As tension continues to build over whether or not war has begun, Lydia faces hostility at Alexandria.
Adaptation Distillation: The beating of Lydia is an adaptation of a scene in the comics in which Sophia is nearly beaten to death by a bunch of Hilltop boys, with Carl responding by nearly beating them to death in return. Lydia obviously fills Sophia’s role (with Daryl taking the place of her adoptive parental figure from the absent Maggie), and Negan actually takes Carl’s place as her unapologetic defender.
Adorably Precocious Child: Judith proposes a very likely possibility that the Whisperers are trying to tire out the communities so they’ll have the advantage, and Michonne praises her for it.
Asshole Victim: Margo who is accidentally killed by Negan. No one will miss her after she tried to kill Lydia. Even Negan himself points out how she deserved it.
Big Damn Heroes: Negan comes to Lydia’s rescue when she’s being beaten.
Both Sides Have a Point: While Lydia is right to not take shit from bullies who are painting graffiti on her door, as Daryl points out, she can’t exactly skin squirrels at the public dining hall either.
The Chains of Commanding: Michonne confides in Ezekiel that ever since Rick’s death, she’s felt unbearably alone as leader and overwhelmed by the pressures of going it alone.
Lydia picks a worm out of the ground near Negan’s work grounds; she was previously seen eating a worm with Henry in Season 9’s “Omega”.
Ezekiel laments the losses of Benjamin (Season 7’s “Bury Me Here”), Shiva (Season 8’s “Some Guy”), Henry (Season 9’s “The Calm Before“), and the Kingdom and Carol (which fell and who left him, respectively, in Season 9’s “The Storm”).
Death by Adaptation: In the comics scene that the attack on Lydia is adapted from (see Adaptation Distillation), none of Sophia’s assailants were actually killed, with Carl merely beating them within an inch of their life. Here, Negan actually kills Margo, though he didn’t mean to (and is still not sorry about it).
Driven to Suicide: Ezekiel admits he wasn’t sure what he was planning to do when he was standing from a high ledge.
Friend to All Children: Negan has taken a shine to a third child in Lydia, and immediately goes to her defense when she’s being beaten.
The Mourning After: Michonne shoots down the idea of romance with Ezekiel and makes it clear she still strongly grieves Rick.
Mythology Gag: Though Ezekiel kisses Michonne (who takes a second to reject him), they shoot down the idea of a relationship, and the latter even notes that it might’ve worked “in another universe”. This is a reference to how in the comics, the pair of them were a couple for much of the middle of the series.
Never Trust a Trailer: The SDCC trailer that showed the kiss between Michonne and Ezekiel suggested that the pair would become an item as they did in the comics. This episode shows the kiss and the characters shortly afterward rejecting the idea of love between them.
Pet the Dog: Negan saving Lydia. Hell any of his interactions with her count.
So Proud of You: Michonne has an expression of pure pride when she watches Judith hold her own against the walkers.
Stepford Smiler: At the end of the episode, Ezekiel assures Jerry that he’s okay, but his look as soon as he turns his back to him suggests the opposite.
This Is Gonna Suck: When Negan sees that he killed Margo saving Lydia, he immediately knows that he is in extremely deep shit.
Token Good Teammate: Gage is the only one of the trio who attacks Lydia who expresses reluctance, whereas the two Highwaymen were likely ready to kill her.
Token Evil Teammate: Conversely, the Highwaymen solidify themselves as this amongst the allied communities as of this episode. Their apparent leader Margo regards the late Ozzy’s fair ways with disdain and was prepared to kill a young girl, and her friend is no better.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Negan escapes from his cell again and his fate is not revealed by the end of the episode.
You Are Too Late: Daryl cleans the graffiti from his house’s doors, but the “Silence the Whisperers” propaganda has already taken a life of its own and has spread like wildfire across Alexandria.
