‘The Walking Dead’ Recap: ‘What’s Been Lost’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1120 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 brilliant AMC series, The Walking Dead, we talked a little bit about the real possibility that Governor Pamela Milton was going to make our intrepid heroes pay and pay dearly for what happened to her son. For losing her darling Sebastian clearly snapped something within the delicate fabric of her mind and her psyche, and that cannot benefit anyone at the end of the world. Especially when the person that is reaching their breaking point and crossing that threshold is spoiled and accustomed to getting their way and sadly… it turns out that our concerns regarding that, were absolutely justified. For this week’s episode saw our heroes deal with Pamela’s fury, and that made ‘What’s Been Lost’ one stunning and incredible tale. 
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Especially when one considers that at first, it appeared as though, things were going to be just fine. After all, Carol was preparing to gather up more supplies for the long road back to Alexandria and she was spending a few final precious moments with Ezekiel. Which really made it seem that perhaps Pamela had other fish to fry at the moment. But the sudden disappearance of Ezekiel and the fact that Carol was being chased by the same lackeys she spent time avoiding not that long ago, made it clear that Pamela was making a surprise power move and Carol needed allies and she needed them quick, and thankfully, she was able to run into Daryl Dixon and help him escape his would be kidnappers and/or assassins, and well… once they had a moment to breathe, it became apparent their family was in dire trouble.

For everyone but the two of them appeared to be missing from the Commonwealth, prompting the two of them to spring into action and speak with the one person that would have an idea where Pamela would have taken their friends and family to: Lance Hornsby. A decision that brought them alongside a broken man. One that had seen terrors untold by feeding a member of the living dead. Making it appear as though, the rest of the Alexandria Alliance was lost to the wind, since Lance had that thousand-yard stare. But a quick and violence laden reminder of where he was and what he needed to do, snapped Lance out of it and once he was coherent, he asked for an escape so he could take Carol and Daryl to where the Commonwealth was keeping their family. Which they obliged and prompted headed off into the world with an enemy.

While they were dealing with that, Pamela continued to make some stone-cold moves regarding her vengeance. For she asked Yumiko to basically do the unthinkable. In that, there would be a press conference later this day and Yumiko would be announced as the lead prosecutor of one Eugene Porter. So that justice could be served at last, and someone would pay the price for hurting her baby, and well… if she wanted to ever see her friends and family again… she would abide by this edict. A reality that left Yumiko in a dark and confused and desperate place. One where she tried to get answers regarding the location of her friends as well so they could all work together to free Eugene and leave this place behind once and for all.

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But alas, that plan failed miserably, and she was seemingly left with no choice but to get in line and  and commit Eugene to a horrific death sentence. Something he said he was okay with, but no one else was… because he did indeed deserve better after all this time, and the situation only got worse from there. For not only was Yumiko stuck in an awful place and unable to shake it, Carol and Daryl weren’t exactly faring well either. For Daryl was separated from his bestie during the escape, and everywhere that Hornsby and Carol went… she had to listen to his stupid nonsense. The kind where he went on and on about a second chance and an opportunity to make things right. The usual stuff you’d expect from a desperate man ready to say whatever was necessary to save his own hide. 
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Not to mention, the place he took them to when they were reunited, was nothing more than another attempt at extended freedom and life, since he let them know that he would guide them along the train tracks the Commonwealth used to move prisoners. Which truly made it appear that once again, our heroes were going to lose. For they were once more in the clutches of a monster that would drag this ordeal along to enjoy one more day of sunshine and Yumiko was hours away from doing the unthinkable and turning her back on what was right in this life and this world. But that’s the thing about these heroes. In that, they’ll only take losing for so long, and eventually… they will figure out a way to turn the tide in their favor and believe it or not… that happened here. 

Because when Yumiko vaguely overheard that Daryl and Carol were evading patrols left and right and escaping the clutches of units that thought they had them… she realized they’d make this right and were fighting for a better tomorrow again, so she should as well. Which is why she announced she would defend Eugene Porter in a court of law and expose the lies of the Commonwealth at last and Carol and Daryl… found their window to do things their way as well. Because Hornsby did say too much regarding the train and its destination. Enough to inspire these two to figure it out from here. Which meant that at long last… Lance Hornsby met his end at the hands Carol and Daryl, giving rise to a satisfying and downright hopeful ending to this tale.

For Hornsby getting his has been long overdue, but it was of course worth the wait and truly fulfilling, and let’s be honest… there’s a real poetry to the fact that Carol and Daryl left him there to die and wake up dead. But more importantly, these two fierce fighters have a plan to free the people that matter the most to them, and it is only a matter of time before they catch up with their extended family and take the fight to the Commonwealth, and that made this… a magnificent episode when all said and done. One that once again locked our attention from beginning to end and left us hungry for more. Because at long last, the Commonwealth is about to learn, to quote/paraphrase Rick Grimes, whom not to f*ck with, and it will be supremely satisfying to see our heroes truly go on the offensive come next week. Until next time.  

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