Okay, I know I’m jumping in halfway into the second portion of the season, but “The Walking Dead” is a show that begs to be talked about. It’s the definition of a water cooler drama and you can’t help blurting out all of your theories and observations to every random person on the street. But it’s okay now! I’m here for you. You can leave those poor strangers alone and gush about your “Dead” related thoughts here with me.
This week’s episode was named “Clear” and the title alone contained a veritable dodecahedron’s worth of meaning. Rick, Michonne, and Carl are out on a gun run that takes them back to Rick’s hometown. It’s a heart-wrenching homecoming to say the least.
The near silent drive that starts off the episode displays how much the group has changed and the new rules they live by. Zombies no longer faze them; they’re a natural thing at this point. Just something in the world to be dealt with and quickly forgotten. A desperate hitchhiker traveling the roads attempts to wave down the car and is passed by without a second glance. Strangers can’t be trusted.
Once they ride into town, it’s easy to see this is no longer the place they knew. Many of the old homes are burnt ruins and vague warnings are plastered across every available surface. The old police station has been cleaned out, only a single bullet remains. During the search for alternate weapon locations, the group comes across a section of the main road covered entirely with booby traps along with a masked man on a rooftop overseeing the deadly maze.
After a brief and volatile conversation, the confrontation erupts into gunfire. Michonne attempts to flank the hostile, but Carl once again shows his worth by gunning the man down in the street without hesitation. Upon closer inspection, the man is only unconscious. Body armor saved his life. The mask is removed and the man is shockingly revealed to be Morgan.
The return of Morgan, who first appeared during the beginning of the first season, is something fans of the show have been anxiously anticipating, and the reunion does not disappoint. Morgan is crazy. There’s no other way to put it. The kind and gentle man we knew has shattered. The undead wife he never had the stomach to kill repaid his weakness with the death of his son. In that moment, his world came crashing down and he was finally given the strength, through rage, to end his wife’s suffering. Now Morgan is voraciously dedicated to the concept of “clearing”, which is never fully explained and left for the viewers to decipher.
To me, it means to cleanse himself as well as his conscience. He knows that it was his weakness that led to the death of his child and he can never truly forgive himself for that. As a result, he’s dedicated himself to clearing away any and all undead or malcontents that come his way, potentially saving others from the pain he now suffers.
It is also revealed that Morgan did, in fact, attempt to contact Rick on the radio he had given him during their first meeting and Rick had never responded. This hits Rick hard. He’d promised to check the radio daily, but unforeseen events had pushed his group out of range. He feels somewhat responsible for Morgan’s current state and offers to take him back to the prison. Begs him, even.
This moment plays a second role as well. We all know Rick has been drinking deeply of the crazy juice lately and he begins to see himself in Morgan. What he will become if he succeeds in pushing everyone away until it’s just him; a deranged and broken man. Rick’s pleas to Morgan to see hope and return with him are also pleas to himself.
Morgan declines and states that his purpose is to stay here and continue to “clear”. On an up note, Morgan allows the group to take as many of his guns as they please for the inevitable showdown with the governor. Rick, Michonne, and Carl leave town. On the way, they see the now fresh corpse of the hitchhiker they passed earlier. They spare a moment to stop and take his backpack.
Overall, it was a powerful episode. Very likely one of the best of the show so far. This might be a turning point for Rick. We also see Michonne open up to Rick and him opening up in return, a bond just beginning to form between them.
Before I wrap this up, I know there’s quite a bit that I didn’t cover. Michonne’s wall beginning to come down, Carl’s general badassery, and the exciting cafe sequence, but this would have been a much longer article otherwise. I’d be more than happy to discuss those things, or anything else, in the comments if there are any burning questions or differing takes on the episode. See you next week!
