agree. Yeah, let's force an entire communtity to function according to the last words of a hormonal teenager with a 4th grade education who blows hot and cold as he dons the well-worn "pacifist hat" for his "All you need is love... all life is sacred... smile on your brother" and all that other nonsense that periodically infects different people until it's time for them to start killin' again.

Edited October 15, 2018 by AngelaHunter

[nodorothyparker]

1 hour ago, iMonrey said:

I still don't understand why The Hilltop seems to have ALL the food and the brunt of responsibility and power. Weren't Alexandria and The Kingdom growing their own food? Do they have smaller fields or something? It doesn't really make a lot of sense.

Alexandria never really got around to growing much of their own.  They talked about it but never really did much beyond Maggie tying up a few tomato plants while she still lived there. That's why Rick hung out the "will murder for hire or canned goods" sign in the first place.  Then of course they got all caught up in warring with the Saviors, who bombed and then burned the place.  They appear to have rebuilt a fair bit since then and Ezekiel mentioned this episode that Alexandria is trading bullets, so I guess that's where all the bullet making operations moved.  (Why they haven't made the Sanctuary a dedicated industrial colony to fairly trade for food if they're not going to abandon it for some place more farmable is a whole other debate.)  We know the Kingdom was actually doing reasonably well for itself before they let themselves get dragged into the war.  Then in quick succession last season, much of their fighting force was gunned down and the Saviors burned a lot of it too.  Ezekiel has repeatedly mentioned needing to be back there for the ongoing rebuilding effort.  Farming without gas powered modern machinery is fairly labor intensive and takes some time to become successful, so while they may be getting there it seems we're to think they're not really there yet.  We've been told very little about the specifics of Oceanside's situation except that they're trading fish.

In contrast, Hilltop was introduced as a successful farming outfit and they've apparently improved quite a lot on that under the leadership of Maggie, the super farmer of the ZA.  While there was some fighting there, it survived mostly intact.  That means they don't have to devote a ton of manpower to rebuilding and can focus on producing even more food.  That makes all the other communities heavily dependent on the Hilltop food stores, which gives them a fair amount of bargaining power if Maggie chooses to wield it.

 

1 hour ago, AngelaHunter said:

Yeah, let's force an entire community to function according to the last words of a hormonal teenager with a 4th grade education who blows hot and cold as he dons the well-worn "pacifist hat"

This seriously made me laugh.  Because Carl's education did stop somewhere around long division.  Yet they're treating his deathbed letters as if they were wisdom carved on stone tablets.

[AngelaHunter]

18 minutes ago, nodorothyparker said:

Because Carl's education did stop somewhere around long division.

So annoying. We saw the transcript of Coral's letter, all in perfect English. College students are now semi-illiterate. Had we seen the actual letter written by a teenager whose education ended when he was ten, it would look more like this:

"i wanted too kill negan I wish i did maybe it would of been done i dont think its done know. U went out their again but i dont think they surendered i dont think they will surrendur surrender there are workers in their dad There just regular ppl. old ppl young ppl familie’s. U dont want them to die dad. were so close to starting everything over and we have freinds now its that bigger world jesus talked about the kingdom the hilltop. theirs got to be more places more ppl out their. a chance for everything too change and keep chaging. everyone giveing everyone the oppurtun opportunitie to have a live."

[WearyTraveler]

3 minutes ago, AngelaHunter said:

So annoying. We saw the transcript of Coral's letter, all in perfect English. College students are now semi-illiterate. Had we seen the actual letter written by a teenager whose education ended when he was ten, it would look more like this:

"i wanted too kill negan I wish i did maybe it would of been done i dont think its done know. U went out their again but i dont think they surendered i dont think they will surrendur surrender there are workers in their dad There just regular ppl. old ppl young ppl familie’s. U dont want them to die dad. were so close to starting everything over and we have freinds now its that bigger world jesus talked about the kingdom the hilltop. theirs got to be more places more ppl out their. a chance for everything too change and keep chaging. everyone giveing everyone the oppurtun opportunitie to have a live."

Ahahahaahahaah!!!! You win!

[nodorothyparker]

7 minutes ago, AngelaHunter said:

"i wanted too kill negan I wish i did maybe it would of been done i dont think its done know. U went out their again but i dont think they surendered i dont think they will surrendur surrender there are workers in their dad There just regular ppl. old ppl young ppl familie’s. U dont want them to die dad. were so close to starting everything over and we have freinds now its that bigger world jesus talked about the kingdom the hilltop. theirs got to be more places more ppl out their. a chance for everything too change and keep chaging. everyone giveing everyone the oppurtun opportunitie to have a live."

How did you get a hold of my third-grader's last writing assignment?  Because those are many of the same things she was marked down for.