The Walking Dead S11 E13: "Warlords" Review

 The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 13: "Warlords" Review

[WARNING: Major spoilers for The Walking Dead seasons 1-10, spoilers for season 11.]

After a rather mixed bag over the last few episodes of the show, I was unsure how well The Walking Dead could make strides toward its finale. Much like the shambling corpses in the show, there was--and, I suppose, still is--a real possibility that the series would slowly stumble its way toward whatever finale it had in mind. Part 1 especially gave me the feeling that the series would end on a wet fart with an antagonistic force not worth seeing to the end for. But, within Part 2, there have been just enough good episodes and shaky movements toward the finish line that I could see a little bit of gold beneath the dirt.

Episode 13 of this final season, titled "Warlords" is one of those little bits of gold. While the episode itself is not perfect and does raise a few logistical questions regarding the current final villain being set up, it is far and away the best episode of Part 2 thus far. Much of this stems from what at first appeared to be filler plot developments in the main storyline of the episode that soon indicated far-reaching consequences for the rest of the season. The episode begins with Aaron and Gabriel being tasked with trying to bring a group of religious fanatics living in a building into the fold of the Commonwealth. It felt at first like a standard episode that would introduce a one-off group in order to drag the plot along and justify the 24-episode run of this season. I thought that, while the idea of introducing a new group of characters this late in the game could be interesting, it would still feel like it was bloating the overall world when there were just 11 episodes left until the series finale.

But, instead of utilizing the episode in an expected way--being used to pad out another episode--The Waking Dead gave its all to underscore the importance of this group and what the Commonwealth's reaction to them says about the future of their community as they continue to interact with others. The best example of this being illustrated comes in the form of guest star Jason Butler Harner's Toby Carlson. Carlson leads the expedition into the apartment complex the new group is living in, impressing upon other group members that their goal is peace and unity with this new group, no matter how hostile they may seem on the outset. But, when things start to go awry with the group's leader, Ian--played by the talented Michael Biehn of Terminator and Aliens fame--it's Carlson that ends up stealing the show. Without spoiling exactly what transpires, Carlson's actions reveal that the Commonwealth's mission in this particular locale doesn't have anything to do with seeking allies. Instead, this group is but a tool in a larger ploy by someone else. And if you haven't guessed who that is by now, then I'm afraid I can't say anything more.

I think what makes this episode stand out isn't just the fact that the audience is presented with filler that quickly becomes important. The biggest reason why this episode is so much better than anything Part 2 of the season has presented us with so far is that it feels like the story is finally moving in an interesting, nuanced direction. As anticipated from anyone who's been watching The Walking Dead for the last 10 seasons, you know that when a new, big group that could potentially pose a threat to our heroes is introduced, that group is probably up to no good. But the Commonwealth is a little more nuanced than any of the villains that have come before them. Instead of getting a group that is evil to its core, the Commonwealth is so huge with a lot of different people in charge of different things, that it makes sense as to why some would have different agendas than others. It's like politics, almost, with each party having their own goals in mind in order to get what they believe to be the "best" results. In the case of the Commonwealth's more slimy characters, they are using the structure and general idea of their society in order to garner power for themselves. And I think that dynamic of good vs evil within the same large group is a nice change of pace for The Walking Dead.

I also think that the new addition to the series in the former of Harner as Toby Carlson was a much-needed change of pace. Carlson isn't too much different from other ruthless antagonistic forces we've seen on the show. But Harner's performance still sells him as someone who shouldn't be messed with. He encapsulates this idea of a villain that hasn't been seen in the show for quite some time, reflecting the Governor to a certain degree with his behavior. He's a bit one-note--I don't anticipate he'll be around much longer--but he gets the job done and creates a barrier for our heroes to try and overcome. His presence is a welcome addition to the show and I can't wait to see where his character will go from here, even if it's pretty obvious he won't be around for too much longer.

What makes this episode standout, from the new group actually having some relevancy to the overall plot to antagonists that are cunning in ways the show hasn't truly tried before, makes me hope that the rest of Season 11 continues to play out like this. We don't need a twist or anything in every episode or something like that. But having continual plot progression without feeling like my time is being wasted as an audience member felt like a breath of fresh air. I think this episode did a lot to make me interested in what's to come for the show, and I do hope the rest of Part 2 manages to capture the same feelings as this episode did. Needless to say at this point, though, I'm still worried about how the rest of the season will be managed in the writer's room. For all I know, next episode won't nearly reach the heights this one was able to. Either way, though, I'll do my best to stay positive and at least engaged in what's to come for The Walking Dead's final season.

***

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