Another Walking Dead episode without Daryl, but the season 11 B still is going strong with another strong showing. This is the best chunk of episodes I have ever seen in a long time for this show. Although it only really focused on one storyline, it still had a lot of action. I got to admit, if anyone read my predictions for this episode, I was wrong on almost everything. With all that being said, I give “Warlords” a 4 out of 5 stars. I’m not going to touch on this anywhere else so mind as well say it here, Maggie keeps losing people in her community… Lydia is the next one to leave for the Commonwealth but something kept her around for a little longer. A side note, Elijah, go for your heart and get Lydia. Who could blame him. Lydia is one of the best… We even had a familiar face returning at the end of the episode, which I didn’t expect until a few episodes later.
Lance & Carlson’s Plan
Lance is furthering himself from Pamela and the “typical” Commonwealth way. He’s developing a plan to hit another community. The Commonwealth have been giving them some food and water but suspects them for stealing weapons and Lance wants to get them back. Lance hires a retired CIA agent, Carlson to get help the community to get them back. Carlson is instructed to bring Aaron for his personable skills and Gabriel because he is a priest and that community is religious. He is also instructed to do whatever is necessary to get them back.
Aaron, Gabriel, and Carlson Goes In
The group gets to the community and Aaron and Gabriel are instantly reluctant to go in. The Commonwealth soldiers aren’t going with them, the community has 40 members, and the building screams to not go in. They end up going in but have to give up their weapons in the process. The questioning gets hairy between the two sides and as a result, Carlson shows his true colors and kills two of their members and holds the leader hostage. Carlson instructs the other soldiers to clear out the whole building and find out anything that leads them to the guns. Carlson ties up Gabriel and kills a few more community members. He even holds Aaron at gunpoint and goes to shoot but he doesn’t have any bullets. Aaron ends up escaping and finds Maggie, Lydia, and Elijah on the road and tells them about the situation. They end up going back to the community and develops a plan to get Gabriel out and save the other people inside. Episode 13 seems like a two parter, that ends with episode 14. Carlson is definitely going to die in episode 14 but I am excited when they see a familiar face at the end of the episode…
Negan Returns
Negan returned at the end of the episode. Although earlier than I expected, I was wondering when he would comeback. He ended up being apart of the group that Aaron, Gabriel, and Carlson went to. We still don’t know if they are apart of the New Frontier, but if I had to guess now, I would say no, but “Ava” still didn’t say her name. Negan returned by sending the person that was hurt on the horse to Maggie at Hilltop. He even helped Gabriel and company escape from the Commonwealth soldiers and Carlson. Negan will be an important character for episode 14 and be the key for the groups survival. An interesting dynamic will be seeing Maggie and Negan working together again and setting their differences aside for the time being for the greater good for the group. I’m glad one of my favorite characters is back on the show and will be interesting if he follows Aaron back to Alexandra, Gabriel to Commonwealth, or Maggie to Hilltop when episode 14 is over.