The Walking Dead

Q&A Episode 8.12 “The Key”

1. What happens during the car chase scene with Negan and Rick?

Rick still has the radio that belonged to the Saviors, so he hears ahead of time that they are coming. He sees Negan in a black car, pursues him, and eventually crashes into Negan's car.

2. It looks like Rick and Negan have a confrontation. Do they fight? Does Negan get away?

Yes! They get into one helluva fight. Lucille is set on fire and Negan is almost eaten by a walker. Alas, Negan gets away. (Who knew?)

3. What do Simon and the Saviors do after Negan gets in the car wreck?

Simon and Dwight try to locate Negan, but they find the car wreck and lots of blood. Simon presumes Negan is dead or close to death and instructs the Saviors to attack the Hilltop with the intention of killing them all.

4. Does Simon do anything else against Negan’s orders?

Yep.. Now that Simon and the other Saviors think Negan may be dead, or at least dying, he says it's time to "expunge" the Hilltop and move onto other communities. Simon steppin’ up to be mob boss.

5. How does Dwight act during this episode? Does he do anything to help Team Family?

No, he doesn't do anything specifically to help Team Family, but he also doesn't support Simon's crazy plans to take Negan's place.

6. How is Hilltop preparing for the attack? What is the plan?

There are several lookouts and everyone is preparing to fight.

7. Does anyone die? Who?

No. Well, Lucille almost does, but Negan saves her just in time. Then there is the reunion scene…. (Just kidding.)

8. Is a new group introduced? Who encounters them and what are they like?

The group doesn't have a name, but the leader's name is Georgie and resembles the woman who leads the "New World Order" in the latest issues of the Walking Dead comics. That’s just a guess though. They seem benevolent and simply want to build up communities so that they can ally with them.

What are Michonne, Maggie, and Enid doing out on the road?

People from the new group left a couple of crates and a note just outside of the Hilltop. Our ladies come across the note. It says to fill the crates with phonograph records (Not a typo. For real - that’s what it says.) and you'll get the "key to the future." Michonne, Maggie and Enid decide to follow up and find out who these mysterious people are.

Q&A Episode 8.13 “Do Not Send Us Astray.” Thank you to our source!

Who is Carol talking to in the promo and what is their conversation about?

She is talking to Tobin in the infirmary after he has been stabbed during the Hilltop battle. They discuss why she left Alexandria and how she just didn't want to fight and kill anymore. Tobin then asks her if she'll stay after the war with the Saviors is over, and she says she doesn't know. She also says that even after the Saviors are gone, there will always be fighting and it'll never stop. Defeating the Saviors won’t give them peace, it will just buy them another day.

Does Dwight shoot Tara with an arrow? How does that scene play out?

Yes, he does. Tara is on the ground and Simon is about to take a shot at her. Dwight runs up and shoots her himself.

Later, Tara is left wondering if she is going to die from her injury. However, she comes to terms with it and says that "Karma's a bitch" because she boxed Dwight in and tried to kill him, even when he only wanted to help.

Sidenote: TSDF is ASSUMING based on other information we’ve heard that the arrow Tara is struck with is “untainted” and she will survive. However, this source mentioned that the episode leaves her fate hanging in the air.

Who dies in this episode and how?

Several Hilltop redshirts and also Tobin, who dies after being stabbed with a tainted knife. The Kingdom doctor is also killed after she's attacked by a reanimated Tobin. Several Saviors are killed in the fight as well.

How does the battle at Hilltop end?

It ends with the people at the Hilltop getting the upper hand on Simon and the Saviors, and they high-tail it outta there like a bunch of cowards. At this time, no one knows about the tainted weapons until people start dying and reanimating in the middle of the night.

Does Jesus do anything memorable in this episode?

No, not really. He's in the episode and helps in the battle but doesn't do much else.

Where does Jadis take Negan?

Negan and Jadis aren't in this episode.

Does anyone on Team Negan find out Dwight is on Rick’s side?

No.

Does this episode feature anything else besides the battle at the Hilltop?

No. Just the battle and then he aftermath with the injured dying and reanimating towards the end.

How does the episode end?

It ends with Maggie looking over all of the new graves (probably close to 20) and wondering whether all of this is worth the huge "cost."

BONUS:
Rick is cut by a random Savior and left wondering if he will also suffer the same fate as the others who were injured and turned.


My(Olebass) side note. These events bring us to match many of the events of issue #124 which leaves 3 episodes to conclude the last 2 comics in Vol. 21 All Out War Part 2 of the comic series.
In the comics it jumps 2 years after this volume before starting Vol 22. A new beginning.