The Walking Dead — Made to Suffer (S3E08 Mid-Season Finale)

(My review of the last episode of The Walking Dead, When the Dead Come Knocking)

Though Rick and co. believe that Michonne might be leading them into a trap, they still think it’s their best bet. The group quickly advances through Woodbury in their search for Glenn and Maggie, they easily take out a guard without lethal force. After Glenn and Maggie struggle with their captors, the group manages to find and save them. After mild protest, Daryl agrees to wait to speak to Merle, because right now they need to get out of enemy territory. While Rick’s group is trying to make their escape with smoke grenades and bullets, Andrea is intrigued by the gunfire and ignores the Governor’s order to stay off the street. Andrea manages to take out Oscar (Conveniently the only member of the group that she sees) and Daryl offers to stay behind to provide cover fire, but every other member of the group makes it out unscathed.

Michonne slips away during the firefight to confront the Governor and possibly to retrieve Andrea. While she waits for him, she finds the aquariums full of walker heads and Penny. Michonne finds the Governor’s only soft spot, h=e trembles with fear and begs for his daughter’s life, but Michonne ends it anyway. During the vicious struggle, she manages to stab him in the eye with a shard of glass, a token to remember her by. Andrea arrives in time to stop Michonne from killing the governor, but she lets her old friend escape. Andrea, completely blinded by her affection for the Governor, believes that he only keeps the tanks there to “prepare [him] for the horrors outside.” And now, with nothing left to lose, the Governor announces that he failed his community, he allowed Merle into their safe haven and he led the terrorists into Woodbury. The Governor brings out Daryl and ask the community what to do with these two monsters, they are intent on killing them.

During the battle, Rick believes that he sees Shane and hesitates before shooting him, almost ending in his own death. Though Rick’s realization that it was only his imagination on the phone made it seem as though he was improving, he has clearly gone insane. The question that remains: does Rick know that he’s gone crazy and will he ask for help?

To replace those lives lost in this episode and those most likely to be lost in the mid-season premiere, a new group of survivors is introduced. The leader of this group is Tyreese, a beloved character from the comics. One of the women gets bitten before they arrive at the prison, but Ben (most likely her son) refuses to leave her behind. Carl arrives in time to save them from her a group of walkers. Due to his reasonable lack of trust of strangers, Carl locks them in a cell block and promises them food and water. Though Sasha begs to be let free, Tyreese calms her down and promises they’re not looking for trouble.

(My review of the next episode of The Walking Dead, The Suicide King)