***THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS OF THE WALKING DEAD, PLEASE DO NOT KEEP READING IF YOU HAVE NOT CAUGHT UP WITH THE LATEST EPISODE AND/OR SEASONS. THIS WILL ALSO INVOLVE WRITING OF GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND TRIGGER WORDS***
Well, there went my other article out the window. In fact, I'm currently writing this one as of today (Monday), the day my article is supposed to be published.
But no. We need to talk about that season premiere, because it was quite an episode.
I felt a mix of excitement and fear due to the hell of a cliffhanger at the end of the season six finale. Since I'm currently in college, I had to go back to my parents' place in order to watch it live. I wasn't going to wait until two or so weeks to watch it on DVR because everyone will be talking about this episode, but I also didn't want to go back and risk the fact that they might make us wait yet another episode to know who died, but I took the chance.
And now? Oh my, it was worth watching every moment along with probably millions of other fans, including my own parents (shoutout to them for watching it with me!). It was also one of the most intense, thrilling, and most gory episodes. Yes, even worse than Noah's death scene which was personally the goriest out of all before this. Ugh, thinking about it still makes me want to gag. Even though I have caught up with the comics, I never expected the show to be just as ballsy. Not only kill TWO major characters, but show the actual injuries and all the gore everywhere?! Oh boy, we were in for trouble.
Negan was meant to be worse than The Governor, but his level of insanity was off the charts. I mean, "we're just getting started", right? I always loved how the show kept major parts to the original source material, but also they were never afraid to add their own twists and turns.
Let's cut to the chase though, Abraham was Negan's victim and I think a lot of people do not realize that one, he is just important as the other characters and two, that it was his time to die. In the season finale, he straightened himself while Negan was choosing with his bat and knew he was going to be the one chosen. The fact that Abraham showed his indignation to the situation without any sign of fear showed that he became willing to die for those he loved. Many have forgotten he was in a relationship with Sasha, and formerly Rosita, who were both there and towards the end of the episode, they gave each other a knowingly look of mourning. Eugene was also Abraham's closest friend, one that Eugene looked up to, and has even more reason to do so now. Also in the comics, Abraham was supposed to be in Denise's place when she was shot through the eye by Dwight (with Darryl's crossbow and arrows). Technically, Abraham was long overdue to be dead, but that does not make him any less vital to the group and well, even more heartbreaking of the fact that he didn't turn out to be the only victim.
The one all of us were truly shocked by was Glenn's death. It was sudden we never suspected two people to die. Glenn was so close to have a future with Maggie and their new baby. Although at this point, I doubt that the baby could even still happen because in the season finale, Maggie seemed to be in the process of a miscarriage and the group were going to take her to the hospital before Negan's crew blocked their way. Personally, I believe that since Glenn has died now, Maggie will have the baby. If he did not die, it would have been entirely possible for the miscarriage to go through. But who knows, we will have to see how it all plays out through the rest of this season's episode.
As the episode went on, there were many jump cuts between Rick's flashbacks and scenes from the events of the night before. You could tell he was traumatized, but the way Negan manipulated him was in the most horrible way, fascinating to watch. In fact, midway through the episode when Negan and Rick were in the van with the axe on the table, a thought crossed my mind that Negan was going to cut Rick's hand off. This happened in the comics long ago when Rick was against the Governor. But then I jinxed myself because much worse came about later on towards the end of this episode. Negan forced Carl to lay down and put a line of marker on his forearm, then demanded Rick to cut his own son's arm off or else everyone else that was currently held at gunpoint gets shot. Yes, you heard me right! I was so terrified that I could not even watch it up close anymore (I was practically covering my eyes throughout half of the episode so I gave up on watching this whole thing through!) and Rick was so emotionally drained, he could not even do anything but stare horror until Negan began counting!
LUCKILY, Negan told him to stop when Rick raised the axe. Later, they took Darryl away (UGH, WHY?!) as hostage and the group is left almost literally in shambles. They pick up both Abraham and Glenn's bodies, and Rick drives the RV off, possibly thinking of all the ways he could kill himself because I almost did after this episode!
Even though I myself have been scarred for life, this episode was easily one of the best from the show. The fact that they could make me both love and hate a villain so much, the thrills and suspense of what more could happen when we thought it was over, and piecing it all together to deliver more action, more gore, and more characterization all in a 60 minute episode. This show truly lends itself how spectacular the producers, writers, and actors are. This episode was the new Red Wedding from Game of Thrones, and that's all thanks to Negan--or Lucille, if you know what I mean.
