The Walking Dead Recap: 'Thank You' for reopening all possibilities

There was more thinning in the Alexandria ranks from this week’s The Walking Dead episode, “Thank You.”  And while Michonne, Heath, and Scott (I bet you didn’t know his name was Scott) did not die first, Scott certainly is not out of the woods just yet.  But “Thank You” also provided what seemed to be the most shocking death on The Walking Dead since...well maybe the entirety of the show.  Though let’s remember this is The Walking Dead and it is loathe to kill off any character that has not lived far past their expiration date.  

R.I.P. Glenn. The overriding theme of TWD since Rick and co. got to Alexandria has been how unprepared the Alexandrians are for survival in the new world and that Rick and co. come before any Alexandrian.  So when Glenn meets his supposed demise because of the nearly redeemed Nicholas’s suicide, which threw both off the dumpster and down onto the street of the alley teeming with zombies, it seemed like the exact instance Rick had been warning everyone about.  Glenn has always been nice to a fault, willing to help almost anyone and usually putting himself in harm’s way to do so.  You don’t even need to look past “Thank You” for instances when Glenn foolishly trusted those he didn’t necessarily know.  His efforts to bring the cowardly Nicholas into the ranks of a seasoned survivor typify the character Glenn is.  But it was only a matter of time before Glenn trusted the wrong guy leading to his ultimate demise, and it seems that Nicholas is that guy.

There was something missing in that alley, however.  Perhaps it is because everyone is in constant danger, or because “Thank You” methodically offed one previously unknown Alexandrian after another, but Glenn’s death was not exactly shocking, and that isn’t simply because of Glenn’s typical actions throughout the series.  In most TV shows a death of a main character -- one could argue that Glenn is the second most important character of TWD behind Rick -- is an earth shattering event.  But this is TWD and death happens.  A lot.  “Thank You” alone saw at least five deaths not including Glenn’s.  And perhaps that is why Glenn’s death didn’t feel as shocking as it should have.  Michonne and Glenn’s group were summarily killed off one after another, starting in the opening scenes.  And while it would make the most sense for main characters to die in an episode in which there is great danger as many others around them die, “Thank You” almost felt like it wanted to prepare you for the fact that a main character was going to come to their end.  Which makes it all feel a little too perfect.

There are already a plethora of articles on the internets telling you just why Glenn isn’t dead.  Aside from Glenn being a fan favorite and his story being the only one with a love/relationship aspect to it -- sorry Tobin (yet another too perfect hint at things to come for Glenn) -- it seemed a little too easy for Glenn to die.  While it is a nice bit of irony that Nicholas was Glenn’s ultimate downfall, there was something that just wasn’t right about the way Glenn died.  Remember Nicholas’s body was thrust into Glenn’s after he shot himself.  This means that Nicholas was, most likely, laying on top of Glenn in the alley.  Couple that with the fact that it seemed the walkers were having an incredibly easy time ripping through a normally healthy human body (though Nicholas’s body certainly was only less healthy by seconds) and that Glenn was alive through the entirety of the disemboweling and perhaps Glenn isn’t as dead as TWD has led the audience to believe.  

All this talk of Glenn’s “death” leads to the most impressive thing about “Thank You” -- allowing every character to be endangered.  It has been a very long time since TWD has cast any doubt on who will survive and who won’t.  TWD doesn’t just kill off characters unless they have reached the end of their usefulness a solid half season before their death.  TWD usually also marginalizes their characters for the episodes running up to their final episode.  Andrea was basically just a plot point for most of her final season before she died.  Hershel had reached a sort of peace and had given his final bit of useful advice to Rick a handful of episodes before his decapitation. Even Tyreese had been questioning his humanity long before he finally was brought down.  Glenn had no such run but his supposed death now throws every expectation out of whack.  

With Glenn’s death the danger Rick has found himself in as the herd of zombies is about to overtake his non-starting RV feels much more real.  Michonne and Scott seem even more burdened by the wounded Scott.  Even Daryl, Abraham and Sasha leading the dead march away from Alexandria feels a little more dangerous.  Now if Glenn is revealed to be alive within the next couple episodes this feeling of tense excitement will completely disappear, but it could further liven up a show that has been as stale and moribund as its namesake when it comes to main characters meeting their demise.  

“Thank You” wasn’t just about Glenn though.  It also featured further evidence that most of the Alexandrians are not ready to survive outside Alexandria’s walls, while also giving some meaning to their previously unknown characters’ deaths.  Sure, there was a lot of zombie fodder.  But by the time both Annie and Tobin ended up finally becoming the herd’s midday snack they felt like somewhat real characters.  Annie’s willingness to sacrifice herself -- ultimately getting her wish -- showed that not all Alexandrians are worthless. And Heath learning what it truly means to survive outside of Alexandria as he had to leave both Annie and Tobin behind gave an extra layer to his character. Even Nicholas had almost redeemed himself before freaking out on top of that dumpster.  This should further divide Rick and Michonne, who have not been on the same page about Alexandria from their initial arrival, about the worth of the Alexandrians in Rick and co.’s ultimate survival.  

We should all be giving our gratitude to “Thank You.”  Whether Glenn is actually dead or not it has put everything under a new perspective, breathing life into the possibility of any character dying. By itself “Thank You” was a well made episode that hit the right emotional beats without feeling inorganic.  It showed that the Alexandrians are capable of heroism while further developing Heath’s character.  Most importantly it showed that, perhaps, nothing is out of the realm of possibility again.  It had become unbelievable how Rick and co. continued to survive despite the odds against them.  Even if Glenn isn’t dead The Walking Dead has gained some of that believability back for as long as he is not shown. Though I will shake my head in disappointment that day when Glenn ends up returning at just the right moment.  Until then “Thank You” has reopened a whole world of possibilities.