Okay, so I knew that Lydia and Carl dated in the comics, but who tf was gonna tell me that it was when Lydia was 16 and Carl was only 13!!!!???? I know it’s the end times and Carl’s supposed to be mature, but that’s still disgusting! Just to put it in perspective for y’all, in the show, Carl was 13 in season 3. Imagine season 3 Carl doing anything like that, it’s horrible! He was a baby! I can’t even put into words how grossed out I am by this.

Like many of us I'm doing a TWD rewatch, looking for all those pre-relationship moments, and a great little one in 4x01 is after Michonne arrives back at the prison -- there's a moment where Daryl tells her "Glad to see you're in one piece." HOWEVER, when he says that he turns to look directly at Rick. Who in turn quickly looks away, almost bashful.

You can just imagine what Daryl had to put up with, with Rick in those early days. So I had to fic it.

Rick never said the words aloud. He never outright said, "I'm worried about Michonne. I hope she's okay. I hope she comes back." He was never that obvious. But to someone like Daryl, a man naturally of few words himself, it was clear as day that their fearless leader was never fully relaxed whenever that smartass/badass - who was more than capable of taking care of herself - wasn't safely tucked away behind their walls.

But what Rick would say when she was gone was - "There was a herd moving south, right?" Where Michonne had last gone hung unspoken between them. And when Daryl answered Yeah, Rick would just place his hands on his hips and nod, jaw tight, as he scanned the perimeter of the compound as if waiting for someone to magically appear.

He would say - "There's a lot more bandits out there, roaming in packs. Isn't that what you said?" A grunt and a shrug from Daryl, and Rick would nod like they'd just had a conversation and go back to his farming, digging the shovel into the dirt with a bit more force than necessary, making a point to not look at the fence. They hadn't heard from Michonne in two weeks.

He would say - "Nights are getting cold," while standing outside at the communal kitchen, plate in hand, his gaze always drawn to the barely visable fence line. Daryl had hummed in agreement, fighting the urge to tell him that Michonne should be fine as she had pilfered his poncho, something Rick already knew.

And on one strange occasion he said, "Do you think we should get some more ... art? In here?"

This had stopped Daryl in his tracks. "What?"

Rick shrugged, perhaps a little sheepishly, but continued. "We have a library, potted flowers, even some toys and things for the kids. This is our home now. Thought ... maybe it could use a bit of ... brightening?"

Daryl just starred blankly. "You want me to, what? Bring back pictures?"

For a moment it looked as if Rick was about to finally say what was actually on his mind, before he instead gave a rueful smile and waved his hand in the air as if to dispel the conversation. "Nah, nah, never mind. It was just a thought."

He walked away, leaving an utterly perplexed Daryl behind who simply shrugged and went on his own way. It was only later that day as he passed by Michonne's empty cell did his eyes fall upon that weird colourful cat thing, the one that looked like it was about to start a fight. It was such a stupid, useless thing but Daryl remembered how Michonne had presented it to him with an air of triumph, as if it was the most gorgeous thing in the world. He didn't get it.

Did Rick really think that if he made the place more art-filled, Michonne might want to hang around longer? he wondered, then immediately dismissed the idea. Well, clearly not because he gave up before he started. Like with other things.

Only once had Daryl said the unsaid thing.

Almost everyone was asleep. Well, Carl was hid under his blankets reading comics and there were low conversational sounds coming from some darkened cell, but for the most part things were quiet.

And they were kept quiet by an exhausted Rick, pacing back and forth with a fussy Judith, bouncing her non-stop so her cries wouldn't awaken the entire community. He'd nodded to Daryl, who in turn took a moment to ask if he needed help putting Judith to sleep tonight.

"No, thankyou" said Rick tiredly. "I think she's pretty much worn herself out by now. Should be sound asleep soon."

"You too."

Rick sighed. "Yeah. I just ..." He shifted Judith a little, "Even when I do get to bed, I can't seem to stop thinking. Thinking of plans for the future, for the people we have in here. The people we bring in. How to protect everyone inside these walls. Keep our people safe despite ... well, despite everything." Rick looked at Daryl as if he might have the answers to those questions he hadn't quite asked.

All he could do was shrug. "We just try. Trust that we all know what we're doing. Lookout for everyone here. Not much more we can do, is there? Future don't care about anyone's plans."

Rick didn't look totally reassured, but he still smiled slightly as Daryl's efforts. "Yeah. I just worry, is all."

"I know." And as Daryl passed by he gripped Rick's shoulder and muttered, "Shouldn't worry so much. Michonne'll be back, all in one piece. You'll see."

And the man had the audacity to look confused, stuttering out, "Yeah, I know that, but - but I wasn't talking about Michonne, specifically. I'm not worried about her. She can take care of herself, I know that, and she always comes back, it's just ... with everything ..."

As he trailed off Daryl eyed Rick critically for a moment. He really thinks he's selling it, he thought, before giving a soft grunt that was akin to laughter and wandering off to bed, leaving a somewhat disconcerted Rick behind, gently bouncing a sleeping Judith.

And the very next day who should come riding through the gates but one Michonne, smiling, baring gifts and all in one piece, as Daryl made sure to point out to Rick, who's ears suddenly went bright red as if Michonne might somehow be able to figure out that they'd been taking about her just that night before.

But she didn't notice. She was too caught up in her almost obsessive search for the Governor and already planning her next venture out, unaware of Rick's barely suppressed disappointment or of the sigh that Daryl kept clenched behind his teeth as he tried to subtly talk her out of another long run. It wasn't her who was stuck with Rick and his wordless pining.

Because it was pining, even if he never said nothing. If they were in school Daryl might've suggested he pass her a note.

When she had quickly offered to go back out again with the rest of the scavenging party - even though, as Carl had said wistfully, she'd just got back - and Daryl could do nothing more than give Rick a comforting pat, grimacing slightly as the man's expression said exactly the same thing his son had vocalised.

God, this was going to wear thin soon.

Ah well. Wasn't like they had TV anymore.

hello! firstly, a few things to say, 1: seeing your posts and general thoughts on the negan haters (that just sounds some immature in some way just because of how they act) made me think just how crude some anti-fans can be in general (not just twd). I mean, look at how some fans acted when Pedro Pascal was announced as joel! dont get me wrong, I'll excited for the role and will still watch BUT I think there could've been better options for sure (not just JDM but he was an option for me too) however, the way some fans have treated pascal or they said online about it is so horrible and crude! like fine, u can dislike something or someone but do you really have to cuss out and say bad and unnecessary shit out loud for people who dont want to hear anything about the horrible things u say?? it's just immature and horrible really.

and 2, I know in the past you've asked some of us or have even thought about movie away from TWD's plot for sake one of your series' ( I think it was the one with OC Joel but not 100% or maybe a different series or fic/multiple ones) anddd...I agree! I think what the writers of that show did with the series as IMMENSELY gone downhill and many many fans can tell, especially after negan was introduced. at first I really loved the direction they were taking negan, he always fascinated me in some within the comics too but, now seeing how things have slightly worsened kinda sucks because I truly LOVE TWD but it's gone downhill in recent years. so yeah, seeing your fics or series' moving away from the plot of TWD would be interesting and fun cause you wouldn't have to rely on certain events and just take the writing elsewhere with your own doing and choosing.

(sry for the lengthy message lol)

Let's see if I can hit everything up here. I think there are some seriously horrible, negative people in every fandom. Unfortunately you get that on the internet. I don't support anyone attacking any of the actors/actress/etc. or attacking real life people. My problem with the people who hate Negan is that I have seen someone who I consider one of the nicest people be told they should be raped and killed for merely just liking Negan. I've seen people use fiction as an excuse to be racist, homophobic, transphobic, to misgender people on purpose, etc. I'm assuming this is the same anonymous as before??

Pedro Pascal being cast as Joel I think was widely accepted by a lot of people because he is so damn popular. I think some people were upset because he looks nothing like Joel and even me at first I was very unaccepting of him in the role. Jeff, Nikolai, Jackman, Brolin, etc were all very popular choices. I think at first people got really pissed because you had arrogant Pedro Pascal fans (who hadn't even played the game) throwing things in the faces of people who were disappointed that even though Jeff looks EXACTLY like Joel (let's be honest, he does) and that Jeff had the same personality that anyone who though Jeff, Brolin or Jackman should be the role then they were wrong and they didn't know what they were talking about blah blah blah. You know. The shit starters. BUT, I think I've made it clear I like Pedro. He's a handsome guy. He's a decent actor. I don't think he was the best choice for Joel, but anyone being racist or a fucking asshole is...well that. An asshole. I think I've made it clear that Joel in The Guest/Arcadia is made after the video game character and someone asked me once, "Do you see Pedro as the character now?" And I was very anti that idea since in my mind Joel is this very southern, green eyed guy that has a full beard that is muscular, but at this point...if people want to picture Pedro. LET THEM. It's not my choice who people choose to see in the role and PEDRO IS JOEL on the show. They aren't casting The Last of Us according to who looks like the characters at all. So anyone being an asshole, they are just being an asshole.

The story I was actually trying NOT to follow The Walking Dead storyline with was The Mistress. Not the one with Joel. I think I have decided I will not follow The Walking Dead with that story. It may upset people, but I don't like where they are going and I'm fairly certain they are killing Negan. I've followed it long enough and I've put that family through enough torture. I don't know how the final season will go, who knows at this point? But, I'm going to attempt to write as much as I can because if they kill Negan, I'm pretty certain I'm going to stop writing in general because I'll be so disappointed. So it's better for me to get it in now as much as I can.

Sorry for the lengthy response.

Episode 8 Review

The usual spoilers

Alright, this episode was pretty good in the beginning with some stuff here and there I didn’t like, but that ending... that ending leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

Normally I start with the bad first, then the good, but I feel I should do chronological order for this one since most of the good is before the bad.

For starters, I enjoyed the very beginning with Chris at his dad’s funeral. For once, seeing an aspect of Vic’s childhood was interesting. You feel pretty bad for Chris because of the rough childhood he had, and you feel bad because he became his father. It’s good that he’s definitely changed tho. He pissed me off (and I’m sure everyone else off) last season, and to see him get emotional all those years before is definitely something. Seeing him grow now is rewarding.

I do really like how both of Vic’s parents see her bridge and are amazed by it. Idk why, but I always find it incredibly satisfying in a story when all the characters understand something/everything. I’m sure we all do, but clarification in a story has always brought me a satisfaction comparable to that of watching those satisfying video complications on YouTube.

How Bing is alive still... I have no idea. Maybe because he was sitting and that helped slow down the blood flow? Honestly, I really wanted them to get information out of him, then have him die. Look, there is a part of me that feels bad for him and sorry for him, but his actions are way less forgivable than Charlie’s. If you ask me, despite him talking with Vic (and hell, maybe at this point he does feel bad for what he did, although that is hard to believe because he did genuinely enjoy raping people, and rape is one of those actions it’s very hard to find really any redemption in once you commit it), I don’t see anyone forgiving his ass, and they shouldn’t. I also think Bing has always been a ticking time bomb. Who knows, if Charlie hadn’t come into their lives, he could’ve hurt Vic if she came off as “too nice” to him. We see what he did to his mom, despite her loving him and being the only good person in his life. He interprets love as something darker, and while it’s horrible that he thinks that way, and I understand what his childhood did to his mind, he has the knowledge that it’s wrong to do it (I mean, he has to subdue people with the gas, and he clearly sees his victims are unwilling) and he should stop it, yet he doesn’t. Charlie actually believes that what he’s doing is right, and there is a part of you that can see that in some regards, he is right, keeping kids away from harmful parents. What good comes out of rape? The only good that comes out of it is the benefit to himself for getting his sick pleasures. He does it all because he can and likes it, no other purpose. He could’ve gotten help, he could’ve tried to keep that all in and express it in a safe environment, he could’ve restrained himself from doing these things... yet he didn’t. If he had just killed the parents and strictly did nothing of a particularly cruel nature, you could understand Bing more and respect his character. But since he didn’t... it makes things harder. Is it respectable that he admitted he’s wrong? Yes. Should he be forgiven? Well... not really, at least imo. If Bing has any redeeming qualities, there are very few. Since he is kept alive, I hope he’s either rotting in prison or kept in a place where he can maybe get help that he needs. I think most importantly, I’m more than a little annoyed at this whole, “Yeah, we’ll write the rapist more sympathetically before we do the main antagonist, who’s actions are questionable and one could understand his intent. He doesn’t rape anybody and finds the act repulsive and kills rapists... but he’s less sympathetic just because he’s the main bad guy 😀.” Yeah, okay writers...

Moving on from the only truly bad thing in the episode before the ending, everything else seemed to be fine. I’m concerned with Maggie and Tabitha’s relationship, I really hope they’ll be okay. Tabitha was badass getting the respect and recognition she deserves for the work she does. Even though she made the stupid decision of going into that church by herself and possibly getting killed, I do love the balls she has, I just hope she doesn’t get herself killed by being stupid. Her and Maggie are a great couple and I love them. I feel bad for Vic and I hate that she feels so low about herself. I did like her talking with her dad. The confrontation with Millie was interesting, and I’m curious to see what’s in store with that. Based on the “next time” preview at the end of the episode, we finally make it to Christmasland, and I’m very interested (but also a little anxious) about what’s gonna happen next.

Now, the ending... this damn ending...

First of all, when Maggie was confronting Wayne, why didn’t she grab his ornament? Maggie is not a stupid character. Did she get hit by the car last season and not make smarter decisions on how to avoid it (ex, maybe getting in between two other cars)? Sure, but we’ll cut her slack, it was a very in the moment thing. This? I mean... they were anticipating this. You mean to tell me she couldn’t have thought of trying to get that ornament out of his hand and taking it away from him? She tricked the Hourglass for Christ’s sakes. It looks like from the preview she’s collecting their ornaments, but still, especially in that moment, she would’ve grabbed his. It might’ve made Wayne have a strength over his old self... what’s weird is in the book, he’s holding onto both sides of himself throughout his entire journey, in this they’re making it seem as though he has no control anymore. Which leads me to my next point...

Where is Craig in all of this? What, so his efforts didn’t do dick? What was the point in having him the last two episodes? I believe in the book, Wayne’s grandma (aka Linda McQueen), is helping him in a spirit form, and also by him “thinking backwards.” Craig was helping him by reminding him of Vic and staying by him. It would’ve made so much more sense for Craig to be by his side still (or hell, in the car if he can’t leave it and telling Wayne to “remember the plan”), Wayne “puts” the ornament on the tree (or Maggie takes it off after he puts it on), and Craig stays by him. Nope, let’s make his character useless. Who knows if he’ll return next episode, I’m hoping he will, but even if he does, it’s still annoying that his character has done little to nothing at this point when there was so much potential, and it seems to be almost too late. I’m glad Wayne didn’t eat Maggie or Lou like I feared (Lou did get a nip I suppose, which was a little unneeded if you ask me). I was hoping for more potential from Craig, guess we’ll have to see if there will be...

Another point: WHY THE HELL IS THIS CAR TOO OVERPOWERED? Seriously, it makes no sense. You can make Charlie’s abilities as op as you want so long as it’s not ridiculous, I could see that. But the car? That’s his total weakness. It can be stronger than the average car, but if lighting it on fire deals with it, explosions would. That is beyond lazy writing.

Now, the worst part: Chris’s death. Of course, let’s kill a character when he just seemed to redeem himself (but the character that rapes people and can’t really be redeemed, we’re gonna keep him alive, maybe he’ll get a redemption arch 🙂). Once again, writers, why are you making the most stupid choices? While his death wasn’t as stupid as his death in the book where officers shoot him down when he’s trying to protect Vic from one (this is all under Tabitha’s command, let’s just say she’s not that great of a cop in the book or with Maggie, I enjoy her character changes for the show), his death, the way I see it, is still insulting and pointless. Realistically, they could’ve kept him alive, what is the point of not? Also, I know that bike is heavy, but why wouldn’t Vic get up and kick some ass? Of course, her bike would act up just as the Wraith is coming towards her (what is the point of that too?). I really think Chris’s death was just for shock value and filler, and to make Charlie look like an even worse villain (because they reeeeally want to drill this point home, if the way his backstory is presented in the show wasn’t proof enough, which is stupid because we UNDERSTAND WRITERS. It’s you guys that don’t understand that Charlie is established as the villain through being the antagonist and his conflicting actions). While I’m glad they didn’t kill an even more important character (ex, Maggie or Lou or Vic), it’s still stupid to waste all that character development on Chris just for him to go out anyways, all for shock value filler and to make Charlie worse. Again, not saying he’s a saint, not saying it’s out of the realm of possibility for him to want to get revenge on Vic this way, but still, isn’t he already getting revenge on her through Wayne (plus, to him it’s poetic justice that he’s “saving” him from her). There’s really no point to Chris’s death. This reminded me heavily of TWD when they would pull that shock value filler crap with killing characters, and making a villain look worse than needed (an example is what they did with Negan in the show by writing him as even more evil and less redeemable than he is in the comics). I genuinely hope they don’t pull more of this.

All in all, this episode had it’s good moments I enjoyed, but there was definitely some stupidity and bad moments I despised. Let’s hope these last two episodes where shit gets more serious will be better. I’m hoping this show does not turn to crap through a series of stupid decisions, much like TWD did. I will be sorely disappointed at AMC...

How The Walking Dead: World Beyond Expands the Zombie Universe with Its Unique Teen Characters

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After its premiere was delayed by several months due to COVID-19, the two-season The Walking Dead spinoff series The Walking Dead: World Beyond finally makes its debut this week. The story expands the TWD universe in a unique way, taking place 10 years after the zombie outbreak and focusing on a predominantly teenage cast of characters. Unlike the battered groups of survivors from The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead, these teens have been sheltered from walkers (or “empties,” as they’re called on this show) within the walls of a university in Omaha, Nebraska, a thriving colony that has afforded them a relatively normal, safe life post-outbreak.

But, as fans will learn from the very first episode, the Campus Colony (as it’s referred to) does have a seemingly precarious arrangement with the Civic Republic Military (CRM), whose ominous helicopters act as a narrative thread that ties the three shows together. It’s safe to say you’ll learn way more about this mysterious faction in World Beyond than ever before.

The show primarily centers on sisters Iris (Aliyah Royale) and Hope (Alexa Mansour), who leave the safety of the University in search of their father, brilliant scientist Dr. Leo Bennett (Joe Holt), who they’ve learned is somewhere in New York. Joining them on their mission are fellow student Elton (Nicolas Cantu), a resourceful scientist and historian (who also happens to know karate), and school janitor Silas (Hal Cumpston), a soft-spoken social outcast whose murky past has earned him a questionable reputation on campus. The teens are tailed by battle-tested adult guardians Felix (Nico Tortorella) and Huck (Annet Mahendru).

Last fall, I visited the show’s set in Richmond, Virginia, where filming was underway for episode 7 of the show (alas, there were no CRM helicopters in sight). The location was an old waterpark called Hadad’s Lake, which was appropriately creepy-looking. The abandoned facilities looked dreary and greyed-out under the looming rainclouds — the juxtaposition of a children’s park rotting in a post-apocalypse seemed to fit the show thematically as well.

Huddled around a table with other members of the press under a tent that sheltered our equipment from the occasional drizzle, we were joined by the cast members one by one to talk about their respective characters and what fans can expect from the show. Here’s what we learned:

Iris

“Iris is smart and caring and loving and doesn’t have a selfish bone in her body,” Royale says of her character. “She really wants to make sure that every single person that she encounters is taken care of and has what they need. At some point she realizes maybe it’s time to start doing things for herself and when she makes that switch, it is a roller coaster of events.”

Serving as the beating heart of the show, Iris is an overachiever on campus and a compassionate leader amongst her peers. She’s got a tight bond with Hope, and while Iris is generally viewed as the more straight-laced, level-headed of the two, the absence of her father compels her to make the drastic decision to venture out beyond the University walls for the first time.

“The mission for Iris is: where’s my dad at?” Royale explains. “I want my dad back. The other side of that is, Iris is following in his footsteps. She’s super involved in science, biomedical engineering, all of those things that her father’s brain is being used for…that’s exactly the path that she’s going towards. Saving the world.”

At the University, though the majority of students haven’t encountered empties, they’re trained by instructors like Felix to defend themselves against the dead, including with a weapon called an S-pole, a staff with a retractable blade at one end. Iris is a fast learner, although she quickly discovers that no amount of training can actually prepare her for the horrors that await in the real world.

“She’s got a lot of information stored up here,” Royale says as she points at her head. “But the minute that she encounters the first walker, it’s this just absolute fear. As much as you learn, as many books as you read, you could never feel [that fear] until you’re in that moment. You’ve got your four best friends next to you, and it’s you or the empty.”

Hope

“She doesn’t give a shit about anything,” Mansour says of the rebellious Hope. “She lives for today and I mean, realistically, she doesn’t think she’s going to live tomorrow. She’s pretty sure she could die at any moment and I don’t think she really cares. So she gets herself in trouble, doesn’t care what people say, and is always doing the opposite of what Felix tells her to do. It’s kind of ironic that her name is Hope because she really doesn’t have any of it.”

Hope and Iris have a tight bond despite their polar opposite temperaments and outlooks on life. “They’re complete opposites,” says Mansour. “Iris is the one that will be off studying until four in the morning while Hope would probably be partying until four in the morning. But they love each other. I think they really do balance each other out. Iris will bail Hope out whenever she is sneaking out and doing stuff that she should not be doing, and Hope would take a bullet for her sister.”

As for Hope’s lack of, well, hope, in human beings and their future prospects on the planet, Mansour made it clear that this speaks to a pressing real-world issue of mental health that affects teens everywhere. As someone who was bullied for her ethnicity (she’s half Hispanic, half Egyptian), she feels World Beyond and the platform it’s given her will allow her to help teenagers who are struggling like she has.

“I really hope they realize that they’re not alone,” Mansour says. “I think it’s important for kids who are watching this to take away that it’s okay to be open about what you’re feeling and it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling and it’s not the end of the world, it is going to get better.”

Felix

“Felix is the head of security detail at the university,” says Tortorella, who also reveals that his character identifies as queer. “He is kind of an adopted son to the girls’ dad. He had a troubled childhood dealing with his family coming to terms or not coming to terms with him being gay. He’s very much a hero. He protects the people around him in a way that’s contradictory to the stereotype of like what a gay character usually is on television. And that’s why I was really excited to play this role.”

Tortorella, who identifies as genderfluid, felt drawn to the show and the The Walking Dead franchise for its strong representation of marginalized communities. “The diversity was a huge thing coming into it, you know? We have people from all walks of life on this show. Genders, sexualities, race, religions. It was a no brainer for me.”

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Hope and Iris’s father took Felix in as family after the outbreak, and Felix’s made a promise to take care of the girls at all costs. Unlike the sisters, he and his partner Huck have seen action outside the Campus’ walls, which makes him a formidable fighter. When Iris and Hope escape the walls of the colony, Felix and Huck quickly give chase.

“Yeah, he’s in full dad mode all the time with these kids,” Tortorella explains. “I think that like after the first episode, the stakes are at maximum levels in terms of our safety and our fight for survival. And Felix is the one that has the most training in terms of any sort of military background that we know of.”

Huck

Huck is Felix’s right hand, dear friend, and confidant. She sports a sizable scar across her cheek, which all but confirms she’s been through some tough shit.

“Huck comes from a Marines background,” Mahendru says. “When you first meet Huck, you just know the scar. There’s a story [behind it]. She is an independent thinker. She’s really tough, but she’s really hopeful and really positive and warm and is adamant about bringing the world back to what it was. She wants as many people to live as possible.”

As for Huck’s relationship to the sisters, Mahendru says that she has a deep connection with Hope, who she sees herself in. “She was a bit of a rebel when she was young, [too]. They have a big/little sister relationship, and I train her how to fight. I want her to survive out there. I mean I’m going to send her out there and so I’m responsible for her. I really believe in her potential and I feel her pain. I’ve gone through the same similar things.”

Elton

“Elton is a very intellectually curious child,” Cantu says. “He has been sheltered from the world outside with a bunch of horrible, horrible things happening out there. So he’s kind of trying to understand the world for what it is and how nature is changing along with most of humanity. He’s on a journey to analyze and document and just see what this new world is about.”

A classmate of Iris and Hope’s who offers to join them on their quest to find their father, Elton admits that the outside world isn’t exactly foreign to him.

“Elton has been outside of the walls before because he does a lot of experiments outside,” Cantu explains as he motions to the mustard-colored, corduroy suit he’s wearing. “It’s bite proof, which Elton learned through controlled experiments. So he kind of has a little bit of a glimpse as to what the outside world is. But once he steps out there, it’s intense.”

Cantu says he sees a lot of himself in Elton. “I really do relate to Elton. I mean, he’s kind of got this view of the world where he’s very blunt with it. He knows a bunch of the threats out there. He realizes stepping outside of those walls is going to be a life changing thing. The world is brutal and he has just come to accept that. So if it’s coming down to survival, he’s ready, he’s prepared, he’s got everything on lock. And I feel like if I was in an apocalypse, I would prepare similarly to Elton.”

Silas

“He’s been shunned by the particular community they’re in. People refer to him as a monster or just completely shun him. It’s like a Boo Radley type of character,” Cumpston reveals about the quiet Silas. “No one knows his exact story, you know what I mean? When kids hear something then they exaggerate and that type of thing.”

Cumpston, a young Australian actor and filmmaker also feels he relates to Silas. “Yeah, everyone’s felt like an outcast. There’s definitely been situations where I’ve felt like an outcast. I’d be a funny kid at school. I joined a soccer team and there’s already these different funny personalities [on the team] and I’m just sort of like the quiet kid who’s also not good [at soccer]. I’m like, ‘Oh, fuck. I need to make up for it by being funny but there are no opportunities.’” 

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Unlike his three teenage counterparts, Silas isn’t a student at the school, and he’s got little excuse not to join the others on their quest, seeing as he hasn’t got much going for him at the Campus.

“He’s just a janitor who no one speaks to and everyone refers to as a monster,” Cumpston says. “When he walks past people on campus, you can hear that people don’t have very nice things to say about him. He catches wind that there’s an [opportunity] to prove to himself and these other people that he’s not a monster.”

The Walking Dead: World Beyond premieres on Oct. 4 at 10 pm ET on AMC.

The post How The Walking Dead: World Beyond Expands the Zombie Universe with Its Unique Teen Characters appeared first on Den of Geek.

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Reveling in Richonne

#151: The Shoulder To Lean On (9x14)

Michonne was horribly betrayed by one of her old friends. And in order to stop that “friend” she has to call on one of her actual friends; Daryl. 

After Daryl’s big time friendship-shortcomings with Rick in the first half on s9, it was important that he step all the way up to be there for Michonne. And their friendship does get deeper with the following sequence of events where he’s a genuine shoulder to lean on. Cuz after all... 

So first, in the present we get this precious visual of Michonne having dinner with her kids. 🥰 And the empty fourth seat just feels like it’s meant to be Rick’s presence. 

RJ asks for, “more tomatoes please” like the polite little prince he is. 😋

Michonne smiles and says, “Of course you can, baby” as she selflessly gives him the food off her plate and smiles. RJ is so cute and the casting was so well done. I can totally believe he’d be Rick and Michonne’s kid.

Can I just take a moment to say, Rick would be really proud of the way Michonne’s raising these kids. Michonne is so balanced in a lot of ways, and it makes sense why something as traumatic as what she went through would make her tip the scale a bit and be a little more strict. But I love that she’s still trying to find that balance and give her kids a good full life. 

And it’s cool that as Judith grows up, Michonne’s not trying to make Judith soft or naïve to the world. She’s making her balanced. She wants her to both be a kid and be ready to defend herself in this world.

(Side note: I love that RJ’s always talking about food. Me and nephew RJ have that in common. 😂)

Seeing RJ with his little random lines is so cute and I’m just like; you know not the power you’re destined for because of the people you’re made up of. But just wait, little RJ. He’s pretty much destined for greatness. 

And y’all, just look at how Michonne looks at their baby. Preciousness personified.😭

Mama Michonne tells Judith to eat not poke her food and Judith looks so cute and tiny in the chair when she says, “Sorry, mom. I’m not that hungry.” Judith asks if it’d be okay for her to go to her room and Michonne says sure , and before leaving Judith says, “Thanks mom” with an undertone of sass.

I love how much Judith calls Michonne mom. Even if sometimes the tone has me like; watch it little girl you still talking to my big sister. 😂😂

So Michonne lies awake at night, and then she gets up restless cuz she doesn’t want there to be this disconnect between her and her daughter. She’s wrestling with the fact that it may be time to have the conversation she’d been holding off. And when she gets up we again see that huge x scar. 

Michonne knocks on Judith’s door and says she’d like to talk cuz she’s ready to tell Judith about their traumatic experience, but when she opens the door Judith isn’t there. 

You know Michonne’s willing to try anything to find Judith, even if it means doing the excruciating: having to talk to Negan. 

So the next thing we see is Michonne going to Negan’s cell and asking if Judith’s been there today.

Michonne also asks what Judith would even talk to Negan about and she wants specifics.

Cuz Judith and Negan don’t have anything they need to be discussing amongst just the two of them if you ask me. 

Negan says the two talk about homework and how much she misses her Uncle Daryl and that she likes hearing stories about her dad and Carl. But I was like uh Negan hardly knew Rick and Carl, and definitely never knew them as friends, so what kind of stories could Negan be telling Judith from his perspective of her dad and brother. 🤔

Like I can only even see Negan being in there telling her, “So Judith, here’s the story about how I hated your dad’s guts and tortured him and his people just cuz I could. Good times.” 🙄 

Negan says he lets her know about Carl sneaking in the Sanctuary and “dear old dad” Rick slicing his throat. And how they’re all old stories but they’re new to Judith. 

Michonne questions why he does this. She asks if it’s cuz he knows she has yet to tell her daughter the stories, or is it to build some trust with Judith that he can use? And at that second option I was like... 

Cuz that sounds like the right answer to me. I’m not saying Negan doesn’t have any semblance of a heart and I do think that he thinks he genuinely cares about Judith, but he still absolutely overstepped his boundaries by telling Judith things he knows is not his place. 

Negan, the king of overstepping, says that Judith talks to him cuz he shoots straight with her and then he says, “maybe if you did that you’d be talking to her right now instead of me.” The audacity. 😑

This man is really in this cell trying to tell Michonne how to mother her kid. It’s comically out of pocket. And Michonne seems to think so to cuz then she laughs and calls him out on how he probably has left out the story of what he did to Glenn and Abraham. 

But I was like no my good sis, this man crosses every line he can so of course he’s told her that story. And he confirms that when he then says he’s honest with her and answers any question she asks so, “yeah she’s heard those stories too.” Tried. It. 😒 

Negan seriously crossed the line on a new level by telling Judith those stories. 😒That’s not for Negan, the causer of these stories, to tell her. That should be entirely up to her mom. Especially cuz no matter how “honest” Negan thinks he is with her, I’m sure he makes himself sound a little better in those stories than he really was. 

All I can say about this whole thing from Negan and his trifling big mouth is...

#DirectQuote from Michonne and I’s mind lol. Michonne agrees that Negan’s tried it so she’s about to just walk out and leave, cuz listening to this man constantly attempt to jab and pick at personal stuff is a frustratingly exhausting experience. 

And then Negan starts saying, “She hates that you’re not letting new people in. She thinks that things should be like Carl thought they should be in the letter he wrote to her.” 

(Side note: TWD, lemme see that letter! And Michonne’s too!🙏🏽)

Michonne then is fed up with the fact that this man has crossed more lines than a to-do list so she slams the door and storms over to him to let him know, “No. You don’t get to talk to me about Carl.” Thank you. 👏🏽👏🏽He can keep the whole Grimes Family out of his mouth. 

Like Negan you think you bonded with Carl? You’re talking to the woman who bonded with him since season three and became his mother. So...

Michonne gets more passionate when she says, “And you definitely don’t get to tell me about what she wants or feels. She is my daughter!” Say it loud and proud. 🙌🏽

I’m glad Michonne got to go off on him and remind him that she is the mother who is raising Judith and she is the one who loves and knows her more than anything, so he does not get to impose on that or think he knows better in any way. Mama Michonne was in the building and I’m here for it. 👌🏽💯

Negan stands up and for once in his life starts talking some sense when he says, “That is exactly right. She is your daughter so she has her own idea about how things should be.” Michonne and Judith do have that in common. 

Negan realizes Michonne doesn’t know where Judith is so he says maybe she’s out petting a horse or “maybe she’s exactly like her mother.” Which, like Michonne, she would be out there not taking anything lying down. 👌🏽

All my Negan annoyance aside, I admit I like this line. I like that someone acknowledges how Michonne is a determined woman and how that rubbed off on Judith. Michonne’s daughter is like her mother. 

Michonne knows he might have a point with this, and similar to her going out in the front half of season seven to try and find a way, she has a hunch that her daughter might have left to try and find a way too. So she quickly leaves the cell.

Michonne then runs directly to Judith’s room and finds the gun gone.She also finds a note from Judith telling her mom she’s sorry but she has to help their friends. 

In a beautifully acted scene, we cut back to the past and Daryl and Michonne are out in the woods looking for Judith and the rest of the kidnapped Alexandria kids. 

Daryl says lets take a break cuz he sees that Michonne needs it. The woman is super pregnant after all.

Daryl understandingly says, “I know you want to be out here, but you got a baby, you know?” and Michonne looks at him like “Daryl, don’t say another word cuz I could be pregnant with quadruplets and I’d still be out here looking for my daughter”. Direct quote from her mind #YouAlreadyKnow. 😂 

And I love that, just from her look alone, Daryl knows to pull back.

They sit on the swings and Daryl’s reassuring that they’ll find Judith. Michonne says, “I can’t believe this. She was a friend, you know? Like a real one. We went through everything together. Figuring out who we were gonna be. Heartbreak. Losing my mom.” And y’all, when Michonne gets emotional, I get emotional so of course this got to me. 😢

Again, I do appreciate getting a bit more insight into Michonne as a person this episode. Especially getting to hear about Michonne’s mom and remember that Michonne’s not just the wife and mother we’ve come to love, she’s also a daughter. 

Michonne goes onto say, “I wanted her to be that again.” which also breaks my heart. 

And the part that strikes me most is her saying, “I needed it.” Y’all, she needed a friend and she knew that. 😭. She was in such a vulnerable spot at this time when she was pregnant and she just needed someone who felt like they were there for her. 

Part of losing the love of your life means losing your best friend. Rick wasn’t just Michonne’s husband, he was her best friend too. Plus Carl. And now they’re both gone.  She lost the person she laughs with and confides in. So it makes sense why she’d feel she needed Jocelyn, cuz she needed a friend after having just lost her closest one.

Again, after losing Rick and shortly after learning she’s pregnant with his baby, I’m sure Jocelyn was such a welcomed and comforting sight. Only for her to betray Michonne like this. It’s horrible. 😣 

Michonne starts to get really upset with herself for letting her guard down but Daryl reminds her this isn’t on her, not even a little. 100% True. 

But it’s hard for Michonne to fully accept that cuz she still feels like she should’ve known and should’ve sensed something. This is probably so hard on her too, cuz Michonne is so often alert and aware. 

She picks up on things even before anyone else sees it, like when she was the first to sense the Governor wasn’t all he’s cracked up to be. So she feels upset with herself for not seeing through Jocelyn when she usually has such a knack for sensing something. 

But again, it makes sense considering the extremely vulnerable spot she was in at the time. 

Daryl is helpful in telling Michonne she didn’t sense something cuz she’s not like Jocelyn. There are people out there that, “got so much evil in their heart and they hide it. Like they’re wearing a mask or something.” (Foreshadowing👌)🏽

I’m glad that Daryl is here for Michonne right now, so that she doesn’t have to wrestle with this alone. I appreciate that he’s so certain that they’ll find the kids and make Jocelyn pay for what she’s done. Michonne needed someone here to lean on and not let her beat herself up. 

And while, I have my qualms with Daryl and his many reckless actions, he is the kind of guy you want to call on for stuff like this. Especially when you need to make someone pay. 

There are so few people Daryl shows his more human side to and Michonne is definitely one of them which is nice. And a lot of times this show tends to overly cater to Daryl and his emotions, so it was a refreshing change to see Daryl be there to comfort Michonne in her emotion. 

This scene was touching, especially cuz Danai has a very similar skill to Andy in that they both can make a scene feel so real and unfiltered that you almost feel like you’re invading their privacy cuz it’s so personal and genuine. 

Like when Michonne was talking to Daryl it was so raw and real I was just like dang this is just a conversation between the two of them and I’m intruding lol. But I love it cuz it means they’re able to paint such a vivid reality.

And it’s sweet seeing the two of them connect on a deeper level. The apocalypse led them to a better friend than even the old world did.

And then because Michonne is a true Get Things Done Grimes, she’s done taking breaks and gets up and says, “We should keep moving.” 

They find this one location and Michonne follows a kid inside where there are more of Jocelyn’s crazy kids waiting. It’s sweet that Michonne says, “Where are my kids?” cuz she’s being a mom to all of the Alexandria kids today. And she’s being a mom to all of them cuz she has to, cuz as for those other Alexandria parents...

Daryl and Michonne held it down after Rick left (and held it down on behalf of those absent Alexandria parents who have a fully pregnant woman out here saving their kids, ijs). Daryl and Michonne did their thing both within the show context, but also their characters and actors really did some great performances post-Rick. 

And I’m glad that, in this moment on the swings, Daryl was a shoulder to lean on for Michonne. 

gifs source: @michonnegrimes @hughxjackman

#TheWalkingDead Season 10B Theories, Easter Eggs and Much more

On the 28th of November (Thanksgiving), The Offical Twitter Account of The Walking Dead posted their annual Thanksgiving holiday photo with plenty of ‘Easter Eggs’. There’s more to this photo than meets the first glance, and I'm here to help decipher some of those things.

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ARE PERSONAL THEORIES. NOTHING IS CONFIRMED NOR DENIED.

*WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM BOTH THE WALKING DEAD COMICS AND THE HIT TELEVISION SHOW.*

First off, I would like to take a second and say how well Angela Kang and everyone at AMC has done this season. As a long time fan of the show, I was more than optimistic about how they would do the whole show without Rick. Well done crew. Well done.

Theory 1: Pittsburgh Skyline Egg

The first Egg that I want to discuss is perhaps the BIGGEST of this article…did you notice this little gem tucked away in the far right corner of the picture?

*This theory is explored from a spoiler website on Facebook*

Like all tidbits, nothing is 100% accurate. But, there are major facts that lead me to this potential gamechanger.

Although nothing is confirmed, Pittsburgh would actually be a likely shift from the comics. Although Ohio wouldn’t be out of the path (and part of the original comic route), Pittsburgh is more of a “suitable” place for the Commonwealth and the storyline.

Pittsburgh has a vast water access system that connects to additional waterways that connect through the states of Virginia (where they currently resign), and it also connects another water route that leads toward Texas, where Fear The Walking Dead is located. The water connections are actually big enough to meet all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico, and access to the Oceans. This could, in fact, be the hint that connects ALL of the shows together, combining it into one massive show. That would make for an interesting show overall.

Another way they could cross into Pittsburgh territory is by going through their waterway on the way to Ohio. With Michonne possibly getting a military ship with military weaponry which is also in the above photo, could very well be how they come across the popular comic character Princess. But, with them having the Pittsburgh skyline, I’m more set on The Commonwealth being nestled into Pittsburgh instead of Ohio. We shall find out soon with Eugene's talk and the radio woman.

If in fact, they did do this, it would be interesting to see it all play out. I would, in fact, enjoy seeing all three of the shows and worlds collide into one big masterpiece. And, I would especially enjoy seeing good ole Rick back on the show.

Theory 2: Missing People

There’s a LOT going on in this photo, no doubt. But, there’s also a lot that isn’t there that probably should be. There are some major changes from the comics that have already happened and many more to come.

The first and most notable person who’s missing from this photo that comes to mind is Connie. Connie isn’t there. Next to Daryl (who’s checking up on Carol, Judith, Gracie, and Dog). There is a spot that is open and unoccupied which leaves me to believe that spot is for Connie. The reason I speculate that is because Luke is by Jewels, Jerry is by Nebula and Rosita is by Father Gabriel. All of them are by their respective partners. Another hint at this thought is that Kelly does not look happy in the slightest.

The second most notable missing person is Magna. Where is she? She would (or should) be by Yumiko if she was there, right? Magna is one that should be there, being a major character, right?

Another person who has a rather large role who ISN’T there is Alden. Where is Alden? He's a pretty major character in the show and has a stake (no pun intended) at Hilltop, assumingly larger than Lydia, and Lydia is there. So why isn’t he? Hell, Maggie’s there and she isn’t even back on the show yet.

Most of the leaders or major community members of each of the communities are there, even Alpha, Beta, and Negan. So, that being said, why isn’t Rachel? Rachel and Cyndie both are the granddaughters of Natania, the original leader of the Oceanside Community. So, this leaves me to wonder why she isn’t there, either.

Theory 3: Maggie is Back

Those of us who are caught up with the show, we all know that Maggie has been away from the communities for well over seven years (since Rick's disappearance).

For those of you who didn’t know, Maggie actor Lauren Cohan made a surprise appearance at The 2019 San Diego Comic-Con over the early summer. She broke the news that Maggie would be returning to the show after half a season without the steady since season 2 character made her way off the show with Georgie, a new character yet to be explored.

Where has Maggie been all these (show) years? She has been with the extraterrestrially quiet character Georgie along with her efforts to build communities (Commonwealth hint?). That’s where she has been all this time. Georgie asked Maggie to assist her in building more communities (TWD The World Beyond perhaps?) and she agreed. Now, she’s coming back! This is major for more than just her return. It's potentially huge for them to lay the groundwork for the rest of Rick’s tale.

Theory 4; What the Ship?!

In the photo above, you can see a large steamship headed toward land. This photo is arguably one of the biggest topics, and I would agree. But, for a different perspective.

A lot of people are thinking it's Michonne headed back to Alexandria with the weaponry promised by Virgil. This may be the case, but I think there may be a few additions that it could be.

One, I think that it could be an additional connection between the three Walking Dead series’. This could be Rick coming back into the picture and this could also be TWD; The World Beyond coming into the show.

Rick has been gone since 9x05 and the last we saw he left with Jadis or Anne in a helicopter with the three connecting circles, the same type of helicopter that made an emergency entrance and exit with Al in Fear The Walking Dead in season 5. They’re obviously setting up the Walking Dead community for a massive come to gather of shows. Rick's exit was the perfect way to really solidify this theory which may turn true. What started the chain was Morgan’s exit at the end of season 8 after the Savior war commenced.

TWD; The World Beyond has been teased over and over, dangling very little information yet enough to make us stop and think. One of the biggest things that’s made me personally stop more than others is the hints about the community of the show to come.

Many of the things they say make me think of The Commonwealth. For those of you who don't know of this community, it's massive. Over 30,000 people, a police force, sports, restaurants, even a judiciary system with a court of law. The biggest “egg” that the trailer dropped about this is that they had a massive weapons force. And, the same three interjecting circles. Hmm…

The other thing that it could be is what a lot of people are thinking is Michonne coming back from the Naval island with the weapons promised by Vergil as mentioned above. The majority of people are thinking that’s what it is and there is a strong possibility of this. I personally think it's a 50/50 chance of all of these things, I don’t think it’s a better chance for one over the other.

Theory 5: What’s Carol up To?

In my opinion, this is a pretty easy one to theorize. Carol is more that likely mapping out her revenge with Alpha. She could also be mapping out a way to get out of the cave that Alpha trapped them in. She's been looking for her opportunity against her since day one, so I think that’s what Carol is doing.

Theory 6: Do you see anything?

This is just a random thought, but am I the only one who saw the little smudge in the distance? It may be a far odd, but it seems like it could be a distant skyline like the ones on the right side. Like I said, it's probably nothing, but, it looks as if it could really be something. What, I don’t know. Maybe if it is anything, it's Alexandria's outline and it's the connection between the cities and upcoming things in the show.

Theory 7; The Island

Adding to Theory 5, I believe that this is the island that Vergil and Michonne have left to. He said it's a Naval island with plenty of weaponry, weapons that could “take our a herd.” And, I’m sure there is a place for smokestacks and fire.

The island is close to the edge of where everyone else is, so that also hints that it's close like he said. So, that being said, I think that this island is the island that Vergil said his family was on.

Theory 8; is there a connection?

Theory 1 and 3 have already covered this separately, but not together…

As you can see in the photo above in the red circles, one is Maggie symbolizing her coming back into the fold. The skyline in the distance, is that where she’s coming from?

Many people think that the skyline is Pittsburgh, where The Commonwealth may be located. And, with Maggie reentering, it could mean that we very soon will be introduced to The Walking Dead soon… After all, Maggie has been gone with Georgie's building new communities.’

What are your takes on my theories and what are your personal theories? Let me know in the comments below!

TWD returns 2.23.20 on AMC

(TWD) Carl Grimes x Reader, At Ease. (ONESHOT)

Request: “Could you do something with Carl Grimes? Maybe something about him and the reader cuddling after a bad day. I love your writing!! If you can't do the request it is totally fine and take all the time you need!! ❤️❤️” -Anonymous

Hey! So this literally SUCKS. It’s short and it’s really awful, but I hope you enjoy anyway! Please request! My other requests will be out soon.

Word count: 838

Pairing: Carl Grimes x Reader

WARNINGS: Cursing, slight violence.

- - - - -

You hopped over a supply box in the back of Negan’s truck, kneeling behind the stack of cardboard boxes. You got close in with Carl, steadying your hand over your mouth as to not alert the saviors with your shaky breaths.

Was this a good idea? Fuck no.

Were you doing it? Fuck yes. You had no choice, neither of you did. The rest of Alexandria followed him. They listened to him. They obeyed him.

Once the truck left, you finally relaxed. You let your hand fall to your lap, letting out a sigh of relief as you were finally able to breathe easy.

Mere minutes later, you saw a fence with walkers hanging off of it- That was it. You were here.

You heard men chatting from behind the curtains covering the back of the truck as the sunlight shone in, the curtains being moved to the side with a sliding noise.

You made sure to position your head behind the small crack between two boxes, waiting for the right moment as you clutched your gun.

“Fuck..” You heard a deep voice from the other side of the boxes say, hearing the sound of glass hitting the floor as liquid spread near your feet. “Wait.. What the fuck?!” You heard the voice again.

You winced, knowing he’d seen you. This was your chance. You stood up, opening fire.

Two loud roars rung through the small space of the truck as you effectively shot two of the men.

Carl waited anxiously behind the boxes, awaiting the moment for him to join you.

You stepped out of the truck, aiming your gun. “Where’s Negan?!” Your voice boomed as you felt your gun being ripped from your hand. You saw a blonde man with a half-burnt face push you against the door of the truck.

You heard three more gunshots, wincing at the vibrations of the truck against your back as they sounded. Three more men fell to the gravel, their blood splattering the ground beneath them.

The same man tackled Carl to the ground, seizing his gun as well. Before you could even attempt to stop him, you heard that familiar chuckle that’d been haunting your nightmares since the lineup. Negan.

“Well, well, well.. You are a couple of badasses!” He twisted that god-forsaken bat over his shoulder. The exact one that’d beet your friends heads in right in front of you that night.

“I ain’t gonna lie kids, you scare the shit outta’ me!” He held his hand out to help Carl up with a wicked smirk on his face. Before Carl could take his hand, you grabbed Carl’s forearm, effectively pulling him up as he bumped into you a bit.

“Now c’mon kids, I’m givin’ you little shits a grand tour.”

- - - - -

Needless to say, your day was absolute shit. Once Negan brought you back, both you and Carl were lectured for well over half an hour.

You were ordered to go to Carl’s room with him while Rick and Michonne decided you and Carl’s punishment. You knew Tara, who’d pretty much taken responsibility of you since your parents passed, would be furious.

You tried to distract yourself, absently biting your nails as you fidgeted with anything you could find.

“Y/N.”

“Yeah?”

“Look.”

You turned around to see that Carl had been holding the comic book you told him you liked so long ago but could never find. Your eyes lit up as you saw it, leaning over his shoulder to look at it.

“Oh my god, where’d you find this?!” You smiled.

“Michonne found it, said she’d heard you talking about it back at the prison.”

“Thank you!” You smiled sweetly and kissed his cheek. A blush crept onto his face at the motion. You two had always had feelings for each other, just never said anything. Every time you’d make a move, he’d get too flustered and shy away.

You took the comic out of his hands, laying down on his bed and stretching your legs out. You’d gotten comfortable enough with each other t not really ask about these things, though.

He laid on the bed beside you, leaning forward to read the comic along with you. You slid closer to him, internally crossing your fingers that he wouldn’t shy away this time.

He didn’t, and you relaxed against his body. You laid the comic to the side, cuddling into him more.

His face flushed as he stuttered, “Wh-What’re you-“

“Just relax.” You smiled and wrapped your arms around him, relishing in the warmth. You took in the scent- gunpowder mixed with a soft peppermint smell. You smiled, your legs tangling with his. You felt his body relax along with yours as the two of you shared warmth.

His arms around you sent tingles down your body as you softly drifted to sleep, him following shortly after.

- - - - -

“Think we should let them sleep?” Rick muttered.

“Yeah..” Michonne answered, smiling.

They closed the door, figuring the two of you deserved some time to calm down from the day.

the walking dead, desus, & aaron

OOH, yay.                     

TWD:

Favorite character: I don’t know that I have a favorite character per say. Jesus and Glenn have probably been the characters I’ve most looked forward to seeing in an episode. And now they’re both dead…yeah.

Least Favorite character: I mean, most of the irritating characters have died off by this point - RIP, we don’t miss you - but Eugene and Father Gabriel regularly make me question why we’re wasting screen time on them. Like, thanks but can we go back to the interesting characters now?

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Glenn/Maggie, Daryl/Jesus, Rick/Michonne, Tara/Denise, Aaron/Eric

Character I find most attractive: Uh, I’m not sure? Everyone’s attractive in this zombie apocalypse – Jon Bernthal is forever a heart-stopper for me but that’s more him being gorgeous and hanging out with his pitbulls.

Character I would marry: I mean, Sasha? I’ll be real, I loved the hell out of her and would marry her in an instant.

Character I would be best friends with: Tara

a random thought: TWD should give us more decomposing zombies. Like, these things can’t all be fresh and I’d die to see more think, skeletal zombies with the skin just hanging from their bones. 

An unpopular opinion: I have no idea if it’s unpopular or not but TWD needs to establish who is Team Family at this point. Like, a majority of the characters left are under-developed messes and I’m bored without characters to care about.

My Canon OTP: I mean, half of my ships are dead but Richonne is still standing.

My Non-canon OTP: DESUS. FULL STOP.

Most Badass Character: I mean the character with the most potential to be badass? Jesus. But Daryl is clearly set up to be the most badass character…regardless of what that does to the storyline as a whole? IDK, I love him but I recognize those moments. Don’t mind me. 

Most Epic Villain: Negan? I…guess? I mean, maybe this is actually my unpopular opinion? But I feel like TWD has had lackluster villains? It tends to fall into this trap of making the villain too able to be empathized with. The Governor of the comics would have been an epic villain in-show. Just saying. 

Pairing I am not a fan of: Anything involving tv!Negan? Because he’s a psychopath that only gives a shit about his own pain?

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Jesus. What the fuck, Angela Kang. You looked at Tom Payne and Paul Rovia and thought the most interesting thing to do with him was kill him?  F U C K. O F F.

Favorite Friendship: Carol and Daryl. These two badass survivors should just sit around eating cookies all day. They deserve it.

Character I most identify with: IDK, the bicycle walker from the Pilot?

Character I wish I could be: Daryl’s dog, provided he doesn’t die. 

DESUS:

When I started shipping them: 6x10. The Next World is still my favorite episode of season six and at least two-thirds of that is Daryl/Jesus related. 

My thoughts: Buckle up because I need room to give a long-winded answer: they are perfect for each other. Two people that have a lot of the same issues opening up to people but center their lives around protecting everyone? I think about Jesus coming in at 6x10 - at this point where Rick is trying to convince Daryl that things can be okay and people are still good - and there’s JESUS. And he trips every trigger for Daryl to be distrustful but then proves him wrong in the best way? Shows him that he’s worth trusting? Fights alongside them? Rescues Daryl? I also think about Daryl being ready to kill all the Saviors and Jesus protecting them. How was that not a conversation written between them? Especially when Jesus is the one that’s seen the most of Daryl’s trauma via Saviors/Negan? This was the conversation about morality that wouldn’t have felt like the bickering back-and-forth of season 8. (Not to mention, on a representation level, Daryl having a queer storyline? would make me? so? ridiculously happy? This guy that’s come froma violent and homophobic homeand deeply scarred by how much he’s had to hide into himself? He’s gay. And you didn’t know it for season after season because it’s not something written on someone’s forehead and he’s literally had no one that he’s allowed himself to open up to in that way.) This ship is one giant missed opportunity. Overall, they’re two very flawed but deeply moral characters that should have been together. This has gone on far too long.

What makes me happy about them: Everything the fandom has written/headcanon-ed for them? You can find Paul Rovia’s backstory and his relationship with Daryl Dixon that is patient and deeply touching and unapologetically gay?

What makes me sad about them: Well, it’s not canon and Jesus is dead. So, that.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: Um, when Paul is perfect and not dealing with his own shit? I love a supportive boyfriend but Paul’s emotional state is important.

Things I look for in fanfic: Daryl being perplexed by his reactions to Paul, Paul teasing Daryl, recognition towards PTSD and trauma, and a happy ending. Literal or metaphorical.   

My wishlist: Paul Rovia is alive and not stuck in Hilltop. Ideally out with Daryl. Period.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Daaron, because feelings. I also ship Jaaron? A little? I admit, it’s one of those things that surprised me because I agreed with Tom Payne pre-9x07 that the only two gay characters hooking up would be lazy. Then 9x07 happened. Damn it. 

My happily ever after for them: I’m not sure. I have trouble thinking of a happily every after for anyone on the show? Gun to my head, I guess all that matters is they’re together, going on adventures, and protecting the people they care about.    

AARON:

How I feel about this character: MY POOR CINNAMON ROLL. He’s such a damn good person that gets dealt the worst hand by fate (or loses his good hand to fate?) while being the actual best to everyone he meets.  

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Eric, Daryl, and Jesus. In that order.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: I mean, also Daryl? I wish Aaron had more than one friendship but that would require screentime and gay characters only get plot devices. Sorry, I’m bitter and cynical with this show.

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t know that I have one? Maybe that I’m not big on the beard?

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Ugh, I wish he didn’t lose everyone he loved and that he got more screentime.

Favorite friendship for this character: Refer to my non-romantic relationship answer. More friends for Aaron 2k19.

My crossover ship: Ooh. Maybe Aaron and Capheus from Sense8? I feel like that would be a sunshine ship.

got an anon message that reminded me of my good things list....i have been really busy making art lately so i havent done one in a bit so it’s time!!! under the cut because it’s long!!!

i’ll start from monday:

-saw one of my best friends who i hadnt seen for two weeks because she has been really sick!!

-went to the lgbt youth group where we chatted and i worked on my comic for my mcr fanzine!!

-made some new friends at a job interview!!

-had a very tasty bagel!!! it had fancy cream cheese :3c

tuesday:

-finished  my comic for my mcr fanzine....it’s not the only thing for the zine im making so it will be a lil while longer before i post it!!

-did another comic that i still need to post that i am very proud of!!

-someone said something really nice to me about my comic i posted

-saw my psych and he and i had a good talk about maybe seeing if i can get into the film industry with my skills which is something i had never thought of before.....in my city it’s a huge industry so it’s something to look into!!

-had a meeting with a lady about my academic withdrawal....she said my case is really strong and they will most likely grant me academic exception so i wont fail!!!

wednesday:

-my sister came over!!! it was nice to see her!!

-my sister and i shared a fancy muffin....it was a strawberry cheesecake muffin and extremely tasty :3c

-went out for dinner with hope!!! we went to one of my favorite restaurants!!! it’s a vegan Vietnamese place that has the best sauce for the salad rolls!!!

-saw a different pal when i was out with hope and it was nice to see them!! i hadnt seen them for a while so it was good to catch up!!

-got starbucks with hope as well and that was nice!!

-wore an excellent outfit that consisted of a black and white striped long sleeved shirt, my black overalls, fishnet stockings underneath the overalls because they have rips in them so u can see the fishnet and it looks Cool, my slime green and purple creepers, my funky sunglasses one of my friends gave me for my birthday, and my bright green fishnet fingerless gloves!!

-did a drawing i was really proud of AND a comic!! i havent posted the comic yet either...i should be posted my comics more often lol.....anyways the drawing got a lot of likes on instagram and i was very happy :>

thursday:

-stayed home for most of the day, working on my various comics and drawings and spending time with eli

-went down town to go to the comic book store to get the newest umbrella academy hotel oblivion comic, ended up getting it AND a twd comics t shirt....it has rick, negan, michonne and carl on it and i was really stoked to find it because it was the last one AND it was $10....over half off.....i had seen it a while ago at the comic book store and never bought it because shirts there are expensive so im pretty pleased

-also went to lush down town, got one of those naked cleansing bars....had a lil dance party with the workers.....it was nice!!!

-got a tea at david’s tea....i am a bit :/ about supporting david’s tea because i used to work at one and they treated me like shit at the end, but i just wont support the one i used to work at, and i also wont buy anything but teas of the day because they’re cheaper lol. anyways i got a grapefruit tea and it was tasty!!

-lots of people told me they liked my pins!!!

-did even more work on my drawings and comics when i got home

-went to bed before 3:00 am!!

-one of the youths from the trans support group i go to bought a garf plushie and asked me if i wanted it???? it was so nice of them ;_;

friday:

it was really nice and sunny

-saw the best shirts at the thrift store but i didnt buy them and im really sad about it but it’s for the best because i need to save money but it sent me into a depressive spiral and it was really upsetting and i got a stress head ache thinking about having to find a new job and felt really sick

-had a nice walk with eli to help me calm down after the anxiety attack i had over trying to find a job....saw many excellent dogs that eli loves to go and visit with!!!

-this dog gets their own point because they are special....i saw a little white Pomeranian wearing CLOTHING!!! they were wearing like a little funky jacket/suit and SHOES!!! it was the best

-multiple friends sent me the garfield phone mystery news article.....this is more of a theme for the over all week because i’ve had someone send it to me at least once a day for the past couple of days, but i love and appreciate it regardless because it means that my friends pay attention to my interests and things i like!!!

-ate 2 meals, babey!!! i goofed breakfast, but i had both a lunch and a dinner and i ate it all and didnt use behaviors afterwards!!

-worked on my art some more!!

-looked at the classes im going to register for in the summer semester....im taking an art history, illustration class and an animation class....the animation class is stop motion and so im excited :3c

about c/e (anti) in s9 and *death (I rambled a lot)

(read more)

The more I think about this ship and the spoilers, im like wtf and bummed. Idc about s9 and the show anymore, but in some ways I still care. I know I won’t watch it. But gosh it’s all in the web. eeek.

So, looking at the 9x01 promo pic of C/E and talking out loud what will happen in s9, to my sis, is like OMG this is real and it’s so dumb and I don’t like it.

 At first it’s so hard to look at that pic. But it’s fine now I guess cos I know s9 for me is TWD AU canon story and say s8 was the ending. I know for sure that I don’t wanna see s9 at all. ok. There’s too many dislikes stuff in the show.

I keep thinking was I being delusional about CE might be a couple in s7 and s8? And in some ways it doesn’t matter because I just want Caryl to happen and just be them till the end. So, I just disagree what the writers wanna do. I don’t think I was being delusional or whatever. I think CE relationship was similar to Carol with Tyreese and Morgan. I didn’t see any hints to romance in those two seasons and plus there some soulmatey Caryl scenes during those seasons too. Like Daryl wanting to protect Carol from Richard and his talk to Morgan. There were other Carol- relationships going on in s7-8, that I didn’t think CE will happen. Especially how in s8 finale where the writers were like they didn’t know what to do with Carol and her story. No ship foreshadowing and she looked like she just forgot TF and moved to Kingdom for Henry. It was really disappointing for me as a Carol fan. I don’t know what to expect for her in s9. Is she team Richonn3 or team Maggie? idk. 

So I knew s9 will have a time jump because of the comics and not the show/finale cos they suck, so I figured with the uncertainty on Carol in s8 finale, I’m gonna not know and what to expect for her in s9/timejump. So yeah I figured there may be a chance of a sudden ship - C/E happening. Which it is C/E is happening. It’s hard for me to see why tho. I feel C/E were becoming friends and equals-emotionally,like Carol respecting him and not shooing him off. (it’s like other friendships she had with others). But ugh me as a shipper, I don’t like rushed ships..or I guess I don’t feel it’s enough, believable from the writers that C/E is possible for me to ship them. idk I just want Caryl. Also, it’s like odd to me in a way like on TWD is a slow show so Idk how to take C/E in the story. If it’s The 100, I understand. It’s a quick show and they all do more romances. We don’t get to see why Carol wanted to be with E be together. It’s all off-screen. One thing I’m ok with CE is that E isn’t a bad boy with no redeeming qualities/growth. (like my other notps..or like if Carol and Negan happened and Negan is still s7-8 Negan.) But still it’s rushed and I guess I don’t like guys/love interest who is always charming and always on an act?

Idk yet how CE will go in s9. Is it to be like the next stable couple, love triangle, or another Carol’s crying moment?

It’s like Idk Carol anymore. Idc that she smiled in the pic, and also there’s no such thing as a “real Carol fan” wtf I don’t wanna suffer watching a show with bad writing. That’s so cult-minded. It’s just a story for your entertainment.

Why does it seem like CE shippers are full of R*chonne stans that hate Caryl? lol I know I should stop looking at ship fandom wank. Sigh why do shippers/stans generalize and gotta pick one ship to team up. Ok ok I kno not all R*chonners ship other ships the same(me). I still see some Caryl + Richonn3 shippers :)

I noticed some CE shippers uh looking for drama? and saying some Carylers are racist for not shipping CE or wanting E dead. Like ok yeah there’s a possibility there’s some racist fans out there(so then block them)...and some fans not sensitive to the E fans. Some just dislike or disinterested with his character. (like some fans want Judith dead because she’s boring. But to say that in the real world scenario is disturbing!) 

Anyways, I just wanna say there’s a small part of a reason why some Carylers want E dead is because of the comic-E storyline.  Comic-E isn’t a main character and he dies when the whisperers/Alpha comes along which is what happens in s9 timeline-wise. It’s part speculation and ukno TWD is a deadly show and sometimes go by the comics. So, I and Carylers think E is still there in the show for Carol’s pain, and for his comicbook death-which I think that moment is like one of the biggest deaths/story’s key moments in the comics. So I guess some Carylers bluntly are saying they want E dead- they want this plot over with. ...If E were meant to die in s9 then I wish he died in s8 when it’s about his character’s story arc and not about Carol’s arc.

 Carol/Carylers just want Carol be more in the major storylines again and with TF again.  Whatever..if CE shippers/haters wanna call us racists or worse, then ok then what? We’re hated or called crazy anyways~there’s still always ship wars and crazy people out there. idk just go follow good people/friends. 

Now who knows how s9/TWD show will go on like. S9 filming isn’t done yet. Idk if E wouldn’t have this death or not. There’s so many changes and yet same-ish stuff from the comics. Just waiting till TWD feels like a spin-off Caryl(maybe even if Caryl go canon in the end) show, for me. 

We’ll know more about s9 is like and to decide worth watching when 9x01 airs..from reading spoilers or somewhere. Like the CE ship storyline, could be a sign of a love triangle, Caryl is doomed forever, or whatever. Sigh.

The Koogler Watches Comic Con Trailers 2018

Comic Con Trailer

Glass.

I’ll be honest, not too concerned about this one. I feel like this trilogy should have been like a duology. Split could have been like a 20 min lead in to Glass. Like he takes the girls, there’s a montage of all his personalities, the little rascal, ms doubtfire, or maybe she was more professor mcgonagall. And then there was like his demon one who could bend bars or whatever. He’s fully demon now like climbing the walls like a cricket demon. So I’m trying to figure out the twist from the trailer, and I guess the twist is going to be this is all in their heads. Or the twist is that they’re like actually heroes and villains and then they need to save the world. The twist is that there will be a 4th movie. They’re going to wring this out and try and get one last movie out of it. Plus it has pouty face Sarah Paulson in it, I’ll probably catch this one on the VOD or something. I’ve never seen the whole movie of Unbreakable but I got the key points. Willis survives the crash, he’s unbreakable and Jackson is super breakable. He’s like the guy from SpongeBob the chocolate episode. I won’t lie, when he fell down those steps, I kind of laughed, which is like some hidden superpower that I have. I can’t get through Precious without cracking up at least three times. But anyway…….

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Three MeowMeowBeenz

 AQUAMAN

I feel like I don’t have to say much about this. I know the immense intense hate that some of the DC universe has for it. Mostly just the DCEU, the animated bit is good. The comics are good. The games are good. The movies, to me, are good too. Look, we didn’t have any of these movies, none, now we have them all over the place. I agree that we need quality over quantity, but on the DC side, we are just getting started. Let’s give it a chance. Now to the trailer. Man oh man. I’m digging the visuals. The inevitable war scene looks good. The giant jellies, the SEA TURTLES (side note, I love sea turtles. SO FUGGIN MAJESTIC), the deep sea monsters and riding sharks and sea horses and shig. DOOOOOOPE. I’m a big fan of under the ocean life in general so I’m here for all of it. They fixed the speaking thing from JL where they had to conjure a water bubble to talk, they just talk. Favorite part of this whole trailer, the sharks willing to just destroy the entire aquarium to help little AC. One thing I’m not too fond of, that red hair of Mera. And I do see the similarities of this and BP. But, there’s room for both. Always has been, always will be. I’m looking forward to seeing this because I want to see if maybe this is somehow going to set up Legion of Doom. We have the Joker, Lex, and Deathstroke, add in Manta with Cheetah coming in and then possibly Black Adam sometime in the future. I’d like to see Reverse Flash get added into this somewhere as well but hopefully DC pulls this off with all the shakeups. I’m just hoping its not going to be too heavy on the puns and one liners and what not. Arthurs transition from the surface world to becoming the king of Atlantis was no laughing matter and I hope that comes through on the screen.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

  Shazam!

Yes BOYEEEEEEEE. As per usual with the DCEU, people have a lot of complaints, but I’m here for this one as well. Kid in a superhero body came through in the trailer and I’m looking forward to it. This is one movie that needs to have that light and breezy funny and easy touch. Billy is a foster kid down on his luck, home to home, who just got the gift of a lifetime. Needs to be funny and goofy, but have the action of MOS. Shazam and whoever he is fighting need to be slingin each other all over the place and what not. I like the suit and everything, but the lightning on the chest looks more like a night light than anything else. But you don’t really get much other than a quick intro to Shazam. Tells you the gist of who he iis. Meets the Wizard, says the name, now he is Shazam. Just like I was talking about with Aquaman with the LOD filling out, for the next one, the Justice League should be filling out as well. Now is the time to plant the seeds for it. Lex needs to be in the background of all of this plotting and scheming with Deathstroke putting his team together to take on the League. Maybe do the JLA: Doom storyline but have Lex in the driver seat instead of Vandal Savage. Yeah, yeah, that could work

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

 Godzilla: King of Monsters

So, I won’t lie, I know nothing about anything Godzilla other than what I learned from the Godzilla 2000. I think I saw pieces of the one released before this, but not much. I don’t remember if he fought a monster or not, but. This looks ok, but ONLY IF Godzilla is fighting all of these monsters. Also, Clair de Lune in the trailer. That gets two BIG THUMBS up from me. And it sounds like Vera Farmiga is going to be a bad guy somehow. Cuz Friday Night Lights coach and Millie BB don’t seem to like her. It looks like we’re going to see Mothra, and I’m guessing Rodan and the three headed one….Golgon? I don’t know names. I saw the moth one, there was a flying fire one, and the three headed one. Looks like its going to be a more dramatic world smasher. You don’t play Clair de Lune in a movie that is a bit classy

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Four MeowMeowBeenz

 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

You guys…..you guys you guys……you……guys. When I hear that music and I see those towers. You know the music that I’m talking about. Even though Harry isn’t here anymore that sense of wonder and magic still pulls you in. It still makes you want to watch WHATEVER they put out. Its great stuff, it really is. But this is about to give us a little glimpse into the world young Dumbledore, some of his humble beginnings. We get some returning faces along with some new ones. I personally can’t wait to see this and Nicholas Flamel. I mean….I feel we’re getting deep into some of the things we kind of just glossed over in the original series. I can’t wait. I’ll see this alone if need be because I’m always ready to dive back into the Wizarding World. I’d like a movie on the founders of Hogwarts to be honest, there has to be a story there. Right? RIGHT!!!! I just want more stories and more books and more all of it.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Six MeowMeowBeenz

 The Walking Dead Season 9

So…..Rick is an old man now. Yes, there will be a time jump I suppose, and I still need to catch up because the last episode I saw was Carl getting bit and dying in a sewer. Do I care that much about that to stop watching the show? No. Will I catch up? Yes. Do I know what’s about to happen? Yes. Everyone seems to be living in harmony. The last of the Saviors, the bad ones at least seem to be gone. The Sanctuary, Kingdom, and the Hilltop, along with the trash people, seem to be living in harmony. But, there’s some cracks in the armor. The people seem to maybe not be getting along together. Some don’t want to be in a big group and others don’t want to play nice with each other. I mean, you had to expect that this would come, the Saviors did some messed up shig to everyone and forgiving them aint gonna be as easy as 1, 2, 3. This is also the fabled season of Rick and Maggie leaving I think. There is a shot of some boots walking with blood dripping down. I wager Rick is going to get but of course and die or whatever and Maggie or Michonne is taking over. And maybe the feud between Darryl and Rick is going to boil over. My man Dan Fogel looks like he’s going to play a part in this. Maybe he’s a Whisper. Who knows. But I will watch it, but I have to watch half a season, plus Preacher is on so I’m gonna fit this shignattle in here somewhere. I won’t lie, after the whole meeting with Negan where he first arrived, I gotta say my interest in TWD has waned from about 100 to a 90, maybe an 89. But I’m still fully on the wagon.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Four MeowMeowBeenz

 Disenchantment

I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know if I dreamed this maybe, but didn’t they try this already with another Matt Groening show that didn’t work out. But I hear Abbi, I hear Keegan, not sure who the goblin person is, but I like all the stuff. Most of the stuff so I’ll watch and take a quick sneakle peekle and see if it keeps my interest.

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Two MeowMeowBeenz

 Titans

Yall. This one gon be zoppity. These are no longer Teen Titans. These are just straight up Titans as evidenced by the trailer giving the the large TV MA right in the beginning. With Raven being such a central part of the trailer, you already know who’s coming to dinner. That’s right, I know my boy Trigon is going to be making an appearance, how, when, and in what capacity, we don’t know. But, I’m anxious to see it. The core crew from the show is there, Robin, Star, Raven, and Beast Boy, but I’m guessing in this universe, Cyborg has been drafted to the JL and they are getting two new additions, Hawk and Dove, played by Thad Castle and ARods ol girl. The one thing I’m really anxious to see, just what the hell did Batman do to make Robin that….damn…mad. Because there is an episode here called Jason Todd, so this whole I’m kinda Jason Todd but I’m also Dick is gone. He’s got a real grudge against the Bat in this one with the standout line from the trailer

“Fuck Batman”

I mean, I’m in. Plus add in the fact that Jason Todd will be mentioned in the show, throw in the Doom Patrol, and Wonder Girl. I’m getting more of a Young Justice vibe (great comic by the way), from this than anything. With just a splash of adultness. I mean Robin really stepped on that guys face pretty friggin hard

Koogler Scale of Watchability: Five MeowMeowBeenz

 There were other trailers that I didn’t mention, Arrow, the Flash, the Orville, Black Lightning, Yeah, I’m not caught up on these either so I didn’t watch because I don’t know what happen with Flash and the Thinker. I don’t know what happened with the Arrow crew Diaz or Dominguez or whatever his name is. And I don’t know what happened with Black Lightning and Tobias Church. Hoping they didn’t kill him because I like him.

Thoughts on OUAT ending.

Big messy post and quick thoughts ahead!

It’s long past time (5 years IMO) that it should have ended. I have never seen a show nose-dive in quality so much... yet I kept watching and will till the end. Maybe Adam and Eddy’s message of ‘hope’ got to me, haha...

I still remember watching the Australian premiere of the pilot back in early 2012. Curious but unsure. I was only a casual watcher in S1, it didn’t fully grab me. I don’t really have too many memories of S1 apart from being invested in the Rumple/Bae storyline. These two really sold the papa/son relationship. Nowadays I do think it’s overall the best season although the fandom overrates it to the extreme at times.

Come the announcement of Captain Hook in that S2 comic con promo and I became more intrigued as the story of Peter Pan has been with me for as long as I can remember. I slowly became more hooked (ha) during 2A and remember not actually being too impressed with Hook at first. I wanted Captain James Hook, what was this Killain Jones BS? This is was where I first started looking around at the Tumblr fandom and it was still a shit storm back then so I kept to myself.

I remember being excited we would finally see adult Bae.... and then disappointment as he went underutilised. I actually remember being happy Neal and Emma admitted their love because I thought the SQers would realize that SQ isn’t the story they are telling and stop their bullying. I was really enjoying myself with the show, it was really great escapism. It made me believe that there could be parallel fairy tale worlds out there, haha. Especially as I was going through a lot of personal things. Again, I tried to stay out of the fandom drama but was disappointed people I found only really wanted to talk about shipping.

 But my fanboying reached overdrive when this promo came out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ihi_5gXAMOU

Holy crap that shadow! Wendy Darling! Neverland! I actually dared and interacted with the fandom after that. In combination with that fantastic goosebump inducing ending of S2 here, ‘Peter Pan Never Fails’-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRbG42dmGCw

I was ecstatic. I started liking O’Donoghue’s Hook too at this point. He had all the elements of Barrie’s Hook with OUAT’s own twist and when I rewatched his scenes, I found I enjoyed him so much more.

My excitement for S3 was probably the most invested I was in the show. I even started a blog where I posted reviews and stuff- Storybrooke Clock Tower and I think I had 1000 followers. I even sent and received a message from Parker Croft who played Felix. I could NOT wait for S3 to start.

Season 3 was just pure joy for me. They delivered by large and beyond what I had hoped for with their promise of a darker Neverland arc. Robbie Kay, again, someone I was worried about, blew me away. I just remember my thoughts after that final scene of 3x01 and then that ELECTRIFYING sneak peak of 3x02 with Pan sizing up Emma. Holy shit! This kid was sooooo good as Peter Pan, his intensity, that child like charm, having a British accent, his cocky confidence. I was in Pan heaven!

I even love 3B and it reminded me of how much I used to love the 30′s Wizard of Oz movie. I still maintain this was a great arc, it had the best visuals of the series- look at the Oz sets, how good the flying monkeys looked, all the characters still felt like themselves and had things to do, the missing year instead of tired flashbacks and the CS movie at the end.  Lots of fantastic material 

Oh and how could I forget OUATIW which also aired at this time. Starting off a little shaky (I remember the fan complaints) it just went from strength to strength and was a hugely enjoyable spin-off. Again, It reminded me of how much I loved Jafar as a kid and all that Aladdin mythology.

S3 was just a fantastic time to be a Oncer. But after the CS movie I had a funny feeling. It felt like it should have ended right there. With that final montage, with Rumple and Belle’s vows echoing the character arcs of the whole cast...It really felt concluded.

Still I watched on, nervous with the Frozen arc because it felt more like a financial decision rather then creative. I remember coming home after the CS movie aired and wanting to spoil myself so I checked FB and saw ‘Frozen is coming to OUAT’ and I was like... really? really?

Around 4A I shut down my old OUAT blog and just used my Bigmick284 one. I started not being afraid of interacting with fandom and used to reblog a lot of confession posts. I was really active on the FB OUAT page too. I fought with a lot of BAs, lol, and was bullied off the site even...

 People I remember getting along with include.

@mrs-emma-swan-jones-  I mention this a lot but...Anyway... You had a different username but I remember chatting with you a lot during early 4A. I still remember watching and smiling to your fangirling CS reaction videos on Youtube and smiling at all your excitement. Holy crap was that was really 4 years ago...

@lessawildmoon- in my quest to find people who loved to discuss CS intelligently and without resulting to bullying I found you. I remember thinking, I wish she would follow me, lol. And then you did! I always love your level headed posts. And for defending me more than once (ha).

@i-will-move-on-in-life- I remember you because you were always positive and someway down the line we found we liked a lot of things and had a lot in common other than OUAT and here we are still chatting and potentially even planning things! 

@seethem-dancing​- I just remember loving your deep and intricate essays which I always enjoyed reading.

To others who I don’t think are here any more such as FIO who I interacted with a lot over the bullying and hypocritical to downright disgusting ways of the fandom.

I’ve probably forgotten people so I am sorry if IhHave.

Fighting BAs and dealing with FB invasions, I felt stronger because I had friends here. Even with things drove me mad and I got personally attacked... I also learnt and researched many important issues such as rape culture. I learnt a lot and changed a lot about my own beliefs.

Even though I think S1-S3 and OUATIW was best, 4A was probably the last time I think OUAT was really enjoyable and I still couldn’t wait to get home and watch. They did a great job with the Frozen cast, I loved all the Emma focus and it was fun. Something sorely missing with 4B onwards which became a chore to watch.

I think the best thing post S4 was the interactions and friends I made with people who still also had hope in the show. People such as

@myst-l-vie​- fellow Aussie and someone who is very passionate about people and her interests.

@stormynoon​- not sure if we talked OUAT I think that’s how we met (but we love\ TWD!)

@zumpie​- helped me enormously when I was bullied off the site and dealing with that.

@chrissascorner- helped me recover after I was bullied

@ deliriumdecadence- not just for OUAT chats but lots of great personal chats.

To you guys who are always around, friendly, and awesome to chat to-

@newyearsswifts​

@ultraericthered​

@awesomechocolatesauce​

@marvelouswhovianfairytales​

@zannereid27​

@fraddit​

@epona610​

@v-jolt

@rubbady-pubbady

@kereeachan

I’ve probably and likely forgot numerous others.

In the end you guys are what was most important during this time. I’ll never forget it!

And I’ll always treasure the first three seasons, OUATIW and bits and pieces from 4-6. It’s taught me a lot of what to do and most certainly not to do in creating a story.

Cheers!

-Mike

A Long, Rambly, Incoherent Rant Regarding TWD

!WARNING!: a lot of complaints, a lot of tangents, specific shipping of specific pairings, wishful thinking and weird ideas, probably unpopular opinions -- all up ahead.

[i just needed to get my thoughts out there; i’m not looking to fight anyone over things i think/believe/like or don’t like about the show. i’m aware my opinions are not fact, nor are they the end all, be all for the walking dead. i’m just a fan who has no one to talk to about all this junk. nothing more. ignore if you want.]

I love The Walking Dead. It’s been a huge part of my life, my family’s life, for going on 5 years now. I’ve sat down every Sunday (when the show is airing) since the season 4 premiere to watch live, I’ve argued with family members after episodes, I’ve analyzed and defended characters, spent time making stupid edits and writing fluffy fanfics and just generally thinking about this show for an admittedly unhealthy amount of time.

I’ve never liked zombie entertainment. I didn’t even want to watch this show initially, but I’d been convinced by my sister one day and so we sat down in my room and watched season 1, which we rented from a video store before it went out of business. Right away, during 1x01, I realized that this wasn’t a zombie show—it was a show about survivors. It was a show about one man waking up to a dead world and wanting nothing more than to find his family. It was about seeing all these characters with all their complexities, whether you liked them or not, trying to keep themselves afloat while anyone could die at any moment. But that was never the point. The point was to follow these characters we meet right alongside Rick and root for them to conquer the threat of the world, no matter the cost. Because amongst all the loss and sadness, there was survival and hope. That’s how I convinced my grandparents to watch, too. 

And so it makes me sad, mad, frustrated, that I can barely recognize the show anymore. That I can rarely even enjoy it. Where’s the fun in watching characters you’ve cared about for years get killed off without any payoff (especially when it’s falsely promised that it’s for some type of “reason”)? Where’s the fun the show either being so predictable that it becomes stupid, or so outlandish that you have to laugh at the ridiculousness of it?

I know the common arguments, just as I know my opinions are purely my own. This is a show that’s created by a team who can do whatever they want with it. They don’t have to take the fan’s wants and desires into account (they rarely do, anyhow). They don’t have to cater to anyone. However, why should they then expect the fans to keep watching when they (Gimple) consistently flush everything we love about what made TWD what it is right now down the drain? Actions have consequences, and while yes, this is a show and what happens shouldn’t revolve around whether or not people are going to get mad, I do think TWD deserves a little more care and common sense.

And I’m in no way saying that this show should not evolve every season, that it should only be about 5 people and no one else, that threats can’t be bigger and greater or that main characters can’t eventually die. I know all these things, I accept all these things, I even like some of these things. But there’s a time, a place, and a way to do all of this, and the way it’s been done recently… it’s just frustrating.

Of course, no matter what happens on the show, someone will always complain. There’s too much plot, not enough character moments; too many character moments, not enough action; too much action, not enough plot. Etc, etc. Nothing can please everyone 100% of the time and that’s fine, but where’s the balance? Where’s the forethought? It seems like Gimple plans a season without thinking about the future of the show, and now said future is far too bleak—in terms of TWD itself and the state of how long AMC can keep this train running before it completely wrecks.

And everyone has an idea on when this started happening. For reference, my favorite seasons OVERALL are 1, 2, and 6. S3 had a lot of great episodes, but too much focus on Woodbury too suddenly. S4 had some stand out episodes, but was slow a lot of the time and had weird plot moments intertwined. S5 might be my least favorite, really, though it contains a couple of my favorite episodes in the series. The first half with all that hospital shit? No thanks, but the second half was pretty good. A lot of people disliked s6 and cite this as the season that things started to fall apart, but aside from the completely random obsession Rick had over Jessie and the fakeout dumpster with Glenn (also, Denise’s too-soon death), I think the season was strong. It had a lot of little character moments where most everyone got to shine and essentially helped change the course of the show in new and interesting ways.

Unfortunately, s7 took those changes and ran in the wrong direction. The pacing was off, half the focus was about Negan when we had three communities (two of which were extremely new) to learn about, and practically all the deaths were for shock value. (Also, the whole “blame Daryl” bullshit really blew up here in full force, stopping Negan from taking accountability for anything because he’s so ~charming~.) Now, I have a lot of individual episodes in this season that I actually really like, for various reasons (7x02, 7x03, 7x05, 7x08, 7x13, 7x14, 7x15, 7x16; obviously, 7B was better than 7A in my eyes). And there were a lot of things in the other episodes I enjoyed, too, but overall? S7 was kind of a big mess.

Why did Glenn need to die, honestly? What was the point of the dumpster bullshit if he was going to get his comic death anyways, only this time as an afterthought and therefore the exact opposite of the huge show-changing event they’d claimed it would be? Abraham dying, alongside maybe a surprise someone else, would’ve done the same damn thing that s7 showed us, except Maggie wouldn’t have lost yet another person she cares the most about, Daryl wouldn’t be persecuted for something Negan did on solely his own will, and we’d still have some fucking hope for a little bit. TWD immediately started feeling less like TWD when Glenn was killed off. 

Why is Negan’s characterization so flip-floppy? He was, to me, a threat in 6x16 and 7x01, as well as 7x03, and then for the rest of the season (as well as 8a) he’s just a joke-cracking, lame ass leaning cartoon who likes to pretend he’s not coercing his “wives” into being with him and who seems so obsessed with Rick’s dick that I’m not sure how he thinks about anything else. His relationship with Carl also falls flat. Yeah, I can see maybe if he had some kind of fatherly feelings towards him, but he just seems like a sociopath. He makes fun of Carl and then apologizes when he starts to cry, only doing so to gain control. He carts Carl around to show him the workers he treats as slaves, the “wives” that are only with him because they want to avoid a worse fate, and tries to emasculate his father by propping himself up as some kind of God to his “Saviors,” as if Carl will think that’s cool. He used Carl to break Rick in 7x01 and then was ready to bash his head in during 7x16, but it’s okay because he feels bad, right? Negan is a villain who has no empathy, who makes excuses for his actions the same way his fans do; there’s nothing to make the audience connect with him in a way that even the Governor, as whiny and dumb as he was, had. His s8 tragic backstory? Cheated on his dying wife. Okay. But it’s alright because he’s funny sometimes, yeah? In my opinion, Negan is a weak villain who’s plot armor is so obvious that so much of the show has become stupid. He controls so many people and yet you’re telling me that only Dwight hates him? That no one can just freaking shoot the guy who strolls around without a care? You’re telling me that Rosita is suddenly a shit shot and hits the small surface of baseball bat instead of Negan’s forehead? You’re telling me Sasha couldn’t take the knife from the rapist in the cell and stab Negan? She was going to die anyways, so why not just do it? You’re telling me they had Daryl on the B-Team in 8x01 because… why? He had a bike to lead walkers to Sanctuary? No, it’s because he would’ve popped Negan between the eyes if he’d been in that crowd, instead of shooting out windows too many stories up to even matter. Like… not to shit on Rick’s plan, because it’s pretty clever when you take the whole thing into account, but really? They could’ve killed Negan in 8x01 and the show would have been more interesting with Simon as the new main villain.

Also, what’s the deal with introducing characters (Heath, Sherry) that suddenly just disappear? I get actors have other things going on, but then there’s literally no mention of them again. Tara finds a sheet of paper, which we have no clue what would even have to do with anything, and hopes Heath is okay. Dwight gets Sanctuary’s doctor killed so he can lie about Sherry being dead. That’s it. And then what’s the deal WITH BRINGING BACK A CHARACTER FROM SEASON 1, SOMEONE THAT COULD HAVE HAD POTENTIAL TO SHOW MORE TENSION WITHIN NEGAN’S RANK, SOMEONE WHO COULD’VE HELPED DWIGHT TURN ON THE SAVIORS AFTER RECONNECTING WITH RICK, SOMEONE WHO COULD’VE AT LEAST FILLED THE EMPTY SPACE MORGAN WILL BE LEAVING ONCE HE HOPS SHOWS, ONLY TO KILL HIM AT THE START OF THE VERY NEXT EPISODE??? The most random shit you have ever seen, right up there with scavenger freaks that talk like robots even though the apocalypse has only been around for like 2-3 years.

It really pains me to complain about a show I love so much, but maybe it’s because I have such strong feelings for it that I have to air my grievances.

But wait, there’s more!

So, sure, season 7 had a nice finale, with Sasha at least going out on her own terms and Glenn finally really being acknowledged by newly appointed leader Maggie, plus the cool visual of seeing Rick, Ezekiel, and Maggie give rousing speeches to their followers, but we then get s8.

It had a strong start. Rick’s plan is confusing and, for some reason, not fully explained when it’s the ONE thing that should be talked about. But, essentially: Rick teams up with other communities to trap Negan inside until they can no longer survive, with the threat of walkers looming, rather than outright killing anyone because he wants them to surrender. Then, with Dwight’s information, they go to every outpost to clear them of outside Saviors and to arm themselves with more weapons. His back up plan, in case something goes wrong, is to call upon the group that already betrayed them. Then, they just need to wait it out.

Except a lot of things go wrong, as they usually do, and this makes up a lot of the plot. Great! I enjoy the fact that many of our favorite characters are disagreeing. Daryl, Tara, and Morgan want revenge at all costs; Rick and Maggie are struggling with morality; Ezekiel loses nearly all of the Kingdom and needs Carol to get him steady; Jesus, the new moral compass, has taken prisoners because he’s thinking not just about the present, but also the future and what the cost of winning will do to everyone; Rosita’s learned her lesson, Michonne is on neutral ground, Carl once again won’t stay in the house, Eugene’s become an asshole as well as a coward, and Aaron is dealing with the loss of Eric (which was unnecessary, but whatever).

But within these neat little things are several problems. For one thing, Tara in s7 seemed to care about the innocent workers, even after she learned about Denise, Glenn, and Abraham. Now, she wants them all dead and is kind of manipulating the fragile state of mind that Morgan and Daryl are in. Like don’t get me wrong, crashing a truck into Sanctuary was Daryl’s big idea (and it was NOT a bad one, entirely, just morally incorrect, which he even knew and seemed to struggle with at times), but after Michonne tried to talk some sense into him and we saw that he’s once again suicidal, Tara is right there to make sure he goes through with it, just like she said Morgan was right after he had a breakdown and nearly killed Jesus. As for Eric, I get that we need casualties in war, and considering that they never developed the background characters (Tobin, Francine, etc) like they should have, Eric is the only one people would have cared enough about. It’s all about impact. (Note: If it wasn’t clear, I do not ship Aaron and Jesus on the show. I don’t read the comics, I don’t like the comics, and I don’t care if they’re a thing in them. On the show, they’ve not spoken ONE WORD to each other on screen. They’ve never interacted, which is a shitty setup if the plan is to then try and convince us later that a relationship can form there, especially if they killed Eric just for that. Why does Aaron need to be with Jesus when he was already in a perfectly loving relationship? Tom Payne said it best: it would be lazy plotting. Aaron is grieving. Give him the random baby, since Ross mentioned that he’d clung to that bit of life in the wake of losing Eric, and leave him alone.)

Now. Daryl. Obviously, he’s my favorite character, so no matter what I say it’s going to seem like I’m defending him just because. But what you don’t know about me is that I actually like to see both sides to a situation. I don’t think one character is always right or wrong, I’ll admit to anyone if something happens that I don’t agree with, and then I try to see the other side if I can. So… Daryl’s been a popular character since his first appearance. Like him or not, he’s a mainstay and a huge part of the show. Daryl has always been hot-headed, violent, and emotional. He’s also always been caring, loyal, and an outsider. In 6x16, he goes out to find and kill Dwight, despite the fact that it would probably get him killed in return. Why is he doing this? Dwight, who he’d helped in the woods, betrayed him and stole his stuff. Then, he killed Denise for no reason and showed zero remorse. Rick, Michonne, and Rosita followed him out because they cared about him and thought what he was doing was stupid. People act like Daryl is the only character who does stupid shit. Yeah, he’s not, but anyway. Instead of realizing Glenn, Michonne, and Rosita have their own minds and make their own decisions, people want to blame Daryl for them getting captured instead of blaming Dwight and the Saviors for acting on Negan’s orders. In 7x01, when everyone is in the lineup, after Abraham is murdered, Negan taunts Rosita. He’s looking for an excuse to kill someone else. He’s purposefully going around, trying to see who he can rile up. When he starts shouting at Rosita, Daryl snaps and punches him. Stupid, stupid, stupid. BUT look what happens after. The punch, which Daryl no doubt thought would get himself killed, backfires and makes Negan like him because he’s not a “bitch” like Rick. Immediately, Negan turns to Glenn, who’d already spoken out of line, and beats him to death. Aside from the fact that the writers wanted Glenn to die, if we’re looking at it in the scope of canon, do you really think it was random? Do you really think Abraham was random? Abraham, who’d straightened up as a challenge to Negan when he first went down the line? He was a threat and Eeenie Meenie Minie Mo was a farce. He picked Abraham for a reason, just as he picked Glenn—because he saw how Glenn reacted to Negan suggesting he would kill Maggie, and then with Daryl’s outburst on Rosita’s behalf he realized how much pain it would cause everyone if he killed someone else (someone who already showed strong ties to another in the ine) instead of the one who punched him. This is behavior he carries out constantly: choosing someone at random to hurt when someone else acts out because it’s cruel, because the person who defies him is doing so thinking they’re going to die, which means they’re ready to die, and killing someone else leaves that person living with pain and guilt. He tries to make Rick cut Carl’s arm off to get him to break. He was going to kill Dwight for when he, Sherry, and Tina escaped, leaving Sherry alive to ive with it. He burned Mark’s face for seeing Amber. He killed Spencer when he sucked up to him about hating Rick. He told Arat to kill someone random after Rosita shot at him. On and on. This is a pattern. Would people be less pissed if it had been Glenn who punched Negan and if someone else died in his place? Is it only Daryl (who has always been portrayed as impulsive and angry in hard situations) that elicits this reaction? It continues into season 8. Daryl goes against Rick’s plan, just like pretty much everyone else has been going against his plan, and he’s actually got sound reasoning. He wants to blow a hole into Sanctuary to let Walkers inside, furthering the threat and shortening the timeline of their surrender AFTER they’ve lost many of their Kingdom fighters. Rick cites the innocent workers and Daryl tries to make himself feel better about the plan by saying the workers could possibly escape (showing he cares, but not enough in his mindset to back down). Rick pretty much tells Daryl he cannot do it, which is a bad idea, and Daryl decides to disobey. But honestly, Rick’s plan is to recruit the trash people that betrayed them and have shown not to care about anything other than themselves, so how is Daryl’s plan, as ruthless as it is, any worse? Then, when he carries it out, with the help of Tara and Morgan, it succeeds in what he wanted it to. BUT THEN PEOPLE WANT TO BLAME THE WALKERS ROAMING OFF ON DARYL, WHEN HIS PLAN DID THE EXACT OPPOSITE. AND EVEN AFTER IT WAS STATED TWICE IN ONE EPISODE THAT EUGENE WAS AT FAULT, I STILL SAW PEOPLE BLAMING DARYL. It makes no sense. But neither does the show half the time, so whatever.

Sorry. I needed to get all that Daryl stuff off my chest.

Let me talk about Jesus for a minute.

Jesus had one of the best introductions on the show in 6x10 (which is my all-time favorite episode ever). Tom Payne is strong in the role, which, from what I understand, is quite different than the one from the comics… and that’s okay. And no matter what people say, I actually think Jesus has been characterized consistently since he’s been introduced, we’ve just seen it expanded on in unexpected ways. The issue comes with the fact that we haven’t seen enough. Gimple has underutilized him constantly, for no reason. After a good start at the end of s6, he was a background piece for a lot of s7, which is a shame since he shined whenever he was on screen. We established that Jesus is pretty much the only real fighter at Hilltop, the only scout, the only person who’s out more than he is in. But when we see him in s7, he’s just hanging around Hilltop like no big deal. If the point was for him to be there for Maggie and Sasha, then maybe more than a couple of little scenes was necessary to show that. And in 7x16? They took away his big Negan moment without giving a single fuck. That moment would’ve solidified him immediately as a member of Team Family instead of being just on the edge of it, but nope, give it to the cgi tiger (i love her, but let’s be real). And in 8a? We’ve seen his morality, his philosophy, and some of his many capabilities as a fighter, but there’s so much more to explore and I have little hope that they will in 8b, especially in the right ways. I so hope I’m wrong because I love his character and there are countless possibilities for him (one of which is a relationship with Daryl, but maybe I shouldn’t get into that. Yet).

I’ve liked a lot of little moments in 8a. I like the action, the conflict, the spotlight on multiple characters in an episode, the dynamics. But Negan’s plot armor is still around, the trash people are still around for no reason, shocking deaths are still around, and it’s exhausting. For as good as the pacing has generally been, the little details of the overall plot are convoluted.

The show that’s been about survival and hope no longer has either.

As bad as Glenn’s death was, even with the way he’d been slowly phased out before that point, Carl’s impending death is somehow worse. Carl, who was Rick’s reason for living since the start; Carl, who we’ve watched go through so much, who’s grown up so fast, who was just a kid who kept losing himself and is now a man who is capable of so much compassion; Carl, who is the future of the show, literally and figuratively. It’s all gone. For nothing.

For all the talk about “anyone can die at any moment,” no one ever really thought that Carl would be an option, and it’s precisely this reason they did it. I don’t care what excuses Gimple and Kirkman give. I really don’t. There will be no payoff for this, just acceptance from those who haven’t yet already quit. There are people who might think this is overdramatic or who don’t care or who are happy because oh how shocking or because maybe they didn’t like Carl, but this is legitimately a huge blow to the show. Not even simply because TWD is losing Carl himself, but because it’s losing everything he represents to the show and to the other characters. This is a big impact and it’s entirely negative. The trailer for 8b has Carl mentioning Lori telling him he would beat this world, which is sad and poignant, but why does it have to be? Why couldn’t she be proven right? Why does Gimple have to ruin the very foundation of the show with dumb stunts like this?

Deaths are no longer shocking or a good idea. Killing off main characters when you have so few remaining is no longer a good idea. Focusing on the horrors of their world with so few moments of happiness and love to counteract it is no longer a good idea. (How many couples on the show are there at this point?) Watching the characters we actually care about get kicked down over and over again, without getting to see them stand all the way back up, is no longer a good idea.

We have 8 episodes of the season left. A lot of things can happen, good or bad, we can only speculate right now, but based on the course season 8 has taken so far? I’m not too hopeful. We’re going to lose Carl, we’ll lose Morgan in some way since he’s crossing over to the other show, and I would be majorly surprised if Negan dies. It’s hard to be excited for whatever else might happen when most of the possibilities are disappointing. Even with Angela Kang ready to run s9, right now I feel kind of apathetic. Will she have as much control as Gimple had? Can she mend whatever else s8 breaks and create a new, interesting story with our remaining characters for s9? Or will it just be more of the same—maybe even worse—because AMC can’t get it together?

I complained about Gimple sticking far too closely to the comics during 7, which forced the show in awkward directions that it hadn’t been on track for (Spencer becoming a random douchebag for the guts death, for example), but instead of finding a middle ground between adapting and tweaking storylines from the comic for the screen and creating original ideas in s8, Gimple’s now strayed so far from not only the “source material,” but also from what the show has been and what it should.

How can it get back to its roots while becoming fresh in a way that’s actually logical and interesting? Maybe one day we’ll see. Cross your fingers.

You guys probably don’t care about my undeniably optimistic desires for the future of the show, but maybe I can list them anyway, since I’ve rambled enough as it is. 

One: Get rid of Negan. As much as I love JDM and think he’s a fantastic actor, Negan’s run his course. I vote for Rick not sparing Negan, but instead sparing the workers and those like Siddiq who he would have otherwise ignored, if not for his son’s interference. If Carl wants Rick to be merciful, it should be a side effect of Negan’s death, maybe make him feel guilt about how he went about the whole thing, but don’t keep him alive. Heck, Gimple recycles plotlines so much, why not have Rick take the workers into Alexandria like he had with the Woodbury citizens? It’d make more sense than the mustache-twirly villain living while Rick’s own child dies. At least the Governor had some humanity.

Two: Slow down on the character deaths. Seriously. How many nameless Alexandrians are left? How many nonfighters at the Kingdom? Oceanside has already been touched by Negan and Rick, and while the Hilltop is currently intact, I doubt they won’t suffer some damage by the end of this season. No more main or side characters should die this season; no more mains in s9, either. There’s barely anyone left. The characters we’ve already established are what make this show worth anything.

Three: Time jump for season 9? I think the show needs it, at least a couple of years. We’ve got a new showrunner, now we need a fresh slate. If a few years pass between 8 and 9, more options for what to do with the plot will open up. (Will they do the Whisperers? Will it be some big remix, like turning Lydia into a boy for Enid, having Lydia develop a mother/daughter relationship with Carol, having no kid at all? Will Jadis live to become Alpha by finally shaving off that horrible haircut? Maybe we’ll get an original villain? Who knows.) But people will be healed up, rebuilding can be under way, and we can explore storylines for characters that could have started during the jump, making things feel natural.

How about some little things I’d love to see, but that we probably won’t? Buckle up for some major wishful thinking and maybe exit the vehicle if you aren’t on the same page as me for certain things... like desus, carzekiel, etc.

Maybe we can recycle Rick not knowing if he should lead or not, still struggling with the loss of his son and trying to live on for him and Judith. Maybe Michonne is more driven after the initial mourning of another son and takes a more active role in getting Alexandria back on its feet, since she didn’t want to leave it for the Saviors in 8x08. She and Rick are stronger together and can focus on raising Judith to know her roots, like Lori’s sacrifice and how much Carl loved her, keeping his spirit alive. Maybe they recreate the council from the prison and any new characters (Siddiq, perhaps the introduction of Magna and her crew) can be part of it, alongside the oldies like Rosita, Aaron, and Gabriel (if he survives).

Maybe Daryl has decided to stick around at Hilltop. Not only did he never fit in at Alexandria, but perhaps he feels an obligation to look after Maggie and the baby. Maybe Enid’s come into her own (with the help of Maggie and Jesus?) and can have a critical role within the group, maybe as kind of a runner like Glenn had been at the start?

Maybe Jesus is more secure in his position in the community(ies), more secure in himself, and gets a personal story… like, say, developing a relationship with Daryl. And maybe this, too, can be a new start/story for Daryl; a departure from all the self-sacrificing and depression he’s been getting these last few years. Daryl’s sexuality has been ambiguous since the beginning, basically, as we usually know or see who a character is interested in fairly quickly (Rick with Lori and then Jessie and then Michonne, Glenn and Maggie, Tara and Alisha(?) then Denise, Sasha and Bob, Abraham with Rosita and the Sasha, Eugene’s interest in Tara and Rosita, Aaron and Eric, Carl with Beth and then Enid, Jesus coming out to Maggie...). And the fact that it has continued to be ambiguous, and to be covered as some kind of mystery as of late, leads directly into a chance for one final, organic reveal. Daryl has always been a character that’s formed unique and important bonds with others. He was integral to Jesus being introduced into the show and they’ve shared some very important scenes since; plus, it’s easy to pick up on signs that Jesus might have a bit of a crush on, or is at least attracted to, Daryl. (There are so many desus scenes, shots, parallels, etc. that have already been talked about, so I won’t here, but you know. you know you know.) Showing a bond between Daryl and Jesus that turns into romance would be an interesting story, a new one for both characters, it would make sense in a myriad of ways, and it would also be groundbreaking. (Also, Daryl deserves some freaking happiness and dialogue for once, just as Jesus deserves to be pushed to the forefront, and something like this could do just that.)

Maybe Tara can make the move to Oceanside. She needs a break, some time to get herself together, and she’s closely tied to that community already… which is full of women. Give Tara a girlfriend that isn’t murdered. (Cyndie? How even old is she, I don’t know.)

Maybe Rosita can find happiness again, now that she’s more chill and humble. Her bond with Tara can be further explored. If they want to throw her into a romance like in the comic, it sure as hell isn’t going to be with Eugene (either kill in in redemption or do something other than this back and forth confliction), so how about Tara or Siddiq? Dwight seems likely, given their interactions thus far, and while I’m still salty about him I see that he’s trying to redeem himself and Rosita would be someone who would understand that. There’s also Gabriel, but I would rather see him continue to sort of mentor her.

Maybe Ezekiel can rebuild Kingdom and maintain his more active role as a King, letting his people know the drill instead of feeding them an image. Maybe Carol can be his queen, his second in command, and they can be themselves together as they know exactly who the other is. A romance between them already seems perfectly set up; we’ve seen that they clearly care for each other and have a deep connection. 

I could go on, but I’m just spitballing here (and probably also revealing some things i’ve planned for my fic’s sequel so oops). There are tons of things this show could do in place of constant tragedy. Yes, deaths can still happen. People can still be shitty, walkers can still bite and eat people, that’s how it’s always been. Conflict and angst have to there. But after a war this big, with so many losses from s7 and s8, we need something else. We need to bring back that feeling of survival in the face of certain death, those little rays of hope than shine after dark times. The show needs this if it wants to be good again and not just become another thing on TV that’s wasting away. 

The characters deserve better, the actors deserve better, and we deserve better.

I’m so close to quitting before we even get to what Angela might be able to do, and you don’t know how sad that makes me. It doesn’t matter that all of this is fiction; it’s such a big part of who I am at this point, and to have it screwed around with by someone who clearly doesn’t give a shit is something I still don’t understand, and I’m not even as critical about TWD as some people are! I can overlook a lot, find enjoyment in certain things that might otherwise be bad or annoying, and like… I don’t even know if I have an episode that I hate. I’m just done with wondering about what we could’ve gotten if things had gone differently. I still really wish they will, but it’s up in the air at this point.

So… Please, 8b, don’t burn that final straw. I want to tune in for s9 with real interest and investment and excitement again, not just because I’m loyal to the characters that are still standing.

Sorry.

Get To Know Me Better

I literally got bored and did this myself. 1: My name? Heather 2: Do I have any nicknames? My friends in high school used to call me Cricket. 3: Zodiac sign? Libra 4: Video game I play to chill, not to win? I don't play video games, but my husband loves them. 5: Book/series I reread? Harry Potter. Twice a year in July and Halloween. 6: Aliens or ghosts? Ghosts. 7: Writer I trust enough to read whatever they write? J.K. Rowling 8: Favourite radio station? Pandora? 9: Favourite flavour of anything? Chocolate. 10: The word that I use all the time to describe something great? Awesome. 11: Favourite song? Pretty much anything by Mayday Parade. 12: The question you ask new friends to get to know them better? Which is better The Beatles or One Direction? (answer: The Beatles). 13: Favourite word? Serendipity 14: The last person who hurt me, did I forgive them? Yes. I'm a very forgiving person. 15: Last song I listened to? Three Cheers for Five Years- Mayday Parade 16: TV show I always recommend? The Walking Dead or Sons of Anarchy. 17: Pirates or ninjas? Pirates. 18: Movie I watch when I'm feeling down? Any Harry Potter movie. 19: Song that I always start my shuffle with/wake-up song/always-on-a-loop song? I'm Still Standing- Taron Egerton 20: Favourite video games? Refer to question 4. 21: What am I most afraid of? Thunderstorms, clowns, or being alone. 22: A good quality of mine? I'm nonjudgmental and a good listener. 23: A bad quality of mine? I forget literally everything. 24: Cats or dogs? Dogs! 25: Actor/actress you trust enough to watch whatever they're in? Norman Reedus 26: Favourite season? Fall. 27: Am I in a relationship? Yes. I'm married. 28: Something I miss? My son. 29: My best friend? Irl: my husband On Tumblr: @backstrcm @worthless---loser 30: Eye colour? Brown 31: Hair colour? Brown 32: Someone I love? My husband and my son 33: Someone I trust? My husband. 34: Someone I always think about? My husband. 35: Am I excited about anything? October! TWD, my birthday/anniversary, and I might get a dog! 36: My current obsession? Anything that has to do with The Walking Dead. 37: Favourite TV shows as a child? Anything Disney. I never really had a favorite. 38: Do I have someone of the opposite sex that I can tell everything to? My husband or worthless--loser 39: Am I superstitious? Sometimes. 40: What do I think about most? My son. 41: Do I have any strange phobias? Reference question 21. 42: Do I prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? Behind it. 43: Favourite hobbies? I guess I like to sing. 44: Last book I read? Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg 45: Last film I watched? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 46: Do I play any instruments? No. 47: Favourite animal? I love dogs. 48: Top 5 blog on Tumblr that I follow? ??? 49: Superpower I wish I could have? The ability to manipulate others. 50: How do I destress? Netflix and food. 51: Do I like confrontation? Absolutely not. 52: When do I feel most at peace? When I'm asleep. 53: What makes me smile? Every time I see my son. 54: Do I sleep with the lights on or off? Off. 55: Play any sports? I cheered in high school. 56: What is my song of the week? Let It Be- The Beatles 57: Favourite drink? Anything alcoholic. 58: When did I last send a handwritten letter to somebody? I don't think I ever have. 59: Afraid of heights? Somewhat yes. 60: Pet peeve? People who yell at others. People who judge. People who smack when they chew. 61: What was the last concert I went to see? Luke Bryan when I was like 17. 62: Am I vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian? No. I like meat. 63: What occupation did I want to do when I was younger? A veterinarian. 64: Have I ever had a friend turn enemy? No. 65: What fictional universe would I like to be a part of? Harry Potter universe. 66: Something I worry about? If I made the right decision for my son and financial worries. 67: Scared of the dark? No. 68: Who are my best friends? See number 29. 69: What do I admire most about others? People's ability to heal. 70: Can I sing? Yes, but I don't like to hear myself. 71: Something I wish I could do? Fly. 72: If I won the lottery, what would I do? Buy a house and pay for my son's education. 73: Have I ever skipped school? Yes. 74: Favourite place on the planet? Anywhere with my husband. 75: Where do I want to live? Seattle, WA 76: Do I have any pets? Not now, but maybe a dog soon. 77: What is my current desktop picture? The opening credit of Supernatural 78: Early bird or night owl? Night owl. 79: Sunsets or sunrise? Sunset. 80: Can I drive? No, it gives me anxiety. 81: Story behind my last kiss? My husband left for work. 82: Earphones or headphones? Earphones. 83: Have I ever had braces? No. 84: Story behind one of my scars? I used to self harm, but I've been clean for years now. 85: Favourite genre of music? Punk pop. 86: Who is my hero? My mom. 87: Favourite comic book character? Captain America. 88: What makes me really angry? When I mess up or do something wrong. 89: Kindle or real book? Real book. 90: Favourite sporty activity? I don't really like sports. 91: What is one thing that isn’t tight in schools that should be? The conformation to gender neutrality. 92: What was my favourite subject at school? English. 93: Siblings? One brother and two sisters. 94: What was the last thing I bought? Food. 95: How tall am I? 5ft 3in or 160.02cm 96: Can I cook? No. 97: Can I bake? Yes. 98: 3 things I love? My husband My son I'm learning to love myself. 99: 3 things I hate? Ignorance. LGBTQA+ erasure. Racism. 100: Do I have more girl friends or boy friends? It's about equal. 101: Who do I get on with better, girls or boys? See previous question. 102: Where was I born? Georgia. 103: Sexual orientation? Not sure, but bi or pan-ish? 104: Where do I currently live? Georgia. 105: Last person I texted? My husband. 106: Last time I cried? Yesterday. 107: Guilty pleasure? Literally any kind of food. 108: Favourite Youtuber? MiniLadd. My husband watches him a lot. 109: A photo of myself. I'm on mobile. 110: Do I like selfies? Not really. 111: Favourite game app? I've been playing this Disney app on my phone for a while. 112: My relationship with my parents? Well, I never had one with my dad, but my mom is literally the best. 113: Favourite accents? I have a self proclaimed accent kink, so Cajun, British, like a really thick, deep Southern drawl. 114: A place I have not been but wish to visit? Seattle, WA. 115: Favourite number? My son was born on the 10th of May last year. 116: Can I juggle? No. 117: Am I religious? Do I believe in God? Yes. Am I religious? No. 118: Do I like space? Dude, space is cool. 119: Do I like the deep ocean? Dude, the ocean is cool. 120: Am I much of a daredevil? Not really. 121: Am I allergic to anything? Pollen. Spring kills me. 122: Can I curl my tongue? No. 123: Can I wiggle my ears? No. 124: Do I like clowns? Fuck no. 125: The Beatles or Elvis? Both? Both is good. 126: My current project? To better myself. 127: Am I a bad loser? Not really. 128: Do I admit when I wrong? Most of the time, yes. 129: Forest or beach? Beach. 130: Favourite piece of advice? "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 131: Am I a good liar? Usually yes, but it depends on the person. Like, I can't lie to my grandma. 132: Hogwarts house / Divergent faction / Hunger Games district? Hufflepuff. 133: Do I talk to myself? All the time. 134: Am I very social? Generally, no. 135: Do I like gossip? I shouldn't, but depending on the situation, yes. 136: Do I keep a journal/diary? No. 137: Have I ever hopelessly failed a test? Yes. 138: Do I believe in second chances? Yes. Everyone deserves a chance or twelve. 139: If I found a wallet full of cash on the ground, what would I do? Try to find the owner. 140: Do I believe people are capable of change? Yes. 141: Have I ever been underweight? No. 142: Am I ticklish? Yes! 143: Have I ever been in a submarine? No. 144: Have I ever been on a plane? Yes. Plenty of times. 145: In a film about my life, who would I cast as myself, friends and family? I have no idea. She doesn't look a thing like me, but I like Blake Lively. 146: Have I ever been overweight? No. 147: Do I have any piercings? No. 148: Which fictional character do I wish was real? Literally all of them. 149: Do I have any tattoos? No, but I want some. 150: What is the best decision I have made in life so far? To love myself more. 151: Do I believe in Karma? Absolutely. What you put into the universe, the universe gives back. 152: Do I wear glasses or contacts? When I read for long periods or drive I wear glasses. 153: What was my first car? A 2012 Chevy Sonic. I still drive it. 154: Do I want children? I have a fifteen month old, so maybe in the future or maybe not. 155: Who is the most intelligent person I know? A man from my church. He's old, wise and knows really good math. 156: My most embarrassing memory? I don't feel like sharing 😳 157: What makes me nostalgic? The sound of a GameCube. 158: Have I ever pulled an all-nighter? Plenty of times. 159: Which do I value more in others, brains or beauty? Brains. 160: What colour mostly dominates my wardrobe? Black. 161: Have I ever had a paranormal experience? No, but my godmother used to have them a lot. 162: What do I hate most about myself? My face and my "mom belly." 163: What do I love most about myself? My personality and my eyelashes. 164: Do I like adventure? Yes. 165: Do I believe in fate? Yes. 166: Favourite animal? Dogs! 167: Have I ever been on radio? No. 168: Have I ever been on TV? No. 169: How old am I? 21. 170: One of my favourite quotes? "You are braver than you thing. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think." Winnie the Pooh. 171: Do I hold grudges? No. 172: Do I trust easily? Somewhat. 173: Have I learnt from my mistakes? The best I can. 174: Best gift I’ve ever received? My son. 175: Do I dream? Yes. 176: Have I ever had a night terror? Nightmare, yes. Night terror, no. 177: Do I remember my dreams, and what is one that comes to mind? The one I had last night where I met J.K. Rowling and instead of giving me her autograph, she handed me like five envelops for a free autograph and disappeared. 178: An experience that has made me stronger? Walking away from all the abuse I've endured. 179: If I were immortal, what would I do? Fall in love as much as I wanted. 180: Do I like shopping? Yes, but I hate trying on clothes. 181: If I could get away with a crime, what would I choose to do? Smoke a lot of weed because it's not legal here. 182: What does “family” mean to me? Family are those who love and support you under any circumstance without question. 183: What is my spirit animal? A sloth. 184: How do I want to be remembered? As someone who did her best with what she had. 185: If I could master one skill, what would I choose? I would love to learn to cook. 186: What is my greatest failure? Falling in love with someone I shouldn't have. 187: What is my greatest achievement? My son. 188: Love or money? Love. 189: Love or career? Love. 190: If I could time travel, where and when would I want to go? The 1920's. 191: What makes me the happiest? That moment when my husband comes home from work. 192: What is “home” to me? Wherever my husband and my son are. 193: What motivates me? People telling me I can't do something. 194: If I could choose my last words, what would they be? "I love you." 195: Would I ever want to encounter aliens? It depends is it like Toy Story aliens or E.T.? 196: A movie that scared me as a child? Not really a movie, but the guy's voice from the tv show, Forensic Files, used to scare the shit out of me. 197: Something I hated as a child that I like now? Pineapples. 198: Zombies or vampires? Zombies. 199: Live in the city or suburbs? The city. 200: Dragons or wizards? Wizards. 201: A nightmare that has stayed with me? I had a dream when I was like four that a clown was chasing me and I stabbed him with a knife. 202: How do I define love? Love is being able to be who you are around someone and being accepted and trusting them with anything. 203: Do I judge a book by its cover? No, but if I'm not interested within the first chapter, I won't read it. 204: Have I ever had my heart broken? Yes. Plenty of times. 205: Do I like my handwriting? Not really. 206: Sweet or savoury? Both? 207: Worst job I’ve had? I've only ever had one job and, so far, it's good. I shelve books at the local library. 208: Do I collect anything? No. 209: Item of clothing or jewellery you’ll never see me without? My wedding ring and Pandora bracelet. 210: What is on my bucket list? To meet my Tumblr family. 211: How do I handle anger? I burst into tears. 212: Was I named after anyone? Not my first name, but my middle name, Gabrielle, is after a doctor my mom had an affair with once. She thought his name was pretty. 213: Do I use sarcasm a lot? It's my second language. 214: What TV character am I most like? I would love to say Rory Gilmore, probably not. 215: What is the weirdest talent I have? I can make my ear make noise. 216: Favourite fictional character? Literally all of them.

Reveling in Richonne

#110: The Future (8x09)

So y’all, Carl stole our hearts and then was stolen from us. 😥 And as this episode came to a close we got Carl’s precious final moments in his 8 season journey.

Rick holds his son’s hand as Carl lets him know, “I know you can’t see it yet, how it could be. But I have.” And then we get the reveal that the dream sequences we’ve been seeing are actually Carl’s visions for the future. 😭 

And y’all I actually really liked that reveal. (Side note: For me, I’m gonna also let this explain why Rick looks the way he does in those flashbacks (apart from being a reference to the comics) cuz I feel like kids always have a unique way of seeing their parents lol. 😋)

As they cut to that opening image of Rick with the short hair and beard we hear Carl’s narration saying, “You have a beard. It’s bigger and grayer.” And then they show the lovely dream scene of Rick and a glowing Michonne and in Carl’s voiceover he says, “Michonne’s happy. And Judith is older and she’s listening to the songs that I used to before.” 

I love that most all the other descriptions of the future are literal physical descriptions but in Carl’s dream world it’s important to him that Michonne is happy. All the way here for it. 🙌🏾

And I was happy cuz if all of this was Carl’s vision, then I’d like to think that how happy and loving Rick and Michonne were in those visions is probably how Carl saw them in everyday life. Like we got to see Richonne through Carl’s eyes and they look just as in love as ever.  😊

I always appreciated how much Carl supported this relationship between R&M as soon as it became official. And It’s great knowing that in Carl’s ideal future Rick and Michonne are still together and making each other happy.

He continues, saying, “Alexandria’s bigger. There’s new houses and crops and people working, everybody living and helping everybody else live. You could still be who you are. That’s how it could be. It could” 

Sure it’s very idyllic and optimistic but I think that’s what’s so special about Carl’s perspective because, as a kid who spent his childhood in the chaos of an apocalypse, for him to still be this hopeful of the future is big, and that alone suggests that hope can still live on.

Rick looks at Carl and says, “Carl it was all for you. Right from the start. Back in Atlanta, the Farm, and then at the prison it was for you and Judith. It still is. It’s gonna be. And nothing, nothing is gonna change that.” 😭

I love that Rick tells Carl this because it’s the gospel truth. 💯 Right from the start it was Carl that gave him his will to survive. His kids kept him going. And then what’s cool is Michonne became another major person in his life who kept him going and who will be the key person to keep him going after this.

And it’s also so true that Rick really did do so much both for and because of his family as well. I appreciate that Rick Grimes is many things but first and foremost he’s a committed family man. 🙌🏾

Carl looks up at Rick and says, “I want this for you, Dad.” And y’all this is precious cuz while we all know parents have hopes and dreams for their kids, this is a reminer that kids can have hopes and dreams for their parents too. So just like Rick worked so hard to give Carl a better life and wanted that for him, Carl wants Rick to have the best life as well. 😭 

And Rick tells Carl, “I’m gonna make it real. Carl, I promise I’m gonna make it real.” And Carl smiles, knowing his dad is pretty consistent with keeping his promise. 👌🏽

Rick’s words remind me of that emotional moment in one of TWD’s best episodes, “No Way Out”, where Rick sits by Carl’s bedside and asks Carl to let him show him the new world. And while it’s devastating that Carl won’t live to fully see the new world it’s sweet to see Rick still promise to make it real for him.

Plus my Richonne-loving self also liked seeing Rick promise to make Carl’s vision a reality since part of what Carl wanted is for Michonne to be happy so that means that’s part of what Rick’s promising to make real, like he already constantly does. 😊

Carl hears this and then looks over at Michonne and she nods as they share a smile cuz I think Carl knows she’ll be right by Rick’s side helping him to make this real. And, as we see during the rest of 8B, she’ll really be the one to step up and honor Carl’s wishes most of all. 👌🏽

So then the dagger in my already broken heart is when Rick tells Carl, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you. A father’s job is to protect his son” 

Y’all that legit hurt. 😥 Cuz again, so many people had made Rick feel like maybe he didn’t have what it takes to keep Carl alive and so many times he proved people wrong and demonstrated how he’d stop at nothing to protect his son. 

So it’s painful to know he feels like he let Carl down when he really didn’t. Like there doesn’t seem to be many kids or many father and son’s left in this world so for Rick to have gotten Carl this far, especially as a single parent for a minute before Michonne quickly became a second parent, means Rick did a great job fulfilling his duty as a father. 👌🏽

Carl then says something sincerely heartfelt in saying, “No. It’s just to love.” 

I actually really appreciate this cuz, from the kid perspective, it’s Carl saying what he values most was the love his father gave him. And it makes sense cuz, after all, love is what motivates the protection. 

So I love that he tells Rick this cuz he’s saying you didn’t fail me as a father especially because your role was just to love me and Rick absolutely did that.

It’s important for Carl to be able to communicate this with Rick cuz Rick definitely needed to hear that from his son. As much as Rick may want to carry the guilt, he has to know that if all his son wanted and expected from him at the end of the day was love, then he doesn’t have to question himself cuz he more than delivered. 

So then Carl reaches for his gun in a way that implies he knows the time has come. And y’all this is when it really got real and Rick has the same response I had when he repeats “No” as he’s clearly not ready for this to happen. Me neither, Rick. 😔

Starting to break down, Michonne says, “Carl, it should be…” 

And Carl responds saying, “I know. I know. Somebody you love.” And I’m glad that we get yet another callback to a prior season, when Carl and Michonne had that precious moment in the 6x10 canon episode. 

In the scene on the patio, the two of them essentially acknowledge the mother/son relationship they have as they share how they’d be the one to stop the other from turning.

I really thought that would be how it goes down in Carl’s final episode, (Even tho what I really thought is that we’d never have a scenario where Michonne would even have to stop Carl from turning but here we are.)

So then Carl looks up at Michonne and says, “...When you can’t do it yourself. But I still can.” As hard as that is, it makes sense. If you can do it yourself you spare someone the immensely emotional and difficult act of doing it to you, so in a way this is Carls final act of looking out for his loved ones. 

Then, getting choked up, Carl says, “I grew up.” And even tho I still don’t know for certain why he said that in this context, I just love that he gets to say that he grew up because we really did watch him grow up on this show. 😭

Then with conviction he says, “I have to do this. Me.” And you see how much that breaks both Rick and Michonne’s heart but they also know they have to honor what he wants.

So as they both silently seem to agree, Carl then has my final favorite moment of the episode when he looks at Michonne and tells her, “I love you.” Y’all. I. can’t. 😭It’s great. 

You can feel how much Carl means it. And then Danai slays in her delivery of telling Carl, “I love you too.”  cuz you can physically hear Michonne’s heart break and also just how much Carl has come to mean to this woman. 

It makes me think about where Carl and Michonne’s journey started and to see it end with the two of them sharing heartfelt “I love you’s” is beautiful. 😭🙌🏾

And Carl stays looking at her a little longer as if to want to cherish the image of his best friend in his memory one last time. Because y’all, with all the trials and challenges Carl had to endure, I feel a big reason he’s able to look back at his life with some happiness and fond memories has to do with Michonne and her presence in his life.

Like she truly made his life so much brighter and better and fun, and his final look at her says that he knows that and appreciates it.

Also with Michonne losing her second son it makes me think of this moment right here...

And hopefully Michonne finds comfort in knowing that now maybe Carl and Andre are together somewhere. 😭

So then Carl turns to Rick and I was like here it is, the moment I never wanted to come. Like lemme tell you, this was me at this point...

Getting genuinely choked up, Carl tells Rick, “I love you, Dad.” 

And Rick, hardly able to remain composed, tells Carl, “I love you. Carl, I love you so much.” 

And then he kisses his son’s forehead and promises to him again, “I’ll make it real. I will.” And y’all just the thought that Rick and Carl are saying goodbye to each other is heart shattering and still doesn’t feel real. 

I do love his reiteration of this promise cuz to me it really is Rick telling Carl “I’m going to keep going for you. And if you can’t go to the world you dreamt of then I’ll go for you.” It just goes to show how no matter what Rick will always be and act as Carl’s father. 

Also, it’s crazy cuz Carl is the last person that Rick even knew pre-apocalypse so we’re watching Rick say goodbye to not only his son, but also his last trace of “before”.

So then we see Rick and Michonne huddled over Carl one last time and y’all who would’ve thought we’d see something like this?? 😥

But it’s pretty perfect that Carls final words were “I love you, Dad” cuz it was this father and son that were the engine of this whole series. 

And then they cut to Rick and Michonne outside of the chapel. Rick is sitting with his head in his hands and Michonne is standing behind him, frozen. At first it could seem like maybe this was after Carl pulled the trigger but I could tell they were waiting for it...which I was like how the heck did Carl convince them to leave and not stay with him until the last second? 🤔 but then again it’s probably best for them to not see it.

So they wait and then they hear the trigger get pulled...and the way they both react and flinch as though that bullet went through them too is so emotional. 😥

Especially seeing them break down as they realize it’s done, it happened, and Carl is gone. It was almost too much.

But it really became too much when they cut to them digging his grave with Carl’s body right there. Why do they do this to us? 😭 

Again, who would have thought we’d ever be in a position to see Rick and Michonne in ASZ digging with Carl in a body bag. It’s just wrong. 😔 

And then Michonne breaks my heart for the thousandth time this episode when she starts to break down again. It’s like the life has understandably been sucked out of them. 😥

I was glad Carl got an episode for his sendoff and goodbyes and I felt his scenes with Rick and especially Michonne were really effective. 

It was still clear tho that Carl’s death would be the beginning of the end for this show. And more and more that seems to be very true. 

One of the final scenes in the episode is the reveal of Negan being included in Carl’s dream for the future and y’all…

I wanted to fight when I saw that lol. I get that the show pretty randomly switched Carl’s character up to make him the new voice of harmony and peace, but to suggest that he really saw a future where Negan could just happily be gardening in ASZ and talking alone to Judith like he wasn’t the guy who ruthlessly killed and tormented most of the people there...It’s a huge stretch, to say the least. 😑

It’s funny though cuz they have Rick walk in another direction when Judith approaches Negan cuz I think the writers knew that even in a fantasy world there ain’t no way Rick would just be chatting it up with Negan lol. 

The only thing that’s sort of nice about this is they have Negan in a garden, which calls back to when he said “I’m not growing a garden” in 7x01.

The episode ends with red-eye Rick leaning against the tree to reveal that whatever has him in that agonized state has yet to occur. 

I just remember feeling like this guy can never get a break. And I was also worried cuz he was alone and so I was like TWD you better not have done nothing to my sister Michonne. Fortunately, they knew better than to have him lose her too this season.  

And that concludes 8x09, TWD’s most heartbreaking episode apart from 7x01 imo. Chandler, Andy, and Danai knocked it out of the park like the pros they are.

Carl lived a short life in the grand scheme of things, and at the same time Carl and Chandler were around for 8 years for us. So I’m grateful he honored our screens while he did. 

Carl was always the one character I thought was safe. And even though that ended up wrongfully not being the case, Carl will still always be the character I think of as the future. 

During the times when the walls were closing in and Rick felt like he couldn’t see ahead, Carl’s presence in his life is what helped remind him there’s more, there’s a future.

When Michonne had seemingly accepted that maybe she’d always be alone or treated as some lone wolf mystery, Carl’s presence is what helped remind her that there are people who can genuinely care about her and who she can genuinely care about, and that she can have a future with this new group of people she found at a prison. 

And y’all already know Carl gets a ton of props for being a major factor in giving Richonne a future.

When Rick and Michonne needed reminders of why they fight, it was Carl and Judith’s presence that reminded them. Carl was the future worth fighting and even dying for to them. 

And even though Carl won’t be with them, he will still be what keeps their eyes focused ahead and thinking about the “something after”. 

So no matter what, Carl Grimes is the future. 

Also can I just say that y’all really are the best for going through every heartbreaking detail of this heavy episode with me. 💯 I appreciate it cuz as hard and upsetting as it is, Carl was too important to this show and to Richonne to not break his final episode all the way down.

With 8x09 putting 8B on a pretty somber but heartfelt start I was very curious to see where Richonne goes from here without their son. 

I knew it’d be an extremely tough journey ahead but I also knew they were going to come out of this together cuz, despite the fact that both Rick and Michonne lost most other family members, the family they found in each other is strong enough to keep them going. 

And I’m glad that we see the power and strength of Rick and Michonne’s relationship in these following episodes. 😌👌🏽