The Walking Dead: Ep. 712 Say Yes
Say Yes is filled with lots of introspection, guilt and regret. It also has moments of levity and shifts in character that reveal how Negan’s occupation has affected the Alexandrians. While the episode isn’t as gripping as others in Season 7, the internal battles being waged are setting the stage for the inevitable showdown against the Saviors.
Rick and Michonne do their best Bonnie and Clyde as they scavenge for supplies. Although their search isn’t entirely fruitful, Rick persuades her to play hooky and delay their return to the settlement. Although supplies are on the list, their main objective is to find guns. However, along the way they find something else – a deeper meaning to their relationship.
They say that hope springs eternal, unless you’re Rosita. Not willing to wait around she’s chomping at the bit to get some weapons and go guns blazing after Negan. She and Tara have a short but tense exchange highlighting her unwillingness to sit around and wait for something to happen. Consumed by guilt for not killing Negan when she had the chance, Rosita later takes out her frustration on Father Gabriel.
For once on The Walking Dead, having the roof fall in isn’t a metaphor for doom and gloom. After coming across an abandoned amusement park filled with zombified civilians and soldiers, Rick and Michonne discover that they may have finally found what they’ve been looking for.
Say Yes features a different side of Rick. The hard charging leader has been replaced, for this episode at least, with a more introspective and laid back version. His reluctance to delay returning to Alexandria and to spend some one-on-one time with his boo is a curious turn. It’s almost as though Rick is taking time to smell the roses, even if they‘re wilting.
Tara has her own soul searching the do. Well aware of what is needed to win the war, she muses if bringing Ocean Side into the fray will be of any benefit. Everything comes at a cost and she’s not sure if the hidden community would join them and risk the safety of their sanctuary.
I’m beginning to enjoy the “Let’s Make a Deal” banter between Rick and Jadis of the Scavengers. Her Yoda-esque cadence and bargaining skills elicit smiles and prove to be a good test for Rick’s resilience. The second half of Season 7 is all about alliances and the challenges around maintaining them. It’s extremely difficult bringing disparate groups of people together to fight as one united front. Without total control factions can potentially go rogue. It’s something Negan’s already figured out. Whether Rick does remains to be seen.
