The Walking Dead S05 E09: What Happened and What’s Going On

It’s time to dig another grave. This time it’s for Beth, or is it. In a world where death reigns supreme and so many have died already, why did this death hit us so hard? Beth was our symbol of hope. This wisp of a girl with her gentle ways and her beautiful songs died defending a friend. Who will sing to us now? Noah suggests a new route and new hope for our team. What will they find?

Homeward

With the digging of the grave, we say goodbye to Beth. Gabriel is finally earning his keep with his graveside sermon. With Washington DC no longer a beacon of hope where will Team Rick head to now? The word Sanctuary doesn’t mean diddly squat to our rag tag team of survivors. They’ve had their share of crushed hopes. But, Noah wants to go home to Richmond Virginia, to his mom and his twin brothers. Noah had planned on taking Beth. Rick has a choice to make and he makes it based on his respect for Beth.

Our team is on the road again, the scout car in the lead with Rick, Michonne, Tyreese, Glenn and Noah. Carol and the others follow a few miles back. They’ve learned their lesson, as we have, that you don’t take unnecessary chances. Can you imagine being Noah? His only way of dealing with Dawn and her men was the hope that he would one day see his family, alive.

Radio

Tyreese (Chad Coleman) tells Noah about his father’s habit of listening to the news whenever they rode in the car. Saying it was a way to keep your eyes open. To know what was happening in the world. It was the high cost of living. I took this as idle chatter or a way to take everyone’s mind off Beth, but I was to learn the real meaning of this tale, later.

Did we really expect the people on Noah’s little street to do any better than the rest of humanity. Did we really expect some sort of Sanctuary even after all that happened? Yes, the barbed wire and makeshift walls should have kept the walkers out, but it didn’t keep out the bad people. Everyone is weary. Michonne’s disposal of a few walker neighbors is accomplished halfheartedly. She is tired of running. She wants to cut down some trees and make the neighborhood safe. Silly Michonne still believes in a safe place.

While Tyreese and Noah check out Noah’s home, Glenn and Rick talk about what happened while they were separated and about Dawn and Beth. Rick knew that Dawn hadn’t meant to kill Beth. He saw it in Dawn’s face. It was an accident, but sometimes, you just don’t care. Washington was the only hope they had, but Eugene was full of shit and there was no mission. So here we are, again; on the run with nowhere to go.

Tyreese

Tyreese already knows what Noah will discover before they even open the door. Tyreese tells Noah never to give up living. Judith is still alive because Tyreese never gave up hope. He is a believer in doing the right thing. Do the rules still count when there is an apocalypse going on?

While Noah grieves over his dead mother, Tyreese checks the other rooms. We hear growling and I know that every one of us watching this show screamed out, “Run Tyreese!” But, Tyreese is the gentle giant, always doing the right thing. Why that picture of Noah’s twin brothers distracted him, I’ll never know, but it did and, Tyreese was bitten. While Tyreese sits on the bedroom floor awaiting his death and hallucinating, he gets a few visitors.

Conclusion and Spoiler

The grave was for Tyreese. After all these years of watching this show, you’d think I’d know and, that I would be prepared. Silly me! Tyreese was bitten not once, but twice. Why didn’t Noah make sure the room was secured before running for help? Questions that mean nothing now.

Tyreese was not alone. He was attended by friend and foe alike. Lizzie (Brighton Sharbino) and her little sister Mika (Kyla Kenedy) were there. Beth (Emily Kinney) was there singing one of her sweet songs. Bob (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.) was there giving words of encouragement, but so was one of Gareth’s men, Martin (Chris Coy) the one who tried to hurt Judith. The Governor (David Morrissey) was there telling Tyreese to earn his keep. All this time the radio is playing; screaming out the day to day horror of events that happened before the world went rabid.

I thought there was hope. Michonne used her sword to cut off Tyreese’s arm. That should have worked right? It did for Hershel (Scott Wilson). Rick had Tyreese in the car and I kept hoping that they would save him, but there was so much blood. They say when you’re about to die, you are surrounded by friends and family. Tyreese was in the company of those who had a special connection to him. In the end, he took their advice, he turned off the radio, gave himself permission to let go. Tyreese had found Sanctuary. It’s called Death and, it’s the only sanctuary that doesn’t disappoint. Goodbye, dear gentle giant. RIP Tyreese!

I had met Chad Coleman in person at Monster Mania in Cherry Hill NJ last year. He is as nice in person as he was on “The Walking Dead.” I teased him. I told him my friends and I considered his Tyreese character a ‘keeper.’ Tyreese kept two little girls and an infant safe from harm. There are certain things you look for in a hero, especially during an apocalypse. Tyreese was that hero.