The Walking Dead Review: Morning Star (Season 10 Episode 11)
On an episode that pushes its main conflict to the final minutes, The Walking Dead Season 10 Episode 11, “Morning Star,” could easily feel like it’s holding off on the moment the entire season has been edging toward.
Instead, though, it’s a saving grace. So many of the season’s issues, even things that have been left unsaid for so long, are blossoming into character redemptive arcs that fix a lot of the problems. It’s an impressive feat, to clear the board of internal conflict before the enemy appears, and to make it all work as individual pieces.
A lot of props to the writing team for finding a way to make some previously frustrating moments now moments of clarity and acceptance.
First and foremost, there’s Carol. She may not appear in many scenes, but those couple put in extra work to really sell her sense of loneliness and misery that’s built up not only since the cave-in on The Walking Dead Season 10 Episode 9, “Squeeze,” but since the loss of Henry.
Her interactions with Ezekiel, Daryl, and especially Lydia all speak on the loss she has faced and the life she no longer has, and while it’s been clear that has been the issue before, this episode solidifies it by giving Carol the time to express it. Her plea to Daryl not to hate her is the hardest moment of the episode, because it’s easily the one thing she can’t lose, her friendship with him.
It’s what makes his words such a powerful moment. He may not hate her, but he’s not ready to forgive her just yet. It’s an easing on her conscience, exactly what she needs, and Melissa McBride is able to make that sense of relief like bursting out from underwater and taking in as much air as she can. On an episode with a lot of characters and moving pieces, Carol gets the vindication she’s needed and stands out.
Ezekiel’s been fairly sidelined this season, and so it’s fantastic to have him back in the fray. He’s more present and accepting of his cancer now, to the point where he appears to be accepting death as a surety, but isn’t going to give up without a fight. Khary Payton handles that delicate balance through keeping Ezekiel strong but with a sense of vulnerability, especially during his scene with Carol.
The history they both hold may have been halted, but their connection is still there. Opening up to her allows him to open up to Daryl, and while they may not have the best relationship, their mutual respect and love of Carol leaves them with that pact of getting the children out no matter what. Their handshake is a long stretch of tension being put aside for the greater good.
It’s a sentiment that weighs over most of the episode: things unsaid finally being said. The frustration has set in, and it’s like the night before the final battle, where this may be their last chance.
Eugene’s moments end up being the most touching, surprisingly. His chats over the radio have mostly been offscreen, but those few small glimpses do so much to firm up the bond he’s created over that time. He has finally found someone who is perhaps just as geeky as him, where they both push each other to trust when trust is nearly gone now.
There’s even closure on his feelings with Rosita, where she gives him a chance to kiss her and he chooses not to. It’s exactly what his character needs, after so many seasons of awkward rejections. He’s finally come into his own.
This opens up the story to the larger tale, too: what comes after the Whisperers. While they are the current threat, Michonne is off with Virgil (and still, three episodes deep, not in the narrative yet), and now there’s this meeting at the trainyards in a week. It’s not quite confirmed if Michonne is heading to the same community Eugene is talking to, but it’s very likely.
Perhaps the Whisperer war will leave the remaining heroes to head for this new location. The way the battle goes at the end of the episode, there’s certainly a chance that there will be nothing left to fight for. The Whisperers, with Negan at their side with his old tactics coming back into play, leaves them caught between fire and hell.
A quick aside, the “mapalm” flammable syrup bombs that Beta makes is kind of a Canadian thing. Has he learned the secret Canadian weapon from his homeland, or is he just a do-it-yourself kind of guy?
Either way, they are super effective. It’s a wonder if the flames will eat away at the protective wall and expose Hilltop, or if it will simply block everyone from heading back. It continues to reveal how ruthless Alpha is, that her plan isn’t to stop them, but to make them walkers in her horde. It’s a signal that there is no surrender now: there is only the end of the world.
But the question becomes what Negan’s overall plan is. Is it to prove how needed he is to the communities, how he is still dangerous in the wrong hands? Or is it to betray Alpha at the exact last second and to win everyone back? He’s done enough damage to them with the escape routes blocked, so maybe he’s entirely in villain mode again.
Hopefully Gamma doesn’t run off with baby Adam and causes disorganized chaos at the wrong time. There’s this feeling in the air, and a lot of attention, drawn to her wanting to see the child and the pushback, so it’s likely to play into the fall of Hilltop somehow.
With the way The Walking Dead Season 10 Episode 11, “Morning Star,” plays out, there’s this sense of the end finally coming, at least of the norm that’s been in place since season five and to a smaller extent, the time jump during season nine.
There is so much in flux on the show now, but it’s a fascinating place to be. The front half of the season, while having some incredibly strong moments, suffered a little from stretching. Now, though, the show is in overdrive, and it’s electric and exciting.
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.