The mid-Season 3 premiere of “The Walking Dead” introduced many changes to the characters we have watched develop since the show began. Fans are sure to be left wondering about what will happen next, but there is a glimmer of hope for every character. We can use what has happened on the “The Walking Dead” so far, events in the comics, and what we have seen in previews to gain a better understanding of where the creators are going from here.
The Walking Dead
Rick and The Governor
We saw kinks in the armor worn by both Rick and The Governor. Both could be considered as unfit to lead because of the losses they recently faced. For The Governor, Woodbury was attacked and his “traitorous” prisoners got away. Salt was added to the wounds when one of the residents of his town was attacked by a biter. Residents wonder if he can lead them or if they would be safer on their own. I would venture to say, though, that he will be back on his saddle soon to lead an attack on the prison since Andrea is helping calm the masses.
As for Rick, notice how his vision of Lori came after being told he was making the wrong decision about Tyreese and the other “guests.” Traditionally, Grimes breaks down when he believes he has made the wrong choices for the group. If you have read the comic, you know how some of the survivors step up and pull power from Rick in the form of a voting council. I see that happening on “The Walking Dead” in the short term until the former officer comes back to his senses. Both The Governor and Rick will gain focus when at war.
Merle and Daryl
When Merle and Daryl went off of their own, many fans probably found themselves on the verge of a breakdown. In the previews for next week, we see the two brothers fending for themselves. Daryl is too much of a moneymaker for the franchise to be eliminated right now. I expect the two to be off on their own for a few episodes and then rejoining Rick’s group. Or, at least one of them will rejoin the group.
Carol
Carol is reverting back to her loss of hope. With Daryl out of the picture, Carol does not have anything to live for outside of surviving. It could be time for her to snap.
Maggie and Glen
These two kids are at an important impasse in their relationship. Hershel is making his acceptance of Glen clear, and it is time for the young man to step up. Maggie is still in shock, but should turn around soon. I would be very surprised if we did not see the marriage between the two that we saw in the comic. It is one of the glimpses of normalcy the survivors are allowed in the printed pages of “The Walking Dead,” and it should remain.
Hershel
The greatest evolution during the new episode of “The Walking Dead,” came in Hershel. It is time for him to step up into more of a leadership position and become the conscious of the group. It will be interesting to see where the idea leads since his days are numbered if he is going to be killed at the same time he is in the comic book version of “The Walking Dead.”
I can see how many fans might have been turned off by the recent episode due to the lack of action outside of the initial few minutes of the episode. This was a transitional episode gearing up for the second half of the season. Traditionally, I creator would want to use this type of episode to plant seeds which will grow over the next few weeks. The creators of “The Walking Dead,” did a great job of planting many seeds while keeping an atmosphere of dread and doom.
