Spoiler alert: JSS stands for “Just Survive Somehow,” on this episode of The Walking Dead. We get this little mystery as the episode begins, showing how Enid came to live in Alexandria. The initials made a statement about her mindset, but the biggest mystery is whether she was part of the Wolves or maybe even another group that has been scouting Alexandria.
What we do know is Enid is one tough girl. Most folks couldn’t eat a turtle raw. How do you even kill a turtle? She is willing to do whatever it takes to make it to each tomorrow evidently.
This episode will be hard to beat the rest of this half season. I know we still have the Walker herd to contend with, but the Wolves’ assault on Alexandria was nothing short of awesome. Carol was just playing her role with the other townies who stayed behind as Rick and crew rounded up the zombie horde. She did get real with little Sam, telling him to basically get over his SOB of a dad being killed.
We see Jessie trying to get through to Ron about Pete, but this teenager isn’t going to listen even though he felt the abuse from his old man himself.
There were very few capable people left in Alexandria as the Walker roundup was going on. This episode is set at the same time as episode one, with the focus inside the walls of course.
Carl is jealous of Enid talking to Ron, but I think Rick’s boy will win her over if he gets a decent haircut this season. He has dropped his floppy hat so that’s a big step that should up his game with the few ladies left on the planet.
The action started early and never let up. Carol’s warning to the smoker came into play as the woman was the first to get whacked by an attacker. The Wolves are a brutal gang and seem to have no purpose other than to hack up people who are not in their group. This was a rough episode in terms of human on human crime.
The Wolves are rough, but they are at a disadvantage to Grimes Inc. The pack has no guns, and they are pretty disorganized. What they lack in uniformity, they make up for with sheer violence, though.
The horn that jacked up the herding process turned out to be that of a big rig truck that the Wolves used to slam into the lookout tower. Morgan returned to finally cut the horn off so maybe most of the herd can be put back in line behind Daryl.
This herding ordeal may take up three more episodes as a backdrop to the Wolves situation.
I didn’t care for the hospital scene with the former psychiatrist. Yes, she needs practice, but in the middle of a battle? There was a much better use of all their time since the patient never had a chance.
The best part of this week’s show was Carol rocking it Assassins Creed style. She is a real chameleon now, and that may be her greatest strength. Well, besides being totally without fear.
I don’t know what happened to Morgan out in the world, but his Gandhi act is not going to cut it. These attackers are some of the worst savages we as viewers have seen. If Morgan can’t stomach executing guys like these, then who is deserving of death?
All life is not precious sir. Not in this universe. Morgan is a hell of a fighter. He is going to have to finish people off, though, just like he would a zombie. There’s little difference.
We got to see Jessie get rid of her pent up anger when she stabbed one of the Wolves with her barber tools. Ron looked appalled, and that attitude will get the boy eaten soon.
The Wolves seem to have a weird philosophy as stated by one of Morgan’s prisoners, “We’re freeing you from this trap.” I assume he means civilization. Carol didn’t give him time to expound on that thought as she erased his existence with a bullet to the head.
Hopefully, they don’t drag the issue out about Carol not liking the killing she has to do. Morgan brought it up to her, but I don’t see it. She has been pretty cold blooded in the past couple seasons. I don’t need a therapy session with this assassin who is maybe my favorite character right now.
Aaron finds his old satchel full of photos of Alexandria, and we immediately learn that this could have helped the Wolves get inside easier. I’m sure he will blame himself, but as Enid said, the place is too big to defend. Some group was going to eventually test the Alexandrians.
At the end of the episode, it appears that Enid has bounced, leaving Carl a note reading “Just Survive Somehow.” Maybe she is part of the Wolves. There were hints to that effect. Maybe she is a loner who would leave at the first site of trouble.
Morgan ends up having to kill an opponent who wouldn’t tap out. Maybe that will be the end of his humanity when it comes to killers. Can’t save these monsters with good intentions.
A few things to point out from episode two.
- Carol was plenty to carry the weight of the entire program with Rick and Daryl not even in one scene. Melissa McBride is amazing all on her own when need be.
- How formidable can these Wolves be if they were run off without Rick, Daryl, or Michonne on hand to help fight? They slaughtered a good many townies, but I’m still not impressed.
- The Wolves now know there are guns to be had in Alexandria so they will be back of course. However, this was their best shot. I don’t think the best defenders will be off herding 5,000 Walkers again.
- Deanna looks terrible. I wouldn’t be surprised if she died of natural causes next week. She’s taking Reg’s death pretty hard.
Next week’s WD should be interesting as our group of heroes deal with the undead herd and figure out what to do about the Wolves. The town is certainly not out of danger, but that was a given. These folks are dealing with an apocalypse, not a vacation at Disney World.