Last week on The Walking Dead, the episode ended with Rick asking Hershel to convince him to not turn Michonne over to the Governor. It then led me to believe this week’s episode would be an hour-long debate over if they should give up Michonne. This seems like the perfect story for a show that has been trying to drag things out so the war can be squeezed into an action-packed finale. Well, I was wrong. “Prey” finds a completely different way to avoid getting to the war.
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A Dangerous Version of Hide and Seek
Prior to this episode, I tried to defend Andrea by claiming her nonsensical decision to stick in Woodbury was her attempt to protect and look after the innocent citizens. Once again, I’m completely wrong. Her real reason for returning to Woodbury is so she can spend an entire episode running away from the Governor.
Milton reveals Governor’s real plans with Michonne and Rick to Andrea. After being one of the most gullible TV characters ever, she now decides the Governor is crazy and it is time to return to her original group. This leads to Andrea playing a show-long game of hide and seek with the Governor. The first time she goes to the prison, it feels like a 10-minute leisurely jog. The prison must have moved because now it takes her over a day and seems like a massive trek through the wilderness.
I really don’t want to join the “Let’s all call Andrea stupid” club that seems to gain members on a weekly basis on the Internet. She has done some annoying and silly things during season 3. When Andrea is trapped in the warehouse, she actually pulls off the smart move of luring the Governor to a door concealing a zombie army. The Governor then finds himself swarmed by a legion of undead craving his brain. I can forgive Andrea for not realizing this wouldn’t kill him, because she isn’t aware he needs to stick around until the finale. I’m not sure why she opts to walk the rest of the way to the prison when his truck is waiting to be driven. Does she feel she should ask for permission first, but doesn’t want to interrupt him while he’s busy decapitating zombies with his shovel?
The real reason Andrea leaves the truck behind is so it’ll be easier for the Governor to miraculously reappear and capture Andrea right before she gets to the prison. Now, even if Rick decides to not turn over Michonne, the Governor can try out his nifty new chains on kidnapped Andrea. Of course, she is currently residing in a dungeon that Milton is very aware of existing. Since the Governor is busy getting ready for the war that never starts, Milton may have a chance to play hero and rescue Andrea. Then the two of them can spend an entire episode running in the woods together.
Is the Andrea Hate Justified?
Milton Steps Up
Milton is one character that has actually developed this season. He has been the sniveling crony of the Governor for the majority of his series run. Though he still would never be mistaken for a tough guy, he also seems to have stopped drinking the Governor’s Kool-Aid. I’m pretty sure he is going to make a big sacrificial act in the season finale that will end up saving Andrea or Rick’s group.
The scene where Milton remarks on the zombie barbecue is his first introduction to bad-assery. His facials are really cool when he’s facetiously passing on his regrets of the torching and wishing Governor luck in finding the culprit. Obviously, Milton is guilty and the Governor knows this to be true. It’s the first chance to signal he’s now a threat.
I never would have considered Milton an interesting character until the last few episodes. He is now on the road of redemption. He comes completely clean to Andrea and then starts his assault on the Governor’s forces. I’m predicting his biggest move is still to come.
Tyreese isn’t a Fool
The other character that has started to transform is Tyreese. He is the one member in his group that seems to trust Andrea’s warnings. Even though he ends the episode pledging allegiance to the Governor, it appears he still is wary. If he ends up finding out about the Andrea-kidnapping, that will likely be enough to get him back on the good side.
Tyreese’s defection will likely not include his entire group. I expect Sasha will stick with her brother, but Allen seems a few notches below being Tyreese’s best friend. Allen is bitter that Tyreese once saved his wife, because it always sucks when your wife isn’t eaten alive by zombies. This jealousy has fueled the tension in the little group because Allen fears the foursome will get kicked out of Woodbury. It looks like Allen will likely side with the Governor if an altercation occurs. If Allen was smart, he would realize the dangling over the zombie pit is a clear sign that Tyreese is probably too much for him to handle.
The war continues to be prolonged. This time, we actually get real character development. I’m interested to see how these characters respond when the big battle goes down.
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(Image courtesy of AMC)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
