Well, the stage is (somewhat) set for the finale.

This episode felt like a compilation episode. There were three distinct plot points, and the episode devoted equal time to each, sorting them out by the end and making it clear where things are heading into Week 16. And just like a Week-16 in the NFL, no Bengals were involved.

Anyway, the three plots were:

1. Rick needs guns
2. Gregory hates Maggie
3. Sasha fails to kill Negan

None of them intertwine (during this episode) but could have implications for the finale.

Plot #1 – Rick needs more guns. Realizing they have to get the Garbage Gang on board, Tara finally goes back on her pinky-swear and tells Rick all about Oceanside, and their sweet, sweet arsenal of weapons. Based on Tara’s conversation, he figures he’ll go ask for them in the most Rick way possible.

When they appear somewhat hesitant to his request

A fortunate horde of Pirates 5 characters walkers, attracted by Rick’s hello, comes by to justify why Rick needs all of Oceanside’s guns.

                                                                         ^{Poor Earl.}

By standing up to the walkers, it showed Rick’s desire & determination, so Oceanside put up little actual resistance. It was the most action-packed of the three segments, and was worth it for Tara flipping a bird to the mouthy little kid on the way out.

[Some people online got upset about Rick reinforcing the patriarchal nature of society by depriving women of their ability to defend themselves so he can defend his tribe. But do the rules of democratic society exist in a post-apocalyptic society, and also – FUCK OFF! There’s been plenty of reasons to be upset with this show – writing; pacing; etc. – but this is the least objectionable.] 

The second plot line of the episode surrounds Hilltop. Gregory views Maggie as the ever-growing threat to his leadership she is. After all, she trains people in combat & teaches them to garden. All he does is sit in his office & drink.

When he ventures outside to “get some berries”, he sees Maggie all alone, and has a moment where he contemplates killing her.

But he’s a coward, so he chickens out. Then she has to save him from some walkers,

and he realizes his time is up. So, using the chat he had last week with Simon the Savior as pretext, he gets his assistant to take him for a drive, which we presume will be to the Sanctuary to trade information for protection.

Part three involves Sasha, and the aftermath of her capture. Turns out it’s a slow suicide mission. We find her tied up in a cell, presumably the one Daryl lived in for a while. Just as she’s about to be raped by her guard Dave, Negan shows up to remind him that there are certain lines that cannot be crossed under his leadership.

So he stabs Dave dead. He then gives Sasha three options – kill herself; let Dave eat her; or kill Dave & join his team.

Since she still wants retribution for Abraham, she chooses the latter, knowing he’ll try to get her to betray Rick, and knowing that he probably knows this because he refuses to let her have a weapon. When she appeals to Eugene for one, all he offers her is the suicide pill he concocted a few episodes back.

The episode ends with Rick & the gang returning to Alexandria with the Oceanside guns, and discovering sasha has brought a new ally/defector to their camp – Dwight, who helped her escape Sanctuary. After Daryl tries to get at him, the episode ends with Rick mimicking Negan’s “on your knees” from the premiere at Dwight.

A much better episode than last week’s, it sets the framework for at least part of the finale:

• we know Gregory is going to spill the beans on Hilltop & Maggie. The question is, how will Negan react to Gregory’s quislingness and Simon’s making promises on Negan’s behalf?
• Sasha is going to die, but how?
• No Kingdom this week, so Ezekiel will likely show up in the finale.
• Whose side is Dwight actually on? He seems to change, but in the promo, shows up for the battle behind Negan.

Here’s the promo:

The cliffhanger will either be Sasha dying a heroic death or juuuuuuuuust before some turning point in the battle.

My guess: a lot of talking, and then 5 minutes of action before the cliffhanger. Also, to reinforce previous points: no actual zombies will appear to be hurt in the finale. Actual long-form battles & sequences will be saved for season 8, which would hopefully be the last season. By then, it will have been a long-time, they’ve got a way to end the show memorably, and the actors who play the characters will be free to move on to other projects, freed from being in a lame-duck equivalent to the last season of “Happy Days” or – as obliquely referenced above – “That 70s Show”.

My great fear is that the producers will look at the large pile of money and decide, “money”. They are up to Issue 168 in the comics, and Kirkman has blogged about what he’s planned for beyond Issue 200. I’d like to think AMC would have learned from “Breaking Bad” & “Mad Men” and would know shows have lifespans with viewers, but seeing how they have dragged out this season I am not that hopeful.