The Walking Dead returned last night with 3×13 “Arrow on the Doorpost” as the series begins to move into its conclusive ending. With Rick and The Governor’s meeting, The Walking Dead is hinting at the mapping of the season 3 finale. Spoilers included.
The Walking Dead 3×13 “Arrow on the Doorpost” cemented the first face-to-face encounter between Rick and The Governor. This episode written by Ryan C. Coleman had one obvious and underlying theme throughout, which was the finale, and there was no question about it.
The meeting between Rick and The Governor fizzled out with only one agenda on hand, and that was war. The whiskey scene was the moment of the episode with the pair of them sizing each other up. The Governor is influential to good effect, with Rick’s ear slightly warming to his words, and when Rick drinks the whiskey after The Governor’s story about his wife, it’s Coleman’s way of saying Rick will deliver Michonne to The Governor. But will he deliver her in the way The Governor expects?
The meeting with Rick and The Governor also gave the first glimpses of the opposition sizing each other up, with Daryl Dixon and Caesar Martinez trying to get one over each other with their skill in killing Walkers. There’s no argument against Martinez with a baseball bat, the man has talent, but we don’t think he can stand up to Daryl. Daryl’s warming to his new crossbow, which AMC seems to be a big fan of, but Daryl proved he was more than just brilliant with the crossbow by slaying the last Walker with a throwing knife right before Martinez’s strike. One up to Daryl, there.
Interestingly, the more peaceful characters of either side, Hershel and Milton, seemed to start a friendship whilst Rick and The Governor talked it out. Coleman’s inclusion of this scene should be well received as it brings back the point that they’re all human in a post-apocalyptic world. This also incredibly important in trying to predict the season 3 finale, with Milton holding an important key here. “We are good people” are the words echoed from Hershel, and because Milton holds far more of a conscience than The Governor, this will not sit easily with Milton knowing that war is around the corner.
That being said, this could also be Andrea or Merle Dixon. Merle was desperate to be let loose during 3×13 “Arrow on the Doorpost” before Glenn tackled him to the ground in order to keep Rick’s plans with The Governor on. Merle has always been a loose cannon, with a short temper and bags full of aggression; could Merle be the ace in the hole for the season 3 finale? He knows Woodbury back to front, he knows the Woodbury army, and he knows The Governor. Surely Rick has to use Merle to good effect? And certainly by containing him in the prison for an entire episode whilst Daryl heads out with Rick is a perfect ingredient for yielding results.
Rick and The Governor part ways after The Governor announces that “you can have everything you want” if Rick turns over Michonne. The idea that is toying with Rick is that he can keep his family safe, his people safe, and keep the prison. But his guard is up on The Governor. How can he trust him? How will Rick know that The Governor will keep his word? And the bottom line is, he can’t be 100% sure, no matter what.
As The Governor reports back to Woodbury, he seems pleased with his day’s work and asks Martinez to position the gunmen, and gives direct orders to open fire on all of Rick’s group aside from Michonne. Milton asks, “What about the deal?” to which The Governor responds, “We can take care of the whole crew…that’s the best way to avoid a slaughter.” Milton’s words are exceptional, “that is a slaughter…” whilst stopping and staring at The Governor. The Governor responds with, “not on our end.” Has Milton just given us evidence he’s switching sides? And in turn, could he be the “dissenter” in next week’s 3×14 “Prey”?
We’ll have to wait and see. The Walking Dead returns this Sunday on AMC at 9 p.m. ET/PT with 3×14 “Prey.”
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