Episode Title: The Well
Original Airdate: 10-30-16
This week we caught up with Carol and Morgan. Carol ditched Alexandria at the end of last season, came across some Saviors, killing all but one, and was followed by a concerned Morgan, with whom she has never seen eye-to-eye. Eventually, Carol was shot by the Savior she failed to kill, and was saved by Morgan when he broke his own “no killing” oath. They were then rescued by knights in armor…literally. The knights took them to a a settlement known as (what else) The Kingdom, led by the eccentric King Ezekiel, who happens to sport a pet tiger, Shiva.
Morgan immediately began to feel at home and started training one of the younger members of The Kingdom in Akido. He also went hunting with Ezekiel to find feral pigs feeding on Walkers, that the Kingdom used as payment to the Saviors. Carol, however, thought everyone was in complete denial of the world’s current predicament and wanted out as soon as she was able to run, which she did. In her escape she came across Ezekiel, who confessed to be a totally normal guy putting on a show because people needed a leader in the new world. He was just a zoo keeper (hence the tiger) with a love of the local community theater. Carol still left the next day and settled in a house nearby The Kingdom, but she wasn’t there long before Ezekiel came knocking, offering her fresh fruit.
Normally, I’d be annoyed to leave one group to focus on another after something life changing happened, but this is one instance I’m grateful for the reprieve. As I stated last week, the premiere was too intense, and I’m glad we didn’t get back to more emotional aftermath this week. In fact, the hope of Ezekiel and The Kingdom was probably exactly what we needed after Brain Bash ’16.
I’m a bit skeptical that all of these communities seem to exist (and have been existing for awhile) in such close proximity without having come across each other before now, and all at once. We have Alexandria, The Kingdom, Hilltop and the Saviors. Considering the limited resources, surely they would’ve crossed paths earlier. They all have to scavenge, so I’m surprised they haven’t met at the abandoned Piggly Wiggly. Despite limitations of the apocalyptic world, it seems highly unlikely.
All that being said, I did enjoy this latest addition. I’m not sure I’ve seen enough of The Kingdom to make up my mind on the people yet, but Ezekiel is solid character. I appreciate the revelation of his backstory this early, because otherwise I feel that he’d just be a one-note joke. This way, when he’s “in character” for his followers, we’re in on the joke too. And I liked how he thumbed his nose at the Saviors by providing them with potentially tainted meat. Who knows if it makes a difference once cooked, but it’s like the vengeful waiter serving “sneezers” to the high maintenance diners.
Overall, this was a pretty good episode. If it had followed any other episode in any other season, I’d say it was fine, but not think too much on it. However, timing is everything.
Channel: Superhero 