‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘A New Deal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1118 of ‘The Walking Dead’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the final season of the iconic AMC series, The Walking Dead, the situation was grim. After all, Lance Hornsby had several of our heroes perfectly cornered in a sewer, to the point where even having a knife held to his double-crossing neck, meant nothing for the safety of Daryl Dixon and his friends/family. Not to mention… Carol and Negan were forced to enact a daring plan to try and curry favor with Governor Pamela Milton in the hopes of saving the lives of their friends and families. But alas, the episode ended without informing us as to whether or not Pamela understood the cost of having her son returned to her by two of the show’s most cunning characters. But thankfully, this week’s episode wasted little time in informing us as to whether or not she understood. 
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For ‘A New Deal’ quickly opened with Pamela and Mercer, and Carol and Negan, arriving in the midst of the trouble. Wherein Pamela offered the group a simple and quick and effective deal. Hornsby for their lives and their freedom for the moment. A deal that was difficult for Daryl to swallow since he had the chance to end this and Hornsby for good. But his better angels prevailed and just like that… Lance was thrown in a jail cell and the remainder of the deal was hammered out. Where in part, the good people of Alexandria and Hilltop would be exiled from the Commonwealth but given quite the gift. In that, their homes would be restored and supplied, giving them a fighting chance at survival once again after going through utter hell.

Which was a deal that most everyone was quick to accept since it beat any negative alternative, but not everyone was certain this was the way to go. For Ezekiel found purpose and direction in this place, and was able to make a difference once again, even as a zookeeper, and even Negan found himself questioning life on the road away from the creature comforts of the old world, and its medical marvels since he was going to be a father, and oddly enough Judith was struggling with this as well. In part because of the fact that she was saying goodbye to the roots and friends she laid down here, but also because her keen intellect and the purity of childhood, allowed for her to put the pieces together about the Commonwealth and its true struggles. In that, these people were in trouble and vulnerable and under the thumb of a terrible leader, and that the heroes should stay and fight and help. 

A request that Daryl immediately shot down of course since this was a chance to return home and enjoy peace for the first time in years. But even then, Judith genuinely wondered what the point of fighting so hard for peace was if others didn’t benefit from it as well. A truth that caught Daryl off guard and left him pondering upon her words even though such a fight for freedom seemed impossible with their depleted numbers, and well… what truly made this sequence of significance for the show, is that it hammered home the long-standing theme of the past couple of seasons. Specifically, whether or not humanity is worth saving and of course… whether or not we can embrace those better angels and be the beacon of hope we’ve always wanted to be. Which are of course, questions that weren’t answered here. 

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But ironically… Judith wasn’t the only one harboring major concerns about the Commonwealth and its flawed leadership. Because the other part of this deal was that Sebastian Milton was to be free and clear in his actions, and Hornsby would take the blame for killing all those innocent souls and well, Max simply was not good with that in the slightest. Because it didn’t allow for true justice to be served, and upon overhearing that the expectation was for Sebastian to take over the Commonwealth one day… Max was terrified and motivated to do something to improve the future of this community with Eugene’s help and that led to some epic surprises in this particular tale. Such as Max and Eugene taking the time to visit Lance in prison to attempt to enlist his help on getting dirt on the Milton’s, to turn the community against them.
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An act of course he was unwilling to participate in, which prompted Max to try something bold to really expose Sebastian and bring an end to the Milton nightmare. For she was able to record him when he spoke honestly about the Commonwealth, whilst practicing his apology speech for the upcoming Founders’ Day Celebration and well… with Eugene’s help once again, Max had that honest tape loaded into the hopper so that everyone would finally learn what kind of weasel he is and perhaps finally turn upon the Milton’s and bring real change to this place. A plan that actually started to work, since the moment the tape was played, the crowd booed dear Sebastian and mocked him mercilessly, which in turn should have brought forth his exit in shame and his mother’s as well… but alas, Lance Hornsby struck from beyond.

For part of the reason, he wasn’t interested in helping, was because he had his own plans to sow doubt and instability. For his lackeys took the time to slaughter some of the townspeople’s custodial staff, so that they would of course… wake from death and wreak havoc upon the Commonwealth. Why… wasn’t made entirely clear here, but that will likely be revealed at another time. Because the chaos portion of this plan went off without a hitch and the dead were suddenly everywhere and eager to feed and in the midst of everyone trying to escape the living dead, a tussle between Max and Sebastian ended poorly for Sebastian. Because his attempts to have Max eaten by a walker, ended with his own flesh being consumed by the dead. A moment that while satisfying, since that little jackass finally got what he deserved, will bring about so much pain and suffering.

After all, Governor Milton is already this side of unhinged and with her legacy now in tatters, she will undoubtedly let loose upon the people of the Commonwealth to retaliate, and it will be interesting to see if that was part of the plan for Lance. But alas, while we wait to learn more about said plan, we can bask in the wonder of one epic tale. Simply because this was once again, vintage TWD. Complete with more stunning gore and a tribute shot to Dawn of the Dead, alongside more quality social commentary on who we are as a species, and you cannot ask for much more than that from our favorite show and truly, this is another tale we will savor for as long as possible. Since there are now only six episodes left, in this iconic and groundbreaking series. Until next time.

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