The Walking Dead Recap: “Coda” [Episode 8]

WTF?  Rick pulls a BOSS move and runs Bob Lamson down, while using a Grady police car, when Bob L. refuses to stop running.  Lamson said he wouldn’t stop because he didn’t know Rick, but wants to go to the hospital; as he (Lamson) did for Rick’s friend.  Rick refuses. He tells him it’s too late for that.  Lamson claims he only wanted to iron things over for them, that Rick has been out there too long that they’ll all die.  Rick puts a bullet in his head, tells him to shut up and drives away. Rick is the fruckin’ Dirty Harry of the Apocalypse!  

While Rick is turning Lamson into walker food, Fr. Gabriel is checking out the spot at the school where Bob Stookey’s roasted leg remains, decaying, riddled with maggots. Father G nearly becomes walker food when the trapped walkers break free from the middle school. Hobbling back to the church, they follow Father G. Oh how the writers love irony. 1 – The walkers are held back by the pipe organ stakes he complained about. 2 – last week he touched the “you will burn in hell” inscription, this week he is banging on the church door begging to be let in as his parishoners once did. 

He is screaming for Michonne to save him. She helps Carl open the door but it is too late to simply seal the doors, again. The walker herd is in.  All run to the rectory and escape using the hole in the floor Fr. Gabriel created.  Their only hope of getting away is to trap the small herd inside the church.

Back in ATL, Rick and the group are trying to figure out their next move. Officer Shepherd offers to claim that Lamson was killed by “rotters.” Rick, with disdain, notes how easily she lies. She says Lamson was their best hope, but he’s now dead. Officer Licari offers to back up Shepherd’s claim, saying that Dawn won’t trade if she thinks Lamson has been killed – if only  to avoid looking weak in front of everyone. Just then we see a worried Dawn asking everyone to check in and explain the gunfire – as Beth listens in. While talking with Beth, we learn that Dawn threw over her mentor to “protect” their group. She tells them that in that job, you don’t need the officer’s love, but you have to have their  respect or you’ll need back up one day and won’t have it.  Hanson lost his way and forgot that the group risks their lives every time they go out and that it has to be worth it, it has to matter. 

Michonne has clearly lost her religion, because she looks like she wants to rip Fr. Gabriel open. He tells he had to go to the school to “see,” he had to know. Seriously, how was he not already clear what kind of people Gareth and his group were based on their attempt to take over the church and Bob’s dying declaration of being cannibalized????? As they talk, the walkers begin breaking free from the church, to Carl, Michonne, and Fr. Gabriel’s horror. Just then the blood stained fire engine carrying the Washington group returns and props the doors closed.  YES! This is as close as it gets to a knight riding in on a white horse!   Glenn tells Michonne about Eugene’s lie, she looks defeated.  Michonne tellsMaggie that Beth is alive. Maggie is elated. There is so much emotion in one tiny little scene.

Beth and Dawn are talking. Beth tells her that she makes excuses, but Grady will always be the way it is. Dawn tries to convince Beth that she is not a completely heinous bastard by telling Beth how she covered the evidence of her killing Gorman. Just then, conflict ensues with an officer, Donals, who thinks Dawn is being too easy on Beth. He tells her that everyone thinks she’s cracking, just like Hanson and that she should be replaced.  She pulls her gun on Donald – who tries to relate to her as one of his old friends.  She asks him who he is, now, laughing about having beaten up an old man, and about a girl getting raped.  A fight begins and Dawn is an ASS KICKER!  She tells him she’s going to stop what’s been going on (GO BETH).  They are fighting near the elevator shaft Beth and Noah escaped from, earlier.  Dawn gets Donald near the shaft and screams for Beth’s help.  Assist?Beth, down the shaft he goes!  We hear the walkers feasting.

They are in Carol’s room when Dawn tells Beth it’s ok to cry.  Beth says she never cries any more.  Dawn tells her that she still cries.  Beth tells Dawn that she knows Dawn was protecting herself, that she never had to get her hands dirty and Beth took care of everything for her – that’s the real reason she covered for her.  They argue about whether Noah will come back – Beth says he won’t.  Dawn says that she knows that Beth knows Carol and that there is a place for both of them. She tells Beth she didn’t use her, and that she won’t forget what Beth did for her. Clearly Dawn needs allies. Neither knows that Sasha and Tyrese are on a nearby roof, ready to shoot to save Beth and Carol. They talk about Sasha feeling stupid over the Lamson incident. Tyrese lying about killing Martin, about he and Sasha are still the same as they were before all of this.

Rick stops two of Dawn’s officers and tells them he wants to make an exchange. As they ask where his people are, Sasha, using a rifle with a silencer, shoots a walker approaching from behind.  Rick tells them he’ll wait for them to make the call.  The exchange is on.  Beth is getting dressed, Dawn’s officers are being led into the hospital. Carol is up – in a wheelchair. She is the first to be exchanged, then Beth.  Both officers state that Lamson was killed by a rotter. Dawn wants Noah, her ward. Beth became hers and now she’s losing her. He’s willing to stay, but the group says no. He goes anyway, as Dawn smirks that she knew he would be back. 

Beth looks at her, saying, “I see” and stabs Dawn with scissors. Dawn shoots Beth in the head. Daryl shoots Dawn in the head and guns are drawn. Shepherd tells everyone to drop their guns, this was all about Dawn.  Everyone does so. Shepherd offers Rick’s group the chance to stay, they refuse.  Rick gives anyone who wants to leave with them the chance to do so.  Only Noah leaves. Maggie and the crew arrive. She falls to her knees, screaming, when she sees Daryl carrying Beth’s body.  After losing everyone else, there was no goodbye for the sisters.  Tragic.

We again see Morgan, who has made it to the school Father Gabriel. escaped from.  He makes it to the church, finding the map to D.C. with Abe’s message to Rick Grimes, as well as a room full of dead walkers. MORGAN! So. Close.

 

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