“Walking Dead” Recap: ‘The Bridge’

HOLLYWOOD—Last week audiences got an idea of the possible mayhem to come on “The Walking Dead” for season 9. This week additional fractures in our heroes emerged as a common goal to help all turned chaotic. This week’s episode, ‘The Bridge,’ kicked off with Rick having a conversation with Negan of all people! The various camps are working together and aligning to ensure everyone has the supplies needed to survive. Carol’s softer side is emerging and I must say I love seeing it, but it’s apparent she is still hesitant about members of the Sanctuary being in her orbit.

I can sense the rivalry escalating between Michonne and Maggie; these ladies are on the verge of an epic battle, and the power is indeed getting to Maggie’s head. Her refusal to provide food to the residents of the Sanctuary is going to cause more friction in the long run. The bridge is a work in progress, but it is apparent that members of the Saviors are ready to revolt. Rick did his best to keep the peace, but Carol and Daryl weren’t so sure about it lasting forever.

Jesus found himself in a moral dilemma, where Michonne was the voice of reason to help him realize it’s okay to have a conversation with Maggie about the happenings at the Hilltop. Well, this is interesting; a romance could be brewing between Jadis and Father Gabriel! Rosita blew the boulder which fueled the sounds for walkers to head in their direction. Maggie bonded with Earl after he shared his story about his battle with alcohol addiction. Rick was warned that the Saviors are beginning to feel Rick is becoming Negan, just as Tara warned Rick that the walkers are headed in Daryl and Aaron’s direction.

Things not looking good people, as Aaron’s arm was badly injured after a log feel on it. Thank God Rick, Jadis, Maggie, Ezekiel and the others arrived in a nick of time to rescue the others. Man that was a sweet method to dispatch walkers by seeing those logs take out a horde of walkers in gruesome fashion. Enid got her first test as a doctor, she had to make the decision to amputate Aaron’s arm to save his life. It was a gruesome scene to say the least. Daryl was livid and decided to put an absolute beating on a Savior to seek revenge for Aaron’s injury.

At this point, even Carol can sense the hatred that Daryl has for the Saviors. So Maggie came to her senses; she utilized Earl and his talents to fix the tractor and mule, so Michonne pushing Jesus to chat with Maggie made all of the difference. As a viewer I have a glimmer of hope for our heroes, because I thought it was going to be all out war. Rick found himself having to defend Daryl’s action to an arrogant Savior who has been causing trouble since the episode started. Enid saved Aaron’s life, but he is without his left arm, which will be a major adjustment for him. Love is indeed in the air between Ezekiel and Carol, Father Gabriel and Jadis and all seemed well, well that was until the final moments of the episode.

Rick continued to have that conversation with Negan, and our hero made it clear that Negan would never see the light of the day. Negan warned Rick that all things will not stay happy-go lucky. He warned of a reckoning, and it usurped a bit of rage in Rick. Negan made threats, he was planning his resurrection, and I don’t think Rick ever considered that to be a possibility. However, it was that helicopter in the sky that Jadis spotted that raised my suspicions yet again that this woman knows something she has yet to divulge to the others.

Remember that Savior who caused all type of trouble at the beginning of the episode, he met his maker at the end of the episode or so the audience was made to think. I love this slow build-up of tension amongst the groups. Its making for a season where I thought everything would be predictable to not be so predictable. Until next Sunday “Walking Dead” die-hards!