Here are all the unanswered questions from a generally quite unhappy episode of The Walking Dead season 10. After a lengthy period of peace, the allied communities of Alexandria, Hilltop and the Kingdom are under attack from Alpha and her Whisperers, with relations now at breaking point between the two opposing sides. In last week's offering, Alexandria was besieged by hordes from both sides, while a slowly unraveling Carol attempted a rash assassination on Alpha. As punishment for this act, the Whisperers have increased their borders, stoking discontent among the survivors and pushing the landscape closer to war than ever before.
That inevitable conflict edged closer still in this week's "Silence the Whisperers." The loss of land has reopened wounds from the community fair incident, and citizens are baying for blood. Unable to reach Alpha at present, Alexandria are happy to take their frustrations out on social misfits Negan and Lydia, resulting in a chasm developing between those who still harbor resentment towards these former adversaries, and those who are attempting to maintain Rick's more diplomatic legacy.
Elsewhere, the stress of the current setup is beginning to tell, as several characters begin to exhibit worrying signs of mental deterioration. As the powder keg continues to build, many questions remain regarding The Walking Dead's immediate future.
Did The Whisperers Knock A Tree Onto Hilltop?
In last week's episode of The Walking Dead, the Alexandrians pondered whether the onslaught of zombies descending upon them from two fronts was the work of the Whisperers or a side effect of the satellite crash. With Alpha denying any responsibility, it seemed like Michonne and the gang were happy to chalk the hordes up to bad luck. In "Silence the Whisperers," however, Hilltop suffered an equally unlikely misfortune, as a tree crashed through the community, threatening to break down its border.
As with the dual-hordes previously, the tree-felling was an emergency Hilltop could just about handle and the accident didn't result in any fatalities. But with the amount of strange occurrences on allied territory racking up with each episode, it's becoming clear to both the survivors and the audience that the Whisperers are indeed behind these seemingly unfortunate happenings. Nevertheless, the deliberately non-fatal nature of each event does cast an element of doubt over Alpha's involvement. Could paranoia be a factor?
Is Ezekiel OK?
The King of the Kingdom has been very much a peripheral figure in The Walking Dead season 10, with his most significant scene so far being the awkward harbor reunion with Carol in the season premiere. Camped out at Hilltop at the time of the tree falling, Ezekiel is thrust into action, but he freezes and is unable to give commands in his usual authoritative style. Shortly after, the audience finds Ezekiel standing on a high lookout, ready to jump to his death.
Ezekiel's despair is perhaps understandable. The man has lost his adopted son, Henry, and become distanced from his lover. Personal woes aside, Ezekiel also feels as if he has failed his people after presiding over the downfall of the Kingdom. Fortunately, Michonne is on hand to talk the King down, and his problems appear to be eased by the conversation. However, the same looked to be true of Siddiq in last week's episode, as he seemed to turn a corner with his PTSD after a chat with Dante. "Silence the Whisperers" proves that Siddiq is very much still suffering, therefore Ezekiel's suicidal thoughts may also remain, despite having found a pair of friendly ears to talk to in Michonne.
Why Isn't Judith Leading Everyone Already?
In her short time on The Walking Dead, Judith has already proven herself to be one of the show's leading lights. Conceived by Shane and Lori but raised by Rick, Michonne and Carl, Judith appears to have developed the best characteristics from all of the above. Able to think in a calm and rational manner, Judith is also an exemplary judge of character and has inherited both Rick's sharpshooting and Michonne's swordsmanship.
In The Walking Dead season 10's fourth episode, Judith proves her credentials further by being the first member of her community to provide an accurate assessment of the Whisperers' tactics. Not bad for a kid that hasn't even hit high-school age yet. After correctly surmising that Alpha is attempting to wear the allied communities down with a series of minor attacks, Judith dives into the fray at Hilltop, taking down Walkers with ease. Combining physical ability, intelligence and a balanced temperament, Judith already looks like a better choice to lead than most of the adults in her community.
Was Michonne And Ezekiel's Kiss A Fake-Out?
When the first trailer for The Walking Dead season 10 aired at San Diego Comic Con earlier this year, one of the most hotly-discussed moments was the kiss between Michonne and Ezekiel. This duo become an item in The Walking Dead's comic book iteration, but the TV adaptation partnered them up with Rick and Carol instead, and many fans were thrilled at the prospect of this comic romance playing out on-screen.
However, it appears that The Walking Dead season 10's trailer might have exaggerated the meaning of that kiss. The scene occurs in the immediate aftermath of Michonne talking Ezekiel down from his suicide attempt, and comes as an impulsive outburst of emotion that Ezekiel immediately apologizes for. After both calm down, Michonne tells Ezekiel that they would "never work" as a couple and the King seems to agree. As they walk back to Hilltop, the pair even joke about Ezekiel's kissing technique.
It's entirely possible that the kiss between Ezekiel and Michonne plants the seed of a genuine romance that will bloom further down the line, but that's certainly not the impression given by this scene, which instead comes off as largely platonic. It's perhaps also significant that Michonne is leaving The Walking Dead after the current season, so there may not be much value in starting a budding new romance.
Is Lydia Alexandria's Big Advantage?
After receiving Judith's sage advice, Michonne and Daryl begin to speculate that the reason Alpha is launching measured, manageable attacks is because of her daughter's presence among the protagonists. This fits with the events of several episodes ago, where Beta discovered the Whisperers' leader building a secret shrine to her daughter and would also account for why Alpha has yet to release her thousands-strong horde onto Alexandria.
Realizing this, Michonne asserts that keeping Lydia at Alexandria is imperative, even if some of the community's annoying youths seem intent on driving her away. In this sense, Alpha's plan couldn't have been more successful. The probing assaults have stoked animosity and tension within the communities, which has been turned directly onto Lydia. If the youngster runs away from her new home, the path will be clear for Alpha to go all-out in destroying her enemies. If the other Whisperers catch on to this plan, however, will they sympathize with Alpha's emotional attachment to her daughter?
Will Alexandria Vote To Execute Negan?
Lydia is having a tough time being accepted by the wider Alexandria community, and one of the few residents who can relate to her plight is eternal prisoner and former leader of the Saviors, Negan. Now a reformed character, Negan has accepted being ostracized by the people he once terrorized and is content to live out his days picking fruit and vegetables. Alas, Negan clearly feels sympathy for Lydia since, unlike him, she is being targeted for crimes she did not commit herself.
Stepping in to defend the girl from attackers, Negan accidentally kills one of the Alexandrian troublemakers and, given his unfortunate track record, this crime immediately puts Negan's neck on the block. The community council gather to discuss whether or not to finally execute Negan, and Gabriel has the deciding vote. Although Negan is freed before the decision can be made and priorities are shifted, the council still needs to make a choice on their prisoner's fate.
Who Let Negan Out?
The final big mystery of "Silence the Whisperers" is the identity of Negan's liberator, with Gabriel finding the cell empty after spending the night deliberating on the council's vote. Lydia takes the blame, but Daryl confirms she wasn't the real culprit, having kept constant guard over her. But if Lydia didn't let her Savior out, who did?
Alexandria is currently rife with individuals gunning for war against the Whisperers and stirring up violent intent with spray-painted slogans. These troublemakers are perhaps the most likely candidates to set Negan free, potentially intending to frame Lydia and push Alexandria closer to war. The trailer for next week's episode of The Walking Dead, however, suggests Negan's jailbreak was orchestrated by a background character called Brandon, who seems to somewhat admire the prisoner.
This storyline would echo a plot from the comics, in which Negan is freed by the son of a man killed by Rick Grimes in self-defense. While the boy's intention is to hurt Alexandria, Negan's reaction isn't necessarily what many would anticipate.
The Walking Dead season 10 continues with "What It Always Is" November 3rd on AMC.