Six years after Rick's supposed death, Michonne helps Aiden and Bailey reunite with their massive caravan, but refuses to join it out of disgust over the caravan's rules and her determination to find Rick and go back to their children. Aiden, Bailey, and their friend Nat outfit Michonne for her journey and later come to her aid against a massive horde, having been inspired by Michonne to break away along with dozens of others. The group agrees to help Michonne in her search, but the CRM attacks with chlorine gas, killing everyone except for Michonne and Nat who are forced to spend a year recovering from the damage done to their lungs and throats. Pressing on to the location mentioned in the boat's log book, Michonne and Nat find an abandoned and destroyed safe zone and dozens of burned bodies.
Nat convinces Michonne to return to Alexandria, but to keep faith that Rick is still alive. On the way back, the two spot a CRM helicopter and attack it using Nat's explosives in retaliation for the death of their friends, only for Michonne to be reunited with Rick. Nat is killed by a surviving CRM soldier, who Rick then kills. As soldiers close in, Rick helps Michonne create a successful cover story for the CRM, promising that they will escape together. However, Rick is confronted by Jadis who had recognized Michonne and threatens him if they try to escape while Michonne desires to take down the CRM despite Rick's warnings that they will never get home if they try to.
Unlike the previous episode, what is presented here is a more linear narrative, not relying heavily on time jumps as a script device. This approach makes sense for telling Michonne's story, as not much time has passed since her departure from The Walking Dead (unlike Rick, whose absence spanned six years). The episode begins with Michonne introducing herself to the leader of the couple she saved in the tenth season of the main series. They are willing to help her in any way they can as a gesture of gratitude. Michonne joins their caravan to continue her search for Rick, creating an interesting dynamic with the new characters, especially with Nat.
The dramatic weight of this episode is commendable from the start. While the previous episode showed a broken Rick resigned to never finding his family again, Michonne's journey is marked by resilience and courage. Danai Gurira returns with a magnificent performance, conveying her character's uncertainty, fear, and hope with incredible realism. Her portrayal is further enhanced by the supporting cast, which is both the episode's greatest strength and a slight flaw. One of the most compelling aspects of Michonne's journey is the imminent danger posed by the largest horde ever seen in The Walking Dead universe. The group warns Michonne that the walkers are migrating north (exactly where she needs to go), making the trip a suicidal mission. Walkers have been sidelined for a while as the writers have focused more on political and social plots, often neglecting the primary threat of this universe. While balancing this is interesting to avoid genre saturation, The Ones Who Live seems to strike a good balance, featuring epic walker scenes like the flaming walkers in the first episode and the massive horde in this one, all while deepening the characters' development.
As the journey continues, we witness the CRM's (Civic Republic Military) cruelty and capabilities. World Beyond had already shown the ruthless massacre of Omaha and Campus Colony, and here we see another chemical attack on a smaller scale. This is perhaps the closest Michonne has come to death since The Walking Dead, with only her and Nat surviving while the entire caravan group is exterminated. The episode also mirrors the first one's time jump, placing Rick and Michonne at the same point in the story, showing the helicopter crash from Michonne and Nat's perspective. This alternate viewpoint significantly enhances the episode's montage, especially since it's done without cuts (unlike the previous episode). The long-awaited reunion between Rick and Michonne is finally realized, executed with natural performances by Andrew and Danai, complemented by a spectacular soundtrack -everything fans have hoped for, leaving no room for complaints about their reunion.
However, not everything is perfect for The Walking Dead fans. Despite the focus on Rick and Michonne, Nat's death feels like a hasty decision. The last time fans grew attached to new characters was during Rick's farewell episode with Magna's group. Nat's clever, peculiar, and sarcastic character is crucial for the story, making his dramatic and comedic interactions throughout the plot impactful, and his unfortunate loss in the episode's final act felt significant. Even the actors playing Aiden and Bailey do a good job, creating a bond with Michonne that resonates with viewers. Keeping Nat alive might have been more interesting, especially since he would have a strong motivation to help bring down the CRM after witnessing his group's massacre. Unfortunately, that won't happen. The final sequence's editing deserves applause, with Michonne observing the CRM's vast military power, symbolized by Nat's lighter - a possible foreshadowing of future events (especially with all the promotional material centered around fire). The episode's final scene marks Jadis's (Pollyanna McIntosh) return, warning Rick that any further escape attempts will endanger his family, establishing her as the first obstacle Rick and Michonne must overcome to return home. Strong emotions await in the upcoming episodes.
Like the premiere, the second episode of The Ones Who Live maintains an excellent pace, keeping the momentum throughout. The technical aspects (both cinematography and soundtrack) elevate the episode, giving it a more cinematic feel. The idea of Rick and Michonne transforming the CRM from within appears more attractive, complex, and political, although it deviates from the franchise's survival and horror roots. However, the final tone suggests the duo will confront everyone, especially with Jadis Stokes's return as a classic antagonist in this type of familiar TWD narrative. Nonetheless, the conflict's scale, the potential for a suspenseful narrative with characters inside the enemy's stronghold, and the couple's strong relationship as the dramatic front all provide a solid foundation for a great post-apocalyptic romance.
Nat convinces Michonne to return to Alexandria, but to keep faith that Rick is still alive. On the way back, the two spot a CRM helicopter and attack it using Nat's explosives in retaliation for the death of their friends, only for Michonne to be reunited with Rick. Nat is killed by a surviving CRM soldier, who Rick then kills. As soldiers close in, Rick helps Michonne create a successful cover story for the CRM, promising that they will escape together. However, Rick is confronted by Jadis who had recognized Michonne and threatens him if they try to escape while Michonne desires to take down the CRM despite Rick's warnings that they will never get home if they try to.
Unlike the previous episode, what is presented here is a more linear narrative, not relying heavily on time jumps as a script device. This approach makes sense for telling Michonne's story, as not much time has passed since her departure from The Walking Dead (unlike Rick, whose absence spanned six years). The episode begins with Michonne introducing herself to the leader of the couple she saved in the tenth season of the main series. They are willing to help her in any way they can as a gesture of gratitude. Michonne joins their caravan to continue her search for Rick, creating an interesting dynamic with the new characters, especially with Nat.
The dramatic weight of this episode is commendable from the start. While the previous episode showed a broken Rick resigned to never finding his family again, Michonne's journey is marked by resilience and courage. Danai Gurira returns with a magnificent performance, conveying her character's uncertainty, fear, and hope with incredible realism. Her portrayal is further enhanced by the supporting cast, which is both the episode's greatest strength and a slight flaw. One of the most compelling aspects of Michonne's journey is the imminent danger posed by the largest horde ever seen in The Walking Dead universe. The group warns Michonne that the walkers are migrating north (exactly where she needs to go), making the trip a suicidal mission. Walkers have been sidelined for a while as the writers have focused more on political and social plots, often neglecting the primary threat of this universe. While balancing this is interesting to avoid genre saturation, The Ones Who Live seems to strike a good balance, featuring epic walker scenes like the flaming walkers in the first episode and the massive horde in this one, all while deepening the characters' development.
As the journey continues, we witness the CRM's (Civic Republic Military) cruelty and capabilities. World Beyond had already shown the ruthless massacre of Omaha and Campus Colony, and here we see another chemical attack on a smaller scale. This is perhaps the closest Michonne has come to death since The Walking Dead, with only her and Nat surviving while the entire caravan group is exterminated. The episode also mirrors the first one's time jump, placing Rick and Michonne at the same point in the story, showing the helicopter crash from Michonne and Nat's perspective. This alternate viewpoint significantly enhances the episode's montage, especially since it's done without cuts (unlike the previous episode). The long-awaited reunion between Rick and Michonne is finally realized, executed with natural performances by Andrew and Danai, complemented by a spectacular soundtrack -everything fans have hoped for, leaving no room for complaints about their reunion.
However, not everything is perfect for The Walking Dead fans. Despite the focus on Rick and Michonne, Nat's death feels like a hasty decision. The last time fans grew attached to new characters was during Rick's farewell episode with Magna's group. Nat's clever, peculiar, and sarcastic character is crucial for the story, making his dramatic and comedic interactions throughout the plot impactful, and his unfortunate loss in the episode's final act felt significant. Even the actors playing Aiden and Bailey do a good job, creating a bond with Michonne that resonates with viewers. Keeping Nat alive might have been more interesting, especially since he would have a strong motivation to help bring down the CRM after witnessing his group's massacre. Unfortunately, that won't happen. The final sequence's editing deserves applause, with Michonne observing the CRM's vast military power, symbolized by Nat's lighter - a possible foreshadowing of future events (especially with all the promotional material centered around fire). The episode's final scene marks Jadis's (Pollyanna McIntosh) return, warning Rick that any further escape attempts will endanger his family, establishing her as the first obstacle Rick and Michonne must overcome to return home. Strong emotions await in the upcoming episodes.
Like the premiere, the second episode of The Ones Who Live maintains an excellent pace, keeping the momentum throughout. The technical aspects (both cinematography and soundtrack) elevate the episode, giving it a more cinematic feel. The idea of Rick and Michonne transforming the CRM from within appears more attractive, complex, and political, although it deviates from the franchise's survival and horror roots. However, the final tone suggests the duo will confront everyone, especially with Jadis Stokes's return as a classic antagonist in this type of familiar TWD narrative. Nonetheless, the conflict's scale, the potential for a suspenseful narrative with characters inside the enemy's stronghold, and the couple's strong relationship as the dramatic front all provide a solid foundation for a great post-apocalyptic romance.