Equals Power – The episode begins by showing two people in a garbage truck cleaning up walkers from the streets of Manhattan. They then dissolve them in an acid bath.
Maggie Rhee (Lauren Cohan) tries to teach Hershel to kill a deer but this does not go so well. Back at home, Hershel Rhee (Logan Kim) and Maggie talk about donating some old clothes and a desk to Casey and her brothers. When it comes time to take the items down to her, Hershel backs out and says that he is feeling kind of tired. This leads to them reflecting on how they developed a flashlight signal for when they got separated.
Negan Smith (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) talks his guard into giving him a plate of cockroaches. The guard also plays him a song on the violin until The Croat (Zeljko Ivanek) shows up. The Croat tells him that time is up, she is going to talk, and he needs to listen. Negan doesn’t give the impression that he is ready to listen, which upsets the Croat. Before leaving he tells Negan that things will have to escalate.
Maggie is out hunting with Hershel and Ginny (Mahina Napoleon) when she hears some engines rumbling. She says they need to get back to the compound and begins running in that direction. By the time they get back, Charlie Byrd is introducing herself as the governor of The New Babylon Federation. She then introduces Perlie Armstrong (Gaius Charles) as the man who brought down Negan. He gives a speech about restoring Manhattan to its former glory and how they’ve been going around, drafting soldiers for an exploratory mission. The crowd does not receive him well and this is when The Federation brings out Jason Ornell (Ari Loeb) and hangs him for refusing to join the Armed Forces of the Federation.
The Croat takes Negan to The Dama to discuss the exploratory mission that he has just received word of. He thinks that if they can unite the three groups making up the uptown section of Manhattan the Federation won’t stand a chance. The Croat and The Dama tell Negan that the groups get together once a month at the plaza and trade goods. The meeting just happens to be tonight and The Dama has invited the group back to the church afterwards for a nightcap. They want Negan to inspire, manipulate, and terrorize the group to get them on board. Negan tells them that he is not interested. This causes The Dama to threaten Negan’s wife and son, Annie and Joshua.
The Federation continues to rave about their mission to Manhattan but Hershel tries telling one of the members that Manhattan is nothing like he thinks. He even uses the guy’s notepad to draw him a picture of one of the crumbling bridges. Later, Perlie talks to Maggie about Negan still being on the island. Perlie says that he lied about being him to justice in order to protect him. He also tells her that he is going to recommend her conscription because she can be an asset to the Federation. Maggie accuses him of only wanting the methane. He doesn’t deny it and says that it will fuel power grids. After a bit more haggling she agrees to come in no one else from the Briggs has to come unless they want to.
The Croat apologizes that Negan’s wife and son got mixed up in this whole thing. He also gives him a replica of Lucille. Negan doesn’t really know what to say or doesn’t have much time because The Croat tells him that it is time to go.
Perlie asks Charlie about Maggie’s proposal but Major Narvaez buts in and asks if she really is worth the 20 soldiers that New Babylon could offer. Perlie tells her that she is worth it and Charlie says they will conduct an assessment of her. Elsewhere, Maggie and Hershel briefly argue about her decision before she is drawn away for her assessment. At Maggie’s assessment, she is pitted against a dozen or so walkers. When Ginny sees this, she joins her side, which Maggie does not like. They end up fighting side by side in a corral, taking down walkers.
Negan gives his speech to the three uptown groups about talks about how he once used the island as a refuge because it had no laws. He then tells them that this could change because The Federation and New Babylon are on their way as they speak. Christos is the first to immediately step up and say that he doesn’t want to join Negan and doesn’t want to put aside their differences. Negan tells him that he is going to fight because he says he is going to fight and points Lucille at him. Christos makes the mistake of grabbing Lucille and trying to shove it to the side. When he does it shocks him. The others try rushing the stage but they are immediately pushed back by two men on stage wielding methane torches. Negan now gives another speech about power.
After the fight in the corral, Maggie and Ginny argue about her going back to Manhattan. Maggie eventually tells her that she made Negan a promise that she would look out for her. Ginny tells her that she isn’t her mother or anything to her. At about this time, Hershel buts in and says that he is going to. Maggie tells him that he isn’t and this leads to another argument. She ends up going through his drawing and asks him why he wants to go back. He tells her the drawings have nothing to do with it. She tells him a bit about her childhood and says that the last few months with him have been special and that’s why she must go. She must protect what they have. Maggie and Ginny are later shown leaving New Babylon in the back of a truck. Negan is shown with his bat, The Dama is shown toying with her rat, and Hershel is shown practicing with his throwing stars and looking at his drawings.
The Walking Dead: Dead City Review
I was surprised at how decent this episode was. I was expecting it to be pure dribble but it wasn’t bad at all. I especially liked the fact that Negan is going back to his old ways. We really know that when push comes to shoves, he’ll choose the side of good but it is good to see him back at his old ways while we can. We also know that Hershel will end back up in Manhattan somehow. All in all, not a bad episode that I’d have to give a 6 out of 10.
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