‘The Walking Dead’ Retro Recap: ‘No Sanctuary’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Something that is genuinely fascinating about our second trip through the earlier seasons of the hit AMC series, The Walking Dead, is discovering how much depth is present in every single episode. For we’ve talked at length about how an episode that seemed simple or straightforward in nature, ended up being quite meaningful in those earlier years. For it turns out that they were filled with powerful themes on the human condition or outright commentary. If anything, that particular surprise is top of mind today, simply because it once again made an appearance in this series. For the season five premiere of this incredible show, features some unique observations regarding what it means to be a good human being and how we maintain that during trying times. 
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But at first glance, it sure didn’t seem as though that was going to be the case. Because ‘No Sanctuary’ was a high-octane nightmare when it first hit the airwaves. After all, we were forced to watch in horror as our heroes came within moments of having their throats slit by starving cannibals. All before having to fight their way through a compound of madness. One where the dead and cannibals were everywhere to be found as they pushed to make a daring escape from this massive tomb. Plus, it also featured an ending filled with redemption and reunion and wonder since it was Carol that saved them all from dying and initiated the end of Terminus with her brave actions. All of which made for a satisfying episode in the end, one that seemingly wrapped up the Terminus mess neatly. 

However, it is the quiet moments peppered throughout this story that give it meaning and allow for it to ponder upon that aforementioned concept. Since we were able to learn that the people of Terminus were once the good people of Terminus, who genuinely wanted to help others. But found themselves terrorized by bad people and of course ran low on supplies and transformed into the nightmare we know here. Yet, they were neatly juxtaposed by Rick’s group, who despite their ability to throw down and impart pain upon people… still did their best to help others and save others and do whatever had to be done to make sure that justice was served to the bad in a wild world, where the rules seemingly didn’t matter anymore. Which in turn, allowed for the exploration in question to get underway.

For this series used those two polarizing plot lines and journeys to really make it clear, that being a good human is a choice. One that we embrace, one that we push to maintain at all times and when we do that, and only fight when it is right, we don’t fall into dark places that make us monsters. We remain as vigilant and wholesome as Rick’s group and that’s… a shockingly deep message to find within a story that is filled to the brim with stunning violence and tense moments. But it is there, it is welcome and it also… sets the stage for a great deal of themes that would be explored in season five. After all, this is a dark time for our heroes, one where they are greatly challenged with fresh loss and hard times in the wild. The kind that continued to press them and ask if our better qualities can be held onto during the worst of times. 

But in the here and the now, we can celebrate one shockingly brilliant tale. One that used violence and intensity to hide messages that didn’t make themselves completely apparent at the time. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means, it just means we were caught up in the moment and it is rewatches such as these that help us to see the complete picture that writer Scott Gimple was working toward and wow… does finding this present here, add incredible depth and meaning to this tale. In fact, it makes it a pivotal TWD episode, one that also set the stage for another critical introduction. For now, that we’ve reached the end of the Battle of Terminus, the time has come to focus on an episode that world bring another comic book character into the fold, one that fans would come to love dearly, despite his cowardice early on. Until next time.    

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