The Walking Dead 810- The Lost and the Plunderers
Fresh off Carl’s burial, The Lost and the Plunderers, opens with the grief stricken Michonne and Rick in the immediate aftermath of perhaps their greatest loss. Rick’s sorrow is expected but the opening moments highlight Michonne’s emotional despair as the pair say their last goodbyes and leave Alexandria. Grappling with Carl’s final words Rick and Michonne question Carl’s wisdom and the fact he also wrote a letter to Negan before he died. Unsure of their next move they head towards the Scavengers to see if they can still be counted as allies.
The Scavengers are also of particular interest to Negan. Unhappy with Jadis’ lack of loyalty Negan directs Simon to get them back in line. Simon however has his own ideas of how things should go. Negan’s vision isn’t shared by his second in command and the tension between them during their tete-a-tete reaches a boiling point when a gift from the Hilltop causes emotions to erupt.
Aaron and Enid’s quest for allies finds them at odds with the residents of the Oceanside community. The endless cycle of violence seems to be wearing down everyone involved and Enid’s words of wisdom cause Cindy to spare their lives. Cast out of Oceanside, Aaron refuses to take no for an answer and looks for another way to convince them to join in the fight against Negan.
The Lost and the Plunderers blurs the established lines drawn between some of the characters and in some cases obliterates them. Trusted allies turn against one another creating a spider web of conflict. Some of the players are cast in a new light, thrown into new and unexpected scenarios due to fateful decisions and unsanctioned acts of violence. The status quo appears to have been blown apart providing some uncertainty and twists from what was becoming a straight line towards a final showdown with Negan.
There are a few surprises over the course of the episode and it is evident that there is more going on than what viewers have seen so far. How these revelations will change the course of the narrative remains to be seen. The twists and turns in The Lost and the Plunderers lay the groundwork for some potentially satisfying narrative developments.
Carl’s death, however controversial it may be, is most certainly a turning point in The Walking Dead. His demise has set things in motion in unexpected ways and his shadow will continue to cast itself over events for the remainder of the season. Carl’s loss has created room for other characters to step into the spotlight. Hopefully The Lost and the Plunderers is the first step in reinvigorating a show that seems stuck in neutral.
