The Walking Dead Season 9, Episode 12 “Guardians” Review

Are you ready for more of The Whisperers and Negan? well get ready for it because this week’s episode of The Walking Dead is dedicated to those along with more plot points that move the story in a great way and it makes me fear the impending doom that is to come with the upcoming gathering at the fair. Here is my review and thoughts on this week’s episode of The Walking Dead titled “Guardians”.

Ryan Hurst as Beta – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

I would first like to say that Ryan Hurst as Beta is a great casting choice. He looks very intimidatng as he towered over everyone else since he is close to seven feet tall as his comic counterpart. He also sounds very scary as his voice is exactly how I imagined it when I read his debut issue a few years ago. The way him and Alpha interact shows how much the both of them has high authority over the other Whisperers. We will get to more of that in a few paragraphs.

Cassady McClincy as Lydia, Samantha Morton as Alpha – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Alpha talks to Lydia about what happened at The Hilltop and about her time there when she was captured. Lydia lied to her about most of the information she told her and she also says that there are not too many guns over there and that The Hilltop does not trade with other communities. Henry, who went after her in the last episode, is captured by Beta after Henry fought off another Whisperer beforehand. I did love the way Beta just grabbed him so easily. It made me laugh. Beta takes him to the camp they are staying at and he gets tied up so he will not escape. Lydia notices Henry and Alpha also sees that Lydia knows him too. Lydia could not give away that she liked him so she punches him to not have her cover blown at all. Alpha also wants Lydia to kill Henry right there but they are interrupted as Lydia was hesitant to do it.

Father Gabriel finds out about Rosita being pregnant and also that she cheated on him. That disappointed him and he wanted to break up with her because of her actions. This was until Eugene convinced him to stay with her and continue the relationship. Gabriel should have listened to Negan when they were talking about Rosita a few episodes ago. Speaking of Negan, him and Michonne were talking and he mentioned that he could help her lead Alexandria since he believes that her leadership is starting to go thin due to the current conflict. in fact, there was also a vote at the council to see if Alexandria should go to the fair or not. This conversation mirrored Negan and Rick’s from issue #149. Michonne was not having it at all as she ordered for his window to be closed for good due to him eavesdropping. Michonne also talks to Judith about her not wanting her (Judith) near Negan ever again.

Danai Gurira as Michonne, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Daryl and Connie went after Henry at the end of the last episode and here, we are shown that they are directing a herd to The Whisperers camp and another scene from the comics is here where Daryl wears a Whisperer mask to blend in with the herd. In the comics, it was during The Whisperer War where Dwight got the idea to do this so that he and the rest kill Whisperers when they blend in with the herd with knives and swords.

A good and brutal moment that happens in this episode is that two Whisperers tried to challenge Alpha since Alpha broke her own rules just for Lydia. When this happens, Alpha ends up stabbing the Whisperer to death and Alpha beheads the girlfriend of the stabbed Whisperer with a piano wire. Pretty gruesome to see this happen. More Whisperers were killed when the heard made its way to the camp. Daryl and Connie rescues both Henry and Lydia as the episode ends.

Cassady McClincy as Lydia, Samantha Morton as Alpha – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 12 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Although the episode had a slower pace than the last episode, it was a great character driven episode and Beta is the star of the episode in my eyes. The incident at the end of this episode will be crucial to what happens during the fair so that is what I am looking forward too. I am also glad to see Negan again in this episode and time will tell when he will get out of his cell again.

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