TWD 9x10 "Omega" episode discussion... **SPOILERS**

[MinionZombie]

Please keep all talk of episode 9x10 "Omega" specifically inside this thread.

If you have a theory for a following episode, please use the "spoiler tags" (visit the HPOTD FAQ to find out how to use them if you don't already know).

Similarly, if you're going to discuss plot points from the comic book, please use "spoiler tags" - not everyone is up-to-date on them, and some people don't read them at all.

Enjoy!

Directed by: David Boyd
Written by: Channing Powell


A captive or a refugee? A new arrival at the Hilltop opens up about the leader of a group of mask-wearing savages. A search party sets out on a daring mission to find two missing friends.

https://dailydead.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TWD-910-01.jpg

[shootemindehead]

Getting really tired of the somebody died, let's do a slo mo scene.

[Moon Knight]

Getting really tired of the somebody died, let's do a slo mo scene.

When did that happen?

[shootemindehead]

...and wtf is Big Richie?

[MinionZombie]

There's some subtle improvements going on here underneath all the bigger changes and realignments.

I couldn't help but feel, during this episode, that had this been under Gimple's reign as showrunner it would have been an entire extended length episode covering the origin of The Whisperers - but instead we cut back and forth and what we see is not only quite contained, but it's presented in a more unusual and interesting way in that it's presented through the prism of Lydia's warped memory (i.e. what her mother told her via indoctrination versus the truth), and it dovetails into the interrogation as well as having Daryl be the interrogator.

I also liked how the Henry stuff was quite contained - it wasn't him flouncing off to act like an arse for several episodes - he confronted Daryl, Daryl explained himself, and then actually got Henry on-side to help out.

Similarly, when the four newbies head off in search of Luke - despite Tara making the wise choice to return to their safe zone and think it out - they at least make the wrong decision for the right reasons. They don't just go off in a strop or run off like headless chickens. Their decision is justified in the scene, although they make their choice with their heart instead of their head. What also impressed me was that not only did Tara send a couple of guards out after them (so she was intuitive enough to know that the newbies would attempt something like this), but that she also used common sense and talking to settle the 'dispute' for lack of a better word ... and not only that, but Yummiko realised she made the wrong call and headed back with Magna (even though she couldn't convince the other two to join).

Little things like that - people using common sense and logic to approach their problems, has been a very welcome improvement after the last couple of seasons with Gimple where it so often was a case of otherwise smart characters making silly decisions or flouncing off in their own directions because they didn't like the established plan. Now, under Kang's reign, we consistently see the survivors working together and using their ruddy brains. Hallelujah!

The flashbacks to the 'Omega' scenes were a little bit confusing during the episode as the 'unreliable narrator' angle wasn't quite clear initially, but it came together in the end. They could have maybe just finessed that a little better so it was easier to follow the changing elements a tad more, but in the end it worked.

I'd have liked to have seen a bit more of 'Alpha' shaving her head - on Talking Dead they said that that was Samantha Morton actually shaving all her real hair off (I figured as much, she went bald for Minority Report after all).

Alpha looked proper creepy at the very end, too. They get some top tier acting talent on this show. :thumbsup:


Getting really tired of the somebody died, let's do a slo mo scene.

???


...and wtf is Big Richie?

???

[Moon Knight]

Alpha’s broken teeth was unsettling. Also looks like she hasn’t changed her clothes much.

Everyone thinking Henry is getting Carl’s story but they low keyed gave Daryl all the important bits. Smart choice, I like that.

Lydia painted her father as the monster but slowly revealed it was her mother all along.

This was a bottle episode but not the Gimple kind.

[shootemindehead]

LOL, I'm still on episode 9.

Scratch my posts.

[Zombie Snack]

Just a ho hum episode for me, but it did serve to set up to what looks like a very promising payoff to come.

[Moon Knight]

LOL, I'm still on episode 9.

Scratch my posts.

Lmao

It was kinda a filler episode but after thinking about it more, it really did add some needed emotion towards the Alpha and Lydia characters.

I’m really happy they didn’t reveal Alpha’s real name.

[facestabber]

I didn’t hate it. It’s just ok for me. Alpha lost her humanity at or near Shane’s pace. Those people always concern me. So I ask you all this. After this group went through the Negan/Saviors arc did anyone else just feel there past experience should have shot/arrowed/speared Alpha and those standing near. Daryl’s interactions with Lydia taught him everything he needs to know about Alpha. Kill the nasty bitch and watch the rest panic. Yes Luke and Alden are dead but at some point the hostage taking can’t criple a community. It happens far too often.

[MinionZombie]

I didn’t hate it. It’s just ok for me. Alpha lost her humanity at or near Shane’s pace. Those people always concern me. So I ask you all this. After this group went through the Negan/Saviors arc did anyone else just feel there past experience should have shot/arrowed/speared Alpha and those standing near. Daryl’s interactions with Lydia taught him everything he needs to know about Alpha. Kill the nasty bitch and watch the rest panic. Yes Luke and Alden are dead but at some point the hostage taking can’t criple a community. It happens far too often.

Well, I think it's a bit too early to jump to that right now, especially with hostages in the mix - plus you don't know the full extent of the threat yet either, and where there's a leader there's likely going to be a second-in-command willing to jump in when needed (e.g. Simon). Indeed, remember how leaping into killing that outpost of Saviours felt like they were nipping it in the bud, but they did so without knowing the full extent of the threat.

If anything this displays that they have learned from that. At this point in time they simply don't know enough about The Whisperers, nowhere near enough. They've only just encountered them, really.

But as to your point, when they know the threat they are now willing to act fast - e.g. in 9a Carol wasted no time in taking out those remaining Saviours who she and Henry encountered on their way to Hilltop. They had a bad encounter, they were released, but Carol sneaked back and burned them all alive and sorted the problem before it was allowed to return. However, she already knew everything she needed to know about the Saviours in order to act that quickly and decisively. When it comes to The Whisperers, the group just doesn't know enough yet.

[facestabber]

Well, I think it's a bit too early to jump to that right now, especially with hostages in the mix - plus you don't know the full extent of the threat yet either, and where there's a leader there's likely going to be a second-in-command willing to jump in when needed (e.g. Simon). Indeed, remember how leaping into killing that outpost of Saviours felt like they were nipping it in the bud, but they did so without knowing the full extent of the threat.

If anything this displays that they have learned from that. At this point in time they simply don't know enough about The Whisperers, nowhere near enough. They've only just encountered them, really.

But as to your point, when they know the threat they are now willing to act fast - e.g. in 9a Carol wasted no time in taking out those remaining Saviours who she and Henry encountered on their way to Hilltop. They had a bad encounter, they were released, but Carol sneaked back and burned them all alive and sorted the problem before it was allowed to return. However, she already knew everything she needed to know about the Saviours in order to act that quickly and decisively. When it comes to The Whisperers, the group just doesn't know enough yet.

Fair enough. I’m not gonna argue my opinion because I’m not really passionate about it and your thought process is very logical. So this was just conversation sake. But for the record, if a bald woman looking like Brando from Apocalypse Now approached my camp surrounded by people wearing skin masks and state “I am Alphuuuuuu”. She gets the first bullet.

Additionally I was thinking about what the current ammo situation is for the communities? Has Eugene kept up production? As scary as the whisperers are now they also have some serious tactical weakness. Daryl has already exposed some. I can’t wait to see how the fight unfolds.

[Moon Knight]

The neat thing is now they just can’t ignore the Walkers. Even having to stop and examine each one carefully and/or popping one in the leg is an inconvenience now.

I assume Eugene is making ammo but other than Judith everyone is walking around with blades and blunt objects.

[MinionZombie]

Face - oh, yeah, no doubt you wouldn't want to be dealing with Alpha very long at all. :lol: She's got bad news written all over her. :D

I reckon with ammo they're being sparing with it so they keep a good stockpile for if/when they need it, rather than just spraying a load at walkers when they've now come up with better ways of dealing with them - especially as the walkers are more and more gathering in herds, so it now becomes more about dealing with them stealthily (re-routing them etc, as we saw in 9a).

So the world has taken on a different vibe now - lots of horses, for example - and if they can deal with stuff quietly or with melee weapons then that's seemingly the preferred option now. Guns will be for when shit's really going down.

[facestabber]

Face - oh, yeah, no doubt you wouldn't want to be dealing with Alpha very long at all. :lol: She's got bad news written all over her. :D

I reckon with ammo they're being sparing with it so they keep a good stockpile for if/when they need it, rather than just spraying a load at walkers when they've now come up with better ways of dealing with them - especially as the walkers are more and more gathering in herds, so it now becomes more about dealing with them stealthily (re-routing them etc, as we saw in 9a).

So the world has taken on a different vibe now - lots of horses, for example - and if they can deal with stuff quietly or with melee weapons then that's seemingly the preferred option now. Guns will be for when shit's really going down.

I'd say up to this stage all firearms would have been used defensively only. Wonder if they regret the ammo wasted on the Sanctuary's windows hahahaha. But with the Whisperer threat I'd say its time to arm up(not recklessly but semi auto exists lol) . The whisperers have some tactical advantages and some weaknesses. Abdomen shots into a herd would be a nice way to take away their camo. Hit a Whisperer, and let the Walkers attack him. Each agonizing Whisperer would attrack a nize dozen or so true walkers. Those not feeding, should systematically get gut shots as well. A trap in a field set a blaze would be interesting tactic as well.

[Moon Knight]

They still really don’t know what they are up against. Like Lydia said, they move place to place and only deal with large groups if they have to.

[MinionZombie]

I imagine that ammo production continued, even though we've not seen it happening. Maybe they've stopped now at this point, but have plenty stockpiled and shared out.

[Neil]

...it would have been an entire extended length episode covering the origin of The Whisperers...

Indeed any excuse to jump back towards the beginning of the outbreak, and witness the fall of humanity seems a good one to me.

- - - Updated - - -


...they move place to place and only deal with large groups if they have to.

Well, they seemed to go out of their way to deal/engage with "our group", indeed even chasing/tracking them down and attacking them. They could easily have just headed off in a different direction to avoid "our group".

[Moon Knight]

They are territorial. Like wild animals they don’t put up shop for long. If you cross them they kill. To them it’s kill or be killed. No chances taken. They don’t go looking for people to kill, that was my point.

“You are where do not belong.”

Not saying they good guys, though lol, just pointing out what makes them different as villains.

The Survivors went into their territory when Rosita and Eugene made way for the communications tower.

[UndeadHippo]

Lydia's dad was a beardy bloke named Rick. There used to be a guy like that i think. can't remember the details but i think in the comics he had a kid named Coral or something like that. /sarcasm

so is Lydia the "Omega" of the title?

The makeup job on Samantha Morton is excellent. as noted above it definitely evokes Apocalypse now, and makes her quite the chilling villain.

All in all, not a bad episode, even if it did focus just a *little* too much on haircuts. (without even including Eugene)