Hearts Still Beating The Walking Dead Mid-Season Finale Recap

This season of The Walking Dead has been a very long and torturous one. We had to watch our favorite leader Rick Grimes and group of zombie apocalypse survivors bend to the will of Negan and his vicious Saviors.

Now in the six seasons of the show it’s just something that fans weren’t used to seeing for such a long a period of time during the season. Well on tonight’s mid-season finale it was gut check time Rick and co.

Carol has made the decision that she is over fighting and just wants to sit in her quaint little home and be left alone. Morgan is still in The Kingdom and is definitely enjoying his stay there. Morgan checks in on Carol by just leaving her some supplies on her doorstep. Carol spots him and calls him back, their conversation is interrupted by Richard as he something to ask the both of them.

Richard feels The Saviors will eventually break the deal Ezekiel has in place with them and will try to take The Kingdom. Knowing what Morgan and Carol and capable of he asks them to help him convince Ezekiel that it’s time they attacked The Saviors before it’s too late. Carol and Morgan are both reluctant but it’s mainly Carol who wants no parts of the plan and shuts it down. Little does she know that her friends need her, Morgan and The Kingdom’s help more than ever.

Meanwhile Michonne is on her mission to have some face to face time with Negan. Taking one of the saviors hostage, she makes the Savior drive her to Negan’s location.

Michonne and her captor reach their destination, her captor points out that Negan isn’t just one person he is all of them. Michonne realizes that she can’t do this alone as their numbers are too great. Michonne is informed by her hostage there is a silencer in the glove compartment and she kills her hostage and makes her way back to Alexandria realizing that she needs Rick.

When we last left Rick and Aaron they were out scavenging for supplies to give to Negan and his crew. Rick and Aaron stumble across a boat in the middle of a river with zombies used as traps to keep strangers away. Rick and Aaron make it to the boat to find a decent stash of weapons but no ammo for them. What they don’t know is there is mystery person watching them from a distance.

While Rick, Aaron and Michonne are away Negan came to play last episode bringing with him Carl. Negan is really enjoying his time in Alexandria and is getting real cozy in Rick’s home even mingling with his Rick’s baby daughter Judith. Negan even takes full advantage of Rick’s bathroom and gives himself a clean shave while a dejected Carl has to watch.

Negan as we have learned throughout the season is a master at making breaking down his enemies. He even treats himself to a home-cooked meal and unfortunately Carl, Judith and Olivia had to join Negan at the dinner table.

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While Negan is in town, Spencer see’s an opportunity to get rid of Rick as he feels he can be a better leader than Rick. Spencer throws on his best polo and combs his hair and grabs a bottle of left over whiskey to offer to Negan and make his pitch. Over a game of outdoor pool Spencer snitches on Rick to make himself look good to Negan.

Spencer thinks he’s gaining Negan’s favor by telling him about Rick but his plan backfires. Negan instead calls out Spencer for not having any guts and taking out Rick himself. Negan lets Spencer know that he is not here to do his dirty work and proceeds to gut Spencer like a pig.

Spencer did all of that and still managed to get himself killed in the process.

With the Alexandrians looking on, Rosita sees an opening to finally put her Eugene crafted bullet to use. She quickly pulls out her handgun and shoots at Negan. Unfortunately for her aim stinks and she shoots Negan’s beloved bat Lucille instead of the leader of the Saviors.

Negan of course wasn’t too happy about that, how dare someone hurt his bat? Rosita is immediately tossed to the ground and interrogated with a knife drawn to her face.

Negan loves someone who has “balls” and Rosita is definitely showing that by still being defiant in spite of her circumstances. Negan knows that the bullet she shot at him is specially crafted and he asks her who made it? To keep Eugene safe, Rosita tells Negan that she made the bullet but Negan isn’t buying it. He then tells his lackey to kill someone and she takes out poor Olivia.

Rick makes it to the scene just as Olivia is gunned down with badly beaten Aaron.

Rick is furious as this wasn’t part of the deal he made with Negan to keep his people safe. Negan quickly breaks down what happen but making it seem like he did Rick a favor by taking out Spencer for him. Rick tells Negan to the supplies they rounded up for them and leave. Negan obliges but he still wants to know who made the bullet before he leaves.

Tara then decides to make the case that she made the bullet but Eugene has heard enough. He breaks down and admits he crafted the bullet for Rosita. Negan believes him and takes him and the supplies that Rick brought back and leaves Alexandria. It’s there Rick realizes that whatever they do won’t be enough to keep Negan satisfied. In that same moment Spencer turns and Rick puts him out of his misery.

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What about Daryl? Well he seizes his opportunity to escape from his living hell.

Following the instructions on the note left for him Daryl makes his move out of his cell. He quickly finds himself new clothes and rids himself of that horrible sweat suit given to him. He also kills a jar of peanut butter and we totally understand after being fed dog food throughout his time there.

He finally makes it outside to where the motorcycles are located and spots his baby, but he is spotted by Fat Joey. Fat Joey doesn’t want any trouble with Daryl and tries to talk himself out of the situation. Daryl of course knows better than to trust the saviors and beats him to death with a pipe. While Daryl is going to town on poor Fat Joey, Jesus stumbles upon him and takes him back to the Hilltop.

Maggie, Sasha and Enid are still there and Maggie has become quiet the talk of the town. With Gregory on the outs the people are talking about Maggie taking over and she’s pondering the notion.

Back in Alexandria Rick is still trying process exactly what just happened. Michonne walks in and it’s there the two have a heartfelt conversation about their situation. Michonne breaks down that it’s time they came together to take down Negan and the Saviors. Rick reveals to Michonne that he realizes that. The two share a tender and very passionate moment together.

With Rick’s confidence back the gang heads to Hilltop to recruit people to take out Negan. They are greeted by Maggie and Sasha at the gate but it’s the appearance of Daryl that makes Rick get emotional. The two friends hug it out during the big reunion and Daryl has a gift for Rick.

He hands Rick back his trusty python in a touching moment. That’s right ladies and gentlemen RICK GRIMES IS BACK!  So when The Walking Dead returns in February 2017 it looks like Negan is going to have a problem on his hands and we can’t wait. Before the episode completely ends though the mysterious figure that was watching Rick and Aaron earlier while they were on the boat is spying on Alexandria.

We wonder who it can be? Is here to help? Or is he going to be another thorn in the groups side?  Looks like things are going to get very interesting.

PHOTO: Gene Page/The Walking Dead