‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ Recap – ‘Gone’

3/4/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Danai Gurira as Michonne in Episode 102 of ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ – ‘Gone’. (Photo Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here.

When we are faced with some tough goals in life, or some serious struggles, there is one thing in particular that gets us to where we need to go… hope. Because hope is what allows for us to believe that tomorrow will be a better day, one where the struggles finally end, and we can enjoy a little peace again and hope also… is what allows for us to keep pushing toward our goals. Simply because setbacks and failures do happen in our journey, and we need that little glimmer to push us forward and help us to believe that maybe, just maybe, we will enjoy a break at last and see progress or achieve our goals. But what’s fascinating about hope, is that while it helps, it isn’t endless, and we sometimes need a little help in keeping it going in our hearts.

Which is where support networks come into play. Those people who can see what we need and help us to find that sliver again so we can go forward and reach the goal and or understand that we might not get what we want and process that and find hope for a new direction. If anything, hope and its ups and downs are top of mind today, simply because that was put upon display in the next episode of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live on AMC. A feat that ‘Gone’ accomplished by taking the time to catch up with Michonne, and what she was doing while Rick Grimes was trying to adjust to the horror of being away from his family as a captive of the Civic Republic Military, and well… as it turned out… Michonne was out there, inspiring hope.

Because during her travels she encountered a roving group of survivors. Who literally were constantly in motion, and well… she of course took the time to save some lives when that group encountered some trouble and that… motivated quite a few of them to stick with her. Because of her strength, her bravery and that allowed for her to find newfound support against incredible odds as she moved toward where she believed Rick to be. Since this episode also informed us that the northeast corner of what once was the United States of America was dangerous in some areas. Courtesy of massive herds of the dead from the tri-state area, that migrated about. But alas, while this new group helped her evade those herds and moved her along… making it seem as though Michonne was the support network people need in question… disaster proved otherwise.

For along the way, there were disappointments in her search, and that aforementioned disaster. For eventually, this new rag-tag group of heroes encountered the Civic Republic Military, who of course used their might and their strength to wipe out 99% of the group. For only Michonne and her new friend Nat walked away from that bombing run, and that put Michonne at her lowest. For her and Nat’s lungs were wounded, she was trapped in a mall with a man that also lost so much and well… this happened to be when that support network and a boost of hope came into play. For during the year that Michonne and Nat were trapped in the mall, Nat truly came to know Michonne and understood how much she loved Rick, and how badly she needed resolution regarding him.

Matthew August Jeffers as Nat in Episode 102 of ‘The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live’ – ‘Gone’. (Photo Courtesy of Gene Page/AMC.)

So, Nat did the right thing. He stood by Michonne after their lungs healed and followed her to where any clue regarding Rick might lead them. Making sure along the way, to speak to hope’s power, and the need to believe just a little longer. Because that is what keeps us going when our hearts are sinking and keeps us walking when the world weighs down upon us. And he did this, in part because Nat was just… a fine human being, one worthy of Alexandria but also because… he needed her to really see this through to prepare herself for the worst-case scenario. Because if Rick was gone and she hadn’t processed that through hope, through the struggle… she would never be able to face her children again. Giving rise to a powerful journey about how we light the spark for others in need and how powerful hope can be.

But of course, we know how this journey ended, thanks to last week’s surprise. But it was important to learn how hope kept Michonne going and how one man made that difference when she was at her lowest, and that brought us to the reunion in question… a sliver of joy and more tough times ahead, where she will need to apply what Nat taught her. Because sadly, Nat didn’t survive beyond the reunion moment, thanks to one of the CRM soldiers being alive, and she will need positivity to process that, and sadly… the reunion was cut short and was filled with worry. Because Rick activated his emergency beacon and the CRM was coming, and that prompted him to put together a plan that would keep her safe and hopefully keep them together.

One where Michonne would hide her leadership abilities and her own inspirational skills to just blend into the realm of the CRM. So as to not be noticed in the slightest, since we now know of the CRM’s desire to keep A’s out of the game, and that is what will require a great deal of hope on her part, a great deal of strength. For the Civic Republic Military is strong, and she knows now how strong and how vast their resources are, courtesy of an impromptu tour and of course… through the very interrogation that Rick guided her through, and only hope will help her cope with that. Not to mention, she’ll need it to handle the ugly forces awaiting her in this place. Since Jadis is aware of her arrival, and eager to play her little games with Rick and Michonne as only she can.

But while that sets the stage for conflict down the line, we should in the meantime… celebrate one powerful tale. One that properly bookended Rick’s journey with Michonne’s own long and winding road to her love. But what mattered more here, were the powerful lessons about hope. About how we inspire it and how we find it, and we have Matthew August Jeffers and his amazing performance as Nat to thank for this. Since his work here sold the gravity of the message and of course, Nat’s journey outright broke our hearts, and it is indeed a shame we won’t enjoy more of his wisdom, and hopefully… he gave Michonne enough of it and enough hope… to fight the good fight ahead now that Jadis is ready and willing to play hardball. Until next time.

To learn more about Nat, check out our interview with the actor that played him, Matthew August Jeffers, here.

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