The Walking Dead (10×16) A Certain Doom Review

For our review of the last episode of The Walking Dead, click here.

Synopsis: Beta engages the final battle of the Whisperer War. (IMDb)

So what was meant to be the Season 10 finale of The Walking Dead is now upon us but fortunately or not, the season is not over after all as we will be graced with 6 more episodes sometime early next year before the series’ eleventh and final season. How will those plans figure into this episode? Will it all be worth it? One can’t help but have doubts based on past experience but nevertheless, let’s find out.

Who would have guessed that The Walking Dead had to literally go over a cliff to produce what was actually a good episode? In fact, it would have made a great season finale if it managed to air when it was supposed to. While its impact may have lessened, essentially 6 months later, it provided a fair share of thrills while wrapping up the Whisper storyline and potentially introducing a new one.

But first, the task at hand was to handle the overwhelming horde of walkers outside the hospital. The plan was to set up a wagon to hopefully lead the walkers off a cliff with some loud music. Of course to do so, the survivors would need to transport the equipment through said horde, also containing Whispers, to the wagon on the other side. There were teams set up to carry the equipment and protect those carrying the equipment and some inevitably did not survive the trek (goodbye Beatrice and others). Meanwhile, others stayed behind at the hospital to protect the evacuation of the rest of Alexandria. This would also face some opposition. Gabriel was again, the reassuring voice, providing a sermon of sorts to convince the younger ones that everything was going to be okay and it was. When it looked like he was done for, Maggie finally returned (with a masked friend) along with Alden and Aaron whom she found on the way.

The main mission was going well until they lost their wagon (and some Talking Heads). Meanwhile, Lydia and Negan were two outcast character who needed to prove themselves and the former was clutch here, despite the warnings from Daryl and Carol. She knew how to lead a horde, thanks to her now-deceased mother, and led the way until Carol continued towards the cliff where Lydia appeared just in time. They had a moment as the walkers plummeted to their deaths (this presumably was the post-production work that delayed the release of the episode). Carol felt lacking and Lydia needed a mother figure whether the two admitted it or not so it kind of worked and was beautiful to watch. The others needed to go back through the horde to help the others. Sure, it may be contrived that they needed help going through the horde (as archers picked off the Whispers) and didn’t need any going back to take out the Whispers but watching them stealthily take them out was still cool to watch. Topping all of that was Daryl and Negan teaming up to kill Beta/Alpha. In the end, he had come to terms with his fate and surrendering himself to the horder in a seemingly ritualistic way (Negan recognized him as his mask came off).

The Alexandrians may be celebrating but the story isn’t over yet. Speaking of odds and ends, Connie suddenly reappeared but fell into the clutches of Virgil who suddenly reappeared as well so who knows if she’s safe or not? Meanwhile, the episode also featured Eugene’s expedition to find Stephanie. Despite some hurdles, they got there though they were too late to find her (but they vowed to continue to find others).

The episode ended with them finding something else altogether, a mysterious stormtrooper army that had them at gunpoint.

Bring on these new people/threats! That’s the formula and it’s actually promising this time.

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.