The Walking Dead Review: Guardians (Season 9 Episode 12)
On The Walking Dead Season 9 Episode 12, “Guardians,” loyalty is tested and lessons are learned.
The large focus on the Whisperers continues, where we see how they live and how their population works in unison. It’s a ramshackle affair, but goes along with how Alpha considers everyone no better than animals, living in the woods without much shelter.
The episode works mainly on building the friction of how communities stand all these years removed from normalcy. Alexandria and the Whisperers could not be farther from each other in terms of structure, but each has its power at an imbalance.
Alpha appears to believe in treating her followers like a pack of wild dogs, where no one is above the rest beyond her. But after risking her people in rescuing her daughter, Lydia, the cracks in the system shows it’s not perfect.
Her brutal methods of keeping the Whisperers in line is a rather surprising sight. The Walking Dead has never shied from brutality, but there’s something about the decapitation of her challenger which really shows the lengths Alpha will go to keep her power.
The difference in Alexandria’s struggle is far more civil, a far cry in how Michonne and her people settle disagreements.
The council is imperfect, as shown in Michonne’s veto power rendering every vote useless if she disagrees; but it shows that there is distrust in the other communities, something the time jump has so far left a mystery, but its effects have left everything wildly broken.
Negan finally gets another scene. His attempts to barter release is an intriguing avenue for the show to go down. The way it’s handled is with an air of potential. Negan as a lead, after so long as a villain, would take a lot of heavy lifting.
Michonne remembers the horrors he caused, the pain he leaves in his wake. But Judith sees him in a completely different light, knowing only the man who listens to her. With so many years gone by since Rick disappeared, Negan is treated as a relic of the past, leaving Judith to see him as redeemable.
The show is putting out feelers to the audience just as much as the characters. Can we accept Negan as a free man, potentially a good guy after all the harm he has caused?
With Jeffrey Dean Morgan so entertaining in the role, and Negan showing remorse (despite still being quite crass), it could be another major step toward the show’s future direction and a means of sustainability as it begins the growing pains of losing so many of its main stars.
It’s fascinating to see the Whisperers crowd around Alpha and Lydia as they travel. They move almost like a swarm of bees protecting the queen, constantly shuffling in circles throughout the conversation. It’s still a really neat visual, several episodes after it’s first seen.
Beta (Ryan Hurst) is an arresting addition to the cast as Alpha’s confidante and right-hand man. His towering stature and blind loyalty to her makes him feel like a massive threat to any who comes in his path.
Alpha’s total distrust in Lydia is an element I hope is explored more. It almost feels as though Alpha sees her own failings in her daughter, and does everything in her power to darken her soul in order for Alpha to appear stronger to herself.
Her loyalty test, of Lydia being told to kill Henry, is a moment where the answer is given, that Lydia is not too far gone yet. To be fair, the moment is disrupted, but her escape with Daryl, Henry, and Connie does show there is something to be saved still.
The end scene, where Daryl and Connie use the walkers against the Whisperers, is a fantastic reversal of fortune. It’s a nice change of pace for main characters to adapt so quickly to their enemy, and to use their strength in controlling the walkers against them.
The season appears to be building toward the big fair the Kingdom will hold. The decision to isolate or band together as the Whisperers reveal themselves will likely play into the remainder of the season.
“Guardians” finds The Walking Dead building a foundation of how one community can thrive on togetherness while another remains out of fear. It’s a strong episode about the ways leaders use or abuse their power, and helps maintain a solid footing toward the remaining episodes.
Some stray thoughts:
- The Gabriel and Rosita will they or won’t they is a little bit of a drag on the episode. But it does give both Seth Gilliam and Christian Serratos something to do while the story focus is on bigger things, so it’s something!
- Henry still has problems with becoming a piece of plot more than a character, where he is captured within moments of finding the Whisperers. Ezekiel has not taught him well. Hopefully, if he makes it out of this, Carol can give him some tips.
- While the Daryl and Connie team-up only lasts a scene or two, it does have Daryl’s dog retrieving an arrow for him… only to break it upon its return. It’s a fun little side moment, which hopefully there are more of.
What did you think of this episode of The Walking Dead? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.