The Walking Dead finally returns tonight, so what better time to review and recap where we left off?! “Hearts Still Beating” was written by the team of Matthew Negrete and Channing Powell and was directed by Michael E Satrazemis. It was nice to end the horrific start to season 7 with a glimmer of hope. Jeffrey Dean Morgan has been killing it (pun intended) as Negan, but it’s been hard to watch our group suffer so much loss.
As the episode begins, Maggie (Lauren Cohen) is sitting by Glenn’s grave, having a private cry – before she starts her day. As Hershel would tell her, there’s work to be done. She climbs to the lookout on the wall. Gregory (Xander Berkeley) comes to the base of the wall, carrying an apple, and actually calls Maggie by her name – he knows Sasha’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) now too. People have been talking – saying nice things about them.
Gregory is a coward and an idiot, but he’s smart enough to see his command slipping away. He tells her not to let it go to her head and she immediately counters with “don’t let it bother you.” Then she asks him if he’s going to eat the apple he has. When he says yes, one of his own men calls him on it – “Dude! You know she’s pregnant” – shaming Gregory into giving her the apple. Maggie smiles as she bites into it. She’s knows it’s not the last thing he’ll be giving her.
Negan continues to creepily play in Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) life. He’s teaching Carl (Chandler Riggs) how to shave and tells him “always against the grain” – which is also exactly how Negan lives his life. Both Carl and Judith are in the bathroom watching, and Negan has still refused to let Carl cover his missing eye. I thought the effect slightly better in this episode. Negan puts the straight razor on the counter right in front of Carl, and you can see him consider it, but Negan knows that there’s no way Carl will do anything to endanger Judith.
The action then shifts to Daryl (Norman Reedus) who is considering the note that told him to “Go now.” Daryl clearly considers whether it’s a trap and whether it’s worth it to try – and then he goes for it. He slips into a room to hide at one point and changes his clothes and bolts down some peanut butter. He waits for the hallway to clear before resuming his escape.
Back at Rick’s, Negan is preparing dinner, enjoying his domestic bliss with his stolen family. Olivia (Ann Mahoney) arrives and is crying she’s so terrified – most likely because she wasn’t able to find the lemonade Negan had sent her to get. Tara (Alanna Masterson) joins her on the porch with the lemonade that Negan was demanding. Tara had found some in her kitchen – Denise had liked it. It’s a nice reminder of what and who Negan has already cost them. Tara tells Olivia to go home, that she’ll take over, but Olivia is determined to keep her promise to Rick to look after Judith.
Rick and Aaron (Ross Marquand) continue their scavenging mission. They literally have to use a leaky boat – full of bullet holes to cross a walker-infested lake to get to the houseboat filled with supplies. Just as Tara offered to take over and protect Olivia, Rick tell Aaron he can stay back. But it’s too late. The Alexandrians have learned from our group of survivors – or at least some of them have. Aaron insists that he’s seeing it through.
Negan insists they set a place and wait for Rick, but eventually refuses to wait any longer. He puts Lucille in Rick’s place, and then asks Carl to pass the rolls – “Please.”
There’s a great slightly distorted close up of Eugene (Josh McDermitt) re-entering the compound. His face is still bruised from the beating he took, and he’s clearly terrified. Meanwhile Spencer (Austin Nichols) is making friends with the Saviors because he clearly fought for all the stuff he’s brought them. Laura (Lindsley Register) even comes on to Spencer. It’s hilarious when she yells what she thinks is an insult at Eugene: “You like watching, haircut?” And Eugene says yes – because we already knows he likes watching – and furthermore, he’s proud of his haircut! Spencer at least has enough humanity left to look uncomfortable.
Carol (Melissa McBride) is actually curled up by a fire reading a book when Morgan (Lennie James) drops off a bag of produce at her door. Naturally, she also has her bowl of pomegranate seeds handy to munch on. Remember that Persephone had to spend six months of the year in Hades – one for every pomegranate seed that she ate. Those six months were winter on earth. Is this a reflection of what’s happening to her friends while Carol finds refuge here? Morgan doesn’t knock and is heading away when she calls him back. Morgan tells her that he knows she can fend for herself, but she can’t just hunt down fresh produce.
She tells him she’s good as she swings open the door to the kitchen, showing him a counter already full of fresh produce – Morgan isn’t her first visitor! Carol says some people are finding it hard to just leave her alone. She asks how he is – and then dismisses him.
Morgan opens the door to find Richard (Karl Makinen) at the door. He’s glad Morgan is there, there’s something important he wants to discuss with both of them.
Like any good fall finale, this episode has lots of intense action. I loved the sequence of Rick and Aaron fighting their way to the houseboat. They get to the canoe just as the rowboat is sinking only to find a walker in it. I was sure that when Aaron went in the water he was dead – or at least bitten. I thought that walkers couldn’t swim – are we to assume that the lake is shallow enough that they’re all touching bottom? This sequence is beautifully shot, with some nice crane shots in particular – and had to have been awful to shoot!
Rick explains to Aaron that he didn’t mean that Aaron couldn’t do it, but that he wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t agree with going along with the Saviors. Aaron reminds Rick that he was there on the road with him. He saw what happened. He knows that what they’re doing is allowing other people to live – and it’s clear he’s thinking about Eric here. Aaron also says it doesn’t matter what happens to them. At least they’re alive. Rick says that Michonne (Danai Gurira) doesn’t think it’s living. And Aaron understands that too – going from being free to living in service. Aaron has come to terms with taking what they give them so that they can live.
Before we leave the scene at the lake, there is a shot of an ominous pair of boots watching Rick and Aaron from across the lake.
The mention of Michonne brings us back to her story. She is still in the car with a gun on Isabelle (Aerli Austen). Michonne asks her how long she’s been with Negan, but Isabelle is remaining resolutely silent as she drives. Michonne remarks that Isabelle thinks that she’s dead whether she talks or not, but Michonne points out that Isabelle doesn’t know her. After all, it was Andrea’s incessant talking that actually brought Michonne back to the land of the living.
Michonne says she’s not going to kill him today – meaning Negan. That she’s going to find a way that they win. She’s going to change how this ends for her. She tells Isabelle that’s why she’s out there alone. It’s clear that Michonne doesn’t want to have to kill innocent people – but she also doesn’t want to lose either her freedom or the people close to her either.
Sasha returns home with an apple pie that someone had given her as a thank you for saving them. Hmmm. Apples again. Garden of Eden anyone? Sasha also has two knives that Jesus (Tom Payne) has given her. I loved Enid (Katelyn Nacon) trying to give Maggie a plate and Maggie just diving in with her hands. Maggie wants to know if Jesus is still there – she wants him to get some pens, pencils and things while he’s gone. Sasha lies and says he left that morning.
Enid calls Sasha on lying to Maggie. She knows that Jesus is a “runner” and left yesterday morning. Sasha insists it’s for her own good. Sasha wants to do something and she doesn’t want Maggie to think she has to help. Enid knows that Sasha wants to kill Negan, but Enid insists that it isn’t just Sasha that wants Negan dead. Sasha tells Enid that her job is to keep Maggie safe. Sasha feels like it’s all on her – as does Rosita (Christian Serratos), and Carl, and Michonne…
Richard wants Carol and Morgan to help convince Ezekiel (Khary Payton) to attack the Saviors before something happens and the Kingdom falls. Richard stresses that they need to strike now while they have the element of surprise. It’s hilarious when he assumes that violence and fighting aren’t something that Carol’s been a part of!
Carol tells him he’s wrong, and Morgan tells him that she’s probably the most capable fighter in the room. Richard thinks he’s got a receptive audience! Carol tells him she wants no part in it. She just wants to be left alone. Morgan also pushes back – people will die. Morgan doesn’t want to be a part of destroying the current piece. Richard tells them that when the Saviors turn on them, the blood will be on his hands. Carol asks Morgan that if he sees anyone they know, to tell them that she’s gone.
I loved the scene between Gabriel (Seth Gilliam) and Rosita. Gilliam has really brought so much to the character this season. Both Gilliam and Serratos are fabulous in this scene. He sees her with the bullet and wants to know if it’s for her or Negan. Gabriel points out that she’ll die too. Rosita doesn’t care as long as Negan dies.
Gabriel agrees that Negan has to die, but she doesn’t. Rosita tells Gabriel that if Abraham were still alive, they could fight. If Glenn were alive, Maggie’s baby would have a father. Gabriel tells her that it shouldn’t have been her – he clearly recognizes her survivor’s guilt. He tells her that it shouldn’t have been anyone. He tells her that they’ll find the right moment, but they have to do it together. He asks her not to do it and tells her that she’s a part of them and that they need her.
Spencer arrives home to find his house completely turned upside down. He cleans it and himself up, grabs his best bottle of whiskey, and practices saying “hi” in his most subservient manner. And then he’s off to lick Negan’s boots and try to screw Rick. Rosita intercepts him. He tells her that he’s trying to do what his Mom would have done. Maybe if they obey, in months, years, maybe they can start something. Spencer wants to know what happened between them. Rosita tells him that she didn’t want to think about things. He’s cute, tall, and sweet… sometimes. She tells him she used him and then apologizes for doing it – not really terribly sincerely. Spencer then asks her if she’s up for dinner later! Rosita agrees – and it seems like they’ve made it up between them.
Daryl makes it outside to the bike parking lot and surprises Fat Joey (Joshua Hoover), who immediately surrenders. He tells Daryl he can just go out the back gate, he won’t stop him or call anyone. He tells Daryl he’s just trying to get by – but Daryl is well past his breaking point and takes the iron bar he picked up to Fat Joey. Jesus arrives after the first blow, but Daryl doesn’t stop until Fat Joey is a dead Sloppy Joe. He tells the corpse, “it ain’t just about getting by here. It’s about getting it all.” Jesus looks pretty taken aback. Daryl takes his bike back and he and Jesus take off.
Spencer arrives with his offering for Negan. Arat (Elizabeth Ludlow) tries to stop him, but Negan lets him through. Negan wants to play pool, and Spencer tells him there’s one in the garage across the street. Negan has it pulled out into the street – it’s too nice a day to be cooped up in a garage.
Isabelle stops the car at the top of the hill above Negan’s compound. She tells Michonne she can’t succeed, but she does still have some choices. She tells her to go home and make the car disappear. She also tells her that there’s a silencer in the glove compartment. It seems that Isabelle doesn’t think she herself has any choices. I have to say that I was a little shocked that Michonne did exactly as Isabelle suggested. I was also struck by the fact that we only see the shot at a great distance – we also don’t see Daryl land a single blow to Joey. Clearly, the show is trying to pull back on the graphic violence after the backlash from the first episode.
Rick arrives back to Alexandria to have Gary (Mike Seal) tell him that Negan is at his house. The Saviors won’t let him go until they go through the truck. Unfortunately, Aaron also packed up the note left on the houseboat that said “Congrats for winning, but you still lose.” The Saviors assume it’s meant for them and beat Aaron for it. Rick tries to intervene, but there’s nothing he can do. Aaron takes the beating, but tells Rick, “my heart’s still beating” – hence the name of the episode. And Rick helps Aaron home.
Negan says he could never play pool with Rick – he’d just be standing there, giving Negan “that annoying side eye.” Spencer then reveals the reason for his call – because of course, Negan got to where he is by being an idiot about people. It’s clear that Negan knew right from the start why Spencer had shown up at his door. The game has drawn a crowd. Spencer tells Negan that he gets what Negan is doing, creating a network, having people work for the greater good. He then goes on to say that Rick doesn’t work well with others.
Spencer says that Rick can’t follow orders because his ego is out of control. Negan says, “So I should put you in charge?” And of course, that’s what Spencer wanted all along. Negan points out that Rick is “swallowing his hate and getting shit done” – Rick is out gathering stuff to keep the people of Alexandria from being hurt. “That takes guts.” Negan is not going to do Spencer’s dirty work. If Spencer wanted Rick killed, why not do it himself? And Negan declares it’s because “you got no guts.” And this is another scene pulled straight out of the comics. Of all the characters to be killed, I think I may have felt the least sympathy for Spencer here. Even Nicholas seemed to find some redemption.
Negan stabs Spencer and disembowels him in front of the entire crowd. Morgan is utterly fantastic here as he declares I’ve never been so wrong in my whole life – as Spencer’s guts are all over the ground. Rosita pulls out her gun and shoots. Cut to black. Loved that they went for a commercial here.
Rick hears the shot but is hampered by Aaron. And of course, Rosita doesn’t kill Negan – she shoots Lucille – and the bat effectively saves Negan’s life. It’s hard to tell if he’s more angry that Rosita tried to kill him or that she’s hurt Lucille. Arat takes Rosita to the ground, holding a knife to her throat. Negan recognizes that the bullet was homemade. He actually praises Rosita’s ingenuity – but he tells Arat to cut Rosita’s face because she’s ruined Lucille’s – unless Rosita says who made the bullet.
Negan tells Arat to kill someone, and she chooses Olivia. Rick arrives and Negan wants a thank you. Negan tells Rick that Carl stowed away in one of his trucks and machine gunned a bunch of his men and Negan brought him home safe and sound. Andrew Lincoln deserves all the awards for the look on his face when he turns around to look at Carl – it’s the biggest WTF/Who even are you, ever! Carl peeking over the edge of the railing is every guilty teenager ever. Negan does say that he wouldn’t have picked Olivia to die – and Arat did have it out for her from the beginning. Still, I was really sad to see Olivia die.
Rick is reeling, but he doesn’t lose his cool. He tells Negan that his stuff is at the gate – take it and go. Negan says sure – but not until he finds out who made the bullet. Arat is about to shoot Eric (Jordan Woods-Robinson), so Tara says she made the bullet.
And Eugene could never sacrifice Tara, so he admits it was him. He may be hiding behind his own hands, but it’s still one of the bravest things he’s done. Eugene convinces Negan by rattling off the process. Negan takes Eugene and tells Rick he’s still in a huge hole – and that his kitchen is a goddamn mess. Rosita screams for them to take her instead.
There’s a fabulous close up of Rick, his eyes brimming with tears – how has Andrew Lincoln not won every award? – and it pulls back to a fabulous crane shot of Rick in the street, the pool table and Spencer’s body - and blood running down the street – behind him. Spencer turns, and Rick stabs him in the head.
Michonne comes home to find Rick in Morgan’s cell. He’s got his ax and a map. The two hug and Michonne tells him she found what she was looking for. She had to go her way. But she realized that she didn’t want it to be HER way, she wanted it to be both of theirs. Michonne tells them that they are more outnumbered than she thought. But it doesn’t matter. They’re still alive. They’ve been through so much, but they’re still there. They’re still standing. What do they do with that? How do they make that mean something?
She reminds him that he said that they’re the ones who get things done. They’re the ones who live. And that’s why they have to fight. For Carl, for Judith, for Alexandria and for the Hilltop. She’s sure that they can do it – but only if they do it together. Rick tells her that he knows that now. They may have gone in different directions, but they ended up at the same place.
The episode feels like it resets as Maggie starts her day with Glenn and then climbs to the lookout. We see her reaction of joy – and then she calls Sasha and Enid. The gate opens, and Rick, Michonne, Tara, Rosita, and Carl are there. Maggie says that she and the baby are fine.
Rick tells her that she was right – from the beginning. He wasn’t ready to listen or to fight, but he’s ready now. And then Rick sees Daryl and the two embrace. Even Rosita and Sasha have a moment. It’s actually a great scene as everyone is reunited – and Daryl gives Rick back his gun that Fat Joey had. There’s no dialogue, just music over the scene. It’s clear that they are all ready for the next move.
This was a terrific episode. I liked the way the title of the episode resonated throughout. I was sad to see both Olivia and Fat Joey die, but Deanna clearly didn’t raise her kids terribly well! It was great to see our core group back together, but I think poor Eugene may die of fright before they can rescue him. Maybe he’ll be brave enough to give Negan all blanks! I’m very much looking forward to Rick’s side gaining the upper hand. Outstanding performances in this episode by Lincoln and Morgan. I thought Ross Marquand and Seth Gilliam also turned in excellent performances. Neither Chandler nor Reedus had a lot to say in this episode and delivered some great performances anyway. What did you think of the episode? Are you excited about the second half of the season? Who were you most disappointed to lose in this episode? What would you most like to see coming up? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
