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‘Walking Dead’ recap: Episode 8, ‘Coda’ – Metro US

‘Walking Dead’ recap: Episode 8, ‘Coda’

‘Walking Dead’ recap: Episode 8, ‘Coda’
Gene Page, AMC

“The Walking Dead” mid-season finale went out with a bang…well, two bangs.

The episode starts off with Rick turning Officer Lambson into road kill. Andrew Lincoln is done dishing out too much mercy.

Then the next step in the trade for Beth and Carol begins. I’m completely convinced that Rick could’ve been a sheriff in the Old West after his showdown in the street with two of Dawn’s cops.

Back at the hospital, Beth saves Dawn from one of the violent, predatory male cops, and he takes a tumble down the elevator shaft for his troubles.

Father Gabriel Stokes is saved the way he never saved others, by simply opening the doors of the church. Ironic. Either he really is the luckiest man alive or God is in fact watching his back. Come on, a machete happened to be sticking straight up and that walker happened to fall directly on it, slicing her head in half? God must be answering his prayers.

Then the moment of truth finally arrives. Rick and the gang are able to rescue Carol and Beth. Everything seems as though it will end well: Maggie and Beth will be reunited, the group will finally be almost all back together and it will show that miracles can happen even in the midst of this apocalypse. If “The Walking Dead” has taught us anything, it’s to expect the worst-case scenario. The smiles and happiness come to a crashing halt almost immediately. As soon as they turn to leave, Dawn changes the terms of the original deal and explains that Noah must be left behind as well. Seeing that Rick, Daryl and the rest will fight to keep him out of the hospital’s clutches, Noah turns himself over willingly. Beth embraces him and fixates Dawn with one of the most withering stares I have ever seen. Then, Beth walks right up to Dawn and says, “I get it now.” Suddenly she stabs Dawn with the silver scissors she had stashed in her cast, and almost as soon as the sheaths pierced the blue police uniform, BANG! A shot fires through Beth’s head, she collapses to the floor and blood is everywhere. NOOOOOOOO! As soon as she becomes a really significant character they kill her off. Life isn’t fair in this walker-infested world! However, Daryl, with tears streaming down his cheeks, instantly retaliates by doming Dawn. Her reign of the hospital is finally over and she will never darken a hallway again.

Maggie, Glen and the others arrive at the hospital just after the incident. Maggie watches them file out the door, her eyes searching for her baby sister. And then she sees Daryl carrying Beth’s limp body and she falls to her knees, sobbing.

Tonight we say goodbye to Beth Greene. She transformed into such a strong, capable character. Emily Kinney, you will be missed!

Now we have to wait until February to see the second half of the season. What do you think is in store for our survivors?

Grade: -A (Thank you so much for not making this end on an obnoxious cliff hanger until February. Much appreciated.)