Yes, Jesus is dead.
No resurrecting either, at least according to actor Tom Payne.
He thought he was battling a more evolved form of walker.
Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Instead, it was a man in disguise and the mistake cost him his life.
Its the bury your gays business all over again.
Jesus wasnt a crucial character toThe Walking Dead, but he had the potential to be.
All of thats over now.
And as one of few LGBTQ characters on the show like, ever the sting is noticeable.
Its the same sting that came whenan arrow pierced Denises skulland whenEric bled out before Aaron.
The main defense the producers have going for them is the fact that Payne wanted out.
Yes, everybody suffers onThe Walking Dead.
Yes, everyone, including gay people, should have equal opportunities to face death.
Of course, it comes just as his character was finally rising towards the leading role spotlight.
There was a specific viewpoint.
But at what cost?
Jesus is alive when we begin the episode.
Theyre just milling around in the middle of an open field.
This isnt their normal behavior.
Daryl signals that a storm is coming so they ignore the dazed and confused dead and move on.
From there, we take a brief pitstop at Alexandria before picking things back up at Hilltop.
Theyve been having frequent sessions, but the big, bad wolf locked up in his cage isnt receptive.
Michonnes arrival at Hilltop reveals more about whats been going on.
They are forced to relinquish their weapons before entering.
Theres an animosity even as Michonne speaks with Tara.
She later speaks with Carol, who has a more amicable rapport.
She says Alexandria had their troubles too and its time to take care of their own.
We also learn from Jesus that Daryl has been trading with Hilltop.
He used to come more regularly, but his visits became less and less.
Jesus mourns their past life.
He misses being outside the walls.
He misses being an explorer, like when he and Aaron were traveling representatives for their communities.
They are quickly reminded that being outside the wall also means being exposed to the dangers of the wild.
The herd, Daryl says, is coming for them.
The alarm goes off and they assume that is that.
(Recap continues on the next page.)
Back at Alexandria, Gabriel snaps at Negan as he changes the prisoners bedpan.
Negan seems genuinely sad for Gabriels plight.
Shes in a panic.
Rosita stashed him in a hidden space beneath the floorboards to keep him from the herd.
This isnt a normal herd, he says.
They whisper to each other and they hunt.
Theyve been hunting him, Eugene says.
Its a scene reminiscent of Woodbury when the Governor used walkers for the entertainment of the community.
Henry jumps down into the pit and kills the walker, so the other boys leave him there.
Hes found later by Tara and tossed in a jail cell, where hes forced to face Earl.
Outside Hilltop, things seem to get worse for the search party.
Eugene theorizes these walkers are evolving and are now able to hunt.
Jesus suggests they split up famous last words so Daryl volunteers to stay behind and draw them off.
Theyre able to find the gate on the other end, but its stuck deep in the dirt.
Then the whispers start.
Light chatter carried on the howling wind.
Soft voices escaping the mist.
One whisper breaks the spell: Michonne has arrived to help push bring up the gate.
Magna and Yumiko show up, to her surprise, hoping to earn their keep at Hilltop.
He sees two walkers setting sights on the gate.
They seemed to be hiding among actual walkers and guiding the herd to find Eugene.
Daryl catches up with them in time to plant an arrow in one of their skulls.
Michonnes blade is slicked with fresh blood and Daryl notices indents in the walkers heads.
Then the whispers start again.
Dont let them slip away.
