Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1013 of ‘The Walking Dead’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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​We make a great many decisions over the course of our lives and thankfully, a fair chunk of the decisions we make, are simple in nature. What we wear in the morning, whether or not we have that extra cup of coffee, those are the decisions we make that we think little of, because they have minimal impact on our lives. But there are plenty of moments in life, where the decisions we have to make are supremely difficult in nature. Because the power of the unknown and our fear of failure, sometimes motivates us to play it safe and not asking for that number, or not seizing the moment at work because we hesitated, fills us with regret because we never quite know if we made the right call, or if we just doomed ourselves to a life of loneliness or a menial gig from which there is no escape.
 
That regret, is something that is quite powerful in nature, because too much of it makes us fearful to make important decisions in our lives, the kind that can indeed bring us great joy. Which means that at some point down the line, we need to learn that regret is something that we have to shed, because the choices we make, can sometimes take us to new and exciting places if we take a moment to look at the opportunities that every decision presents us with. Or they can teach us a valuable lesson when they go awry. And it just so happens that these particular notions were explored in great depth during last night’s episode of The Walking Dead. For ‘What We Become’ allowed for Michonne to reflect upon all the important decisions she’s made up to this point, thanks to the fact that her latest decision to do something good and just, backfired horribly shortly after she arrived at Virgil’s supposedly serene island getaway.
 
Of course, at first it seemed as though there was little trouble to be found on this island. For Virgil is still afraid of his own shadow when we catch up with, he and Michonne in this tale. But it doesn’t take long for Michonne to realize that she was dragged to this island for a reason and Virgil finally admits that he did indeed bring her to this out of the way place in the hope that she would grant him a grandiose favor. Because tucked away, in a nearby building, was the family he constantly talked about. And unfortunately, they passed away and turned into the abominations that now walk the Earth, and he was hoping that in exchange for the weapons present on this island, that she would help him put down the reanimated iteration of his family so he could properly bury them and find great peace within his soul.
 
An act that Michonne was of course happy to complete, since it would provide her with everything needed for the fight back home. But once the act was concluded things quickly went south, thanks to a startling discovery. For Michonne heard human whispers while she was out and about late at night and that surprise led to the truth about Virgil in that, he was a damaged man. One that was eager to trap Michonne within a room out of fear of personal harm, and while she was locked away, she came to meet his former coworkers who informed her that long ago, after Virgil and the research crew took in a large number of survivors, bad things came forth, the kind that prompted Virgil to contain the trouble before it spread. And that decision locked his family within that building of death and well, losing them because of a poor decision broke Virgil through and through and this is where the story’s grand exploration on decision making as a whole, got underway.

​Because in essence, Virgil was completely and utterly shattered in regard to the tough call he made and while that makes sense, since hey… he lost his family, the fact of the matter is; the decision was made. There was no going back and changing it and he had to learn to live with it. And while his story examined the regret and the fear that comes with making a rough call in fascinating fashion, it also took the time to show us how sometimes, not taking a chance can take us down an uglier road and that was handled by way of Michonne and one trippy, drug induced, ‘What if?’ sequence. One where Michonne chose to let Andrea die instead of helping her. Which put her on a dark path that eventually led to her becoming a Savior, only to lose her life at the hands of her true love during ‘All Out War’ and well, while this was harrowing to watch, it served as a fine reminder for Michonne that every choice she made was worthwhile.  
 
Plus, this trip reinforced the fact that choosing good above all else, is really the only way to go in life. Since it allows for vengeance and darkness to stay out of one’s heart and making decisions that help others, engenders others to do good, as evidenced by the conclusion of the mess involving Virgil. For Michonne eventually escaped his grasp and spared his life, and in turn so did his former coworkers. Because this was the better way and her mercy… taught Virgil some valuable lessons. For he came to understand that fear and doubt have no place in this horrific and savage world, and he has to heal in order to survive. But while it was nice to see that Michonne is at a point in her life where making tough decisions no longer phases her, just reinforcing that fact and nothing more would have closed this story out in hollow nature. It simply needed more and thankfully; the story found a way to bring this exploration to a powerful close.
 
Because as Michonne collected her things and prepared to figure out a way back home, sadly without any weapons, she stumbled across Rick’s boots. And that discovery in turn, led her to a boat that clearly her love was once aboard and this was the proper way to hammer home the fact that sometimes, making the hard call and embracing the risky decision is worth our while. For now, she knows that Rick Grimes is indeed alive and well, and that she has to do whatever it takes to find him and see him home safely. And the final images of this episode, not only paid a fine tribute to Michonne and Danai Gurira, but they served to remind us just how far this character has come during her time on the series, and how every tough moment and every tough call have made her into a genuine heroine, one that will save more lives as she searches for the man she loves.
 
In the end, this really was a fitting send off for such an iconic character, one that does a fine job of leaving the door open for her return. But all potential and applause aside, what truly made this episode worth our while, is the sheer fact that this is as old school as it gets for The Walking Dead. For long ago, before the Saviors and the Whisperer War; the characters and commentary in this vein were an important focus for this series. Which made it nice to revisit that one more time, and it should be interesting to see what the future holds for Michonne and her quest. But in the here and the now, it’s time to return to Alexandria and see what the fallout will come about from Carol’s power play. For Beta is still out there, and the time has come for him to decide if the future is filled with war, or healing. Until next time.

One of the things that I love most about horror movies is the comedy that is sporadically added in to make light of what is happening on the screen. Now don’t get me wrong, I love the blood and scares, but you have to have something to laugh at in these movies since you are seeing the worst of the worst on screen. I am new to the Caesar and Otto movies and I must admit that I am now a bought in fan after watching their Paranormal Halloween. Shall we just jump right in then?

Caesar is an out of work actor that wants to make his impression on Hollywood, but until he is able to get some money, he is taking whatever job he can find. Finding a job being a babysitter, he is sticking to the script that he has seen in movies, especially when it comes to being a very attractive babysitter. When Otto comes over and finds his half-brother dressed up as a young woman, he wants to stay and chill, but with no boys allowed in the house, he is forced to make the transformation as well. When watching the news and hearing that a mental patent of the same name of the house owner’s has escaped, the boys are ready to get out of there, but their fear has come to life, the mad killer is in the house with them. Being able to make it out of the house, the boys see their father pull up to take them to safety, but what he does not see when he pulls up is that he has run over the killer, putting everyone’s fears to bed.
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Being given a key to the city for their efforts in taking out the madman, the boys are looking to make a couple of extra bucks, but the mayor will not let them sell the key since he has a different task for them. Needing someone to watch his summer home, Caesar and Otto along with their fathers have a house to live in with all of the perks that they could have ever wanted. With a gardener and a cook waiting to serve them at their convenience and ex Playboy bunnies living next to them, life is good, but there is something strange about the house itself. With everyone that has stayed in the house going crazy and killing their families, the boys think little about what could drive them crazy, they just need money and a roof over their heads. Trying to think about a way to make money while watching the house, the two see strange things happening all around them, but Caesar will not admit that the house is haunted, he just wants to get his new screenplay written and be done with it.

When Gilda warms up to him, Caesar is on top of the world and comes up with his idea for a great horror movie, but his old psychiatrist comes to him and tells him the story has already been done, and now Caesar has to find a way to come up with a better movie altogether. Talking with his neighbors about what is hot in the genre, Caesar tries to work on a found footage movie that will scare the pants off of anyone that watches it, but nothing happens while the cameras are on and he is in need of more action. All the while, the dads are digging in the basement and finding old bottles of wine that could net the family a small fortune, but they continue to drink their cash cow and it may cause more of an issue than just getting them drunk. When talking to the mayor about their find, it comes out that there is a hallucinogen in the bottles that make people believe they are seeing strange things, but at the Halloween party, all hell breaks loose as guests are being taken out by an unseen killer. 

It is hard not to find something that you really like out of his movie and there are many more storylines that I did not hit up in this. It is just good old-fashioned fun and you get countless cameos of your favorite horror icons. I will have to catch another one of these movies in the series since it did leave quite the smile on my face when it ended and even though it is hokey, it has plenty of scares and a story that you have pay attention to make sure you did not miss one clue. It’s really a fun movie and you are not disappointed when the credits start to roll. Stay Scared.

There is one thing that nobody can take from you and that is your memories. It is your life and you have gotten through it using your memories to tell you what is right, wrong, safe and dangerous. But what if you lost all of your memories? Would you still be the same person? Without knowing who you are, much less who anyone else is around you, you may find yourself in a losing situation until you are able to start remembering what you have forgotten.

The man wakes up on a bed inside of a lifeless room when a woman comes in to take care of him. Not knowing where he is, or what happened, the woman tells him that he has been in an accident and has hurt his brain. Telling him she is his wife, the man has to believe everything that she is telling him since he cannot remember one thing from his life before waking up, but he is having a strange dream all of the time that might hold the answers to who he is and what he is doing in this strange house.

Asking questions to his wife, the man gets very short answers like she is trying to hide something from him. Not wanting to talk about her past, the woman only wants to look forward to the future. The man is thrown off by this, but there is little he is able to do since he does not know what is happening around him. Being able to get out of bed and limp around the house, the man starts to investigate when his wife is off at the store. Following the cats down to the basement, the man stumbles onto a secret that his wife did not want him to find, a dead body.

Rushing back upstairs to not be discovered, the man is knocked out by his wife and she starts to conduct shock treatment on him to make him feel happier. Becoming a prisoner in the house, the man is looking for any way to escape the clutches of whomever this woman really is. As guests start to arrive at the porch of the house, the man is able to make himself heard, but the woman of the house will not have anyone breaking up their family. With more deaths taking place, the woman promises to make it end if she is able to get pregnant. The man does not know what to do about this, but when he finds that he already has a daughter of his own, Audrey, he wants to get her to safety before the mad woman is able to harm either of them again… or so he thinks.
 
Pretty much a mind screw type of a movie and if you pay close attention, you are able to pick up a couple clues that will lead you to the ending. But you have to really be paying attention to find them. I am still in shock on how the story played out and when you start seeing the woman basically torturing the man, you are not too sure that the couple is really together. That is where the mind screw truly comes into play and with the minimal items around the house, you are able to tell that there is something behind how everything is laid out. With a small yet powerful cast, you are not left wanting anything more from this movie as it ties up all the loose ends when you don’t expect it. Stay Scared.

Alternative history is nothing new to the world of fiction. Because ‘what if?’ is a fun game to play for creative minds and some of the finest out there have been able to create fascinating worlds where history played out in vastly different fashion and that’s allowed for us to explore what the modern world might look like if say, the Nazis won World War II. But while that particular concept has brought about some fascinating stories over the years, changes to the timeline, revolving around war, do seem to be a popular way to go with this notion in popular media. But once in a while, a big-time publisher or a network take a chance on something different in regard to this concept and last night, Freeform premiered a new series that offers up an interesting alternative history concept for all of us to chew upon.
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For Motherland: Fort Salem presents us with a world where the Salem Witch Trials ended quite differently. Because actual witches in that time, were able to prove their powers were real and that show of strength allowed for them to strike a deal with their captors. In that, if these men let them be and acknowledged their power, these witches would fight alongside them in war and help them win. And they were true to their word and aided colonial forces and eventually American forces in conflict after conflict, creating a modern world where witchcraft is now commonplace, and witches are held in the highest regard. For they still fight the big fights and in 2020, witches are now facing the fight of their lives. Because a strange group of terrorists known as The Spree are working to harm innocents around the world with magic, and it will be up to America’s witch army to save the planet from this twisted scourge.

Which is, a fascinating concept to explore and really, the worldbuilding is what makes this series premiere quite worth the audience’s while. Because ‘Say the Words’ immediately sucks you into this universe and you quickly find yourself hanging onto every moment, in order to get a little snippet from the news or the characters in regard to how this world was created and oddly enough, it is the characters in this tale and their views of the chaotic world they live in, that helps to paint a broader picture of this unique version of America. For we come to learn that this alternate United States really isn’t that different from the one we currently live in. Because this magical America is embroiled in endless war, and expected to be the planet’s police force, and the commentary present on all of that comes through loud and clear.

Yet while this entire set up is indeed fascinating in its own right, we do need to discuss those colorful characters in greater detail. For in this particular tale we are introduced to three key witches; Raelle, Tally and Abigail and each one of them bring some conflict and balance to the story and this premiere focuses heavily on Raelle and Abigail. For they are two polar opposites, since Abigail is witch royalty since her family has been in the service for generations and they’ve made incredible contributions to the endless war effort. While Raelle is a young witch who is questioning the system and whether or not continuous war is a good thing since her mother died in combat and their conflict is fascinating and powerful since it leaves us to wonder whether or not they will come together as a unit.

Plus, there’s definitely trouble for this trio to deal with as well, since a member of the Spree is at Fort Salem and Scylla has entered into a relationship with Raelle, which should bring about some unique drama in the weeks to come and it should be interesting to see if Scylla is going to try and use Raelle’s concerns about the witch army to recruit her… or if she’s here to straight up wreak havoc. Either way, as far series premieres go, this one is pretty solid. For it does a fine job of building the world we are about to explore with these characters, and we get to know our main characters fairly well and there is plenty at stake since the Spree indeed has a cause and a plan, and they will seemingly stop at nothing to get it. Which means, this should be quite the unpredictable ride, one that will be worth watching since we haven’t a clue where it is going to take us. Until next time.  

​There are questions out there that nobody should have to answer, but in some instances, you may need to think about it. With how difficult it is to live our everyday life you might experience the discomfort of having to think about it on another level. Being asked the question of who lives and who dies, you will see where your allegiances lie, but should you ever really have to choose? If you are put into a situation where it is your life and wellbeing over someone else’s, someone that you have feelings for, who would you give the free pass to, yourself or someone else?

Cameron’s life is far from where he expected it to be at this point, especially when his mother moved him and his niece back to their grandparent’s home. With Cameron’s sister Caitlin being strung out on drugs all of the time, Angie has found a home with her grandmother and favorite Uncle. But the house is far from inviting since Cameron’s Uncle Joey is a drunken mess and his grandparents are not very helpful around the house. Cameron knows that Angie needs her mother more than ever after being shacked up in the house and when Cameron’s mom heads out of town, he has the perfect opportunity to make it happen for the little girl.

Arriving at Caitlin’s apartment, Cameron notices that the neighbors are fighting about something but his sister begs him to let it be. Hearing a crash on the other side of the wall, Cameron jumps into action to help with whatever is happening. Seeing a woman in hysterics, Cameron tries to understand what is happening and when he sees little Angie walk into the baby's room and the door shut suddenly behind her, he knows something is amiss. When the door opens, he sees his niece standing against the wall in shame, but when he sees what is in her eyes, he knows that there is something sinister happening to her and needs to find the solution, especially before his mother gets home.

When conventional methods do not seem to be helping his niece, Cameron heads back to his sister's neighbor’s apartment and finds out what is really happening. Being possessed by a demon that feeds off of the souls of children, Cameron is on a tight timetable and must sacrifice six blood relatives in six days to save the little girl. If this does not happen, Angie will be taken to the depths of hell and feasted on by the demon for all eternity. With this being an exhausting undertaking, Cameron is faced with the question of which loved ones will be sacrificed to save his niece, but the first one is handed to him when he discovers his grandma is lying on the floor when he returns home. Putting the mark on her, he sees the beast come out from under the bed to claim its prize, but with only a limited amount of time, Cameron will need to work fast and decide which one of his family members will go next.

I like the premise of the story, it seems like something that a demon would love to do, have someone kill in its name or claim a great bounty. It was good to see how Cameron had to deal with the decisions he was forced to make to save the life of his innocent niece. With so many family members that seem to have issues with everyone that lives in the house, you would think it would be easy to identify which ones would go, but it was not a task that came easy to Cameron and it was nice to see him think long and hard about it. I would hate to have to come to the decision of who will have to die to allow someone to live, I am pretty sure I would fail at the test. But this movie did a great job at showing us how families should stick together, even in the worst situations imaginable. Stay Scared.

It is hard to find someone you can trust these days, but there are some people that you might consider family that you will go to with any problem. You never know what your friends or family will do with the information that you provide them, and they should at least listen to make sure that there is something to your stories. If they don’t even try to fathom what you are telling them, there may be a separation that is needed, since you should never have to prove yourself to a member of your family. Knowing what is wrong and what is right in your own mind, your loved ones are the ones that should have your back no matter what and if they don’t, you may need to start looking for replacements.

Ed is worried about his little brother Martin and wants to have an intervention with his sister there. But Lyla is not too happy about how Ed is going about getting support for his cause. Listening to the message that Martin had left on his machine, Ed fears that his post-traumatic stress has gotten the best of him and he may have to go back to the doctor for further evaluation. But when arriving at the lake house away from the world, Ed and Lyla see that Martin is far beyond gone, but when listening to his stories, he might actually be on to something.

Martin has wrapped his house up to keep any signals from entering or leaving the premises and knows that it is working since nobody has come to the home. When seeing his brother and sister, he fears for their safety and begs them to turn around and leave the house, but when they refuse, Martin opens up about what he knows. Being in the service, Martin claims that he was tested on while on the battlefield and now he has found one of the other test subjects in the woods. Bringing the pod into the house, Martin is sure that the basement will keep it secure and he will be able to protect the outside world from it. As Lyla is starting to believe what Martin is saying after seeing some evidence that might be pointing that way, Ed is on the other side of the fence and wants to prove to his brother once and for all, that his problems are all in his head.

Thinking that he is the cause of this, Martin takes his own life in front of his siblings. Without a phone to call for help, Ed and Lyla are stuck in the house with a decision to make about what to do next. Ed wants to prove that what is in the basement is not a pod like what his brother has been boasting about since they arrived. But when he gets down into the basement, Ed finds out that is brother was not wrong at all and the scratches he receives from the beast down there cause a powerful burning sensation on his flesh. With their car disabled, Lyla has to make a run for it to try and get some help for her brother. But when flagging down a stranger on the road, Lyla finds out firsthand, of the danger that her dead brother was talking about.

Wow, this movie really caught me off guard, but in a good way. I did not know what to expect after seeing Martin on the screen having his breakdowns, but he was far from the center of the story. Watching Ed trying to convince his sister that he is right about everything is something that I would expect to see behind closed doors when siblings disagree. I really liked how the movie was shot, there are shadows and light right where they need to be and when the lights go out in the house, I expected a lot more to happen, but how that played out, is what surprised me. You get little tastes of your fear and not the whole apple until the movie is willing to give it to you. Stay Scared.

​Finding that one best friend in life can be easier for some than for others. You never know who you can trust, but once you are lucky enough to find them, you are attached at the hip for the rest of your days. I have met several people that have been able to form a lifelong bond like this in a matter of days or weeks and that is just amazing to me. It takes me much longer to open up to someone that I even think I can trust, but that is what good friends are meant to do, they wait for the opportunity, even if you are not ready.

Rose has kidnapped her best friend Lissa from the academy to keep her safe from the terrors that have already taken place there. But Rose knows that she is not in the clear yet, especially from the Strigoi vampires that are looking to take out young Lissa, the last of her line. Keeping to the shadows, the two have been doing fine for several months, but the guardians from the academy want Lissa back to assume her position with the other heads of the families, since they have kept their traditions alive for generations. Not knowing what to expect when returning to her home away from home, Rose is almost not allowed back on the academy grounds, but Lissa is able to convince the headmaster to let her friend come along for the ride.

Not everyone on the campus is happy to see Lissa come back as she is one of the next in line to take over the academy when the current queen steps down, and there is a jealous girlfriend in the mix, one that will do anything to get her man to stop looking at his ex. With everyone’s eyes on her, Lissa is uncomfortable with the situation and Rose is privy to seeing some of her most telling secrets. Knowing that there is something amiss on the campus when their favorite teacher has moved on, Rose is forced back into her guardian training if she is going to be at Lissa’s side going forward. With the greatest Strigoi hunter teaching her how to handle herself, Rose wants more, and her teacher Dimitri is happy to continue their lessons after hours. Learning how to fight, Rose is now ready to help when the time is needed, but she needs to worry more about her friend's abilities and if she is using them the right way.

After being berated in front of the academy by the queen, Lissa is tired of everything that is being said and done to her. Being able to embrace her powers of persuasion, she is able to become the most loved girl on campus, but this is not the right way. Getting a front row seat to seeing what is going on, Rose knows that her friend is losing it and could be making the wrong decisions with the power she has. Trying to explain this to her friend and seeing all of the crazy messages that have been placed at or around Lissa by a pissed off ex, Rose is starting to understand why everyone wants Lissa out of the way. Needing to get her friend back and keep her safe from harm is what Rose is charged with, but can she be held accountable to it if her friend does not recognize the problems at her own fingertips?

This movie might not have fit the mold for the normal vampire stories that I like to watch or read, but you know what, it was actually pretty good. More of a coming of age story for both Rose and Lissa who have relied on each other to live in the real world and now have to find strength when being back at the academy. I liked the explanation of the different type of vampires that roam the streets at night; such as the Moroi who are the nice ones that live like normal people. As opposed to the Strigoi who kill anyone and everyone that get in their way. And there are some extra powers that you never get to hear about, like controlling the elements, a nice little twist, especially when it comes to becoming one of the popular kids on campus. I would say this movie is harmless and actually good for the younger crowd that wants the sweet intro into the vampire lore, and it makes a little fun of Twilight, so that makes it A-OK in my book. Happy Viewing and Stay Scared.

Hope. That’s a word that is oddly synonymous with The Walking Dead. Because the good people of Alexandra have never backed down from a fight, regardless of the evil they face or the odds that are stacked against them. And they always meet their incredible challenges with their heads held high and they always find a way to exude the best parts of humanity as they endure incredible hardships, and all of those elements are what give the audience genuine hope. Because their actions remind us, that unity and genuine good can indeed overcome anything. But for the first time ever on the series, hope has been hard to come by, thanks to Alpha and her twisted Whisperers.
 
Because their underhanded actions and disregard for humanity have brought forth some serious heartache. And despite trying to hold tight to their ideals and their optimism, Alpha has found ways to break these fine people, to the point where they sink to her level. But last night’s episode of the series took the darkness hanging over this series to a whole new level. For ‘Walk With Us’ saw the Whisperers make an incredible push to end this war in swift and brutal fashion and well, for the most part, this is a tale that robbed the audience of any hope they had left, and the first major blow that stunned both the audience and our characters, came about in the opening moments of this tale.
 
For despite the best efforts of everyone at Hilltop, this once idyllic and proud community was brought to its knees and its end thanks to Alpha’s assault and this was, a devastating sequence of events to watch. Because the people of this this beautiful little oasis in a sea of the dead, have endured some incredibly tough times and found ways to press on regardless of the odds. But on this night, fire brought it to the ground and the dead handled the rest and it was simply heartbreaking to see the shattered faces of the people who worked to keep Hilltop going and called it home, as it burned all around them and really, this sequence set the tone for this tale and the hardships experienced here, were the bare beginnings of a tough story filled with loss and utterly bleak moments.
 
Much of those elements were explored by way of two key segments and the first one of note, involved Mary and a bold decision she made while she, Alden and Kelly and Adam were on the road. For the dead were following them every single step of the way, and rather than let her nephew come into harm’s way, she secured him and her other two road buddies within an abandoned minivan so she could handle the dead one on one. And while she was successful in her endeavor and saved the day, she ran into a bitter and angry Beta, and he took the time to end her life in slow and painful fashion. But not before she was able to damage his mask and reveal part of his face, to the point where he was recognized by another Whisperer. But what matters more here, is that Mary’s long and winding road to redemption was cut short by Beta’s fury and while it’s a shame that her end came about in such brutal fashion, at least she left this story as a true heroine since little Adam will live on.   

​As for the rest of the bleakness, well that involved young Judith Grimes. Who was reeling from the fact that she had to kill her first human since she put down a Whisperer at the Battle of Hilltop and while she and the other children took a moment to rest at a safehouse with Earl, trouble was brewing in silence. For a walker had sunk its teeth into Earl during the escape from Hilltop and that meant he was forced to make a difficult and heartbreaking decision. Because Earl knew he couldn’t put the kids at risk, so he put Judith in charge of this tiny group before making an attempt to damage his brain, so he wouldn’t return from death. But alas, his aim was off and once again, Judith was forced to make a difficult kill, one that would hammer home just how difficult a world she is going to grow up in. 
 
Yet, while all of these losses and ugly moments made it seem as though the sky was falling and the show was about to go into supremely dark territory, that’s when the story outright surprised us. Because there was some hope to be found after all in this particular tale. For some quick thinking on Daryl and Jerry’s part, led to Judith and the other children being reunited with their families, and it was equally as poignant and powerful to see Daryl comfort his niece in exactly the manner she needed. Plus, Eugene is still making plans for a future since he’s heading off to meet his radio sweetheart and to top it all off, Magna returned to civilization and revealed that she and Connie escaped by walking with the dead, and while this wasn’t a perfectly happy moment, since Connie is likely still out there in the horde, it was nice to see people still fighting against the odds.
 
But truly the centerpiece of this particular tale, was its ending, since it offered up a stunning twist in the war effort and it just so happened to involve Negan. Because he saw an opportunity to solidify his standing as Alpha’s true confidant by bringing her Lydia. And despite an odd interaction with Aaron, where he claimed to be on Alexandria’s side, it truly seemed as though he had finally turned his back on that community and a normal life in general. But when presented with the opportunity to get Alpha away from her flock and in an isolated place, Negan finally redeemed himself for his many crimes as the leader of the Saviors, by stopping Alpha right in her tracks with a swift flick of his knife. And it also turns out that Negan escaping and infiltrating the Whisperers was part of a grand plan to bring us to this moment, one orchestrated by Carol and thanks to Negan’s dedication to deception, this bloody war may have ended before it spirals out of hand.
 
Because the Whisperers will be listless and without direction now that their fearless leader’s head is lying at Carol’s feet and this really was one hell of a twist. Because it really did seem as though the war was going to continue along in bloody and brutal fashion but now, there’s a chance for peace after all. For now, Negan or someone from Alexandria can offer an olive branch to the Whisperer remnant and show them a better way and the life that Mary was ready to embrace. But while this twist offers some relief from the heartbreak and an inkling of hope once again, a smooth end to the war does depends on one particular wild card; Beta. Because if he is unable to let go of what Alpha taught him, and accept a normal life once again, well he may cause trouble since he is just as unrestrained as his late master. But regardless of what the future holds, this was one incredible episode for certain. For it truly took our breath away with some incredible moments and it will be interesting to see where things go from here now that Alpha is dead. Until next time.

Normally in horror stories, the final showdown between the protagonist (or protagonists) and the great evil that populates said story is a fairly structured affair. One where the forces of good have figured out evil’s weakness and they overcome every obstacle imaginable, both internally and externally, in order to fight this agent of darkness and they often come out victorious. If anything, that particular structure to horror stories makes them quite satisfying in the end, if not a touch formulaic here and there. But while that is a lovely way to handle the final act of a scary story, one has to wonder what that final battle would look like, if the forces of good were woefully underprepared to fight.
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For that would create a vastly different kind of tale, one that would offer up unexpected twists and turns and some potentially horrifying moments and it just so happens, that the season one finale of Locke & Key, felt the need to take us down that more disorganized and darker path. For ‘Crown of Shadows’ brought the Locke children face to face with Dodge at her strongest and well, they really weren’t ready for this battle. After all, they only had a rudimentary understanding of the magic that flows within the walls of their house, so when the big moment arrived and Dodge and her haunted army appeared on their doorstep, they improvised with interesting results.

Because they were actually able to hold their own against Dodge and her shadow soldiers, and they were able to improvise in order to keep themselves safe from harm and thanks to some quick thinking from Bode, they were able to win the fight and wound Dodge badly. Which afforded them the opportunity to ponder upon how they could potentially put an end to this nightmare once and for all and well, that led Tyler and Kinsey to execute a dangerous plan. One where they would call in a little help and drag an unconscious Dodge to the Sea Caves so they could toss her back into that other realm, and oddly enough, it was a plan that worked and just like that, it seemed as though life was going to return to normal for this battered family.

But the happy ending, really doesn’t seem like something that would fit within the framework of a story this intelligent and this dynamic and as it turns out a joyous finale was nothing more than a ruse. For as the ending rolled along, we came to learn that not knowing one’s enemy and fighting them on the fly can lead to disaster. Because in essence, the Locke family underestimated Dodge and in doing so, they allowed for some serious mistakes to happen. For Dodge used the Identity Key to slip away from the fight at just the right moment, which means the ‘Dodge’ the kids threw into another dimension, was Ellie all along. And to complicate matters further, it turns out that she’s been using that Key for some time now to keep close to Kinsey, since Dodge is also Gabe.

Which means that this monster is simply biding its time and what’s worse, it now has a genuine ally in this world as well. For another demon came through the portal and infected Eden and two of these beings will undoubtedly cause incredible trouble for this family in the future. In the end, however, this really was a stellar season finale. Because it took us on a thrilling ride that was filled to the brim with all kinds of surprises. But while the shock ending was definitely worth our while, what matters more is that the Locke family healed over the course of this season, and they learned a lot about themselves and character growth is always a wonderful thing to see in any story and it’s a good thing they’ve found some newfound strength in their new home. Because they’re going to need it in future seasons when Dodge and her new friend make their move to seize the magic of Key House. Until next season.  

​There is nothing wrong with learning about history, in fact, I rather encourage it. Knowing what other people have done in the past and what happened because of it is a good way to gauge what you should do next. So many people stop studying history when they get out of school, but there is so much more than what is taught in the textbooks that has relevance to our everyday lives. You should never stop learning no matter how old you are, there could be something that catches your attention that you might need to know for the future. 

The Wade family is moving from their home in Los Angeles to a small town in Mexico to start their lives over. Elliot Wade has found the perfect opportunity to make some money and a better life for his family by taking over a doll factory. While he is excited about this, his family is not, but they know that staying together is what they have to do to survive. Showing his daughter Jessica what dolls, he will be making, she perks up a little bit, but it might not be enough to keep her happy. Upon arriving at his new factory, Elliot sees that it has not been kept up since the previous owner had passed away, but there is something else on the factory floor that he did not expect to find.

A couple Dolly Dearest dolls that have been left in the factory are ready for the taking and when seeing them, Jessica really wants one. Taking her pick, her new friend will stay with her at all times. Seeing how her daughter has taken to the new doll, Marilyn starts to feel like something is wrong. Not wanting to give up the doll at all hours of the day does not seem right and then she starts to hear a scratchy voice coming from her daughter’s playhouse. Going to investigate, Marilyn does not fully understand what is happening, but she is starting to fear for her daughter’s safety. Knowing that there is something wrong with the doll, she turns to her former housekeeper’s sister to find out what she knows and the answer is very unsettling.

Next to the factory, a dig site has been opened up and at first glance it appears to be Mayan ruins, but when Karl Resnick comes to town, he finds out it is Sanzian. The Sanzian being an old group that worshipped the devil on earth, they bore a Devil Child that almost destroyed their civilization. Wanting to find out what really happened back in the day, Karl continues to work at the site, but has no idea what evil could be lying beneath his own feet. When stopping a crazy woman from burning down the dig site, Karl is told about the legend that he is digging for, but with deaths happening around the area, the locals believe that the soul of the Devil Child has returned and is seeking blood. With the Dolly Dearest dolls walking and talking, there is little to argue about this point and now the family is faced with destroying these dolls before it is too late.

You know what, I really don’t like dolls and I don’t care who knows it. These are creepy little lifeless things that have eyes that peer into your soul and now, I can see it is true, at least in movie form. The character transformation that Jessica went through in this movie was great and as Marilyn tries to ween the doll away from her, well it is nothing less than fantastic. A demonic doll on the loose might be one the scariest things out there, at least to me, and I can see why other people have the same fears that I do. It is an older movie, but the scares deliver where they should, and you even get a little bit of blood and freaky faced dolls to go along with it. Stay Scared.