Summary:
Rock In The Road ends the mid season break with a brief reminder that someone was skulking around Hill top.
We then kick off with Father Gabriel on watch, which turns into what looks like him grabbing everything he can before loading up a car and making a run for it. Is he running though? Or is he hiding what little Alexandria has left from the Saviors?
Team Rick
At Hilltop the mayor (Gregory) wants nothing to do with Team Rick. He feels like he’s been lied to – that Team Rick can’t deliver on its earlier promise to do away with the Saviors. Gregory has no interest in a fight – but some of the people of Hilltop are willing to fight. They are tired of being threatened – tired of being forced to work for others. Jesus thinks its time – time for Team Rick to meet Ezekiel.
When we come back from break Jesus and Team Rick l have traveled to the Kingdom. There is the usual bit of “new people” anxiety before Richard agrees to take them to the King. Once inside Team Rick bumps into Morgan and there is a brief hug before they are granted their audience with the King.
The King is not happy that Jesus shared the Kingdom’s secret – that they are paying tribute to the Saviors – but he listens to what they have to say. Richard is willing – he wants to fight and he tells Ezekiel it is time.
Rick ends his audience with Ezekiel by telling the story of a rock in the road his mother used to tell him. A little girl and her family lost everything when their wagon hit a rock in the road. She and her family were ruined and that little girl wondered why no one else had removed the rock. She dug and dug until she could remove it. Underneath was a bag of gold. The King had placed it there to reward whomever took the rock from the road and improved the road for everyone.
Ezekiel listens before telling Rick he will have his decision in the morning.
Come morning we see that Ezekiel has his people drilling with bows and doing PT. He tells Team Rick that made mistakes – sent people to their deaths in the early days. He doesn’t want to send people to die if he doesn’t have to – and if they can’t win. He tells Team Rick he can’t join in the fight against the Saviors – but he will give Daryl asylum for as long as he needs it. Richard offers to go with Rick. He know that the longer they delay, the longer they keep giving the Saviors food, weapons, and ammo, the harder they will be to beat.
Rick leaves Daryl behind and tells him to talk to Ezekiel, to change his mind.
On the way back to Alexandria Team Rick finds one of the Saviors Zombie horde road blocks. Lots of cars on the the off ramp and a lot of explosives across the road to kill the horde.
As Team Rick is collecting the dynamite and RPG’s a horde comes down the highway. It’s a race to get the weapons before the horde surrounds them all. This leads to an awesome dual car steel cable guillotine scene. Its time to run back to Alexandria before the Saviors get there to look for Daryl.
Team Rick gets back just as the Saviors are showing up to look for Darryl. They tear apart Alexandria before telling Rick there is no statute of limitations on Daryl – if he shows up they better kill him?
After the Savior leave Team Rick discusses Gabriel. Did he steal their stuff and run? Then Rick finds a reference to the boat – did Gabriel take their stuff there? When they get back to the swamp area where the boat was they find a boot print which leads them towards what looks like an old cemetery behind an industrial building. Once there we find a new group of well armed and very numerous individuals. Did Rick just find his army?
Things I loved about this episode…
- Jesus telling Richard that he doesn’t see him smile – but that is going to change.
- Morgan keeping his word to Carol when he doesn’t tell Rick she’s still there.
- Carol telling Ezekiel’s guard to get someplace safe before dark – and to bend his knees when he walks – she heard him from a mile off.
- Rosita to Sasha:
- The car guillotine scene. Just awesome.
Things that I didn’t like about this episode…
- Negan seemed way to calm when he is on the radio and talking about Daryl.
Firsts…
- Rick meets King Ezekiel.
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