A look into the lives of survivors taking refuge on a steamboat in a bayou, and how their lives are in danger thanks to the paranoia and growing ruthlessness of a woman named Dee.
Abusive Parents: Dee as usual can’t go two seconds without bullying or intimidating Lydia, then trying to pretend she was kidding or show a moment of kindness to her to keep her under her sway.
When she and Brooke go to see the source of the commotion, Dee shushes Brooke, complete with the gesture.
When Billy has the survivors on their knees as he determines who to kill, he assures them “no exceptions”, recalling Negan’s infamous declaration when he gleefully killed Glenn in Season 7’s “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”; as well as what Arat was revealed to have said in Season 9’s “Warning Signs” to her victims when she participated in Simon’s genocide of Oceanside.
At the end of the episode, believing she has no other choice, Dee prepares to kill Lydia and herself in what she views as a Mercy Kill to spare her daughter from the harsh life they live in. She will later try it again in Season 10’s “Walk With Us”, when she decides to kill Lydia in what she thinks is a Mercy Kill since Lydia refuses to become a Whisperer.
Continuity Nod: Dee laments that the apocalypse is no world for a child to live in, recalling how Lori Grimes said the same thing when considering letting Carl die of his wounds in Season 2’s “Bloodletting”.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Dee thinks Brooke is trying to steal Lydia away from her because she can be a better provider and protector. She’s right, but largely because she recognizes that Lydia is a victim of abuse. Dee still can’t stop harping on about how Brooke was teaching her a lie afterwards.
The Extremist Was Right: Dee’s accusations against Billy turn out to be right when he attacks the boat with his men.
Facial Horror: Dee cuts a deep scar across Brooke’s face to provide her with a permanent taunt about how she failed Lydia.
Glamour Failure: Dee’s first dress isn’t that great since the options were limited.
Hypocrite: Despite Dee’s insistence she’s devoted to her daughter, when she finds some food in an RV she still feeds herself first before giving Lydia anything.
I Have You Now, My Pretty: Billy lustfully strokes Brooke’s shoulder and says she’s perfect, and maybe one day she’ll grow to like him with him in charge.
It's All About Me: Dee’s hatred for Brooke stems largely from her rage that Lydia could dare care for her as a prospective mother over her. Even when Brooke’s community falls, Dee brags about how she couldn’t provide for or protect her.
Dee insists her harsh treatment of Lydia is purely to protect her and help her survive. While 90% of this trope is subverted thanks to Dee’s abusive bullshit, as we know from the main series, there is indeed a shred of genuine love she has for her daughter that she will have until the day she dies.
Brooke has grown attached to Lydia and Dee recognizes she is becoming a more beloved maternal figure to her.
Ms. Fanservice: Brooke is an attractive woman who frequently dresses well, even when she’s not throwing one of her parties.
Once More, with Clarity: Downplayed. A major point of the episode is that it is Alpha’s backstory, but the true backstory, and not the one she gaslit Lydia into believing as we saw in the main show’s “Omega”.
Sequel Hook: The episode ends with Dee being introduced to the Whisperers, who are revealed to already exist and predate Dee meeting Beta.
Sink or Swim Mentor: Dee aggressively tries to force Lydia to help her fight three walkers in order to teach her to fight.
Spotting the Thread: Brooke has caught onto how Lydia fears Dee and initially refuses to tell Dee where she’s staying.
This Cannot Be!: Like any manipulative, power-hungry abuser, Dee cannot process any chance that Lydia would be loyal to or care for someone besides herself.
Dee is still an abusive monster, but she’s telling Lydia the truth when she says the people on the boat were turning on them.
She also isn’t wrong that Lydia is going to have to learn to fight walkers if she is to survive… she’s just going about it the wrong way as usual.
Villain Protagonist: Dee, the future “Alpha”, is the main character of the episode.
Wham Shot: The episode’s ending reveals that the Whisperers were not founded by Alpha and Beta, already being an active group led by a woman named Hera before Alpha ever met Beta.
