‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ Recap – ‘Everybody Wins a Prize’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Mahina Anne Marie Napoleon and Lauren Cohan as Ginny and Maggie Rhee in Episode 104 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ – ‘Everybody Wins a Prize’. (Photo Courtesy of Peter Kramer/AMC.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One thing that fans of the AMC series, The Walking Dead: Dead City, can agree upon, is that the series is nothing short of a masterclass character study, and a stark reminder of the wonder of world-building. For week in and week out, this series has done a wonderful job of painting a grand picture of what the world of the dead looks like post TWD, and of course… how people are surviving in Manhattan despite it being filled to the brim with millions of corpses. And of course… we’ve come to learn a lot about the characters and from the characters. Since each episode has taken the time to properly reflect upon how the events of the flagship series, and the apocalypse as a whole… have impacted Maggie Rhee and Negan Smith, and how the darkness of this world has put them through some serious struggles and setbacks… despite their quest to be better people.
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But while it has been a true delight to be treated to stories in that vein on a weekly basis, it was of course… only a matter of time before the action and adventure this franchise is known for as well, took the center stage and put the more intimate stuff on the backburner. If only for a little while. For Maggie and Negan’s mission has always been to take on the Croat and reclaim Hershel from his clutches so he can live the life his father was denied, and it turned out that this week’s episode was the right time to kick things into overdrive. For ‘Everybody Wins a Prize’ saw our flawed heroes make their final preparations to assault Madison Square Garden with their new friends. Of course, they were one person lighter because of Negan’s difficult choice last week... but that didn’t stop quite the intricate plan from being put into motion.

For as planned, they were able to get into the lower levels of the Garden, or more specifically… the box office area. Wherein they came to learn that Hershel wasn’t being held in such a low security area, as expected. Which meant, that phase two was in play. Wherein Negan would lure the Croat out into the open and new friends would handle ugly business and get Hershel back in hand, and with vehicles at their disposal, escape would be easy in nature. And early on, it seemed the plan was absolutely going to work. After all, that familiar whistle that sends chills down the spines of every fan of this series, echoed through the Garden and garnered the attention of the Croat, who followed it closely and truly… it seemed as though it would not be long before Negan isolated his grand failure of a protégé and put an end to him as he intended to… so long ago. But alas… there was quite the problem brewing with this particular plan.

In that, the Croat knew that eventually Maggie would come for him. For he had done his research on his opponents and well… retribution was something he would take part in, in a similar situation. So… while the plan was assembled and put into motion, the Croat was preparing his counter offensive. One that involved setting up explosives at every entrance, alongside preparing a music and lights show for the center of the arena to bring curious dead creatures toward it. All because he knew that his foes would try and harm him there and that he would need to use the dead to save his hide and the lives of his people and use them he did. Since they entered the arena once the doors blew and quickly corralled the majority of our heroes in the center of the Garden. Not to mention, the escape plan went to hell as well, since Maggie was forced to abandon her ride to get to Ginny. Who followed the group here and finally made her presence known, and Maggie had to save her. 

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Gaius Charles and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Armstrong and Negan in Episode 104 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ – ‘Everybody Wins a Prize’. (Photo Courtesy of Peter Kramer/AMC.)

Which led… to a harrowing sequence of events. Wherein heroes fell to the living dead one by one and where Maggie had no choice… but to fight and evade and do everything necessary to keep clear of the dead. Thankfully… she was granted that, since Ginny’s quick thinking provided much needed safety from the dead. But alas, with the arena infested with thousands of walkers, the only way she and her friends were going to survive long term… was to head into the underbelly of Manhattan through its sewer system. To escape the herd above, so they could make their way home, and that will be no easy task. Since the sewers were mentioned as a big reason that the plague of living death spread quickly through the city, and that sets the stage for quite the harrowing next chapter in this tale. One that was wonderfully set up by that trademark action and adventure, and thrill, that only this saga knows how to provide. 
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However, what made this story as impressive as the rest of this season, is that series creator and episode writer, Eli Jorné, still found a way to add that character magic to this particular tale, through Negan no less. Because… this was a mission that terrified him to his core. Because despite his progress and his comfort with living in the grey… he hasn’t dealt with all of the pain from his past. Specifically, his life as the head of the Saviors. Because he did indeed commit a bevy of atrocities back then, and squaring off against the Croat reminded him of his dark transgressions when he was that particular iteration of Negan. To the point where he pondered upon the Croat’s final days at the Sanctuary (complete with an awesome Steven Ogg cameo as Simon), and the trouble he caused and the tough position he put Negan in. Simply because Negan was curious if by chance… there was a better way to handle all of this. In fact, he even tried one.

Because eventually… he and the Croat were face to face once again. And that gave Negan the opportunity to show the Croat who was the real monster here. Which led to a very fascinating showdown. One that let the A1 Wannabe King of New York, run his mouth, and confuse himself, and outright struggle to justify everything he had done while Negan just watched on, in silence no less, to prove that hard point and to really demonstrate how far the Croat had fallen. Not to mention, when given the chance to do the right thing and offer up a better way, Negan took it. By saving Armstrong from a fate worse than death. All of which spoke to the growth of this character and how he is trying to deal with everything as best he can, even though it scares the living hell out of him.

As to whether or not there will be a payoff for that, time will tell. Since crisis still surrounds Negan thanks to how Armstrong thanked Negan for salvation, and well, the Croat didn’t seem too moved by the nobility that Negan displayed. Which will undoubtedly give rise to more chaos next week. But while we wait to immerse ourselves in that, we can reflect upon another amazing chapter in this tale. One that really did offer up the stuff we love, and it also did a fine job of making the walking dead, as scary as ever. Since their slow and relentless attack served as a fine reminder of their lethality and their danger and it definitely brought forth some tense moments that left us worried since we are in new territory for the franchise, and well, the Negan stuff was just amazing. And his actions here do leave us wondering… if redemption is on the horizon for Negan… once the dust has settled from this ugly battle with the Croat. Until next time.

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Steven Ogg as Negan and Simon in Episode 104 of ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ – ‘Everybody Wins a Prize’. (Photo Courtesy of Peter Kramer/AMC.)

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