Monsters continues to follow the three separate squads as they work to finish the assaults on the outposts they attacked in last week’s episode, The Damned. While Rick listens to Morales talk about his journey to Negan, Daryl makes a swift decision on how to deal with him. Morgan continues his downward spiral back toward madness while debating the merits of taking prisoners with Jesus. Meanwhile, Ezekiel’s optimism appears to be paying off, but is it short-lived? Lastly, a new family member is gained while one is lost this week. The theme throughout the episode has to do with walking the fine line between defeating the monsters and becoming one. A full recap of the latest episode of The Walking Dead is below (spoilers follow).
Monsters (S8, Episode 3)
The episode starts with Morales still pointing his gun to Rick’s head. Rick puts his gun down as Morales tells him he is a monster. He clearly wants to kill Rick, but says that they have been ordered not to kill him, The King, or The Widow. He tells him that they are no different because they are just two guys doing what it takes to survive. Morales tells him that his wife and daughter did not make it. Rick tells him about all that he has lost as well, but Morales says it doesn’t matter because they are just a couple of guys who knew each other for a few days in the beginning. As they are talking, Daryl sneaks up from behind and takes Morales out with an arrow. Rick tries to tell him who it was to which Daryl says, “I know who it was. Don’t matter.”
Just after Daryl shoots him, the reinforcements that Morales called arrive, and the fight outside becomes more intense. Aaron has been talking to the wounded, and probably dying, Eric away from the action, but Eric tells him that he must go help the others. He leaves Eric, hoping it is not the last time he sees him.
Rick and Daryl are trying to fight their way out of the building through Negan’s reinforcements that have arrived. Daryl runs out of bullets, and Rick shoots a fire extinguisher to create a diversion which allows them to overtake Negan’s soldiers just as their group outside makes their way in to help.
After they have secured the outpost, most of the group are cleaning up the bodies outside the outpost as Aaron goes to find Eric but he is gone. His gun is there, meaning that he has turned. He sees him walking away in the distance, and wants to rid him of his pain, but another member of the group stops him. Rick comes out with the baby he encountered in building. Aaron volunteers to take the baby with him to the hilltop.
Just as Rick and Darryl are getting ready to leave a few gunshots hit Rick’s car. They take cover and return fire. Rick gives the shooter his word that if he comes out and tells them what they need to know, he will let him take the car. The man comes out, and tells him that the guns they were looking for have been moved. Daryl shoots him immediately afterwards.
Tara, Morgan, and crew are walking the group of Negan prisoners back to the Hilltop as Morgan and Jesus discuss if this is the right thing to do. Morgan doesn’t agree and thinks they they need to kill them all because they are dangerous. It appears that his “all lives are precious” mantra has completely left him.
As they continue to lead the prisoners toward Hilltop, they come under attack by a group of walkers. The prisoners are tied together in groups, and are unable to fend them off so several of them are bit. One of the groups takes off running into the woods and Morgan chases after them. He catches up with them and shoots one of them, but Jesus stops him from killing more. Morgan is upset… he knows Negan’s group are the monsters and wants to start killing more of them. Jesus tells him that they have to find a way to peace, but Morgan’s mind has now gone back to darkness and and he attacks Jesus.
Morgan and Jesus continue to spar. It is heated and Morgan is fighting to an end. Jesus finally bests him and takes his staff. He asks Morgan if it is over and tosses his staff back. Morgan thrusts toward him, but stops his staff short an inch from his neck. He pulls back and says he is not right, but that doesn’t make him wrong. He says he can’t be a part of this any longer. Tara tells him that he is right to want to kill them, but he walks off into the forest alone.
Jeffery arrives back at hilltop asking for help outside the gate. Maggie meets him at the gate. She asks him what he is doing with Gabriel’s car, but he makes something up. Maggie yells at him for selling them out, but he then says Negan made him say those things and he did it to try to save lives. He paints himself as a hero. She doesn’t believe him of course, and doesn’t let him in… until he begs for mercy and says he made a mistake, then she changes her mind and says to let him in.
Jesus shows up at the hilltop with the prisoners. Gregory tries to turn them away, but Maggie makes him go away. Maggie is apprehensive about letting the prisoners in, but Jesus convinces her.
Ezekiel and Carol’s group are walking in the forest when they here whistling, and are surrounded by Negan’s soldiers. They have been smarter though and have people hiding to take Negan’s soldiers out. Ezekiel crew have kept advancing forward, taking out Negan’s soldiers as they encounter them. They have had incredible streak of luck as they have not lost a person yet. They pause in a field to reflect on their fortune. As they do, Ezekiel notices a gunman in a tower and yells scatter as the man opens fire and many of their men are taken out in a matter of seconds.
Monsters saw the group make progress in their assault on Negan’s outposts, but it appears they are in for a rough go during got next few episodes. Ezekial’s appears to be torn apart and surely Jeffrey will find a way to save himself at the cost of others again. In the meantime, I’m still wondering what is going on with Gabriel…
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