Editor’s Note: For those of you who haven’t visited our other site Deadloggers, here’s a brief recap of the second half of the third season of The Walking Dead…

The Summit

Episode Thirteen: In the pre-credits scene of The Walking Dead’s thirteenth third season episode, “Arrow at the Doorpost”, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus), and Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson) pull up to a deserted farm complex. While Hershel stays in the car as a lookout, readying his weapons, the other two jump out. Moving stealthily through the weeds, they sneak around the silos and storage towers until they come to an abandoned feed store. Rick enters, pistol drawn, looking around carefully until he sees the reason for his visit. It’s a pre-arranged summit with the Governor (David Morrissey)…

Post-credits, the Governor removes his gun belt an act of goodwill, and sits at a table, discreetly verifying a concealed hidden pistol; Rick remains standing, refusing to holster his pistol. Before any discussions begin, Andrea (Laurie Holden) arrives with Martinez (José Pablo Cantillo) and a grumpy-looking Milton (Dallas Roberts), and barges in to the meeting.  Playing the role of peacemaker, she explains why she initiated the summit:

“Too many people have died for no reason. Let’s end this. Save the bullets for the real threat. We can solve this. That’s why I asked you to come here.”

Rick ignores Andrea and takes the offensive, explaining to the Governor that he is aware of the severed walker heads, the raids, and the incident with Maggie (Lauren Cohan) in episode seven, “When the Dead Come Knocking”. The Governor deftly brushes it aside, blaming Merle (Michael Rooker), and proclaims his desire to “move forward”. The two adversaries get to the issues. Showing the Governor a map, Andrea and Rick announce a demarcation line, of which each party will not cross. The Governor laughs and tosses the map aside, announcing that he is attending the meeting for one purpose: for Rick’s surrender. Demanding that Andrea step outside – she obeys, leaving in a huff–the two continue the battle of wills. The Governor
remains calm and relaxed against the edgier Rick, and comes up with superbly manipulative answers for all Rick’s accusations.

Rick fires back with insults, accusing the Governor of being the “town drunk”, not a leader, for his lack of control over Merle. The Governor immediately takes the negotiation to a darker level, chipping away at Rick’s weak spot by raising the issue of his baby daughter. Rick is hit hard and begins to lose focus…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Thirteen.

The Stalking Game

Episode Fourteen: The pre-credits scene of the episode, “Prey”, opens with Michonne (Danina Gurai) and Andrea on the road in a pre-Woodbury flashback. Resting for the night, they hunker down by the campfire, eating. The gurgling of Michonne’s pet walkers – chained to a nearby tree – piques Andrea’s curiosity about where the creatures came from. Asking Michonne if they attacked her, or if she knew them, Michonne replies – hissing her answer – that they deserve what they got and weren’t human to begin with. Cut to the present as the Governor labors, in a grisly inner dungeon, at testing chains. Like a man possessed, he grits his teeth, pulling and straining as he checks their might. Finally satisfied, he stops to catch his breath. It’s clear these chains are for people…

In Woodbury, a massive arms preparation is underway as Martinez loads a jeep with assault rifles, ammo, and the .50 caliber machine gun. Learning that a huge militia force is going out to confront the survivors, Milton and Andrea stare, puzzled at what they see, but Milton downplays it as “just a precaution, a show of force”. Andrea remains unconvinced.

Meanwhile, in his dungeon, the Governor spreads out a frightening array of surgical and dental tools. Milton arrives, aghast at what the Governor calls his “workshop”, and asks how it fits into the new start that Woodbury was supposed to be for the sake of people and community. The Governor – whom Milton refers to as “Philip” – answers that it is revenge for his daughter Penny (Kylie Szymanski). Milton immediately finds Andrea, and relays the terrible news: there is no deal and the Governor plans a massacre of the prison population. Andrea knows that she must stop this but is stumped as to how. They visit the dungeon, secretly peeking through the balcony. The Governor continues arranging his torture instruments, whistling Bye Baby Bunting (the song he sang to his daughter), unaware of the two visitors. Andrea, mortified at the spectacle, knows she must assassinate him. She readies her pistol, lining up a shot…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Fourteen.

Redemptive Action

Episode Fifteen: The pre-credits scene of “This Sorrowful Life”, opens in a private corner outside the prison’s cell clock as Rick Grimes prepares to finalize the proposed Michonne deal with Daryl and Hershel , urging their secrecy. Skittish, they voice their objections, but since it can possibly save their lives, Daryl soon agrees to the plan. Seeking a middleman, Rick approaches Merle for help in getting Michonne to the Governor to seal the terms. Merle reluctantly agrees but tells Rick off on two counts. First, he believes Rick doesn’t have the spine to carry out the deal. Second, he describes the Governor’s innate and all-consuming savagery, and how he will mutilate Michonne…

Post-credits, the group looks ahead, worried about a possible impending attack. Daryl, Glenn, and the others position barbed wire outside the fence under Rick’s watchful eyes. From his second floor window, Merle watches, muttering to himself. Asking Carol (Melissa McBride)-  caring for the baby Judith –  about the availability of liquor, the widow reprimands him.

Merle sidesteps the preachy remark, commenting on how Carol has changed from the days when he knew her as a meek and timid housewife, in the forest camp outside Atlanta. He calls her a “late bloomer”, which she returns back to him, somewhat depressing him…

Outside, while helping Glenn mend the gates, Daryl inquires as to his brother’s whereabouts – receiving the silent treatment. Glenn finally unloads his pent-up anger, telling of how Merle kidnapped him, beat him, and threw him to the walkers – essentially a death sentence.

Daryl offers no answer but storms off for a one-on-one with his older bro, finding him in the subterranean utility rooms looking for drugs. They discuss the impending Michonne deal, with Merle mocking his brother for his unwavering support for Rick, whom Merle believes will back out of the deal. Daryl, pacing the filthy, semi-lit chamber, swallows the insults and brings up the Glenn issue. Merle offers no real answer, explaining that although they look at him as the “devil”, they would do the same, and furthermore, they need him to do the dirty work (echoing the Governor’s claim in the previous episode). Daryl makes a few half-hearted quips of protest but backs away. Alone in the room, Merle is shown packing a bag with telephone cords and assorted gear, no doubt tools of the trade for the impending abduction…

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Fifteen.

Showdown

Episode Sixteen: The pre-credits scene of The Walking Dead’s sixteenth third season episode (and season finale), “Welcome to the Tombs”, opens in the Governor’s inner dungeon. The camera zooms out – Lost-style – from the one good eye of the Woodbury leader himself. Bludgeoning Milton with his fists, he blames the bookish scientist for burning the walker pit – thereby losing a valuable weapon – and for revealing the true nature of the Michonne ruse to Andrea. Milton, bloodied and barely conscious, offers no defense, but questions his savagery:

Milton: “What would your daughter think about what you are?”

Governor: “She’d be afraid of me…but if I’d been like this from the start she’d be alive today…”

The Governor throws Milton into the room where Andrea is held hostage, strapped to a dental chair. Having heard the horrifying conversation through the walls, Andrea pleads with him to stop the killing, but the Governor announces that he will kill everyone in the prison. Ordering Milton to retrieve the torture tools on the dental table, the scientist stumbles but manages to hide sharp pliers next to Andrea’s feet. Milton, shaking with fear, is unprepared for what comes next: the Governor hands him a knife and orders him to kill Andrea. After vainly mustering his remaining strength, the scientist attempts – feebly – to turn the knife on the Governor, but the Governor, enraged, stabs Milton in the gut multiple times. Leaving him to bleed to death, he locks the two of them in the room….

Post-credits, the prison atmosphere is grim as the survivors are silently packing their belongings into knapsacks and duffle bags and stuffing it into their vehicles, although no explanation is given. Carl Grimes ignores his father Rick’s request for a chat, coldly edging him away, something that even the others notice. Rick looks up at the catwalk and sees his dead wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), grimly accepting the hallucination.

While taking a last stroll through the empty cell block, Rick meets up with Michonne, who reveals that she holds no ill will over Rick’s initial consideration of the Governor’s deal, agreeing that it was necessary to consider it. Michonne uses the opportunity to thank Rick for ultimately rejecting it and for initially providing her with refuge in the prison, although Rick admits it was Carl who initially convinced him.

In Woodbury, the Governor prepares for an all-out attack on the prison, riling up his militia with a declaration of war:

“Remember, they killed eight men back there, five here last time! They’re no different than the biters! And they’re not gonna stop until they kill us all, taking everything we’ve worked so hard for! We’re gonna end this, once and for all!”

Please click on the link to Deadloggers to continue reading about Episode Sixteen.

Evan Rothfeld