TWD’s “Hunted” will get you thinking. First, The Reapers seem like “ninjas” when they ambush Maggie’s group. Also, you wonder what makes Gabriel forget all about God’s law to not kill. Further, Maggie might not be that different from Negan when she must decide if Alden lives or dies- and Negan knows it too. This episode is an entertaining one as well as a think piece.
To start, Maggie’s group is ambushed by “ninjas.” The Reapers come out of nowhere and throw wicked looking knives. Not only this, before Maggie’s group can do anything, The Reapers disappear as quickly as the appeared. Maggie’s group is caught off guard in this latest attack.
Of course, you would expect The Reapers to see in the dark. Formally they were black ops in the world before the virus. They are using night vision, infrared, or thermal tactical gear. These guys are ready for war.
Meantime back at the community, Carol is thinking long term on how the group can survive. She goes out to look for some lost horses because they will be needed to get the crops off the ground. If Carol does not find the horses, the community will starve to death without those crops.
Negan doesn’t seem to be down with Maggie’s plan for food. Perhaps he knows something and has decided to withhold it from Maggie. Anyways, Naggie keeps reminding Negan about the plan/priority to find food- or risk starving to death.
The Reapers have mortally wounded Duncan, the community’s strongest man. In a final talk with Maggie, he says they were lucky to survive, and he tells Maggie to get his daughter home after his death. Duncan probably thought about what Negan said about the community just being lucky in survival.
Gabriel, the community priest, is on a killing spree. This guy reminds me of Catholics and Protestants killing each other in their wars. What ever happened to pray for your enemies and return no evil for evil to your enemies like the bible encourages us to do? I guess the apocalypse changes people
Maggie calls out Negan on being reckless in this episode. Maggie feels Negan knows what is wrong, but chooses to ignore that and do what he wants anyways. Maggie is probably thinking how Negan murdered Glen and Abraham.
Maggie reminds Negan that he doesn’t have the power to choose who lives and dies in the community anymore. Negan, however, indifferent, understands that leaders have to do it, He reminds Maggie that she must decide to leave a mortally wounded Alden behind in order to survive, and of course they know Alden will die since he’s severely injured. It’s something that makes Maggie feel very uncomfortable and disgusted because she realizes she might not be that different from reckless Negan.
A little something about what’s “normal” in the apocalypse. Nothing is normal anymore and the survivors are learning this fact. Aside, it should be said that art often imitates reality which is currently happening in the real world with COVID.
