Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 16
The evolution of Rick hits a new turning point.
What They Say:
A – Many paths collide; Rick faces sheer brutality; the group struggles to survive
Content:
The Walking Dead took a lighter approach in the previous episode, particularly needed after some of the darker stories that have crept in lately, but even a light story in this world is not one that is truly light. It worked well in what we got though as we had the singleminded nature of Glen bringing us back to Maggie at long last, getting a little more out of Tara and exploring Abraham just enough to make clear how he operates. And while Eugene continues to annoy heavily – which is the point of the character – he provided enough humanity in his own way to make him a bit more accessible. And with all paths leading towards Terminus, this was the right group to have arrive as they were newly bonded after all that had happened, bringing two smaller groups together and the reunion of Glen and Maggie, as we got our first taste of the place with a certain lack of wariness that felt appropriate, one that we wouldn’t get from the other groups out there that are making their way there.
With the season finale for the show, we get treated to some interesting approaches right from the get go with a cold open that’s cruel in a way, taking us back to a time much earlier in the prison storyline when there was still a sense of hope about things. The show has largely avoided flashbacks, though it’s dealt with a few more this season than usual, and that definitely paints an interesting picture since we’ve lost a few people and relationships have changed significantly since these quieter days that it really does make you realize just how much change has been implemented. And, with its focus on Rick here, we see the toll the series as a whole has taken on him with the struggles he’s had, the way he wanted to focus on building something and to stop the fighting but also realizing that this world is one that you must continually fight to survive in.
And Rick, as we see as the show gets underway, is doing his best to impart his knowledge on others as he wants Carl to understand things more, such as the whole way to hunt and set traps. But he’s also making sure Michonne knows all of this as well, so it’s a bit more than just father and son time This trio has certainly become something more, though not a family unit of course, but just a closely bonded group that knows now they can rely on each other. Carl still has some getting used to the way of the world to do since he has a sense of justice and doing the right thing, even if it could cause trouble along the way, which it pretty much does here as it changes their plans for the journey to Terminus, making them move a bit faster than planned. Part of all of this journey is the way the three of them have had to re-learn life on the move, to deal with being out in the wild and without any real and regular protection. And they’re pretty aware of it, at least Rick and Michonne, and that leaves them a bit unnerved.
But as good as they are, Joe and his group still manage to get the drop on them as they come out of the woods. With Joe intending to get revenge for what happened to Lou, he’s ready to just get it done and over with, though there’s a little bit of toying with them to be sure. The uncertainty of it all is that Daryl walks in on it as well, having spent time with them now but being wary of Joe and his group, and that has him trying to defuse the situation as best as possible. But while Daryl has been partially accepted into the group, he hasn’t truly been trusted and that makes it easier for the others in Joe’s group to essentially kill them all, Daryl included. With it all happening in the dark with just a bit of light, it’s pretty damn intense and the way Rick tries to handle it, a piece of him coming back to life that he had tried to put away, makes for some very compelling moments, especially as the others struggle to varying degrees.
Rick truly goes the distance here and in a way, you have to admit that it’s a great moment because it shows that he’s completely living in this world now, utilizing the tactics of a walker in order to survive and deal with the man that was threatening his friends. And while we do see Michonne and Daryl doing their part, it’s Rick that goes completely dark here. The disturbing part is how Carl watches it though, having just come close to losing his life, and you can’t be quite sure how to interpret what he’s feeling. With this coming after the dialogue earlier in the episode about wondering what they’d tell the people in Terminus about themselves, asking who they themselves really are now, this just makes it all the more complex for him to deal with. Considering the way his dad had gone off the reservation for awhile without being a part of things, to see him go all in like this, primal to the point where it even has Michonne pause and wonder what it means, it’s a potential turning moment for Carl in how his relationship with his dad will be from here on out.
The dynamic definitely takes an interesting turn in the fallout the next day, but it comes from a surprising place as Rick and Daryl start to talk, with Daryl talking about what happened after the prison, to Beth and how he ended up with Joe and his group and the appeal of the simplicity of the code that they had. But there’s also that moment where you know Daryl is worried about being accepted back into the fold after what had happened, but Rick makes it clear in such a simple but profound way, saying that he’s his brother, it gives Daryl what he needs and it also helps to ground Rick a bit as well. The two of them are so similar in so many ways that just a small bit of conversation with some keywords in it can help to smooth things over and realign them a bit so they can move forward properly.
With the group having arrived at Terminus, they do a solid job of scoping it out a bit and playing it careful, but it’s also a useful time as Michonne details some of the darker moments from her past with what happened to her son and the others, and how she had become a monster herself, which is something that she knows Carl is afraid of with himself, but also his father. It’s a very, very good moment that helps to reinforce the way Carl and Michonne have really bonded after the prison and what they mean to each other.Pairing this kind of deep character moment with the group of four essentially strolling into Terminus, with everyone unaware of their entrance, is kind of a surreal experience. It’s a kind of anticlimactic arrival and meeting as they meet Gareth, who is kind of loose and relaxed around them, which leaves them very cautious but optimistic, even with the whole having to lay out their weapons.
Things do take a pretty dangerous turn as it goes on though as Rick realizes he sees the people there wearing things that came from those at the prison, and it’s not exactly the most trusting situation from there on out. It’s interesting to see how they get herded and that even with the way the shots are working, they don’t seem to quite realize it and just run with it. It’s a pretty effective maneuver overall and there’s a lot of little tantalizing bits that come in along the way as we see parts of Terminus here as well, though that’s all that it really ends up being for the most part. While it doesn’t play out smoothly, it’s certainly interesting to see how it unfolds and the way that the group is basically captured at this point, though they at least have each other which is a big step after everything else. And that it leads them to the other group that got here first is a good reunion of sorts, kept calm and understated as they come face to face, but in the end, Terminus leaves us with far more questions than answers.
In Summary:
While I suspect that for many people, the finale will not live up to expectations or hype that was played out for it, it definitely works very well for me. With some carefully constructed flashbacks to some of the earlier prison time before we got that part of the series really moving forward, it shows the way that things have to be passed down now with knowledge and the importance of it. But it also reaffirms the bonds, the changes that Rick has gone through since the very beginning of the series and the way that he’s now finally adapting to living in the world in full but also pulling in all that he’s learned since dealing with the prison, the governor and the fallout from it all. We don’t get answers here, and in a way we don’t get a really strong hook for the next season, but we get that excellent character moment where with the group that’s assembled, we all know where Rick stands now. And that will make for a very intriguing fifth season.
Grade: A-