One of the things that worried me about the return of “The Walking Dead” was if they’d be able to maintain the momentum from season four. Lo and behold, not only does the series completely hit the ground running, but the events are still charging ahead of us before we can register it all. In this world you don’t really have time to grieve, mourn, or plan, so the writers are successful in that respect. Most importantly, Rick is still Rick Grimes, a bonafide warrior, who knows what he has to do, the people he has to kill, and his primary objective in this entire scenario. After season four’s second half, we finally got to see behind the cloak of Terminus and what they all fought for, and, as usual, it’s much too good to be true.
“No Sanctuary” is very interested in depicting the humanity of everyone involved, including the butchering cannibals that live in Terminus. Once upon a time they were people, and they transformed in to monsters. The very monsters that Rick has feared becoming since season one, and the monster Carl feared becoming in the season four finale. The folks at Terminus show that not everyone comes back from it, and often times even accept what they are. Shane did. The Governor surely did. Now we have to see if any of these people from Rick’s group will transform and find their way back to humanity. While the primary action is over at Terminus, the most interesting sub-plot surprisingly involved Tyreese and Judith. Carol snaps in to action and decides to go to Terminus to help out, and Tyreese has to stay behind with Judith.
Carol is once again making wise decisions right from her choice to kill Karen and David to help prevent the spread of the super flu, and now she decides to run off, camouflage with the walkers, and instantly knows what her objectives are. The episode plays itself with parallel story lines as we view the entire horrific event in “Car A” unfolding through the group’s eyes, and it then shifts over to Carols’ eyes. Tyreese is stuck behind at a cabin with one of the cannibals after Carol gets the drop on him, and said cannibal attempts to lower Tyreese’s defenses. He eventually gains so much leeway that he nearly kills Judith in cold blood. I was very worried this would be Tyreese’s last stand, but once Judith stood at the mercy of this monster, he knew murder has its exceptions in this new society.
Gregory Nicotero’s direction is brilliant in this episode, with incredible editing, and some truly teeth grinding tense moments. The scene in the trough is the most clenched I’ve ever been in this series, and I was sure Glenn was at the end of his duration in this series. But I wonder if the bat is foreshadowing? Does the bat also signify another menace, perhaps? Did someone teach them this tactic? I ask not because I’m curious but because I’m alluding to something.
In either case, the premiere is about progression of characters, and there’s so much of it in this hour. Carol takes charge and saves the group, Rick once again survives by the skin of his teeth due to his resourcefulness, Daryl reveals his true feelings for Carol, Tyreese shows that he has to kill if he wants to save those he loves, and the group shows that when the chips are down wood can become an excellent makeshift melee weapon.
The characters finally have some sense of hope after being crushed by the governor, and once again Rick establishes his role as a leader. I just wish these people would stop second guessing him. Seriously, what does it take? He saved all of your lives, stop questioning him and snap in to action, people! That said, “No Sanctuary” is what season premieres are made of.
I only have two questions: Where are they going with Morgan? And is that guy in the final flashback with the train cart the one and only foul mouthed mate of lovely old “Lucille”?
Until next week.