The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 1 "Mercy" Discussion Thread

[Morg]

Spoiler

No one noticed the preacher was stuck with Negan and at the crowd gathering at the same time??

 

[Drizzle]

Spoiler

No one noticed the preacher was stuck with Negan and at the crowd gathering at the same time??

The crowd gathering scene happened before that. The editing was jumping around between past, present and future the whole episode.

 

[Morg]

The crowd gathering scene happened before that. The editing was jumping around between past, present and future the whole episode.

OIC, damn thing had me confused

 

[squeekness]

Yeah, well. I missed it entirely.

 

[WereCoyote]

OIC, damn thing had me confused

That happens with production gets too cutsy with time.

 

[Elevator Man]

Spoiler

I still believe the old man Rick moment is a dream and not an actual time jump. It takes away from the suspense revealing that Rick, Michonne, Carl (and even Judith) survived All Out War. The time jump featuring a drowsy and sweaty Rick has me wondering if Rick might've been bitten by a walker. And we’re witnessing his final moments. During those final moments he’s showing an act of mercy to someone being hidden (possibly Negan) from the viewer. Throughout the episode Rick repeatedly points out to certain characters that “it’s not about him” (him meaning Rick). I know it means the war isn’t about him but if you read between the lines. Gimple could be hinting that the story isn’t about Rick anymore. Plus Michonne told Carl that she’d have his back defending the ASZ because this was his show now or something along those lines. In the show it obviously means that Carl’s in charge and she’s following his lead but if you read between the lines. It could be setting up Carl replacing Rick as the leader and main character of the show soon. It wouldn’t surprise me if they decided to kill off Rick this season b/c Lincoln in recent interviews has hinted that the show can go on without Rick. And seems to be fine with them ever making that decision. Plus the cast will begin renewing contracts after Season 8 is completed. Lincoln could be ready to move on. The end of All Out War could be an opportunity for him to close the character’s arc throughout the series before he loses interest in the role. I don't think Andrew Lincoln wants to be handcuffed to the role for another 8 seasons or 100 episodes. No matter how AMC plans to milk TWD franchise dry. Hopefully they don’t kill Rick off (yet at least) because Lincoln is the glue that keeps this show together, imo. I don’t believe any other character (no matter how well written and acted) can carry it the same way Lincoln could. The show would lose an integral part of it without him. The story began with Rick Grimes it should end with him, imo.

 

[squeekness]

I dont think it's even a dream, just something he's fighting for.

 

[Man in the Suit]

One reason I think it could be a dream/hallucination is because Weird Al's "Another One Rides the Bus" was playing during the scene.

 

[Art Vandelay]

I think that's way too specific a detail for it to be a dream, though.

 

[Dugath]

I suppose it could be a dream.. but it does have the cane and limp which

Spoiler

would have happened by the arrow he took in the comics but could just be a Nod to those who read them.

They do a few cuts to Rick being all read eyed and weirded out. Which I would take as when he

Spoiler

was all messed up from the arrow and has slashed Negan's throat.

But who knows they changed so much already Rick could be dreaming from being on LSD and looks all red eyes and messed up because he stubbed his toe.

 

[danoyse]

I suppose it could be a dream.. but it does have the cane and limp which

Spoiler

would have happened by the arrow he took in the comics but could just be a Nod to those who read them.

They do a few cuts to Rick being all read eyed and weirded out. Which I would take as when he

Spoiler

was all messed up from the arrow and has slashed Negan's throat.

But who knows they changed so much already Rick could be dreaming from being on LSD and looks all red eyes and messed up because he stubbed his toe.

During the red-eyed Rick flashback, he also said "My mercy prevails over my wrath", which is what the guy Carl found at the gas station was saying (which is from the Koran).

I'm thinking along the same lines....

Spoiler

...it's happening at the end of All Out War, since Rick does spare Negan at the end of everything.

It was pretty good episode. Liked the callbacks to the very first episode.

 

[Deck Rickard]

This episode was solid but I just kept thinking, JUST. SHOOT. HIM. He’s right there, Rick! You have a gun! Just blow him away! Or how about you, Gabe? Did you forget that you have a machine gun in your hand? While he’s going on about you crapping your pants, just blow his head off!

Obviously I knew that wasn’t going to happen, but I get tired of this dumb TV and movie trope where the heroes just stand there and let the villain rant and rave for 10 minutes when they could just blow him away and end it.

That said, I enjoyed this episode a lot and I’m looking forward to the season. But I think if Negan isn’t dead by the end, I might have to throw in the towel.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Or how about you, Gabe? Did you forget that you have a machine gun in your hand? While he’s going on about you crapping your pants, just blow his head off!.

Everyone keeps bringing this point up, but in all fairness, he just escaped a zombie horde. Killing Negan probably isn't on his mind at that point, particularly when he might need Negan's help if he wants to escape alive.

 

[Filmfan93]

Everyone keeps bringing this point up, but in all fairness, he just escaped a zombie horde. Killing Negan probably isn't on his mind at that point, particularly when he might need Negan's help if he wants to escape alive.

By Negan's look and the line he spoke, I really don't think he was about to help Gabriel.

 

[Deck Rickard]

Yeah I don’t know what would give any member of the group the impression that Negan would help them, especially when he’s actively making a threat to you.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Because it's in their mutual best interest to work together to get out of their current predicament. I'm not saying Negan was going to help Gabriel, but they're both in the same boat, and have bigger fish to fry than taking each other out. Even if Gabriel's presence of mind was to kill Negan (and given the couple hundred or so walkers outside their door, why would it be?), that's just making his own situation worse. Their best shot of survival would be to shut up and hope the walkers forget they're in there.

 

[Heretic]

Just watched it because I flat out forgot that the show was on last week.

I was enjoying it well enough until it just became absurd that no one is willing to pull a trigger in the direction of Negan. Gabe had literally JUST been betrayed by that slimy politician who had no real love for Negan at all...so the idea that Negan was ANYTHING but a threat to his life is stupid. You hear Negan's voice in a dark room, you aim your machine gun at the darkness and start firing. At the very worst, Negan kills you too...which is okay...because "it's not all about you"...you know...the thing Gabe had spent the episode preaching.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Again, he literally just escaped from the zombie horde. He has bigger fish to fry than shooting Negan. You guys seem unable to follow basic storytelling logic.

 

[Heretic]

Again, he literally just escaped from the zombie horde. He has bigger fish to fry than shooting Negan. You guys seem unable to follow basic storytelling logic.

Their entire lives were adding up to the idea of killing Negan. Not killing Negan would ABSOLUTELY be worse than facing a zombie horde alone. This character had just spent the entire episode preaching that the big picture is more important than one person's own needs. We can follow storytelling logic so please stop insulting other members just because we dont think that everything these shows or movies do is perfect. A mature fan community should be able to discuss what we like and dont like without insults.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Where was the insult? I'm not saying the show is perfect, or without criticism. It's absolutely deserving of criticism. But saying Gabriel should have killed Negan right then and there five seconds after just escaping possible death is to completely ignore their current predicament. The two aren't going anywhere, so what's the hurry?

 

[Heretic]

"You guys seem unable to follow basic storytelling logic." -Art Vandelay

The hurry is that Gabe knows Negan for ONE reason...Negan killed his friends for the heck of it and then basically enslaved the rest of his friends with the threat of death hanging over them. We are capable of following basic storytelling...and THIS CHARACTER'S story was reminding us and the cast that the big picture is more important than any one person's immediate desires. Negan is a threat to the entire world...so killing him is more important than Gabe surviving the zombie horde. Not killing Negan means that Negan will make Gabe regret not killing him when he had the chance.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Even if Gabe doesn't shoot Negan, they're trapped anyways, so what difference does it make? Negan would be a dead man anyway. His reaction is not at all bad writing or unrealistic, which is what people are implying.

 

[Heretic]

Someone kills a bunch of your friends and then enslaves the rest of them. Then...on a mission to kill him...you happen to find yourself in a room with that guy...and he immediately threatens you. Thankfully, you have a gun. But...you know...dont shoot him...because the plot requires him to be alive. Maybe this guy who just threatened you and has already killed/enslaved your friends might help you survive your current situation or something.

They should have found a way for Gabe to lose his gun. It's bad writing for the show to keep having the characters just decide not to shoot the guy hen the entire plot revolves around their need to kill the guy.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Negan didn't threaten Gabriel. He asked if he was wearing his "____pants". He was talking about the fact they're surrounded by walkers. This line comes directly from the comics.

I'll think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Personally, I think Rick not shooting Negan immediately is bad writing. Giving Negan's followers the chance to surrender, despite the fact the walker trap was already set, is bad writing. Gabriel looking around, a bit dazed after having just escaped a walker horde and not immediately having the presence of mind to kill Negan is not.