The Walking Dead Recap: The Cell
If you thought Negan bashing in the head’s of Glenn and Abraham was bad, just wait until you hear what he’s doing to Daryl.
This episode finally gave us a look at what was happening to Daryl and Dwight after Negan killed Abraham and Glenn. And it’s not pretty. Nobody died on The Walking Dead last night, but our hearts broke for Daryl anyway. If you haven’t seen last night’s episode, “The Cell,” there will be spoilers here.
This season has already upped the ante for the show in general- the idea of hopelessness has returned. We’ve seem plenty of enemies on this show, but mostly, they’re all enemies we love to hate- we enjoy the suspicious nature of the story. So far in season seven, they’ve introuduced an enemy we just hate– just pure hatred. He’s done things to our characters that he’ll never get forgiveness for. And the things we found out last night as he was talking to Dwight and Daryl confirmed that even more.
Image via AMC
We got a picture as to what happened with Dwight. When we were first introduced to him, it was during Season 5, and Daryl helped him, his wife, and his wife’s sister escape Negan (although we didn’t know he was escaping Negan at the time). The wife’s sister was killed by a walker, so Dwight and his wife, Sherry, decided to go back to Negan. Which is when they stole Daryl’s bike and crossbow.
Dwight looks a little different now though, as his face is covered in burn marks. During “The Cell,” we learn that it was Negan’s doing- to teach him a lesson. Instead of killing either Dwight or Sherry, Sherry agreed to marry Negan, and Dwight got a hot iron to his face. Now they’re “totally cool” with one another as Negan says.
We also get our first look at the Saviors’ wall of walkers they have going on. We’re not completely sure what this is- some sort of mind game or a protective layer from outsiders maybe. Whichever it may be, it is clear that they’re putting their own in the “wall.”
Image via AMC
Dwight is sent out to track down a runaway, a man who had lost his wife somehow. He tells Dwight he has nothing to go back to and would rather die then go back. Dwight takes pity on him (I know, Dwight has emotions… I’m shocked too). He shoots him in the back, and then later we see he’s placed in the wall of walkers. We also see the two people who place him in there- two men in gray sweatsuits with letters spray painted on their backs. This is the same outfit that Daryl is seen to be wearing, when he’s finally given clothes.
Speaking of Daryl, let’s talk about that. Dwight is tasked with breaking him- with mind games, dog food sandwiches, and psychological tests. It’s actually quite frighteneing how they do this, leading me to believe Negan is a character I will never love to hate. I will only ever strictly hate him. When we first see Daryl, he is naked in his cell. He’s left on a cold, dirty cement floor. He’s kept awake with loud, obnoxious music (I’ll never want to listen to “Easy Street” ever again). He’s fed dog food.
Daryl has been given three choices- he can work for Negan as a walker and protect the camp, he can admit that he’s one of them now and work for Negan while living like a king, or he can get tortured more. Negan is tiresomely trying to get Daryl to admit that he is “Negan” now. That he’s not Daryl anymore- he’s Negan. But Daryl won’t confess that, although it’s needed to get out of the cell and start living like a king.
Image via AMC
After the second time Daryl refused to admit he’d conformed to Negan, Dwight was honestly concerned for him. “You’re gonna wind up in that room or hanging on the fence!” Dwight- your humanity is showing. Dwight clearly cares about Daryl in some weird, messed up way. But Daryl responds with, “I get why you did it. Why you took it. You were thinking about someone else. That’s why I can’t.”
That’s right. He still has a group back at Alexandria he needs to protect and get back to. And he hasn’t given up on them yet.
This was more of an emotional episode than a brutally gruesome one. What lacked in brutality, made up for in physiological pain though. We saw Daryl in his most vulnerable state. We saw him break down in tears, which is so rare to a character as strong as he is. I’m curious to see what happens with Daryl. I’d have a hard time believing he would conform to Negan just because of his notable stubbornness. I’m still waiting for the day Daryl, Rick, and Carol all team up again and create a plan of revenge that knocks all of us out of our seats.
Next: The Walking Dead: A Musical Rendition
That wraps up the third episode of this season, and The Walking Dead still has my utmost attention.