There were so many things I loved about “Claimed” — episode 11 of this season of The Walking Dead — that I knew I had to write about it. So, where to start?
**POST CONTAINS SPOILERS**
How about that dynamic between Michonne and Carl? It had been established earlier in the season, but was taken to a whole new level this episode. Michonne manages to make Carl laugh and, if only for a second, forget the devastation that took place at the prison — and the loss of his baby sister. (We, the audience, know that Judith is alive and well with Tyreese and Carol, but poor Carl doesn’t). But, perhaps more important (if only because it was so unexpected), the always mysterious Michonne confided — yes, confided! — in Carl, divulging important details of her life before “everything happened”, including the name of her (dead) baby boy. It’s becoming quite clear to us that Michonne, who has lost a son, and Carl, who has lost a mother, have developed a relationship that, in many ways, has a mother-and-son feel. Rick acknowledges this — “He needs you,” he tells Michonne of Carl. But it’s also become obvious that Michonne needs Carl as much as he needs her. Being around Carl has the effect of humanizing the usually cool, and aloof Michonne. Come on, as far as The Walking Dead goes, it doesn’t get any more heartwarming than that.
This episode was also more suspenseful than any others have been for quite some time. Rick, who is attempting to recover (from what looks like bruised/cracked ribs? A punctured lung? I don’t know. I’m a writer, not a doctor), wakes up to what appear to be the sounds of a murder taking place on the first floor of the house that he, Carl, and Michonne are staying in. What follows is an incredibly well-written, and dramatic game of cat-and-mouse that had me biting my nails the whole time. Admittedly, these scenes did nothing to advance the plot line, but they were highly entertaining, and that makes them worth a mention. I mean, how perfect was it when Rick hid in the bathroom only to discover a guy sitting on the toilet with a look of total shock on his face?
Finally, let’s talk about Abraham. Fans of the graphic novels know Sergeant Abraham Ford quite well, and I know I wasn’t the only one who was incredibly excited to see him finally make an appearance in the show. Personally, I thought Michael Cudlitz was the perfect choice from the moment I saw Abraham, Eugene, and Rosalita in the final scene of episode 10. My boyfriend, however, was less impressed, saying that Cudlitz was “too small” to play the one-of-a-kind character. All doubts were banished in episode 11, however, when Cudlitz absolutely nailed his portrayal of Abraham during an iconic crowbar bloodbath, complete with the Sergeant’s trademark one-liners. Like in the novels, Abraham is hell-bent on delivering Eugene to Washington, so that he may “fix the whole damn world.” At the risk of ruining the show for any of you who haven’t read the novels, I think I will end at that. Have faith, if you choose to. 😉
Finally, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when we saw Rick, Carl, and Michonne choose to venture toward the same “Sanctuary” that Tyreese, Carol, and the kids were heading to.
There are still a lot of questions left to be answered, though. What is this “Sanctuary”? Will Rick tell Tyreese what Carol did at the prison, and why she was sent away? Will Beth and Daryl find the others? Will Maggie and Glenn be reunited? With only five episodes left, who knows how many of these questions will be answered. But I, for one, can’t wait to find out!
What are your thoughts about the most recent episode of The Walking Dead? Do you have any predictions for how the season will end? Let me know in the comments!
Image obtained from thewalkingdead.com
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