This week’s episode starts off with a helicopter flying through the sky. I immediately think that it’s the same helicopter that’s in season 1 and 2, but when I say this my husband says, “It’s not, that helicopter was a military issued helicopter, it had guns. I should know, I play video games.” But then, of course my question was answered anyways because they showed Andrea and Michonne watching it as it crashed. Just as they get to the site, The Governor and his team arrive. The pilot is still breathing, but the other two guys are dead. Andrea and Michonne watch from the woods. Andrea looks like she’s about to die, and Michonne is trying to keep her pets quiet, but something is really agitating them, I’m assuming it’s all the other zombie activity and the gun shots. Just after Michonne beheads her pets (was anyone else a little sad about that?) everyone notices that it’s gone quiet. Then Merle sneaks up behind them with a crazy hand contraption and a gun! After awesomely killing a zombie he gets Andrea and Michonne and takes them away to Woodbury at gun point.
Woodbury seems like it’s this nice, quaint little town, but there’s something sinister and stepford wifey about it. I honestly had pictured it to be a little more ramshackled, but that’s just from having read The Rise of the Governor, I probably pictured it all wrong.
Andrea wakes up in the hospital, hooked up to an IV, which shows that not only do they have medicine and good equipment, they have electricity! There’s even a mention of warm water, so we know that they’re not lacking for luxuries there. Andrea seems to be a little uneasy, but accepting. Michonne just seems completely untrusting of everyone and she wants out of there.
The Governor has his trusty tea drinking mad scientist who is experimenting on Walkers, or Biters, whatever you want to call them. When he goes down to the lab it’s obvious that the mad scientist and Merle are having some kind of disagreement, but when The Governor walks in they both tuck their tails between their legs. The Governor did ask Merle something about Andrea knowing Daryl and asked if she knew where he was. It seems like he wants him for something, and that’s making me wonder what he has planned. MSD (mad scientist dude) is testing Michonne’s pets and finds that when you take away their ability to bite or scratch, they really just act as a camouflage.
The pilot from the helicopter wreckage is in the hospital being treated for his wounds when the Governor goes in to ask him about where he came from and what he was doing. He explained that he has a group that’s posted not far from there and he promises to go and get them. Well… He got them alright, with bullets and arrows!!! You really get a sense of who The Governor is in this scene when after he shoots the guy, he proceeds to just pound his head repeatedly with the butt of his gun and a scary look of satisfaction on his face. I’m wondering if he killed them just for the satisfaction of it, or if it was to keep strong leadership types out of Woodbury for fear that they would try to take over?
Andrea and Michonne are getting a tour of the town when they come back with the jeeps, hummers, weapons and resources that they took from the guys they killed and she hears The Governor’s speech about how the Biters got there before they did and how it just proves that you’re never really safe. So I’m thinking he’s just keeping people there with scare tactics, kind of brain washing them to believe that Woodbury is really the only safe place for them. And honestly, if you were there would you really want to leave? Look at everything they have there! But I digress… While Michonne walks off angry, Andrea is listening to this speech and getting all hot and bothered. She’s obviously into insane men with leadership roles (ie: Shane). While “flirting” with The Governor she asks him his real name, which he says he’ll never tell. She says, “Never say never.” He says “Never.” But I’m here to tell you… His name is Philip Blake, if you see Andrea let her know.
So we’re now at the end of the episode. The Governor goes back to his house where there’s what I believe to be a woman of the night in his bed (some professions never die!) and he looks at a photo of his family and goes to what I will refer to as his den… His den of floating zombie heads!!! I have no words for this! What does he have a zombie aquarium for? Does anyone have any insight? Does he have these in the books?
This episode, for me, has raised a bunch of new questions. I’m really interested in The Governor and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the show. I’m excited to see where they take his character, and REALLY excited to see what happens when they get him and Rick in the same room! I did miss the other characters and story line, but I felt that this episode was necessary if we are to really get to know The Governor and Woodbury.
What’s gonna happen next week!?
Also, please remember to tune into The Talking Dead immediately following the replay of The Walking Dead. It’s a great show that just discusses that night’s episode, and it’s hosted by the wonderful Chris Hardwick who is always entertaining!
The Nerdist podcast also just recently had interviews with Lauren Cohen (Maggie) and Andrew Lincoln (Rick) on so if you don’t mind downloading something entertaining off of iTunes for free, you should check those out too.
Till next week Towelites!
~CheriMonster
