The Walking Dead Mid-Season Finale Recap – Coda

The Walking Dead has proven time and time again why it remains one of the most watched shows on TV. The midseason finale brought people together but still managed to squeeze in some emotional feels and gore in its hour.

The showrunners have been hinting for the past week now that the midseason finale of AMC’s hit show was going to be an emotional one. Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon, said this of the finale:

“I sat on an apple box with my head between my legs and just balled for an hour. I really wanted not to tear up during [the scene] — I wanted to be like I wasted every tear in my body before we started shooting — so I just sat there and cried and cried and cried.”

This led people to think that a main character would be saying good bye. While some speculated Carol’s (Melissa McBride) demise (she was hit pretty badly last episode), many people thought it would’ve been Beth’s (Emily Kinney) time to go. Was it? Read on to find out.

READER BEWARE: SPOILERS AHEAD!

New Bob sucks

Can we just assume that every character Maximiliano Hernández plays is a huge sketch bag? Marvel movie fans should’ve been skeptical of Bob Lamson in the beginning since the actor also played sketchy Jasper Sitwell in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The episode starts off right where the last was left – with Lamson on the run and Rick (Andrew Lincoln) chasing him down and eventually hitting with a cop car. As Bob pleads Rick to take him back to the hospital Rick just seems to have had enough and shuts him up. Permanently.

Father Gabriel is going to get everyone killed; Team Washington comes back

Last episode, we found out why the machete was Father Gabriel’s (Seth Gilliam) weapon of choice – he was using it to escape. This episode, Gabriel found some short-lived success in his escape plan eventually ending up at the school where the Terminus gang had set up camp and where they had a little buffet around Bob’s (Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.) leg. At this point, Gabriel can no longer take it. Just then, a group of walkers manage to escape the school and have their eyes set on Gabriel. With no weapon and no survival skills, he runs back to the church. Way to go, Gabriel.

Inside the church, Michonne (Danai Gurai) and Carl (Chandler Riggs) hear his screams, begging them to let him in. As Michonne takes an ax at the barricaded doors, she unknowingly lets Gabriel and the walker horde inside the church. BONUS: Michonne was carrying Judith on her back while she was hacking away at the door cause, you know, BAMF.

As the trio try to fight them off, they realize it’s too much and are forced to retreat to Gabriel’s office where he had initially planned his escape. With no other choice, they decide to trap the rest of the walkers inside the church until the rest of the group come back.

Just as more walkers arrive, Team Washington comes back just in time to save the day! With a still unconscious Eugene in tow, they explain that there really is no hope after all. While TW delivered the bad news, Michonne delivered good news – Beth was still alive and they were going to get the back. It’s a happy moment for Maggie because she suddenly remembers, “Oh duh, I have a sister!”

Rescue mission: Save Beth and Carol from the crazies at Grady Memorial

Back in Atlanta, the gang are figuring out what do to since they now have a dead cop on their hands. As they try to regroup and figure out a new plan, the two other hostages speak up. They suggest to tell Dawn (Christine Woods) that Lamson was attacked by walkers to keep the trade going as planned. It’s the only deal that will work at this point and it’s the only way to get Beth and Carol out alive.

Beth & Dawn have a moment

With Noah (Tyler James Williams) missing, Dawn uses Beth as her personal assistant for the time being. Dawn threatens Beth, telling her that she is the only one who knows that Beth killed Officer Gorman and that she’s trying to protect her. But they find that they weren’t alone, some one heard it and is done with Dawn running the show.

The showdown results in a fight between Dawn and the officer with the former’s gun flying straight down the hallway, close to Beth’s reach. After Dawn’s screams for help, Beth intervenes and pushes the cop down the zombie-filled elevator shaft.

Having had enough of Dawn, Beth finds solace in Carol’s room, who is still unconscious. Dawn finds her and reveals that she knows that Beth “knows this woman” and won’t forget what she did for her back by the elevator shaft.

Does this mean Dawn and Beth are going to be BFFs now?

Grady showdown – who’s going to make it out?

Outside of Grady, Rick meets with two officers and offers up a proposal for a trade: Carol and Beth for the two officers he has hostage. The officers agree and lead Rick & Co. to Grady to get their friends back. It seems like things are looking up for The Walking Dead family!

Inside Grady, we see Dawn and her officers with Beth and a wheelchair-bound Carol, who’s still recuperating. The trade off seems to be a success until Dawn pulls a different plan, basically from her ass – she wants Noah back.

Rick and Daryl refuse to turn Noah over but Dawn demands that he’s taken back. It’s only fair – with Lamson dead and Beth gone, she’s now short more people. Noah, wanting to keep it peaceful, decides to turn himself over.

As Beth says her goodbye to Noah, she turns to Dawn with this remark, “I get it now.”. Beth uses the scissors she kept in her cast to stab Dawn in the shoulder. In shock, Dawn shoots Beth in the head.

With the same amount of speed, Daryl reacts quickly by shooting Dawn in the head.

Just as he did when he found out Merle’s demise, Daryl starts crying which sends every Daryl fan into an emotional spiral all over the world.

Just when you think you’re about to have a Governor-type shoot out, Shepard, the female cop they took hostage earlier, stops the Grady side. Every one is taken aback, no one expected this.

Outside of the hospital, the rest of the gang arrives a little too late. Maggie has a brief moment of happiness until she sees Beth’s lifeless body in Daryl’s arms. Weird how she breaks down when the entire season she made no mention of her sister at all.

Either way, we’ll miss you Beth. *Sets everything on fire and raises middle finger up to the sky*

Bonus Morgan cameo during post-credits!

Who does The Walking Dead think they are with post-credits scenes, Marvel?!

First we see Morgan Jones (Lennie James) at the school grounds where Gabriel had been earlier in the episode. This leads him straight to the church where he finds the map that Abraham left Rick earlier this season, indicating that his friend is still alive and well.

With no hope, no cure, no safety what’s next for the group now? Find out February 8th, when The Walking Dead returns for the second half of season 5!