Okay, y’all. The Walking Dead is back. Things are finally getting a little more interesting in the land of walkers, and it’s all thanks to Tara.
Last time we saw Heath and Tara, the two were going on a two week long supply run for Alexandria. That was all the way back in the end of season six, so let’s just say A LOT has happened since then. Amirite? Densie was still alive. Glenn was still alive. Abraham was still alive. Carl of course, was still an idiot. Anyway, now on to the episode!
FINALLY. This is The Walking Dead I signed up for, folks. I had goosebumps during it- the good kind. It was emotional. It was exciting. And the ending…. Watching Eugene cry like that when Tara finally made it back to Alexandria. Damn.
First of all, I said that Jesus was my favorite character in my recap for last week’s episode. I take that back, fully and completely. Because Tara. Tara is 100% my favorite now. So let’s talk Tara. I was worried when I realized that this would probably be a bottle episode. I was even more worried when I realized it would probably be a bottle episode with only Tara and Heath. Because their story lines have been less than amusing the past few seasons. But I was proven wrong, and my mind is completely blown.
Image via AMC
I was fairly confident I started watching the wrong show when we kicked off this episode. We’re on the beach… Are they playing Fear the Walking Dead by accident? It’s an apocalypse mixed with paradise. Walkers are drowning in tide pools. Island-goers are walking around killing them. Until said island-goers reach Tara. Yup. Definitely The Walking Dead.
Tara has clearly found herself in a new coastal community. She’s washed up on the beach somewhere after falling off a bridge and into an inlet. Her and Heath came across a sand pit of walkers that forced her into the water. She washes up on shore. She passes out. She wakes up with a few water bottles next to her. She’s confused. She see’s that a girl is the one who gave her these supplies and left her to live. Tara then follows her. Because what else would you do stranded on a beach?
She follows this girl back to her community. A community made up completely of women. She’s sneaking around, seeing if it’s safe. That’s when the women realize she’s there and surround her with guns. They’re asking her what she’s doing there and what group she’s with. She lies and says she’s with no group. The women of this “compound” are unsure if they should trust her. Half of them want her dead. Half of them want to give her a chance. But the matriarch/grandmother of this community seems to be welcoming of her, so they let her stay for a little bit.
Image via AMC
Tara asks them where all their men are and we find out that another group came in, took all the men over the ages of 10, lined them up, and shot them. The Saviors. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere…
The commune of ladies loads up Tara with some supplies so she can find Heath and get back to Alexandria. She mentions to them that she has a girlfriend to get back to. Queue the tears. She can’t find Heath back near the snap pit they got separated at. She did find a suspected note from him though. She assumes he’s on his way back to Alexandria so she begins heading back to.
The second to final scene is of the gate opening at Alexandria. Tara’s face is brightly lit up, happy she’s home. Until she sees Eugene, and she realizes something’s not right. He tells her what happened. Her face drops. We then see her inside with Rosita, who’s clearly amped up to fight the Saviors back. Rosita asks if she saw anything out there and knew of anyone who could help. Tara says no…
Tara! Why!? We were finally getting so close to a fight between the good vs. the evil. We have THREE communities that all want Negan dead. Hell, I’m even willing to bet that Negan’s community wants him dead. If the people of Alexandria team up with the people at the Hilltop and at this lady leading commune, isn’t that enough the fight Negan!? Because I, like many other fans, are tired of seeing Negan on my screen. I have hope that introduces us to this new world of survivors will gear us up for a fight. With Maggie running Hilltop and Michonne and Rosita at Alexandria, maybe Tara will come to her senses and hope to enlist the others. Maybe.
Either way, this season is definitely the season for ass- kicking women and I’m living for it.
Next: New Crossover Clip of The CW’s “Heroes vs. Aliens” Showdown
Is Negan going to die next week!? Probably not. But watch with me anyway on Sunday at 9/8c on AMC!