RECAP: The Walking Dead “The Next World” [Season 6, Episode 10]

Have I died and gone to #TWDFan heaven?  Are Rick and Michonne together? Boston’s “More than a Feeling” is blaring as Judith plays in the living room and Carl bounces a ball against a wall (PT assigned by Denise). Michonne is in a robe asking for toothpaste and Rick vows to bring some back from a run he’s making with Daryl. They even tap hands as he leaves and he tells her that as soon as he gets the toothpaste, she’ll get it.  It is so cute and so warm, I don’t want to go on to the next scene – which is of Denise and Daryl as she discusses her run wish list. Denise, originally from Ohio, confuses Daryl by asking for pop. She doesn’t drink it but it is something Tara has been asking for (in her sleep) and Denise wants her to have it. More cute!  

Rick and Daryl pass the memorial wall as the  conquering warrior, Eugene, unlocks the gate and reminds them to pick up the sorghum, “a sorely underrated grain that will change their crop situation from scary to hunky dunky!” I can’t tell if Rick and Daryl are amused or frightened by our Eugene. This ever-reluctant hero put his life on the line, last week.  He gets to say whatever, however, as far as I’m concerned!  P.S., you will be happy to know that our Rick and Daryl are out and about in a kick ass Chrysler, no beat up vehicle for these two. Rick says that the law of averages are on their side, the car tells me that he is right. The scene is so light-hearted that I feel a bit of a jolt thinking of last week’s blood curdling scenes. Rick caps the journey by horrifying Daryl with his choice of blaring music (played with the windows up as they speed off down the highway). Should I stop watching, now? Everything is too perfect! Who ARE these happy people?

The happy is gone as Michonne patrols the wall and witnesses someone walking off into the woods with a shove – it’s Spencer.  She gets down to follow. To distract us, there is a cut to Maggie and Enid (who is sitting on Reg and Noah’s bench, remember their last scene together?).  Maggie is trying to draw a distant Enid back in by letting her know that she is there for her. Like magic, in the next scene, Rick and Daryl find a grain store with the word Sorghum printed on the door.  Even better? There is a filled supply truck inside the store.They decide to take the truck home and come back for the car — rut and roh! Why not just follow in the car in case something happened with the truck?  They end up pulling up to an empty gas station to pull the last soda and candy from a vending machine, and just as Daryl says that getting the soda was “no trouble,” they are attacked by a handkerchief wearing man. The man claims he didn’t attack them but was simply running from the dead, a large crowd, roughly 11 minutes out.  

Suspicious Rick makes a return when the guy says there are more of them than us and that “we” have to stick together. The Alexandrians claim not to have a camp. The stranger says the same. He starts to leave and offers the following, “This is the next world, I hope it’s good to you.” Hopeful Rick resurfaces and wants to know the stranger’s name. It’s Paul Rovia [Jesus (not hey-sus), as his friends use to call him]. Daryl gets a bad feeling (the guy calls himself Jesus) and tries to stop  Rick as he begins the questioning, “How many walkers have you killed?” Rovia is not interested and tells them he has to run, they should too, they only have seven minutes. They both realize the guy is clean and his beard is trimmed, though he claims not to have a camp. They consider following him when firecrackers go off behind the building and Daryl realizes that Jesus stole the keys from Rick. They get to the front in time to see Jesus take off in the truck, dragging the vending machine with him.

Out in the woods, Michonne saves Spencer from a walker. He has been sneaking off for some time and she is the first to notice. He won’t tell her why he has the shovel.   He plans to keep going but stops when she tells him that his mother once asked her to figure out what she wanted for her whole life. He wants to know if she has. For now, she just wants to know what is going on with him.  He turns to walk away and she follows.  Maybe they’ll run into Carl and Enid, who are also walking off in the woods. Daryl and Rick chase the trail and find the vending machine. Daryl refuses to leave without the items inside. After saving Carl, Rick wants the doc to have whatever she wants. She saved Carl and didn’t even know them. He knows there are people worth saving, still, just not Jesus. Daryl and Rick are in agreement on that. They continue chasing the truck. I feel sorry for that poor bastard when they find him.

Out in the woods, Carl and Enid are sitting there as Michonne and Spencer pass by – not seeing them. Thankfully, Enid realizes that she doesn’t want to be out in the woods anymore. Maggie’s influence? As they head back, they run into a walker. Carl refuses to leave it, knowing Michonne is still out there. Enid panics when he calls the walker to him. She doesn’t understand why he won’t kill it, and he doesn’t explain. Rick and Daryl find Jesus – stuck on the road with a flat. Damn it all, the guy has skills and nearly takes them both out. Since they are armed, he loses. When they shoot a nearby walker to prove the guns are loaded. They take the keys and the truck. They tie him up and let him know the knots are loose enough for him to get free, when they’re gone. They even give him something to drink. Daryl gives him the finger as they drive off. I’m counting on Jesus to be on the back of the truck when they get home. Oh no, he’s on the roof and Rick abruptly stops the truck in a field to dump him. Daryl can’t let it all go and gets out to chase him. They fight, and as the fight continues, Jesus ends up back in the truck, aims a gun at Daryl and tells him to duck- shooting a walker to save Daryl. The fight continues as they hit a gear shift and the truck rolls back, into a nearby lake. Law of averages? Everything is lost. Sorry folks, but I am calling a foul on Daryl.  Jesus is knocked out by the truck’s door as it rolls. They decide that since he didn’t try to kill them, and he saved Daryl, they would leave him in a tree to stay safe.

Spiritually lost Spencer is still restless.  He can’t figure out why Michonne is still following him. They hear a walker and turn to see Carl with Walker Deanna following. Spencer thought he saw her the night they were overrun.  He can’t rest until she is at rest. Michonne holds her as he does the deed. He holds his mother, and then buries her.  So long, Deanna. Her last note to Spencer was to tell him that he knows  his way, which he disagrees. Michonne reminds him that as long as he loved his family, he knows his way. He still has a home.  Jesus is getting a new home. He is being taken  back to Alexandria to have Denise look at him. At Alexandria, Carl is on the porch holding Judith, showing her the stars. Michonne tells Carl he should have left Deanna or killed her, but he disagrees. He couldn’t kill her because he felt that someone who loved her should have done it. I instantly remember his last scene with his mother, Lori. He would do it for Michonne. (My gosh, the kid has grown!) Daryl is regressing. He thinks Rick was right to say they shouldn’t be looking for new people. Rick says he was wrong, they were right. They wake Denise up to look at Jesus to make sure he is ok. Daryl says that Jesus can’t stay, Rick isn’t sure, yet. They leave Jesus locked away and decide to go out again, tomorrow, despite how stupid the day was.

As Rick lies down on the sofa, Michonne wakes him and tells him to move over. She hands Rick the video monitor to allow him to see sleeping  Judith.  They talk, briefly, about “the guy they found.”  They each ask about the other’s day.  Rick says he wants to turn his brain off. She doesn’t want to talk, either. She laughs when she he gives her mints instead of toothpaste. They touch hands and sparks fly. People, there is KISSING! Touching! Laughing! And more kissing! I am in #TWDFan heaven! It had to be Rick and Michonne, people.  Oh yes. It had to be! We see naked bodies in bed, artfully covered. Naked, and armed, Rick and Michonne are awakened by Jesus, who wants to talk. What. THE.? Why is this show not on every day!?!?!  From the previews, next week’s episode is a barn burner. See you then.

 

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