The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 should directly connect with TWD: World Beyond’s finale with Dr. Jenner talking about the “new” variant walkers. This is also why the episode’s title is called, “Variant.” The synopsis for episode 19 is Eugene goes on the run, and Mercer is tasked to find him; Aaron's group faces a complication on the road. This is the “complication” that Aaron’s group faces while on the road. Eugene will also have to flee the Commonwealth because of his actions towards the Milton’s. I also predict that we will probably get another Walking Dead prior seasons montage at the beginning with Judith narrating it. I assume we will get these for all the episodes leading up to the series finale and then get a huge montage or a final Rick Grimes scene at the end of episode 24. I like the montage because it brings back nostalgia from important scenes or characters from prior season. If this ends up being a weekly thing, I will probably get sick of it by episode 22-23, but I will take it for now. However, if this is the way AMC thinks about having Rick Grimes in season 11 and we don’t see any new footage of him in episode, I will turn my opinion right around and hate every second of it
A New Variant Walker?
As I said above, episode 19 should directly connect with TWD: World Beyond’s finale with Dr. Jenner talking about the “new” variant walkers. In the trailer, you can see them turn nobs on doors, open doors, pick up stuff, and climb walls. Aaron claims he has heard stories about this before but the group will see this in full action in this episode. It will probably take up most of episode 19 and I am excited to see what AMC has up its sleeve for these variants. I assume they will be carried over to any future episode and/or spinoff. I hope AMC doesn’t drop the ball on it and just leaves this plot point to one episode here or there, since it won’t make too much sense if they appear sometimes and other times they are normal. The “new” variant walkers will pose a new threat that the group has to overcome.
Before I move onto the other plot point for episode 19, I want to touch on where Aaron and company are going. Aaron, Jerry, Lydia, and Elijah are heading to Oceanside to help them rebuild from the deal they made with Pamela in episode 18. I don’t think we will get much Oceanside content in this episode so it will have to be saved for episode 20. However, I predict that Luke will meet them at the gate or the group will say hi to Luke and then it will be the end of the episode. I expect Luke to explain why he hasn’t been shown on screen for a season plus and what he has been up to all this time.
Eugene on the Run
Eugene has to escape the Commonwealth because he is the one that put the tape that exposed the Milton’s through the speaker at Founders Day. Pamela will probably put most, if not all blame on Eugene and will have to escape to not be punished and thrown in jail. Eugene is seen saying goodbye to Rosita in Gabriel’s church and shown on the road with Daryl, so Daryl probably helps Eugene escape. Seeing a goodbye scene for any character usually doesn’t bode well for the survival chance. I really hope I am wrong because I can see Eugene help lead the Commonwealth when the Milton’s are exiled, but signs are pointing for Eugene to be the “big”” death at the end of part 3. Unless AMC is trying to swerve us and kill Rosita instead, Eugene could be on the “chopping block”. You can also see Mercer and Rosita gearing up for a mission outside the walls and this will probably be to find Eugene for Pamela. This is why you can see Max and Princess visibly upset when Mercer is leaving because they don’t want to see Eugene in danger. Although, Rosita won’t turn her back on her friends, especially the one who has been with her since the beginning of season 5, Eugene. She even told Mercer in episode 17, “I won’t turn my back on my friends or family, not for you or the Commonwealth. They always come first.” If Rosita had to choose to turn Eugene in or to either kill Mercer or to have her sent back for treason, she would pick the latter every single time. I think Rosita will have to make this choice either in this episode or an upcoming episode, but she will save Eugene in someway. Rosita will either die to protect Eugene or Eugene will die to protect Rosita. I don’t see them both making out of part 3 alive.
Check out the episode 19 trailer below!