Part B of Season 11 was recently announced to be airing on 21st February 2022 in the UK, and a day earlier in the US.If the narrative continues to be teased out in small parts and offer little closure, the final season of The Walking Dead, like this episode, will ultimately leave many sour. Little payoff seems to be this season’s theme. Whether it's in the tension of Pope’s increasing violent paranoia, Leah’s internal conflict over Daryl or worrying a beloved favorite will be bitten in Alexandria, this was a relentless way to see out the season's first run.īut with both cliffhangers landing mid-action, it feels terribly contrived. An episode of high energy and big spectacles amid battles against the living and the dead, this mid-season finale offers no moment to catch your breath. Daryl escapes, and Leah, now as their de facto leader, directs the Reapers to fall back and fires the hwacha towards Maggie and Negan, who stare up as the rockets fly. He asks why, and she says the same reason he’s doing what he’s doing. Seeing the many deaths of her people caused by Daryl and her friends, Leah refuses to go with Daryl and radios in that it was he who killed Pope.
Leah kills Pope while Daryl takes out the hwacha operator. She exchanges a look with Daryl who draws his weapons. He declares himself the voice of God and that he is not to be questioned (he’s Pope, get it?). Pope orders the hwacha to be fired inside the compound, with Leah warning him that will kill their own people. With their main defense breached, the compound swells with walkers and the Reapers are in the streets to take them out. Gabriel acquires a sniper rifle to cover Maggie, while she hotwires a truck and uses it to smash through the main gate. Unsure of what to do, Leah remains lost in thought as Pope directs the artillery.ĭuring this, Maggie and Gabriel have snuck into the compound thanks to Daryl and split up. Directed at the encroaching horde, Daryl finally tells Leah the truth, that they must stop the hwacha as he needs to protect Maggie’s people, his people, hidden among the walkers. This is a hwacha: an old Korean artillery piece that fires hundreds of rockets. He covertly takes out a lone Reaper, opens a gate and misdirects their efforts, all while trying to open Leah’s eyes to Pope’s paranoia.Īs the Reaper’s explosives are unable to scatter the walkers, a secret weapon is deployed. Daryl, noticing his people among the horde, takes the chance to walk around the compound, wherein he becomes a saboteur behind enemy lines.