The Walking Dead – Faith review S11 E22
The Walking Dead is fighting the tidal wave of subplots all surging toward the series finale. It’s making this final stretch of episodes lack a certain sense of suspense and significance.
Faith was eventful yet uneven due to the rush to connect and wrap these subplots.
Maybe the biggest inconsistency with this season has been the portrayal of the Commonwealth soldiers. Outside of Mercer, they’ve looked like incompetent bumbling goofs incapable of being seriously considered a threat.
Sure, strength in numbers, but it’s hard to buy Daryl, Terminus Carol, Maggie and Connie couldn’t just shoot Io enough of the soldiers to give Negan, Ezekiel and crew enough time to grab the guns and call the fight quick.
So we’re asked to play along while the foursome on the outside taking the long game and Negan getting beat up by the guards. He’s not getting a heck of a lot of love from Ezekiel either to the point that Negan might rat Ezekiel out to ensure Annie is ok.
The guards drag everyone out and the warden is going to make an example out of Negan. This is clearly intended as a nod to Negan’s first encounter with Rick’s crew.
While no one was ready to start bawling for Negan, when the warden alters the deal and puts Annie on the firing line it’s enough to spur action. First, Ezekiel and then the other named characters stand in front of them.
This was a moment where it would have been nice to have spent more time earlier showing some dissension among the decent commonwealth guards and those who are content to be bullies.
Instead, we’ve gotta rush through to a guard having an issue with the warden about his sick brother turning his gun on the warden. While the warden weirdly seems to think taking a Alexandria hostage will ensure his escape, Daryl sneaks up behind him and stabs him.
It’s not a killing blow. Rosita gets the honors after asking where the rest of the kids are being held. Not a fan of Herschel being the lone kid Carol and Maggie find and rescue.
The warden wasn’t around long, but he was enough of a jerk that getting his faced gnawed on by one of his guards turned walkers felt satisfying.
MORE:
- Falling for Christmas review
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review
- Andor – One Way Out review S1 E10
- Marvel Legends Black Panther review – BAF Attuma wave
Aaron, Jerry, Lydia and Elijah are taking the scenic route to Alexandria and run in to Luke (remember him?) and Jules, who break the news that Oceanside has fallen.
They’ve just managed to stay ahead of a Commonwealth patrol and decide to infiltrate a horde to navigate to safety. So that whole protect the supplies subplot just gets ignored now, huh?
Back at the Commonwealth, Pamela is vying for an Oscar putting on a show in court and saying Eugene distorted the recording to make it sound like Sebastian. Sure thing Pammy.
Yumiko knows Eugene has no shot with this kangaroo court and appeals to Mercer to testify. Mercer knows how to read a losing situation and stands down.
“Shockingly” Eugene is found guilty, but there’s a twist — Mercer has his loyal soldiers being Eugene to the prison with a promise to wreck stuff up.
With Mercer shifting sides it seems real hard to envision Pamela’s guards being able to hold off the Alexandria crew for two episodes even with a horde en route.
Faith is another explosive and unrelenting episode hindered somewhat from the dramatically accelerated pace of this final stretch of episodes.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Photo Credit: AMC
Pick up The Walking Dead Vol: 31 – The Rotten Core trade paperback for the comic take on The Commonwealth on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.