BWW Recap: This is the Carter on THE WALKING DEAD

Well... that's ONE way to open a new season: pure and utter terror? Interesting choice. THE WALKING DEAD is back and they're certainly not wasting any time diving into the new season. In a Wizard of Oz-esque fashion, black and white is used to show what we, the audience have missed and color is used for present day in a poetic, as usual, season premiere.

In Kansas aka Black and White flashbacks everyone in Alexandria is dealing with the aftermath of Reg and Pete's death. The respective groups fill in newbie Heath (or as I like to call him, Dr. Dre... #straightouttacompton) and his pals who were away and a now recovering Tara on all they had missed. It was also a nice refresher for the viewers. It seems that Rick and Morgan have come to an understanding and take Pete's body to be buried off site away from Reg. In doing so, they, along with Pete's son, Ron, discover a quarry filled with, dare I say, an army of walkers? It is horrifying. When they report back to Deanna, Heath verifies their findings as he saw them too. Rick comes up with a plan to divert the walkers west with Daryl and Sasha leading them. Carter (Guest Star Ethan Embry) is justifiably skeptical and plots to kill Rick. Rick warns him repeatedly to join him or he will die. Seeing that he doesn't execute him, Morgan again reminds Rick that he's still a good person, but Rick basically just tells him that it's only a matter of time before Carter's naivete will get himself killed anyway. The wall is completed. Nicholas wants to help, but Glenn takes Heath with him and warns Nicholas to lie low.

In Oz aka present day, the plan is in full motion and even though the wall is weak, it does hold the walkers as a slow-riding (and oh so hot) Daryl leads the army of walkers along side a car with Sasha at the wheel and an unusually psychotic Abraham as the passenger. Glenn, Heath and Nicholas secure the building near the "finish line" that Rick has established so that they can successfully lead the walkers out of the city. Nicholas actually comes through and saves Heath's life leading Glenn to be tolerant of him at the very least. Carter admits to Rick that the plan has worked and thanks him. He volunteers to take the lead and runs to the front of the pack. He is immediately attacked and bit. Rick catches up with him and kills him to put him out of his misery.

Just as the walker parade is about to hit the pre-established "finish line" a very loud sound blasts and the walkers head off the road and into the woods towards ALexandria where it seems the sound is coming from.

I will say one of my favorite methods of storytelling is beginning in the middle of a story where we have no idea what is going on and we flash back and learn what is happening piece by piece, non-linear, if you will. This was executed flawlessly in this episode. We learned that Morgan, although understanding of Rick and still believing in him, is still quite disturbed at how "things are." Rick may have lost that along the way, but Morgan and Michonne clearly still possess it, thank goodness. Abraham is starting to scare me (and Sasha) a little bit. He may have taken Reg's death a bit hard, but I think there's more than that. Eugene is still great comic relief and it's nice to see Daryl, while still a soldier, able to voice his opinion to Rick when he believes he's wrong about something.

I was STUNNED at Carter's death, especially since they have promoted Ethan Embry as a new cast member all summer. A trick so dirty, you would think it was Chase Utley "sliding" into second. (Sorry, had to. #lgm) It was a particularly gruesome and graphic death too which made it all the more hard to swallow. And having Rick call it out in the flashback minutes before it actually happened was just... very, very Walking Dead.

I really enjoyed Morgan calling out Carol for being observant and at the ready. She carefully assesses him, but knows he's also assessing her. Can I ship these two now? I mean, their relationship name could be Moral? (I'm so sorry...)

BUT, the real question, obviously, is who was honking that freaking horn? Was it the Wolves? Clearly, this season isn't slowing down. It's episode one and I'm exhausted.

Here's a preview for next week's all new episode:

Photo Credit: AMC

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