Season 9, Episode 1
A casualty on a supply run spells the beginning of trouble for Rick’s newfound peace.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Gregory, to no one's surprise, wastes no time pleading for mercy when he faces execution.
- Adaptational Wimp: In the comic series, Gregory came very close to killing Maggie; the only reasons his plan failed were that 1) the poison dose was not enough to be lethal and 2) Jesus caught him red handed and managed to save Maggie from whatever backup plan Gregory might have had. Here, however, Gregory unsuccessfully tries to use someone else to do the deed, and when Maggie confronts him directly, he attempts to attack her with a knife instead of using a more subtle approach. Unsurprisingly, it does not end well for him.
- Bait-and-Switch: When Maggie assembles Hilltop and declares punishment is in order, Earl and Tammie are seen looking scared and ashamed. The viewer is led to believe Maggie is going to punish them... but then Maggie addresses someone off camera - Gregory in a noose.
- Black Comedy: A walker ends up pinned to the far end of an "evolution of man" display at the museum. Anne finds it a bit amusing.Anne: The devolution of man. I like it.
- Character Death: Ken is bitten by a walker and then wounded by a kick from his horse. Gregory is publicly hanged for his assassination attempt on Maggie.
- Continuity Nod:
- Carol stamps out Daryl’s cigarette, warning him that they’ll kill him. It’s what she warned Shelly back in Season 6’s “JSS”.
- Daryl is uncomfortable leading the Saviors and living at the Sanctuary, since during Season 7A, he was their prisoner there.
- Maggie recalls how Rick told her in Season 8's premiere "Mercy" that he would follow her after the defeat of the Saviors, which didn't really shake out, as Rick basically took command of AHK in the twilight days of the war.
- Once again, children wander outside their homes during the middle of an execution, as Carl did back in Season 2’s “Judge, Jury, and Executioner.” Only this time, it’s too late to stop Gregory’s execution from taking place before the kids can be ushered back inside.
- Dirty Coward: Gregory manipulates a grieving Earl into doing his dirty work, pulls a knife on an unarmed and bloodied Maggie when she confronts him, and shamelessly begs for mercy when he's facing execution.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: A hostile faction of people lost a war to a coalition of heroic allies, and are currently on the brink of collapse with the failure of their food and resources. They have been disarmed as a sign of good faith, and a few loyal holdouts still worship their defeated former leader. Additionally, they are basically governed by the other sovereign states to keep tabs on them. Are we talking about the Saviors, or Germany in a mish mash of their situations following both World Wars?
- Evil All Along: Gregory has been making significant efforts to appear to be a changed, more loyal member of Hilltop who has accepted Maggie’s victory in the election. He ends up proving that he’s perhaps even more dangerous and conniving than ever.
- Foreshadowing:
- In the museum, one walker that Rick's group comes across is one lying on its back, still alive and impaled on rebar on its side. Come "The Obliged", Rick unfortunately suffers this fate, when his frightened horse throws him onto rebar after the two unsuccessfully attempt to divert a walker herd.
- We get a reaction shot of Cyndie during Maggie’s speech at the end that basically spells out that she won’t be emulating Rick’s mercy towards Negan when it comes to Gregory. This will come into play starting at the end of the following episode.
- The Ghost: Negan is referenced throughout the episode, but he does not physically appear.
- Mythology Gag: Daryl has been leading the Sanctuary since the end of the Savior War. In the comics, Dwight, who was created to essentially be Daryl’s comic counterpart, led the Saviors after the defeat of Negan.
- My Way or the Highway: Rick and Michonne have prided themselves on being merciful and helpful to the Saviors, but they are disturbed and surprised whenever their allies do not display the same benevolence to the Saviors. Rick is surprised that Daryl is going to leave Sanctuary due to being uncomfortable there and insists that he stay, and is later irritated when Maggie asks for fuel and labor in exchange for sending even more food to the Saviors. Both Rick and Michonne are also disturbed when Maggie hangs Gregory for attempting to kill her and when Maggie throws shade at them for sparing Negan.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: After Earl's failed assassination attempt, Maggie viciously chews out Gregory for his treachery and incompetence, incredulous that he can't even kill someone properly.
- Relationship Upgrade: During the Time Skip, Carol and Ezekiel entered a relationship.
- Remember the New Guy?: Ken, Earl, and Tammie have never appeared before this episode, though they are indicated to have been longtime residents of Hilltop.
- The Resenter:
- Several Saviors, their tempers flaring with the Sanctuary’s crops failing, have begun to grow more and more disgruntled with the new law under Rick.
- Maggie and Daryl still deeply resent Rick and Michonne for sparing Negan and insisting on helping the Saviors so much.
- Gregory has been working to stir up hate against Maggie to pave his way to retake leadership of Hilltop.
- Sacrificial Lamb: Ken, who would otherwise qualify as a Red Shirt if his death didn’t start a chain of events that led to Gregory’s death and with him the end of any challenge to Maggie’s leadership of Hilltop.
- Ship Sinking: Daryl and Carol gently sinks, as Daryl tells Carol that he’s genuinely happy for her having found happiness with Ezekiel.
- Smug Snake: Gregory, as ever. He gloats about building the Hilltop's community, and when he has Maggie at knifepoint, arrogantly tells her the story he'll put out to explain why she's dead. Every bit of the confidence is gone the second Maggie gets the upper hand, and he faces his death whimpering and crying.
- The Starscream: Gregory gets Earl drunk to attack Maggie so he can usurp her place as leader.
- Take That!: An In-Universe example, as Maggie declares that at Hilltop, the punishment fits the crime - while glaring at Rick and Michonne. The expressions on their faces makes it clear they understand the barb.
- Time Skip: A year and a half has passed since the end of the previous season.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Ken appears for less than five minutes before he dies, with just as little characterization as screentime.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Rick and Michonne are clearly very disgusted with Maggie executing Gregory, even before it accidentally happens while kids are watching.
- Would Hurt a Child: Earl knocks over Hershel's stroller when he attacks Maggie, and he injures Enid as well when she tries to intervene.
