The Walking Dead World Beyond has finished their latest episode with another CRM scene. For this particular scene, it is closely related to the “A” or “B” taglines that Jadis used when she referred to Rick Grimes as an “B” when she saved him.
At the time “A or B” was first heard, theories about what those letters stood for came to be. Some of those theories also included Alpha and Beta. On this week’s World Beyond, the meaning of what “A” is has been addressed.
On the post-credits scene of this week’s episode, a woman of CRM is recording a message on a tape recorder. There is also a photo that is in view that has four doctors. Of the four, one of them is test subject A-402, and the woman that is talking on the tape recorder is also in that photo. The man was Dr. Samuel Abott from Portlant, OR who is now a walker. It is here, that we see a number of test subjects that are walkers. Those test subjects are labled as an “A” with a number next to it.
Another thing to note, is that it seems like they were all either intentionally bit, or already bit when they arrived. The next test subject (A-403) might have also been another doctor in that photo since the view focused on that photo when she said to bring in the next subject. The next subject could either be Iris’ father, or the other person who is in the photo.
We now know that “A” means bitten or injured. Jadis saving Rick Grimes and referring to him as a “B” saved his life. Especially since she said that he is strong. We did not find out the meaning of “B” on this episode. But I can come to the conclusion of what “B” means based on what “A” means. Tie in to the fact that Jadis originally called for an “A” helicopter and changed her mind once she seen Rick Grimes and labled him as a “B.”
This story would be different if Jadis told the CRM pilot if Rick was an “A” on that episode.
Jadis also thought that Gabriel was a “B” before she knocked him out and tied him up. When she was going to have a walker bite Gabriel, she mentioned that he is an “A” and that he is the price of admission. This meant that Gabriel would have been a “Test Subject A” if CRM would have picked him up.
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Fear The Walking Dead returned tonight to kick off the sixth season. If you recall, the fifth season ended in a cliffhanger that was panned by critics. We got our question right away on the status of Morgan Jones. And that is, he is alive!
“The End is the Beginning” is the title of this episode and it matches how we view Morgan during this episode. With that out of the way, Here are the best moments from today’s episode.
The Callback to “Days Gone Bye”
Lennie James as Morgan Jones – Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Ryan Green/AMC
I noticed this good easter egg as soon as it happened. Morgan walking into the abandoned town mirrors when Rick Grimes first entered Atlanta on The Walking Dead. The atmonsphere and mood from both scenes are exactly the same, except that Morgan was badly injured in this sense. Bonus points for Morgan getting that gun from the police car because that had to be a slight nod to Rick Grimes. I will add more to this on the final moment.
Everything with Emile
Demetrius Grosse as Emile- Fear the Walking Dead _ Season 6, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Ryan Green/AMC
Emile was great on this episode. Actor Demetrius Grosse played a very convincing villain. Although he was killed at the end of this episode, he will remain as one of my favorite characters on Fear regardless that he only lasted one episode. He is the bounty hunter for Virginia and he did not hesitate to take the heads off of people with his big boardaxe. I just wish that he lasted much longer. I also liked the fact that he took down that water tower that Morgan slept in. Must have been a bad wakeup call for him.
The Scenery
I love the cinematography throuought the episode. It really brought out the mood that this was going to be like a western film from the last century. Mix that in with the apoclapse, you are in for a treat on the way most of those outdoor scenes are filmed.
Sending a Message to Virginia
I found this funny that Virginia wanted Morgan’s head in a box. But what she wanted, did not turn out excactly what she hoped. She did get a nice box with Morgan’s name on it. But the head in there was Emile and Morgan sent her a clear message that they will see eachother again.
“Morgan Jones is Dead”
This is one of the best lines I have heard Morgan say and Lennie James really delievered this line very well. It signifies that the old Morgan is done and the new Morgan is here. No more “Clear” or “All Life is Precious” Morgan as those days are far behind him. To me, it is the reinvention of the character and he did that in a life or death situation.
Which is why I brought up the police car as Rick Grimes life as a sherif was long behind him the second he entered Atlanta as to Morgan when he entered the small town. When this line is heard, you think back to this episode to see the changes of the character. Issac tried to bring out that old Morgan, but he is “dead” now forever. This is a memorable line that will be remembered and Virginia now has to watch out for him.
This is a really good episode to kick off the sixth season. I know that it will take some time to gain back the interest that was lost due to the season five finale. But this episode is worth the wait. Fear The Walking Dead is back on AMC Network and it is a spectacular ride!
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Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier – The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
The Walking Dead’s 10th season has finally concluded earlier this week. The Whisperer War has taken a toll on each community and now that it is over, what is coming next is bigger than what we seen before. One central character during this arc has had a journey.
That journey started tragic, and ended with a satisfying victory. That character is Carol and Melissa McBride is here to talk all about the season 10 finale!
I first have to bring up that masterful scene at the cliff. When you watched it for yourself, What went through your mind?
MM: “When I watched that scene, I was screaming in my head for Carol to walk back and away from the end of that cliff. I was also thinking that Carol has been through all of the trauma that Alpha put her through. You would have to be in a really dark place in your mind at that moment just like Carol was because she had all of this guilt, anger, and sadness that was building up inside her mind and she really thought the best way to heal from that, is to get away from everyone forever. But I am happy that Lydia saved her because Carol saved Lydia from a similar situation back at the season nine finale. The last thing that was on my mind, is that the post production did an outstanding job with the effects when the walkers were walking off the cliff because I did not see the finale until it aired.”
The moment that really stood out for me is when Lydia saved Carol when she was near the edge. You and Cassidy Mclincy worked together during this season, and it really came full circle during that scene. What can you say about how impactful that moment was with the both of you?
MM: “I love working with Cassady McClincy. The dynamic between us when we are ready to act our scenes out is great. We both knew that it would be an emotional scene when we read it on the script. But acting it out is really different. The part when Lydia threw Alpha’s mask away signifies that the era of The Whisperers is totally over and that we can peacefully move on. So I can say that scene did really impacted us and I believe that there will be a lot of fans that will relate to that scene and hug Lydia and Carol shared.”
Do you feel that Carol is finally relieved that Alpha and The Whisperers are over?
MM: “Oh yes! She is relieved that they are all gone. I feel that Carol was releaved the moment her and Daryl talked about New Mexico. What we seen with Lydia and Carol, was them two grieving and sharing each other’s pain while fully accepting eachother. What we then seen with Carol and Daryl, is a huge healing band-aid that they can both share when they hugged eachother.”
At the end of “A Certain Doom”, we were introduced to The Commonwealth soldiers. How do you think that Carol will fit in The Commonwealth if she goes there?
MM: “I am not sure if she can fit there. But I hope that Carol can. There is a lot about the final season that I cannot say for now, but The Commonwealth is going to be a challenege for most of the characters and you will find out how their lives will change. I do love the way those soldiers look though” (laughs).
The news broke that Daryl and Carol will be getting a spinoff series in 2023. Although it is not named yet, what would you name the show?
MM: “I would name it The Walking Dead: Ride with Daryl and Carol (laughs). But I have a few more names in my head. This spinoff has been in the works for quite a while. You can also see a few hints that the series was happening back in season 9, and early into season 10 of The Walking Dead. This is something we are both looking forward to!”
The season 10 finale of The Walking Dead just finished airing across the United States. When I watched it a few weeks ago, I was impressed with the episode. “A Certain Doom” will rank as one of the best finales of The Walking Dead since the fifth season.
What made this episode strong, is the wonderful acting especially by Melissa McBride and Cassady McClincy. Their bond together really shined on this episode. The biggest scene on this episode involves the both of them as Lydia saved Carol from falling off the cliff as the walkers were walking off the cliff. What set the motion of the end of The Whisperers, is when Lydia tossed Alpha’s mask off the cliff. That scene is very poetic as Carol’s hatred and revenge towards Alpha has come full circle as this memorable scene gives us the viewer, and the characters relief that it is finally over.
Gabriel’s scenes were great too. Many times during his on screen prescence, we were lead to believe that he would either get his comic book death, or his on screen death by the end of the episode. I based this because there are several times on The Walking Dead where a character gets too much airtime and dialouge and then they wind up dead. That did not happen here as the masked person and Maggie saved his life. Gabriel had a great character development since he became the head of the council back in season 9. I cannot wait to see what he will do in season 11.
The battle scene at night was really good. I liked the idea of those Whisperers using walkers as body shields while the group battled them. The other Whisperers did what they could to bring down the wagon and their plan worked despite them getting killed. Battle scenes have been excellent during this season of The Walking Dead and Walk With Us had the best battle scene this season.
Those Commonwealth soldiers at the final moments of the episode got me excited for the New World Order arc. That will happen at the next season. The detail and the look of those soldiers were comic book acurate and I was amazed on how they pulled that off. Everything from the armor, the guns with the blade attached, and even their stance was really taken from the comic. Huge props to the team for this.
The scene when Carol and Daryl were talking about New Mexico really set the stage of their upcoming spinoff. That spinoff is currently untitled, but it would be quite interesting to see how they will exit the main show.
Now, there are crucial moments from the comic book stories “The Whisperer War” and “A Certain Doom” to note. Those moments such as Gabriel’s brutal death by Beta, the full Negan vs. Beta fight, and Andrea’s walker bite reveal were not adapted on screen. Those four moments were expected to be adapted due to episode 15 being named “The Tower” and the finale being named “A Certain Doom.” But those two names was really a bait and switch tactic and it disappointed me too.
Speaking of Beta vs. Negan, this was the main cover of the Vol-27 story. Everyone could not wait for these two to have their big showdown. But it ended in less than 30 seconds. Huge disappointment! I could not think which was worse. Beta’s death on the show, or on the comic. At least on Beta’s death in the comic, there was an actual fight. And Daryl should have known that Beta had armor because they fought previously. And on their last fight, Beta had armor on.
Walking through that massive horde gave me chills. But at the same time, I think that it is eye opening that only one person of the group was killed in that horde by a Whisperer. I know that the guts trick has been done for years. At this point, I just think of it as an invincibility star from Super Mario. There should have been more of a sense of danger and unpredictability during this long sequence. But it is very cool to see those walkers that upclose next to everyone.
I cannot say much about Maggie since her return is brief. I do believe that her return will be expanded on in tho upcoming six extra episodes. It will also be interesting to see how Maggie and Negan will interract too.
With the major hiccups out of the way, I still think that this is a very strong episode. It wrapped up the feud between the communities and The Whisperers in a great way. What the finale also did, is that we now have something huge to look forward to on the final season!
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Fear The Walking Dead will return in a few more weeks to premiere its sixth season. After Virginia had her pioneer members split up the group in different locations, she is on the hunt for Morgan. Speaking of Morgan, we last seen him at the closing moments of the season five finale as he was fighting for his life.
That last episode of season five drew a widespread backlash in The Walking Dead community. What everyone hopes to see is if there will be an improvement on season six. I seen the first three episodes of the season, and I will share you my thoughts of the first three episodes and what you could expect from this season.
601: The End is The Beginning
We find out that this episode picks up six weeks after the season five finale. Morgan is still hiding from Virginia and The Pioneers after all this time. There is even a bounty hunter named Josiah LaRoux that is looking for Morgan during the episode. They both do actually meet in this episode, but I will not spoil the outcome. But during this episode, he briefly befriends someone and is tasked with a small mission that he does initinally do not want to do, but he does it because the person reconized him from the tapes.
What I like about this episode, is how Morgan changed from the previous two seasons of Fear. The Morgan that you know when he wanted to go around the country to find everyone, is gone. He is a completly different character from this point on and still carries that badass nature that came with him on the main show. I also like the structure and the visual setting that is displayed especdially towards the second half of the episode. It made it seem like an old western when you piece everything together.
There is also a small easter egg from the very first episode of The Walking Dead that I noticed too when Morgan was walking to the small town.It reminded me of when Rick Grimes first went to the city as both scenes had no music and if you compare the two scenes, it is nearly shot the same way. Also, Morgan goes inside a police car to get a gun and that had to be a Rick Grimes easter egg since he was a sherif officer when they both first met.
There are a few moments on this episode that did made my head shake in a bad way. One in particular, is when Morgan was walking through the walkers while he is still bleeding from his wound. I find that very inconsistant and jarring when you put in the thought of how walkers work in that universe. My other problems with this episode, is that even though Morgan explained to a former Pioneer member how he was saved, we do not actually see who saved him. And finally, I feel that Josiah should have been used better on this episode and you will find out why I said that.
I believe if this episode started from where the finale left off to show us how Morgan survived and then continue the story with the short timejump, this episode would have flowed much better. But I also love the badass line Morgan says at the end of the episode. To me, The End is The Beginning is the reintroduction of the Morgan character and Lennie James really pulled it off from start to finish.
602: Welcome to the Club
Welcome to the Club focuses on Alicia, Strand, Daniel, and Charlie. One thing that caught my attention was the mental state of Daniel. There is something really wrong with him during this episode and I wanted to figure out what Virginia did to him. I will not tell you what happens at the end of the episode, but it is something to think about.
As far as Alicia, Strand, and Charlie go, Virginia tasks them with a mission to do inside the factory. This mission is supposed to be beneficial for them according to Virginia. But the mission itself, is very tricky and you will see that at the start of this episode. Other prisoners tried this early on, but it did not work. You will also see what happens to one prisoner that tried to run away and it is not good.
Virginia’s sister Dakota, is charming and she sees the good in Alicia, Strand, and Charlie. She helps them during a crazy sequence that involves a lot of walkers. The other takeaway I have, is the debates Alicia and Strand have over why they should not listen to anybody anymore, and why they should be leaders to themselves. There is something about Alicia being the voice of reason in the right place at the right time and that is also showcased too.
I would compare most of this episode to The Walking Dead’s The Cell as I thought that one was an underrated episode. I feel the same for this particular episode too as I believe it will be one of the more underrated episodes of the season. There is a ton of action on the second half so be on the lookout for that.
603: Alaska
Alaska is my favorite of the three. Austin Amelio and Maggie Grace nailed it with the chemistry between Dwight and Al. The unique surprises here will be the highlight of this episode. One surprise is that the building that they both need to go to for something that is CRM related, has residents that are infected by a plague. Another surprise that comes at the end of the episode, will be heart warming and satisfying. It is something Dwight fans have been waiting for ever since the main show.
About the plague, there is one scene that you may want to turn your head away the second you see it. I did that because I was disgusted. If you have a certain phobia, then this scene may not be for you. You have been warned.
When you find out the reason why this episode is named Alaska, you will most likely be sad. It is a dark backstory and it makes you think of life and how it can be taken without notice. It is also related to what Dwight and Al does during this episode from the start that gives it the name too. Dwight has been one of my favorites since the main show and Al is starting to reach up there on Fear The Walking Dead right next to Alicia, and John.
I wish that there is more for me to share about Alaska, but it would cross the spoiler territory and everyone will have to wait until they see it.
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Aliyah Royale as Iris – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1, Gallery – Photo Credit: Carlos Serrao/AMC
Aliyah Royale plays as Iris on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Iris is the sister of hope and these two have a great bond with eachother that we will see when World Beyond debuts in a matter of weeks. During my set visit tour, I got a chance to speak with Aliyah Royale about her role on World Beyond and her love of The Walking Dead in this exclusive set tour interview.
Aliyah on being casted on The Walking Dead: World Beyond
Aliyah: “It was absolutely insane. Wednesday I got this call to go in this room super early in the day. At the same night when I was with my friends at Benihana’s and I get a call to be in New York tomorrow. I tested for it that day with Alexa, and I was in New York for 12 hours max. And on Saturday morning, me and my mom were heading to the movies. My agent called me while we were in the car at the parking lot. He told me that I got the part and My mom was clearly the first person I told.”
“It was so crazy because we both told eachother that we were going to the movie and to also remain calm. But we were there jittery and we could not stop moving. We then decided to leave and go to the cheesecake factory to talk about this. It was so exciting and I got to share it with my mom.”
Aliyah Royale as Iris – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Sarah Shatz/AMC
Do you remember what movie it was? And did anyone in the theater notice that you were very excited?
Aliyah: “It was Stuber. We sat there for the first two minutes and I could not stop moving or pay attention to this movie. There were people looking around in that theater like ‘who the hell is this’, ‘who won’t stop talking, and ‘who won’t stop shaking the whole theater with her legs.’ I do have to watch Stuber at some point.”
Aliyah on describing Iris Bennett
Aliyah: “I like to describe her as a really good friend. She is very sweet, loyal, and a giver. Iris is ready to do anything for anyone at anytime and she does not need to know you. For example, the first time she meets another character, everyone else is asking ‘who the hell is this guy’ and Iris gives him a snack after she asks him if he is hungry. I like that about her because she always gives people the benefit of the doubt.”
Does Iris have a weapon of choice?
Aliyah: “Yes! her name is shilo. I am the only character that named their weapon. My favorite character on the main show is Negan and he has Lucille. So I wanted to name my weapon because of that. Shilo isa pole with a triceratops horn attached on the top of the pole. It belonged to Elton at first and he wanted to make the weapon cooler. And then Shilo was born!”
Has the name of Iris’ weapon made it to the show?
Aliyah: “It has not made the show, but it has made it to the crew which I am very happy about. Like when they hand me the weapon in the props area, they know that it is mines because I have the weapon’s name on a card where it is placed. Shilo is also the same name of my husky I had when I was eight years old. I associate both of them with the same level of coolness.”
How long have you been a fan of The Walking Dead?
Aliyah: “I would say ten years ago, but I was very young. I was too young to watch it at the time, but my brothers love the show. I became obsessed with The Walking Dead because of my brothers. My brothers also still do not believe I am on the show. They are in denial even after I told them. But I technically have no proof to show them because I can’t share any pictures at the moment (laughs).”
What kind of conflicts will we see Iris go through?
Aliyah: “I think one of the biggest conflicts Iris has, is making hard choices. She is trying to find the line between putting everyone in danger vs. doing the best she can to find her father. Her and her sister went on a journey to their father. During that journey, Iris has been put in situations that potentinally put people in danger that nobody expected to be in. If someone gets hurt, she does not want them to be left behind. She wants to make sure that none of the people that she brought with her on this journey serve the conciquences because of her decisions.”
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Nicolas Cantu as Elton – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Zach Dilgard/AMC
Nicolas Cantu plays as Elton on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. Elton is the youngest of the group of main characters and he is interested in observing everything that is outside the walls of the community. But there is more to Elton than his bright personality and Nicolas Cantu is here to talk about the character.
Myself and other journalists got a chance to speak with Nicolas Cantu during the set tour of The Walking Dead: World Beyond and here are some of the highlights of the interview I will share. Also to note, Nicolas was accompanied by his mother and dog as these interviews took place.
Nicolas on his audition on the show and his initinal reaction
Nicolas: “When I saw the audition and it said ‘TWD3’ (at the time), my mind flipped out. Then I realized that it had nothing to do with the main show. So I had to play this character, but they could not spoil anything of the story elements. So it was a very weird audition to do that. But then I did the audition and I thought it went well. Then I got the callback and I thought that things were getting closer. A month later, I got the call that I will be joining the cast and I jumped on my couch. I was so estatic! It was so crazy.”
Nicolas on his character Elton
Nicolas: ” Elton is a very analitical, 14 year old boy. He is an old soul and is obsessed with this discovery with the world around him. He grew up in this fortified community and he has done all of this study behind the walls. Now it is time to get visceral with this study. Elton’s quest is to go out to the world and seeing how nature and these ’empties’ have affected the way people live outside of these walls. He is obsessed with discovery.”
Why are the walkers on this show called empties?
Nicolas: “In the main show, there is no zombie media so you could not call them zombies. In different parts of the world, people call them different things. We call them empties because they are empty inside. They are a shell of a person now. That is what I think of the thought process is. They are very distinct from the walkers on the main show. They are very affected by the enviornment and you can see how nature has taken both physical places and the bodies of these people.”
Nicolas on if Elton has a weapon of choice
Nicolas: “Elton’s weapon is karate, the knowledge of martial-arts, and his brain. Instead of actively going out to fight these empties, he knows that it is way more effictive and efficent to try to deter them or not engage at all. Every second you are fighting an empty, you also have every second of dying. If he ever comes face to face in a grim situation, he would rather deflect than try to completly demolish the threat.”
Does Elton have a special connection with anyone in the group?
Nicolas: “Elton is an orphan child in the community and he has not had a family in a long time. He and Silas get close together in the pilot. He also gets close with the girls of the group. Elton is building this family that he has not had in a long time. It is a very special thing for him and it is what he cherish the most.”
How does everyone that is younger find out about the empties?
Nicolas: “From inside the university, there are people doing research on the world out there. Elton would read books in the library to study up on what people know and documented on the outside. There are also clases to try to fight these empties. When the time comes, you would know what to strike, what to target, and what to avoid. They do know a lot about it. They have not seen these horrors first hand, but they know of them. The empties lurk outside and the security dispatch them like it is nothing.”
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Alexa Mansour as Hope – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Zach Dilgard/AMC
The Walking Dead World Beyond, The second spinoff in The Walking Dead’s long running franchise is set to debut in a matter of weeks. The show will focus on a younger group of individuals that are seeing the world outside of their community for the first time.
One of the main characters of the series is Hope. Hope is played by Alexa Mansour and Alexa had a lot to say about the character during my set tour on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. I will have to add a disclaimer, that I can only give highlights of this interview as there are a few questions that was answered about the current episode that was being filmed that I cannot share at this moment.
Alexa on getting casted on World Beyond
Alexa: “I hadn’t gotten a job in such a long time. I know a lot of people can’t say this but I was ready to quit. I was going on three auditions a day for months. So when you keep hearing, ‘She’s great, but she’s not right for the role,’ you’re kind of like, all right, I need to do something else. But I auditioned for this role back in April. My mom drove me to the audition because I had a long night before the audition day. She is waiting for me inside and I go inside and do my audition, and I remember that I had a band shirt on that belonged to my sister. The shirt had a drawing on it and it is probably something that I have not worn to an audition. So I put it inside out and I went in that audition with the tag sticking outside of my shirt. And I walked out and I looked at mom and told her that I screwed up and that there was no way they were calling me back. Flashforward to June and I got a call for a meeting with Scott Gimple and Matt. I went there, and I saw a bunch of actors that used to watch on television in the waiting room. The second I walked in, I thought that there is no way that this is going to happen. I spent about three hours talking with Scott and Matt. After the meeting, I called my agent and I told him that if I do not get this, I am done. Got a call a week later, and I was told that I was going to be tested for the pilot. They wanted to make sure I was edgy to do it. After the test which was the last part of the audition, I had another audition and I aced it. Then, I was flown to New York to meet with Aliyah Royale , who plays as Iris. Then the night before the 4th of July, I found out that I got the part. The first thing I said is “yay, I can fix my windshield!”
What was the drawing on the shirt?
Alexa: “It had a penis on it (laughs). But it was a band shirt and I can’t remember the name of the band. Before I walked into that audition, I remembered that the character is 16 years old and I can not walk in there with this showing (laughs).”
Alexa Mansour as Hope – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Zach Dilgard/AMC
How can you describe Hope in your own way?
Alexa: “Hope is such an angsty teen that does not give a s*** about anything or anyone. Hope does not think that she will live very long and she wants to have fun and do whatever she wants. Then she has to face a serious task with her sister and she gets her act together to do that. She is going through a lot of stuff that she does not want to show on the outside.”
How old is Hope when the apoclapse happens?
Alexa: “I want to say about 10 years old when Hope was watching everything happened. And Hope had to grow up knowing everything that she has seen when she was younger.”
Alexa on Hope and Iris’ bond as sisters
Alexa: “Their bond is unbreakable. They love eachother to death. Iris is the responsible one and Hope would be the one to make booze in her dorm.”
Alexa on her life changing now since she is part of The Walking Dead Universe
Alexa: “It’s one of those things where you can’t believe it until you see it. That also comes with people stopping you or knowing your name. That’s one thing, I have a lot of people know my name recently and I am not used to that. When we went to New York Comic Con, AMC had everything arranged for us. The hotels, the drivers, and all that stuff. I went to get lunch across the street and I walk back to my hotel and I never seen these people in my life. They were saying how much they are happy to have me back. I look at them like ‘how do you know my name’ (laughs). How do you know what I look like. So if someone came up to the street, Iwould probably freak out!”
If there was a real apoclapse, where would you go and what would be your weapon of choice?
Alexa: “I would go back to my house that I grew up in Los Angeles. It is completly gated with trees all the way up. No one can see or hear you. It was built in the early 1940’s and there is a bomb shelter underneath. My weapon of choice would be Daryl’s crossbow because you would not have to make contact with whoever you are aiming at. I wanted to go with a gun at first, but I was told that it would attract more of them to me.
Doyou have a dream crossover character that your character would like to meet?
Alexa: “Yes! Daryl and Carol. I look at Carol and I would look at the epitome of a strong female character and I love her. And Daryl, I have a big crush on him to be honest!”
Did everyone in the community grew up there or were some of them transfered there as time went by?
Alexa: “From what I know, we all grew up there. I know that every character has a different story on how they ended up there. Iris and Hope grew up there. Huck has a long story of what she went through which I do not know 100% of what she went through. Felix was taken in by our dad. He was part of our family when we got there and he is like the big brother to us. Elton grew up there. Silas was brought in.”
What is your favorite episode you have been part of so far?
Alexa: “I do not remember the number, but it is called ‘Blades of Glory’ It was one of the hardest episodes we had to shoot because it was very hot out there and we were wearing jackets and there is a huge fire that we had to pass. It is the most emotionally and physically taxing episode. In the trailer, you can see a little of that episode. After watching that, it makes it all worth it. Even though it was the hardest, it is my favorite.”
The Walking Dead: World Beyond premieres on October 4th, 2020
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Alexa Mansour as Hope, Aliyah Royale as Iris, Hal Cumpston as Silas, Nicolas Cantu as Elton – The Walking Dead: World Beyond _ Season 1 – Photo Credit: Jojo Whilden/AMC
Last year, it was announced that a second spinoff of The Walking Dead franchise was in development. From that point on, we were given little details over the months of 2019 until the first trailer was revealed at New York Comic Con.
At the beginning of 2020, the name of the series became known to the public as The Walking Dead: World Beyond. I have watched the first and secondepisode of World Beyond and I will give you my non-spoiler opinions about the two episodes and what can everyone expect from the series.
World Beyond’s first episode gets straight to the point of the mysterious CRM group within the first few minutes of the first episode. You will also get to know a little more about what do they do in other states and why they are there in that community.
At the end of the episode however, you will find out why they arrived at that community to begin with. The main focus of the first episode are the two sisters Hope and Iris. They both went through a crazy event over a decade ago that kept them together, but they are both curious to why CRM is very secretive.
Iris stood out to me more than the entire cast of the episode as she feels that she has to be the one to give her all to the community while not focusing on herself as a person. There will be more to this when she speaks to a particular person.
Iris and Hope also seems like the most affected members of that community to what happened 10 years ago as they both still struggle mentally to live their lives in a safe community. You will also see that there is an unexpected connection with Iris, Hope, and Elton too and Elton is a fun, easy going person who is also curious to see what the world outside their community is like.
Nico Tortorella as Felix, Annet Mahendru as Huck – TWD: World Beyond _ Season 1 – Photo Credit: Jojo Whilden/AMC
Felix is the head of the security of Campus Colony and it shows since his jacket with the CRM emblem is a different color than everyone else. Felix is also the first LGBT character on World Beyond as he told a story of his ex-boyfriend to one of the characters on one of the scenes.
He also acts as a big brother to one of the characters too especially on a particular scene where he had to temporary arrest that character. Felix’s authority is believable due to the fact that he is the oldest of the main characters.
The other security guard that is part of the cast is named “Huck” (played by Annet Mahendru) and we do not know her first name yet. She has a bond with Felix and also with Hope. But on the second episode, we see her and Felix spend a lot of time together and they both get to know more about eachother.
The main plot of the first episode is that they are celebrating a holiday to remember what happened a decade ago. Also during the episode, there will be a particular reason to why the group goes out of the Campus to adventure the world. There is a motivation behind it and it will not be too long to find out why.
The second episode revolves around the first adventure the group goes on, and a backstory on Felix. Felix’s past made me really feel for the character because he went through so much. You would have not thought that the head of security at that community had a tragic backstory when you see Felix on the first episode. Nico Tortorella stated on Talking Dead not too long ago that his character was kicked out of his house when he was younger due to him coming out as gay. That will be expanded on this episode.
Another thing about Felix’s past during this episode, is that it also haunts him in a disturbing way to his mental state.
What is also interesting, is that when you hear the main characters interract, you will learn that they all have had a bad past which brings them all closer together. This is showcased during the episode even though it also shows that they are inexperienced dealing with taking down empties.
Life outside of what they are used to will take time for these characters to get adjusted to because it gets tough out there for them early on. There were many times that I rememberd that this is their first time outside the walls to see the world.
Elton also really shined on this episode too and he questions if they can survive outside of where they lived, and if they would one day become one of the empties. There is a particular reason to why Hope and Elton are connected and once you find out, your mind will be blown.
The second episode does end in a minor cliffhanger, but it is the character development of the characters in a swift time that makes this one stand out.
I will have to say that it was werid to see everything so normal in that Campus like nothing even happened at first from an outsider looking in as there are school classes, karate classes, and much more. But they realize that the dead, which are called “empties” on this series, is still out there. There is more to the cast other than them being young ten years into the apoclapse and you will get to know who everyone is little by little.
Also, bonus points to Silas as he reminds me of one person I knew in high school!
I was optimistic and curious of the second spinoff since it was announced and when I went on the set tour last fall (That article will be coming soon), I got to learn about more of the show and how it will tie into the unannounced Rick Grimes movies. Especially since CRM is more than just trading people for supplies.
There is a strong cast and I am looking forward to the rest of the season. But it will take time for the general audience to grow with the characters because many will most likely tune in just for the lead up to the Rick Grimes movies than the characters itself.
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After the announcement that the season 10 finale of AMC’s The Walking Dead would be delayed until a further date due to the pandemic, the entire community of The Walking Dead was hearbroken. It would not be until San Diego Comic Con at Home that the date of the finale would be revealed.
Ahead of the October 4th airdate, I got the chance to watch the long-awaited season finale. Here is my preview of the season 10 finale of The Walking Dead!
A Certain Doom is the same name of issue number 167 of the comic book series, and the name of the volume 28 story of the same name.
Although there are some moments that were adapted from this story, The Whisperer War (volume 27), and Lines We Cross (volume 29), there are big moments from two of the three stories that did not make it on screen and I wish they did.
I would first like to say, that the VFX team did an amazing job on the special effects. The wait was fully worth it for the episode’s post production process to be finished and I totally understood why the delay was necessary. It was not only the the great effects that stood out, but the sound and the music too especially one scene involving Judith as she is getting away from Whisperers. That scene also starts with a bang so keep that in mind.
Something that also caught my attention during this episode is the little hints of what will set the motion of the untitled Carol and Daryl spinoff series that will premiere in 2023. Those small hints are seen and heard throuought the episode between the two characters especially towards the end of the episode.
Michonne is also brought up early on in the episode as Carol and Daryl are talking about her. I will not go into detail of what they said about her, but it is something to think about when you see this scene for yourself.
The main plot of this episode is for the group to escape the hospital that they are in so they can retrieve the horse wagon. But the problem is, Alpha’s megahorde that is being controlled by Beta and The Whisperers has surrounded the entire hospital and the group has to escape through the horde. The way this is planned, is that they divide into smaller groups so they can all go through.
I will not say who is paired with who, but during that long sequence, it gets bad for one person in the group. Also, the way that the walkers devoured on the few people in that megahorde is gruesome and you may want to turn away if you do not want to see anyone’s body parts gets disassembled.
Watching that, made me feel more claustrophobic than I did when I watched “Squeeze” and I had to remember that Carol is claustrophobic. But this time, it seemed like she was not bothered by it. Later in the episode, there is a battle between the group and The Whisperers and it had me on the edge of my seat when I seen it.
Negan on this episode is very good. To me, his redemption arc has come full circle from the start of the season. However, there is something that puzzled me the entire time when I seen him with everyone else. But I believe that will be expanded on the extra six episodes in 2020. That, along with Maggie’s return which is brief on this episode too. Her reunion with one character however, is a sight to see.
The masked person that is with Maggie had only one action scene. But the way he appeared to save one character got me excited to see more of the person. I compare the masked indiviual to Marvel’s Blade in terms of how swift and quick his or her attacks are. The mysterious person does not unmask on the episode, nor does the person speak. So that person’s idenity is really sealed.
Beta is really awesome on this episode as he is still hearing voices of the walkers. But what is interesting about Beta on this episode, is how his “end of the world” chant he did with Alpha caught up with him. Here is a teaser I can say. There is a Beta vs Negan fight. I cannot go into detail of who wins or loses. But another character gets involved in the fight too. But I feel disappointed on how fast that fight was especially since everyone included myself could not wait for this showdown to be adapted from the comic to the screen.
One of the best scenes of this episode, and for this season involves Carol and Lydia. It is very poetic when you watch it. I was not really sold on the dynamic on the two characters when they first started bonding earlier in the season, but this scene really got me into their dynamic. The way this scene was shot makes you believe one of the characters will do something tragic, but it does not go how you expected it and I love the way it was shot.
And by the end of this beautiful scene, I believe that the entire fanbase will agree on how masterful it was shot and acted. I am not kidding when I say that this scene will be a memorable one. It also made me think that Carol feels that she is finally relieved of everything Alpha put her through.
I did not forget Eugene, Yumiko, Ezekiel, and The Princess. Their journey of meeting Stephanie is only showcased a small amount of time on the episode, but comic readers will be excited at the end of the episode. Also, Princess says a very hilarious line towards Eugene and I could not hold my laughter at all when I heard her say it and when everyone else reacted.
Overall, I love this episode. It is the best season finale since season 5 and it made you look forward to the next season. Every major question is answered on this episode including an unexpected return. There were a few things that disappointed me on this episode especially when we did not get any major comic book deaths adapted to screen, but there are deaths on this episode. This episode will be universally acclaimed by the community of The Walking Dead when they see it on October 4th.
P.S: Gabriel’s story on this episode is damn great.
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