Carol and others make the journey to Hilltop, and Stephanie isn’t Stephanie
BY: JACOB POLITTE
Online Editor
The Walking Dead: “Out Of The Ashes”
Season 11, Episode 5
Airdate: 9/19/2021
Episodes of The Walking Dead that have a lot of moving parts are generally much better and more tightly written than those that don’t, and they also end up being better received most of the time. “Out of The Ashes” was definitely a step-down in the intensity department, but there is a lot going on this week, and this episode more than delivers on many fronts.
First things first, we get an actual look inside the Commonwealth, and it seems almost idyllic. Yukimo has a grand ol’ time, and reunites with her brother, who… works in a bakery? He seems to not want to practice medicine, and lied in order to intentionally get placed in the position he was in- why has yet to be revealed.
Things for the others in the Commonwealth aren’t quite as rosy, however. Eugene and “Stephanie” finally meet, but it appears the Commonwealth is pulling a bit of a ruse on our survivors… it’s subitly revealed that the Stephanie we were introduced to is a fake, once again, for reasons that have yet to be revealed. In addition, the group is largely given the runaround, and is told it will be weeks before they can speak to anyone who can help them. It’s bureaucracy at its finest.
The gang decides they can’t wait that long, however, and they’re all caught trying to communicate with Alexandria. While they aren’t kicked out, exactly, it’s clear they’ll have to face some sort of punishment.
Meanwhile, back home, Carol, Aaron, Jerry and Lydia return to the wreckage of Hilltop to scavenge for supplies. While there, they come across a group of former Whisperers who have inhabited the place, and Aaron and Jerry in particular take pleasure in physically and mentally torturing one of them, even allowing him to be bitten by a walker. Carol is surprisingly the one who gets them to stop, pleading with Aaron to stop allowing his anger and rage overtake him like it overtook her. It’s a nice progression for Carol, and acknowledging that her actions are part of the reason the communities have found themselves in this predicament is a big step.
Next week, Connie is back! And so is Virgil! The first return is way more exciting.
STRAY OBSERVATIONS:
– I will say it again until the show addresses it: Rick and Aaron abducted Gracie when she was a baby, and I don’t care if he’s a good dad or if they were in the middle of a war… he doesn’t get a pass on it.
– The last scene with Maggie and Negan was weird because it came off like the two were gonna hook-up down the line and please, God, no.
– For being such an important location and overall part of the show’s history, we really haven’t seen Alexandria that much in the last few seasons.
– Quite frankly, I’m surprised that Reg’s walls have stayed up as long as they have. I know he briefly discussed the architecture of the walls in the Season 5 episode “Spend” but there’s no way those things wouldn’t have been destroyed beyond repair by now.
– Also, I do have to say this: the geographical layout of Alexandria makes no sense whatsoever, and seems to change every time we see it. I know the community expanded during the time jump, but I’m still very confused about where everything is and who lives where.
– The Commonwealth orientation video was trippy, and the best kind of trippy.
– The two Stephanie’s are a nod to an artistic error made in the comics where Stephanie’s skin color changes without explanation. That’s the weirdest meta reference ever, but we’ll roll with it.
– As stated above, Connie is FINALLY back next week, and I love that lady, so I’m super stoked about it.
– I hope those kids who bullied Judith are the next ones to get eaten.
