Review: The Walking Dead 110

Non Spoiler Review:

Rick and Jesus prepare their people for the coming war, finding resistance among their ranks. Jesus desperately tries to reach Hal before he can warn Negan. Ezekiel attempts to appease an abrasive Michonne.

Not too much exciting happened with Issue 110, aside from furthering the tension leading up to the war. We also got to see Michonne and Ezekiel thrown together and some more insight into this particular character.

The conflict best be happening quickly given the increasing number of people aware of the plot.

Spoilers Now!

Alarmed at Hal's absence, Jesus rushes off to try to catch up to him, despite his forty-five minute heady start. He reaches him on the road and Hal challenges his right to lead the Hilltop into a war against Negan without consulting everyone. Despite Jesus' rationale, Hal already sent up the flare to alert Negan's men, who arrive wondering what they want. Hal loses his nerve and Jesus is forced to lie to say they'll be short on their tribute in the coming week. Annoyed his time is wasted, the man punches Jesus and tells him to get working on ensuring there's a suitable tribute in the days remaining. The altercation is enough to convince Hal the error of his ways and he agrees with Jesus, but whether the latter forgives him remains to be seen. 

Rick is dealing with a similar pacifist attitude from Eugene, who is uneasy about his bullet factory being used to kill humans rather than roamers. Rick tells him he better come to terms with it soon as there is little time left before they'll need plenty of his bullets.

Gathering his supply team, Rick reveals that they're actually going to the Kingdom. With Carl, Michonne and Andrea in tow, they arrive at the other settlement and are greeted by Ezekiel. While Carl thinks thinks his over the top demeanor is cool, Michonne has zero patience for the posturing of their king and draws her sword, prompting him to draw his. But Ezekiel keeps his calm and admits Michonne's sword is bigger.

In private with Rick, Ezekiel assures him Dwight has better reason to keep his word to them than to Negan, and he's impressed how quickly Rick has organized his people in comparison to Gregory. He's confident Dwight will kill Negan and leave their community open to their attack. 

They enjoy a feast and Ezekiel offers an olive branch to Michonne to clear the air. He admits his theatrics are just that—to give his people something to look up to. The tiger he raised as a cub in the zoo and rescued during the apocalypse, but it has given him a mythos to exploit. His name really is Ezekiel, though. That appeases her and they agree to start over.

The Verdict:

Issue 110 continues the build up, and brings the main characters to meet Ezekiel. I'm surprised Hal managed to survive. Something told me that Jesus might just kill him to ensure there's no chance of him betraying the group given the stakes are so high. Hopefully things get underway soon.

The pacifists in the group offer another variable that could swing things the wrong way when bullets start flying. The Kingdom still remains almost too good to be true, so I'm hesitant to fully trust Ezekiel, even though he seems to be very genuine. There remains the unsettling possibility that once Negan is dispatched, Ezekiel could rise up to fill the power vacuum.