The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 3 "Monsters" Discussion Thread

[Elevator Man]

So Jesus isn’t okay with killing any saviors who surrender but wasn’t bothered about aiding and abetting Rick and co. preemptive strike in eliminating the saviors in their sleep at that satellite outpost a while back. I can’t get behind his reasoning for this attitude, which came out of nowhere. I can understand Rick caring about some of the saviors' well being, who’ve surrendered, due to his revelation of killing that baby's father, who was trying to protect her from Rick. Keeping those Saviors alive will cause problems later, which is probably why there kept alive to stretch this war to fit 16 episodes.

Why did Maggie show mercy to Gregory? He was obviously lying or twisting the truth to save his own neck. She should’ve exiled him or just killed him right there because it would’ve been justified, imo. Gregory betrayed his community by going into cahoots with their oppressor Negan, which backfired for both of them. The Hilltop community have seen Gregory’s true colors. They’ve pretty much disowned him. He also left Gabriel for dead. In fact, Maggie should’ve interrogated him more about what happened to Gabriel. And though Maggie was unaware of it but Gregory was contemplating stabbing her with that knife a couple episodes back from Season 7. Gregory is a lying, selfish, coward and now traitor, who doesn’t bring anything of value to his or any community. He can’t defend himself against the living or the dead. It has become more obvious how much of a liability Gregory is. This decision is right out of Glenn’s playbook of letting people live who’ve tried to kill or betray you. Remember Nicholas? We saw how that ended, which was badly. There isn’t any reason to keep Gregory alive or around, but since Maggie let him live she should’ve set some ground rules e.g. having him earn his keep and contributing to the Hilltop. As well as if he betrays her and the Hilltop colony again she won‘t be showing anymore mercy for him. In the end it’s another inept decision that’s going to come back to bite them later.

Spoiler

So after eight seasons they bring Morales back only to kill him five minutes later. Talk about a pointless and contrived return of a former character in the name of fan service because this side plot didn’t add anything to the story. Except “so that’s what happened to Morales“. The whole “what happened to Morales” fan theories was something I never cared about when it started. He was a minor character, who wasn’t crucial to the overall series then or now apparently. So them briefly revisiting the character didn’t get me excited at all. I would’ve preferred Gimple leaving his fate to my imagination after he took off with his family near the end of Season 1. I guess they felt this was a loose end that needed to be answered. It's funny that Daryl gave zero hecks about killing Morales. So why should the viewers care either about a minor character, who hasn't appeared since Season 1, getting killed?

 

[Art Vandelay]

The crazy part is, if the writers were willing to take even a single risk, that scene could've paid dividends. Imagine for a moment it isn't Morales who is holding Rick at gunpoint, that Daryl shoots...but rather Eugene. Imagine it is Eugene having that conversation with Rick. THAT would've hit the audience and it would've made it easier to invest in the "am I a monster?" development for Rick as a character whom we know and (somewhat) trust is what lit that spark.

Or, as one reviewer suggested, what if it was the mother of the baby holding the gun at Rick? Rick's "No!" would have landed a lot harder if Daryl had casually killed some woman.

 

[Art Vandelay]

So Jesus isn’t okay with killing any saviors who surrender but wasn’t bothered about aiding and abetting Rick and co. preemptive strike in eliminating the saviors in their sleep at that satellite outpost a while back. I can’t get behind his reasoning for this attitude, which came out of nowhere. I can understand Rick caring about some of the saviors' well being, who’ve surrendered, due to his revelation of killing that baby's father, who was trying to protect her from Rick. Keeping those Saviors alive will cause problems later, which is probably why there kept alive to stretch this war to fit 16 episodes.

Jesus plan is so indefensibly stupid. How many Saviors did they capture, 20? And not they're supposed to feed them, and give them water, and stand guard over them?

God, I hope they don't stretch this storyline the full season.

 

[KevTravels]

Sadly, after Glenn, they may be afraid to kill a big name again.

which is so weird honestly.

sooner or later they should off DARRYL just to keep fans attention.

 

[KevTravels]

3 episodes in... action is good, but it feels so boring overall

 

[righthooksrus86]

I thought that was a great episode...havent enjoyed a Walking Dead episode this much in a while...

Spoiler

Daryl really gives no f***ks right now,
lol Norman Reedus wasnt kidding.

 

[WereCoyote]

No, I don’t. But I know that the show and the comics don’t align perfectly.

Actually they've been getting closer and closer aligned. Yes some characters have taken on other characters comics characterization like Carol being more like comic Michonne, and Michonne being more like comic Andrea, but other than a few things the last few seasons have been almost comic spot on.

So like I said, if this continues, you'll enjoy what happens with Gregory and Ezekiel. Although I can see someone else getting Ezekiel's comic fate.

 

[WereCoyote]

which is so weird honestly.

sooner or later they should off DARRYL just to keep fans attention.

He is who I hope they give Ezekiel's comic fate to. It would have a more profound effect than just staying with it happening to Zeke.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Episode was a bit better than the first 2, but god they are dragging this out.

Jesus is being incredibly stupid and Morgan is right. They should have killed Gregory too. Morales was the only interesting thing from last week and it was over in 5 mins.

I really don’t want to see tension between Darryl and Rick and I don’t want to see Rick not wanting to kill again as both things we have either seen before or seen it already happening between 2 other characters. It’s old ground.

 

[righthooksrus86]

Yea the whole killing/not killing argument has been done to death on this show now it just feels so forced and recycled. I still thought it was a great episode especially because of the action. But them bringing this whole dilemma back doesn't really bode well imo.

 

[hulk24]

I said in another thread, this season has been boring and underwhelming thus far. The story points make no sense. The editing sucks and character motivations are just dumb now. It's like they ran out of ideas, so they drag one event the full season to have a season. I think they should wrap up the negan storyline by mid season and introduce the whisperers and have the massive horde be the season finale cliffhanger and have season 9 be its last..... But we all know that won't happen