TWD: S10:E2: We Are The End of The WorldFor me, this should've been titled
"The Rise of Gamma, for reasons you'll already know or will find out, as we discuss the recent episode of TWD.
Origin stories can often be a gamble to concentrate the mind of the viewer (I personally like these reverse arcs) but this episode handles it really well. We pick up with a fantastic opening scene, straight out of George A. Romero's copybook. The fact Greg Nicotero directed this episode makes it clear to see.
An unnamed, car crash victim comes round as we hear the growing sound of an ear piercingly loud car horn. Already you feel like you are amongst the crash. She panics and finds the fate of many a "survivor" in the world we now live in. It's a scene we had come to love in TWD of older seasons, yet we hadn't had something so gruesomely spectacular in recent seasons. Our unknown survivor not only has the 'pulled apart by Walkers' treatment but has her nose torn away by a very hungry Walker. There's more though - she also has her jaw ripped downwards. It is gruesome. It is spectacular. It is up there for what you expect from any cult horror. Shocking and shuddering. Excellent. The real beauty in this opening scene is we shouldn't really care about this unknown character but here I was (even though I've seen this several times in horror) hoping in someway that she survived.
By this point we have seen Alpha and a c10yr old Lydia. They've adapted to life amongst the dead. I believe the flashback elements in this episode are a continuation of Alpha's flashback, after leaving her original group of survivors (albeit around 3 years forward) in the S9 Episode titled Omega. Alpha adds to the intense nature created in the opening scene. Instead of helping the unnamed survivor, she smirks and makes some kind of snarling noise that seemed like a Jurassic Park Easter Egg. Intentional or not, it fitted beautifully and we knew the ruthless trait that Alpha has. It's essentially protect your own and no one else.
Alpha and Lydia, scurry into and empty building. We later find out this is a Mental Health hospital/ward and gives us eerie throwbacks to those episodes way back when Rick was just coming round. Except this is even darker. Befitting with Alpha and the character we are about to meet.
Beta - seemingly has been in this building possibly surviving for sometime? We can't be one hundred percent sure. He may have been visiting (more on that later). Wearing a ski mask/balaclava at this point, he cuts the lonely figure we see in present day and initially tries to fend off Alpha & Lydia from sanctuary. He agrees to "just one night" in his accustomed growl.
Back to the future (no pun), Alpha tells Beta to round up and release a bunch of Walkers from a nearby compound. He takes with him two sisters; Mary & Frances. Frances is still in a state of flux. She incidentally is the girl who has her baby taken away from her in S9, when Alpha see's it as a distraction and ultimately disposable. It's a really good link back and explains pretty well, why Frances suffers a case of PTSD while the Whisperers, led by Beta are guiding the compound Walkers across a field. Frances has a vision of her baby being carried by a walker and briefly slips into trauma. Her stronger sister Mary, convinces/helps her snap out of it and says she needs to stay focused. It's a continuing theme of tenseness and you aren't sure what is going to happen with either of these characters. They all escape and back at Alpha's camp we get a moment where we think Frances is going to meet her fate. Ya know? Full skinning style! But no, she breaks down in front of Alpha (yet privately), about losing her child. This triggers Alpha, who has also lost Lydia and she gives Frances a reprieve. The rest of the camp are of the belief Lydia is dead (at the hands of Alpha). Unbeknown to them, Alpha craves having Lydia back. She shows a moment of weakness and this concerns Beta. Essentially thinking 'if you aren't my Alpha, then who is?' It's the start of a changing dynamic and we'll discover why. Alpha loses it in this moment of weakness and trashes a holding pen that she had planned to keep Lydia captive in.
At the Hospital, young Lydia is imprisoned (for her safety) in what used to be a padded cell. But she decides she's not a child anymore and sets out to prove this to her estranged Mother. She leaves the serenity of her padded sell and covers herself in guts of the dead and goes on a little expedition around the Sanitarium corridors. She of course nearly becomes lunch for a Walker (in true Coral style) but Alpha finds her. They enter a part of the hospital that has been forbidden to them by Beta. They see photographs with scratched out faces and a man wearing a tee with a smiley face...enter stage left...Walker wearing tee with smiley face...of course Alpha slays the Walker just as...enter stage right...Beta discovers them but he is distraught and we realise he has lost his only friend (whom he may have visited at the hospital or maybe made friends with in there?). Potentially he was keeping his undead companion alive (much like The Governor with his Walker daughter). This is where the sinister, sacrificial lamb comes into Alpha's twisted psyche. She attempts to remove Beta's ski mask, and indeed she does...but quickly, almost knowingly puts it back down. Does Beta have some form of disfigurement he is ashamed of? Alpha is quick to suggest he doesn't have to leave his friend "Just wear his face on yours, simple."That isn't a direct quote but her nonchalance at the ease of the task - she may have just said such. It is then the real character of Beta is born, as we know him.
We flip to present day and the mirroring story lines continue (Lydia imprisoned/Alpha shrine holding pen). I think this was really key to how this made the episode work, as well as how it all tied together with events in E1. After Frances reprieve, Beta affirms to Alpha that "We are the end of the World", in some kind of horrific Buffalo Bill crazed cult Waltz. Or something. It's disturbing. Alpha confirms to Beta they will attack the communities once again. As if to prove her status. Mary and Frances look on and talk. You sense Mary is possibly plotting something and that she senses weakness from Alpha and Beta. She asks Frances to be strong and that she has to stick to the cause. She's certainly a strong introduction.
The scene then moves back to another session of Walker herding, this time with Alpha. We get chaos in the Alpha ranks we've not really seen yet. We know she's composed usually but the fallout of the satellite crashing near, causes the Walkers to avert from the Whisperers. Frances goes into full trauma as she see's her baby with a Walker and runs towards it. Surprisingly Alpha goes after her to save her from the enclosing Walker herd. It's still uncertain what may happen but Mary also joins in to deal with the herd. We think to save her sister (Frances). She doesn't, she pushes/throws her into the herd and drags Alpha away. This mirrors the sacrificing that Beta has in the flashback. Alpha is in awe of this dedicated heroism. Once in shelter the Whisperers have a ceremony of sorts and Mary is anointed as "Gamma". Now a third in command. This again does not sit well with Beta. Maybe he see's that Gamma is even stronger than both he and Alpha?
The episode ends almost as E1 does but from the POV of Alpha. The Whisperers I think are going to find out where the satellite is. Alpha takes a moment to reflect in a clearing as the others continue. She pulls off her mask and as she steps into the opening, she looks across the dry riverbed and there she see's her new found nemesis - Carol. Roll credits.
So, what did you all think? For me it was a great episode, much thanks to a well written episode by Nicole Mirante. Nicotero I've mentioned and his work goes without saying. The cast must take great credit here too. Sam Norton and Ryan Hurst are brilliant and the introduction of Thora Birch (Gamma) seems like a perfect fit. Special mention must go to Juliet Brett (Mary) and Erica Frene (Car crash victim opening scene; I had to IMDb that one), who both had great cameos. Mary for her trauma infused performance and Car crash victim for being gloriously ripped to pieces. Impacting on us, with only three minutes into the show. I like how the dynamic does seem to be changing within the Whisperers. Will Gamma play ball? Will she try to overthrow the Whisperers? I like the uncertainty. Will Beta lose it? Will Beta ever reveal his face and if not, why not? Will Alpha totally break at some point?
In someways, what I found great was that this episode gave us mostly answers and didn't throw up tons of questions. Well not confusing ones anyway. We didn't finish watching, wondering what the hell is going on (in S7b & S8a there were times when I really felt like this), everything fitted really well. Things were answered, some stuff left open and a few questions about our new(ish) antagonists. I'm not sat here having pose tons of questions though. So over to you guys. Do you have any theories on Gamma, Beta or Alpha? Any answers to the questions above or maybe you have questions of your own.
I'll now settle in to watch
TWD: S10:E3: Ghosts, as I'm sure some of you may also be doing/have done too. Be sure to check in on my next review (if you have the guts to stomach it), Friday 25th October. As always, criticism, theories, grumblings and your comments are always welcome.
Thanks,
Bamboo
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TWD: S10:E3: Ghosts airs on AMCtv 9/8pm Sunday 20th Oct USA Cable and FoxHD 9pm Monday 21st Oct UK Sky/NowTv etc. You can watch the latest episode, streamed up to 72hrs earlier than the UK airing on AMC Premiere (or you can ask a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend, who MAY know something)***