After last week’s rather meaty cliffhanger, you knew that there would finally be some sort of confrontation between the Terminus Hunters and the group residing inside of the church. We watch as Gareth continues to munch on Bob while giving him some “perspective” on the world for about five minutes until Bob seems to lose it. Gareth also explains how different people might taste and continues with his creepy, sterilized rant on his take on the world.

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At this point, Bob reveals what was hinted at in the previous episode, that he had been bitten at the food bank and the men (and woman) were eating “tainted meat.” Bob got to have a last laugh before being dumped on the lawn of the church and comic books readers received a very satisfying moment from one of the most interesting story lines in the series.

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Prior to Bob being left as a tool to rattle Rick and Co., Sasha is outside looking for him and spots one of the Terminus people in her scope. She charges in and again, it is revealed just how little trust is left in the world. Sasha accuses Father Gabriel of luring them to the church for a specific purpose, Rick takes over and finally pulls the truth out of why there were fingernail carvings on the church wall condemning the priest to hell.

Turns out, Father Gabriel had turned his back on his flock when the walkers started to appear. When there was trouble in town, the people started going to the church in search of comfort. However, the good priest would not open the door and in their frantic search for a way into the church, brought walkers to their location. Father Gabriel hid while the entire town was basically eaten outside of his walls. Then he buried them.

They definitely did an amazing job, as did Seth Gilliam, in bringing Father Gabriel of the comics to life. At this point, Bob is left outside…where we also see a bloody “A” written on the wall. Just a reminder to those who forgot, the boxcar that the “cattle” was kept in was “A” and this was Gareth’s way of saying, “although the setting has changed, you are still just in a box waiting for us to eat you.”

The group discusses what to do and Abraham decides it is finally time for them to leave when the decision is made to take out the last of the Terminus Hunters. At this point, Rick and Abraham were ready to rip each other apart until Glenn offers to go with the D.C group along with Maggie and Tara..apparently Maggie and Tara are a unit..? and Abraham doesn’t want to separate them? So that is why Glenn is able to use them as bargaining chips?!?!

As Rick, Sasha, Abraham, Michonne, Glenn and Maggie are seen walking off towards the graveyard towards the elementary school, seemingly to go and confront Gareth and the remaining five. Shortly after, we see the very group Rick and crew went to confront walking out of the woods. They break into the church and announce their presence, calling out each person crouched and hiding inside one of two rooms.

At this point, Gareth is super arrogant and thinks he is the bomb diggity..He offers Father Gabriel an out: if the priest was to come out, he would be allowed to leave along with Judith. Thank god, he did not actually do anything because we know just how much Gareth cherishes the young. It is still silent until Judith begins to cry out. Gareth is loving this, and continues to threaten them with their firepower.

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Rick seems angry about something

His threats are met with two awesome head shots by Rick who was in the back of the church the entire time!! Gareth is still laughing a little at this point..TILL HE IS MISSING TWO FINGERS! Our cold and calculating cannibal turns into a sniveling, snot-head. Martin still believes they have a chance until he sees that the rest of those who left with Rick was also with him, and fully armed.

Gareth asks why they waited so long to confront them and Rick brilliantly replies, “We didn’t want to waste bullets.” I LOVE YOU, Rick Grimes.

Rick holds Gareth at gun point in which Gareth continues to grovel and show how the reason for what they did was for necessity. Gareth says again that the purpose of Terminus began as a way to help people until they took in the wrong people. He promised that if they were allowed to leave, Rick would never see them again.

Rick drops his pistol down and it seems that he will let Gareth go..HE MACHETES GARETH IN THE FACE…repeatedly! Not only did Rick keep his word that he would use his red-handled machete on this man-eater, but he would also take out the rest of the Terminus group. Abraham bashes in a couple of skulls while Martin is savagely stabbed by Sasha in front of the altar. Tyreese looks on from the shadows..seemingly disturbed by the massacre that occurred in the church. Another person perturbed by the redecorated walls was Father Gabriel who walked out of his office with the statement, “this is the Lord’s house,” in which Maggie (who we see looking and putting aside a Bible) states that the church was nothing more than “just four walls and a roof.”

A big highlight (besides the excellent fight scene) was Michonne finally reuniting with her blade! Despite her previous statements of needing a new start..you know she missed that sword and it is good to see her with it again.

Did anyone expect there to be an epic fight scene where walkers were pouring out from the elementary school AND the cemetery?

We are left thinking about this Us versus Them mentality that has distorted the group’s sense of humanity..but first we have to see Bob off.

This scene was super touching and bittersweet because Bob remains optimistic of the world in terms of Judith and the future generations. Bob also tells Rick that he did not think there was any good left in the world and I think this also helps remind Rick that what he did was necessary and despite it all, does not make him any less of a bad person..just a man trying to ensure the survival of those he loved.

Bob dies with a smile on his face after seeing Sasha for the last time..he also makes it even more touching by telling her that he was having a dream where she was smiling. UGH. Cue tears now..

The episode ends with everyone seeing Abraham, Eugene, Rosita, Glenn, Maggie, and Tara off on the recently repaired school bus. We also see Tyreese digging Bob’s grave. Daryl finally appears in front of Sasha..and when asked about Carol, we are left on a cliffhanger!

WE ALSO DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MORGAN OR BETH!!!!!!

This episode was satisfying in terms of Gareth’s death. It is also very well-named as this episode touched on a number of topics, most interestingly is what happens to ideology and morality in the face of the fall of society. Also, I am super excited to see where the storyline with Beth will take us. From the looks of it, we are back in the city and there is some semi-balance of a society in place amongst the walkers because Beth wakes up in a hospital room with an actual working clock. Could this be leading us to a certain war-filled plotline? Or are we going to meet a whole new scary villain..either way, this season of the Walking Dead is not taking any shortcuts with the action and intriguing stories!!

ABOUT >> Mac Lemons
  • ACCOUNT NAME >> paranoidlemons
  • BIO >> Mac is a history lover, avid harry potter fan, and occasionally pretends to join the circus. While flying on fabrics and searching for magic are her true passions, her civilian life forces her to walk around a lot.
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