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Warning: The following contains spoilers for Sunday’s incendiary episode of The Walking Dead. If you’d rather watch first, read later, run like you’ve already met Season 11’s Big Bad and don’t want to get reacquainted.
Well-played, Daryl. Well-played. Though Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead teed up the ultimate lovers’ spat between him and Leah, who — surprise, surprise — turned out to be a Reaper, he emerged no worse for wear. But how long could he stay that way, what with her commander being battier than a cave? Read on, and we’ll unpack all of the heavy baggage that was stowed away in “Rendition.”
‘GOD IS HERE… HE’S ANGRY… I’M ANGRY’ | As the hour began, Daryl and Dog fled from the Reapers’ attack that was cued up by “Acheron, Part II” (read the full recap here). But, as will happen, they were followed by one of the villains — one who was soon revealed to be… ta-da! Leah! (Thanks for the hint, Norman Reedus.) Since last they’d seen one another, she’d gotten very blonde and very bitter. She even hinted that now Dog preferred her to Daryl. And “I always thought he liked you better,” she deadpanned (emphasis on the “dead”). In no time, Daryl was surrounded by Reapers and dragged to Meridian, where alone with Leah, he insisted that he didn’t know Maggie & Co. His family, he lied, had picked the wrong fight with the wrong people a long time ago. Before he knew it, he was undergoing water torture… up to a point. Leah, still clearly smitten, put a stop to it and warned that if he didn’t spill the tea on the group with whom he’d been traveling, “the one we answer to won’t be so nice.”
Again, Daryl insisted that he didn’t know those people, he’d just traded with them for food. Yeah, right, Leah basically replied. So he was dragged through an unnaturally tidy prison to a cell across from — well, hey there — Maggie’s pal, Frost. “Just ’cause we shared a bag of grain doesn’t mean I give a s—t about you,” Daryl huffed. And quickly enough, Frost understood the show that Daryl was putting on. When Leah visited Daryl, he told her to “just give me Dog, let me go, and you’ll never see me again.” In response, she asked, “Is that what you want?” (Thirsty much?) Before he could answer, they were interrupted: Two of the Reapers had been found dead, a twist that resulted in a preacherman basically speaking in tongues over one of the bodies and Reaper leader Pope (Happy! alum Ritchie Coster in fine form) expressing his outrage like a latter-day Jim Jones.
‘GOD CHOSE YOU TONIGHT’ | When Leah next visited Daryl, she revealed that one of the dead — Turner — had been like a little brother to her. They’d been soldiers together first, then mercenaries. Daryl was all like, “You didn’t tell me you were a mercenary.” It was the “same job,” she said, “but we could pay our bills.” Soon, talk turned back to Daryl and Leah’s relationship, with him reiterating that he came back for her, only to find her gone. “We wouldn’t have worked, anyway,” she sighed. “Not in a world like this.” Nevertheless, she still cared for him and wanted to save him, so she beseeched him to tell her something she could take back to Pope. “There’s a woman. She’s the leader,” Daryl said, and “a tall, skinny guy who never shuts up… and a priest who carries a shotgun.” Wait, replied Leah, “that’s their leadership?” Daryl knew it didn’t sound impressive, but he’d been counting Reapers, he admitted. And these people… they greatly outnumbered the Reapers.
Later, after Leah pleaded Daryl’s case to Pope — and reaffirmed her dedication to the Reapers — her ex was taken to a (I wanna say) barn for a meeting with the big kahuna. But no sooner had Leah told Daryl to follow her lead with Pope than the two of them found themselves locked in… and the place set on fire! Once Daryl had broken them out, Leah joined the Reapers waiting at a safe distance outside. “Forged by fire… ordained by God… ” Pope intoned. “Welcome him.” And just like that, Daryl was a Reaper. (Well, at least in their minds; his face wore an altogether appropriate “WTF?” expression.) Finally, alone with Pope, Daryl was asked if he believed in God. “Not anymore,” he admitted. “Guess I just believe in me now.” That, said the religious nut, is a mistake, because “you’re not Him.” With that, Pope explained how after the fall, he and his men had been spared from the bombing and the burning all around them by hiding in a church. “That’s when I knew,” he said. “We were the chosen ones.” Oh, jeez.
‘ARE… YOU… HUNGRY?’ | Later, around the campfire, Pope marveled at the heroism of the Reaper who’d carried Turner’s body 10 miles to assure that he’d get a proper burial. He also wondered about where the guy had been when Turner was getting attacked. Uh-oh. Everyone saw how far Daryl would go to save Leah from the fire. How far had this guy gone to protect Turner? Not far enough, apparently. Before he knew what hit him, the fella was face down in the flames, Pope explaining that “God doesn’t only use fire as his baptism, it’s also his wrath.” So yeah… welcome to the Reapers, Daryl; good luck with that. So, what did you think of “Rendition”? Daryl and Leah’s reunion? Big, bad Pope? Hit the comments.
Is he another Alpha?I find it hard to believe anyone would follow these nuts,lol.
Next week’s episode is better than this. For the first time in a while there are multiple storylines and locations. No spoilers but scenes from Alexandria, Hilltop, and some more from what I have liked the best this year. ( More Negan and Maggie)
When you are in a state of chaos, you tend to follow anything that is consistent.
Stupid and stupider
This guy would have made sense to have before Alpha.
Liked the conflict now put into the story line. How long can Daryl act as a double agent?
I’m confused about why Turner hadn’t turned. In this world, when your “brother” dies, you put a knife in his head on the spot as quickly as possible. Turner was carried 10 miles back to be prayed over and yet still hadn’t turned? Did I miss something? Have the Reapers beat the virus?
I was wondering the same thing. Thats how I even ended up on this article lol. How did he not turn?
It just felt redundant to me. Negan recently did the join a group as a double agent thing with the Whisperers. But beyond that how many times can Daryl join/be captured by the wrong group either by choice (Claimers) or by force (Saviors). And why oh why do the leaders of these groups have such complicated back stories that require us to listen to them pontificate for 15-20 minutes or more in a single episode. The group went there to battle the Reapers and get food. Considering it’s the final season couldn’t we just have had that for a few episodes instead of introducing a complicated story from a group who aren’t even in the comics to begin with.
I hate anything that has to do with religious fanaticism, so I’m really disappointed that this latest enemy group is based on that. I may stop watching. Also, I want to see other main characters in all the episodes, not just one.
I’m a bit underwhelmed so far. I was so excited for the shows return maybe I hyped it up to much in my mind but nothing is really happening except we get another big bad and Megan being forced to work together which we all knew was coming.
Couldnt finish this episode. Never been so bored.