TWD 9x04 "The Obliged" episode discussion... **SPOILERS**

[MinionZombie]

Please keep all talk of episode 9x04 "The Obliged" 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: Rosemary Rodriguez Written by: Geraldine Inoa

[Moon Knight]

They just had to bring this Jadis crap back. Hoping it’s sqaushed once and for all tonight. Fingers crossed.

[MinionZombie]

They just had to bring this Jadis crap back. Hoping it’s sqaushed once and for all tonight. Fingers crossed. Feels more to me like the ghosts of her past deals coming back to haunt her, rather than her reverting to type so much ... last episode we heard how she wanted to be seen as having changed, but Rick questioning her suggested all she'd tried to do hadn't quite worked (not in a devious way, but in a genuine way it seemed to me). She wants to be Anna rather than Jadis, but Jadis' history lingers, you know?

[facestabber]

Michonnes conflict. Rick and Carol completed with tears. Rick and Daryl Brothers. I almost hate admitting that I am really enjoying this season. But seeing Rick impaled just has me torn.

[MinionZombie]

Some really good stuff in this episode - I wonder what has transpired back at the camp, and ooh - two herds about to merge. Blimey!!! The whole bit with Rick/Daryl fighting it out in the sinkhole - both the verbal confrontation and then having to get out as walkers come tumbling in - was one of my highlights of the episode, and possibly my favourite bit of this episode in fact. And Anne - she needs an "A" to get access to where she wants to go, but she's left Gabriel there ... either she's fleeing somewhere else in shame, or she needs to find a new "A". Michonnes conflict. Rick and Carol completed with tears. Rick and Daryl Brothers. I almost hate admitting that I am really enjoying this season. But seeing Rick impaled just has me torn. I'm wondering if Rick being impaled is a cliffhanger red herring. Daryl and Maggie and thingymy (forget her name, but the bow & arrow lady from The Kingdom), are all out there in the vicinity. Perhaps it could be Maggie? That crossroads is on the way to Alexandria, after all, and it would impede her plan to 'visit' Negan. And don't 'hate to admit' you're enjoying this season, facestabber, just enjoy it - this season has so far been great. Sure, I'm trepidatious about Rick's exit from the show, but there's some things we can't control.

[Moon Knight]

Best episode yet. GOTDAMN I can’t express how much I loved Rick and Daryl’s arc this episode. I really wish we got Angela Kang a lot sooner. The ending was heartbreaking.

[MinionZombie]

GOTDAMN I can’t express how much I loved Rick and Daryl’s arc this episode. I really wish we got Angela Kang a lot sooner. The ending was heartbreaking. 1) There were some very 'deep man emotions' in their looks going back and forth before they split, Rick heading the herd off with a horse. 2) Yep. I wish she'd taken over at Season 8. Carl would have still been alive, quite possibly, and the things that the show has improved upon here would have come much sooner. 3) Did you notice the parallel to the very first episode of TWD? Rick, on a horse, at a crossroads, surrounded by zombies - in 1x01 his horse rears and here in 9x04 his horse rears, and in both he ends up getting encroached upon by countless walkers.

[Moon Knight]

Not too mention both times the horse kicked Rick off; almost exactly the same way. This time he wasn’t so lucky. Ouch, man, the feels.

[JDP]

3) Did you notice the parallel to the very first episode of TWD? Rick, on a horse, at a crossroads, surrounded by zombies - in 1x01 his horse rears and here in 9x04 his horse rears, and in both he ends up getting encroached upon by countless walkers. Except that this time Rick being toppled from the horse was quite unnecessary. Unlike the pilot episode, where he was truly surrounded by zombies and closed spaces from all sides and could not have escaped by riding the horse, this time he could easily have maneuvered his way around the encroaching zombies. He had plenty of clear open space around to do this without any zombies whatsoever nearby.

[facestabber]

Best episode yet. GOTDAMN I can’t express how much I loved Rick and Daryl’s arc this episode. I really wish we got Angela Kang a lot sooner. The ending was heartbreaking. If I ever invent time travel I will add a Gimple visit to my list. He won't go past season 5. The last shot had an Ariel view that panned up and away just like the pilot. Tough pill to swallow. There is some irony here. Basically what they are saying is that there is an element of luck to survive in this world. Rick surviving Atlanta was a miracle but he did it. This time he lands on some random metal pipe. Rick Grimes is a legend and I can't say enough how much I respect and appreciate Andrew Lincoln. The guy delivered time and time again.

[Moon Knight]

Except that this time Rick being toppled from the horse was quite unnecessary. Unlike the pilot episode, where he was truly surrounded by zombies and closed spaces from all sides and could not have escaped by riding the horse, this time he could easily have maneuvered his way around the encroaching zombies. He had plenty of clear open space around to do this without any zombies whatsoever nearby. Ffs stop. Please. - - - Updated - - - If I ever invent time travel I will add a Gimple visit to my list. He won't go past season 5. The last shot had an Ariel view that panned up and away just like the pilot. Tough pill to swallow. There is some irony here. Basically what they are saying is that there is an element of luck to survive in this world. Rick surviving Atlanta was a miracle but he did it. This time he lands on some random metal pipe. Rick Grimes is a legend and I can't say enough how much I respect and appreciate Andrew Lincoln. The guy delivered time and time again. That’s what I love about it. It’s so random. It can happen to anyone.

[JDP]

Ffs stop. Please. Did you bother to carefully look at the sequence? Do so before making such "comments". He could easily have avoided the two herds of zombies. Plenty of open space to his right side without any of them around. Could easily have steered the horse in that direction to avoid them.

[Moon Knight]

Did you bother to carefully look at the sequence? Do so before making such "comments". He could easily have avoided the two herds of zombies. Plenty of open space to his right side without any of them around. Could easily have steered the horse in that direction to avoid them. I just don’t see it like that.

[JDP]

I just don’t see it like that. I am not sure how could you see it any other way. It's just the way and the location the sequence was shot. Look at this: https://static2.thisisinsider.com/im...ther-roads.png Now, don't tell me how you can't see that Rick could easily have just steered the horse pretty much anywhere to his right side and easily avoided the advancing zombies. A guy on horseback could easily have maneuvered his way out of this one. Even if there were more zombies coming from the road pointed by the red arrow, he still could easily have gone to the field with the construction materials (also to Rick's right hand), where there also are no zombies whatsoever.

[MinionZombie]

Two different horses, two different scenarios - they both got skittish about the encroaching walkers (understandably so). The sequence had sod all to do with Rick's handling of the horse and all to do with the horse itself and how it got scared. Rick needed to be close to guide the herd, but the horse had enough of that shit and wanted out (even if it only moved to the bottom of the frame in the final shot ... fickle damn thing). So yeah, nothing to do with Rick, everything to do with the horse itself. I doubt any of us would be calm or collected with two herds of flesh-munching zombies coming at us.