‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ Recap – ‘Returning Point’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’.
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It is definitely safe to say, that The Walking Dead: World Beyond has been building to quite the explosive finale. One where good people broken by fear, put themselves back together to fight an evil greater than the living dead, since it is now well known… that the Civic Republic Military is about as twisted an organization as it gets, since they experiment on human beings in the name of a greater good that they are willing to cast off on a moment’s notice. And of course, the good people we are expecting to lead that powerful fight, are the Endlings. Those innocent teenagers that left Omaha to save a single life and are now preparing to save hundreds of thousands and well… the grand buildup that’s been happening in season two, has left all of us wondering… when the fight will finally get underway.
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Because we are eager to see these evil suckers get their just desserts at last and logic would dictate that the final fight would take place over the course of the last two episodes… to bring about a satisfying conclusion to this epic story. But as The Walking Dead Universe is wont to do, it instead opted to surprise us and start the fight during this week’s episode. Since ‘Returning Point’ saw the Endlings and their allies rise up against the CRM and teach them a valuable lesson for a change and what made this particular opening salvo so surprising, is that it didn’t appear as though a fight was going to happen in the slightest in this tale. For early on, this story was focused on the nature of the plan and assembling an alliance to save the research and researchers from Project Votus, which Leo was able to do with some bold words.

While he dealt with that, Huck set the next part of the plan in motion. Which involved collecting and distributing weapons for the fight ahead, and it also meant getting some important messages to Silas and Dennis. The kind that informed them of what the plan was going to go look like, and their next moves in executing it. Which for them, involved taking a trip to Indira’s community to prepare them for what comes next... and all of this, really did make it seem as though we were going to be treated to a simple morality tale. One where the finer points of revolution were discussed and how difficult it would be to really take part in one, regardless of the importance of the cause, and that’s when the surprises arrived. 

For Jadis was continuing her fine work in spying on everyone in the facility and what she uncovered was quite unsettling. In that, it was obvious that the science team was moving about and taking part in suspicious acts and that motivated Warrant Officer Stokes… to do something underhanded to see for certain, who was with the CRM and who was against them. Which is why she ordered an evacuation drill, since those who weren’t part of the plan would undoubtedly try and use this opportunity to sneak away. Allowing for her crack soldiers to capture them and deal with them accordingly, and of course… this played out exactly as she expected it to. Since the science team was missing from roll call. But what Jadis didn’t account for, was that the Endlings were expecting this countermeasure and used it to their advantage.

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Because they had everyone settle into the Biohazard Lab, which was impossible to penetrate externally. So, they could move into the next part of their plan. Which was to dig into some old mining tunnels that were beneath the research facility and use them to escape, and they even brought an insurance policy along for the ride. Since Hope made a point to lure Mason Beale into the lab as well, wherein he was tied up and informed of the fact that he would help them secure safe passage. After all, the Major General wouldn’t let any harm come to his boy and well… it turns out this part of the plan went off without a hitch. Since they were indeed able to keep Jadis’ forces at bay long enough to execute their escape and take a few CRM lackeys out in the process. But while it was nice to see the fight get taken to the CRM, other battles didn’t end quite as happy.
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For back in Indira’s community, sorrow flowed freely. In part because Will informed her of the death of her son at the CRM’s hands, but also because… she decided the time had come to break the community's agreement with the CRM and get out of dodge. A move that led her chief opponent to swing by the CRM’s facility and rat her out and that led to all kinds of bloodshed. Some of which happened in Jadis’ new office since Huck chastised Brody for doing this and received threats of her own exposure in response. Forcing her to put him down with impunity and the bloodshed didn’t end there. Because Jadis was determined to wipe that community out for even remotely posing a threat to the CRM and had it not been for some unexpected heroes, she would have had her way.

For Dennis and Silas arrived mere moments before the bullets began to fly and they were quick to open fire and save the day in a creative way. Since Dennis used CRM codes and maneuvers to trap the remaining soldiers so he could launch a grenade at them, which ended the fighting post haste but at a bit of a cost. For Dennis was badly wounded in the fight, and might not survive, making this first salvo a pyrrhic victory at best. Especially when one considers that the Endlings outright infuriated Jadis. To the point where she ordered the summary execution of any and all insurrectionists within the tunnels below. Leaving one to wonder if even the Major General’s son is safe from the wrath of a Warrant Officer that’s been embarrassed.

If anything, this is the first time in a long time that an episode of World Beyond was devoid of any deeper meaning or commentary. Since this one was all about the action and taking the fight to the CRM and that’s just fine. Because sometimes, the story needs to just progress and give the audience what it wants and that’s exactly what we get here. A push toward a grand finale, and Jadis and the CRM getting their just desserts and all of the elements we discussed made for one action packed and engaging tale. One that kept us on the edge of our seats and wowed us with the surprises it sent our way, since no one saw the Beale hostage twist coming, and well, now that this one has come to its end, we are sadly forced to wait with bated breath for the next phase in this final and epic fight. Until next time.

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