Warning: Review may contain spoilers!
The Walking Dead: World Beyond 103 – The Tyger and the Lamb
The Blaze of Glory continues to burn leaving Elton, Silas, Iris and Hope stranded in the massive tire fire surrounded by smoke, flames and empties. Some time has passed since last episode giving Hope the opportunity to slip away from the group. She thinks she’s found a way to clear a path for her sister and friends to find their way to freedom but her plans aren’t completely embraced by Iris.
The Tyger and the Lamb uses flashbacks to do a semi deep dive into Silas’ backstory. Under the care of his uncle Silas seeks a second chance after an altercation from his past leaves him with blood on his hands. Silas’ past actions have repercussions in the present and his desire to avoid violence is an obstacle when he’s confronted with dispatching empties.
There are hints that Silas’ strong, silent type demeanor stems from abuse and his PTSD is never far from the surface. The source of his internal struggles become a little clearer when Huck and Felix find the group after picking up on the trail of breadcrumbs left for them by Hope. Speaking of Hope she’s busy going rogue in a bid to kick start the siren needed to distract the empties. Her plan, as expected experiences a few hiccups along the way, but provides opportunities for everyone to prove their worth, including Silas.
The burden of secrecy and guilt plays huge a role in The Tyger and the Lamb. Silas and Hope have enormous crosses to bear and the weight of it all threatens to pin down those close to them as well. It’s only a matter of time before the puzzle pieces are put together concerning the night Iris and Hope’s mom was killed. The echoes of that night’s events reverberate into the present forcing the hands, knowingly and unknowingly of several of the characters.
The Tyger and the Lamb is a baptism of fire of sorts. Iris, Hope, Elton and Silas pass their first true test and although their plans aren’t that well thought out, even Huck and Felix can’t argue with the bulk of their youthful companions’ pretzel logic.
There’s a lot of character development in the episode but perhaps the most interesting scene, and one that saves the episode comes near the end involving Elizabeth and the unfortunate Sargent Major Barker. Racked with guilt, Barker comes to Elizabeth to pour out his soul. He’s the third character to do so in The Tyger and the Lamb but his mea culpa doesn’t have the same result as the ones delivered earlier by Silas and Hope.
That’s because his audience is Elizabeth, with a large Union Jack flag on the wall of her residence, one filled with the spoils of modern life that you’d be more apt to see in a high-end model home. Like English monarchs of old, Elizabeth rules with an iron fist unwilling to accept anything that threatens the society she’s helped to build. Heavy is the head that wears the crown however, and she too isn’t immune to the weight of her station. Nation building, like growing up, is difficult even more so in an apocalypse.
