The Walking Dead: Season 5, Episode 16 “Conquer” (B+)
I can’t remember the last time this show had an expanded episode, and maybe that’s why this finale feels so action-packed. I couldn’t have more been excited to see Lennie James return as Morgan in the opening scene since I thought he was an excellent character in the pilot and love the fact that he’s returning after appearing only once intermittently, seemingly cured of some of his paranoia and now on the hunt for Rick and his promise of salvation. Seeing the residents of Alexandria come together to debate the merits of keeping Rick and his people as constable and neighbors, respectively, couldn’t have ended more dramatically than Rick walking in with a dead body and poor Reg getting his throat slit by someone far less skilled than Michonne in the handling of a sword. Morgan showing up at that moment only further enhanced the intensity, and this isn’t where I thought things would end up. Glenn’s battle in the woods also ended in a different place, and though the general state of affairs in Alexandria is poor, especially with Gabriel leaving the gate open and then inciting Sasha to kill him, our group is actually in a much more positive spot than at the end of last episode. I enjoyed the conversation between Eugene and Abraham at Tara’s bedside, and I’m glad to see that this show is investing some time and storylines on its supporting characters. It’s hard to recall that this season featured cannibals and Dawn, but that’s just the nature of this show, damning its characters to eternal cycles of wandering and occasional glimpses of hope along the way.
Season grade: B/B+
Season MVP: Ross Marquand as Aaron
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