Review: The Walking Dead "Arrow on the Doorpost"

Non Spoiler Review:

Arrow on the Doorpost jumps right into a summit meeting between Rick and the Governor. As Andrea, Hershel, Daryl and Milton wait, the two men attempt to come to a resolution. At the prison, the rest of the group prepares for battle.

A tension-filled episode, Arrow on the Doorpost was necessary to bring these two great actors together before the inevitable showdown. While it was light on action like last week, it still managed to keep it all interesting and definitely felt like the last calm before the storm.

Spoilers Now!

Daryl, Hershel and Rick arrive at a farm. Hershel keeps watch while Daryl and Rick scout the area, and Rick walks into a barn where a table and chairs have been set up. The Governor emerges from the shadows and tells him they have a lot to talk about.

The Governor reminds him he could have killed them all, but he didn't. Rick pulls his gun, but the Governor continues to maintain he plans to negotiate in good faith. Daryl keeps watch from outside and Rick puts his gun away as the Governor sits down.

Daryl tells Hershel to keep the car running just in case. Then another vehicle shows up—Martinez with Milton and Andrea. Andrea is surprised to learn the Governor is already there, and goes inside. She's the one who brought them together and wants to end it here. 

Rick and Andrea want to establish their territories and leave each other alone. The Governor refuses and points out Andrea is in no position to make such an offer. He's only there for his surrender and asks her to step outside. 

Milton and Hershel seem to be getting along, but their conversation is interrupted as a few roamers wander over. Daryl and Martinez take care of them, allowing them a chance to talk. Both seem to agree that the meeting won't amount to anything. Milton learns Hershel cut off his leg to keep the infection from spreading. He's been keeping a record of all that's happened for posterity.

Back at the prison the rest of the crew are assembling their weapons and planning for an attack. Merle suggests they go in and kill the Governor right now, despite that they told Rick they would stay put. Glen won't risk it. Merle decides to go anyway, forcing Glen to stop him. They get into a fight but Merle is restrained by Michonne and Maggie. The fight allows Maggie and Glen to finally make peace about what happened in Woodbury.

Merle later tries to convince Michonne to come with him. He can warn Daryl with a few calls and give him a head's up before they attack. She tells him he's on his own. It's on him if he gets people killed.

Hershel sits down with Andrea. She asks what exactly happened with Maggie, but he tells her the Governor is a sick man. She realizes she can't go back there and he reminds her she belongs with them. If she joins them again, though, it's settled. 

The Governor brings up that Andrea told him about Rick's baby—that it could be his old partner's. He tells Rick the story of when his wife died in an accident, and all he had was a voicemail from her asking him to call her, but he never knew what she had wanted. He knows Rick has guns and is aware of the stash he brought back. Their fight will go down to the last man, so he wants to end it today. He wants Michonne. If Rick turns her over, it all goes away.

Rick wonders why he would risk everything over a vendetta. The Governor gives him two days to think about it. They emerge from the barn and the Governor's people head off. Andrea opts to return with him.

Returning to Woodbury, the Governor is already planning on attacking the prison with the intent of capturing Michonne and killing their main fighters. Milton is uneasy with him breaking the agreement, but the Governor explains Rick will have to be eliminated sooner or later. He only tells Andrea that Rick is considering terms over the next couple of days. She hopes it works out.

At the prison Rick debriefs everyone. The Governor wants the prison, he explains, and he wants them dead for what they did to Woodbury. They're going to war. 

Merle and Michonne are convinced they should hit first. Hershel and Carol think they should get back on the road. But they're in it together. Rick tells Hershel the truth about the Governor's offer. He wonders if it might be the answer. The rest need to be scared, because that's the only way they'll accept it. Hershel reminds him Michonne has earned her place, but Rick asks if he's willing to sacrifice his daughters' lives for her. He's hoping Hershel can talk him out of it. 

The Verdict:

It was a wise move to jump right into the much-anticipated face off between Rick and the Governor. As cool as that interaction was, so were the character bits between Milton and Hershel, and Daryl and Martinez that conveyed a sense that everyone would get along pretty well if not for their mentally unstable leaders. To add to that, both Rick and the Governor ended up lying to their people about what was said.

What was Andrea thinking gossiping about Rick and Shane? Talk about handing the Governor a few zingers to unsettle his opponent. I remain concerned about Andrea's fate. I'm certain she's going to attempt to bring down the Governor herself, and that's going to mean a dangerous escape (hopefully with Milton, and of course Tyreese and Sasha) if she can manage it. But would Kirkman be willing to kill off such a major character from the graphic novels given the loss of Lori and Dale so soon? I hope not. I doubt everyone is going to escape the season alive, but I can't really guess who (if not Andrea) might have the target on their back.