The Walking Dead Review: The Other Side (Season 7 Episode 14)

With the season finale fast approaching, The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 14, “The Other Side,” mostly involves a lot of planning, hiding, and talking.

We know that everyone in Alexandria and the Kingdom are gearing up to fight, and the wordless montage at the beginning of “The Other Side” shows us that some folks at the Hilltop have been preparing, too, under Maggie and Sasha’s guidance.

That is, until Rosita shows up, bringing things back to the end of “Say Yes,” and she and Sasha embark on a mission to take Negan down on their own.

Their trek to Negan’s compound probably would have been a lot more enjoyable if the two characters actually got along, but instead, we have to watch Rosita be snippy and cold towards Sasha for most of the episode, as she’s still angry about Sasha and Abraham’s relationship.

I understand that Rosita is still reeling from Abraham’s death, especially considering what their relationship was like at the time of his death, but it’s frustrating to watch two competent, capable women be reduced to their romantic history with the same man.

They should be on the same side, but instead they’re just begrudgingly working together.

Their bonding scene near the end of the episode is too little too late. Yes, it is nice that Rosita feels like she can talk to Sasha about her past and her complicated feelings about Abraham and how their relationship ended…

But that’s probably all we’re going to get of an amicable relationship between those two since Sasha tricks Rosita and goes in alone, forcing Rosita to turn back.

Sasha taking what is likely a one-way trip into the compound is not that surprising. The bonding scene with Rosita and earlier scenes with Jesus and Enid all feel a bit like a send-off for Sasha. Goodbyes are said. Things are patched up. She mentions that Abraham would have wanted to go out fighting, and now that’s exactly what she’s going to do.

The rest of the episode takes place back at the Hilltop, where there’s yet another shakedown from the Saviors.

One of the better moments of the B-plot is a quiet scene between Daryl and Maggie, who insists that Glenn’s death wasn’t his fault. The subject hasn’t really come up since Dwight tortured Daryl with the idea back on “The Cell,” and it’s a relief to see Daryl be reassured and forgiven.

This moment happens, however, while they’re hiding in a cellar from the Saviors, since Daryl escaped and Maggie is supposed to be dead, so that’s about the extent of their excitement for “The Other Side.”

At the beginning of the season, there was an anxious tension any time the Saviors came around when someone — or something — was hidden, but that tension either disappears or becomes grating when the same thing happens over and over.

The shakedowns really are getting old, so hopefully this is the last we’ll see of them for the season.

Or maybe it will be the last Savior shakedown ever, depending on the outcome of these last two episodes of Season 7. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• Jesus mentions that in the past he had trouble getting close to friends — or boyfriends. And now The Walking Dead’s LGBTQ+ community has grown from three to four!
• Gregory is still a coward and easily influenced by the Saviors, and water is still wet.
• So about Eugene — A) he has a plan to take down Negan and that’s why he didn’t want to leave; B) he has no plan, but knows that if he escapes, the Saviors will kill more of his friends, and that’s why he didn’t want to leave; or C) he really has gone to the dark side. What do you think?

What did you think of “The Other Side”? Share with us in the comments below!

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The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

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