The Walking Dead 910 – Omega
With Alden and Luke missing Tara leads a search party to find them. A gruesome discovery reveals the cunning nature of the Whisperers and elicits some caution and a wise change of plans. While Omega centers on the search for Luke and Alden a good deal of the episode focuses on Lydia, the Whisperer being held captive in Alexandria.
Through flashbacks to the early days of the outbreak, we see Lydia and her parents struggle alongside a group of survivors as the world collapses. The flashbacks not only provide a glimpse into Lydia’s past but also the figure that will one day lead the Whisperers, Alpha her very own mother. Daryl also peels back some of the layers of the onion during a heart to heart with Lydia and soon learns that he may have more in common with her than expected.
Tara’s decision to delay the search for Alden and Luke doesn’t sit well with Yumiko and Magna’s group. Weighing the options, including going against Tara’s wishes, they soon come to the conclusion that their loyalty to Luke takes precedence over anything else. It doesn’t take long for them to realize that their foray into the darkness may be more than they are able to handle.
Omega is full of dubious decision making by several of the characters. While it can be argued that the missteps are due to some of the characters’ natures some of them come across as plot devices. Lydia’s stern exterior is a façade, stripped away by the realities of her short time in Alexandria. Her way of life, cultivated by her mother, and now followed by a hoard of believers is a chilling reminder of what terrible circumstances and a singular determination for survival can exact on people.
Yumiko’s failed search party yields some unintended results. Not only does it elicit some understanding from Tara but it also brings danger to their doorstep. After being tracked back to Alexandria the entire community comes face to face with Alpha who has only one thing on her mind – Lydia’s return.
Casting Samantha Morton as Alpha gives The Walking Dead an actor who is more than capable of matching, and perhaps surpassing, Negan’s place as the big bad of the series. Omega is her origin story and considering how ruthless she was at the dawn of the outbreak one can only imagine how she’s evolved in the years since. Omega may mean the end but for the members of Alexandria, their troubles are just beginning.
