With the ninth season of AMC’s The Walking Dead coming near its end, more and more detail is being revealed as to what happened during the six year time lapse preceding the disappearance of Rick Grimes. For one, we already have been introduced to The Whisperers, and they seem to be a worthy rival that could be a serious threat to others. Now, after the episode Scars premiered Sunday, March 17th, we know why Michonne has become such an isolationist type leader of Alexandria.
Feeling sort of out of sequence following the good portion of action in the prior week’s episode Chokepoint, Scars is riddled with flashbacks and brief introductions to more characters. In this episode, we see Michonne reunited with an old friend named Jocelyn (Rutina Wesley: True Blood series, 13 Sins 2014) who has since become a leader of a group of children, seemingly acting as their mother figure.
Jocelyn, much stronger than Michonne ever recalls, seems to have good enough intentions with the children’s best interest her first priority, thus Michonne welcomes them all into Alexandria no questions ask. Unfortunately, it is soon revealed that Jocelyn has become a ruthless opportunist who has brainwashed the children she leads to be vicious killers. In many ways they resemble a Children of the Corn-like cult.
It is also during this period we also see Michonne pregnant with R.J., her and Rick’s son. We witness Michonne having to make some extremely tough decisions to protect herself, her unborn child, and Judith Grimes as well. It is also here where we figure out exactly where she earned that X scar branding on her back, something which is never explained prior to this point.
With all these factors coming into play, it is now understood why Michonne is so un-trusting of outsiders coming into Alexandria and threatening their way of life. Yet, beyond keeping Negan alive, we still do not know exactly what happened between Michonne and Maggie that there is such bad blood between the two of them.
All this said, while Scars did provide some information, it could be argued that hindered the momentum that the prior episode, Chokepoint, had going for it. In many ways, Scars is a necessary piece to the puzzle, but in others, it felt like it did not need to be dragged out into an entire episode just when the action of this season was heating up. Nonetheless, there is a lot of buzz going around that The Calm Before episode, set to premiere Sunday, March 24th at 9 eastern time, will be one of the most shocking in quite sometime.
Curious as to why? Well, rumor has it that the infamous pike scene from the comic will rear its ‘head.’ Not going into much more detail than that, if what happens is what many are expecting to happen, it could be a massive focal point in The Walking Dead story-line, one that could make the season finale, The Storm, which will air on Sunday, March 31st, quite intense.
The truth is, no one really knows what is going to happen. That said, it will be very compelling to watch The Calm Before episode. Until then, Cryptic Rock gives Scars 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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