Back to the main plot and Jesus and Karl have decided to
smuggle themselves into the Saviour camp. Jesus, being competent, is now all
hidden and stealthy and going to do stuff later
While Karl, not being competent, opens up with a machine
gun, kills a couple of extras and is duly captured by Negan.
Since Negan has some delusions about being a nice guy or just likes to hear himself talk or sees something in Karl so decides to give Karl the guided tour. There we see the average Saviour grovelling and kneeling around Negan and with Negan playing random head games with people. It’s clear everyone is constantly on edge around him, waiting for him to lash out with one of his sadistic games.
That includes his “wives” including Frankie who actually
speaks back to him several times. But in the end, like everyone else, she is
under Negan’s thrall and is forced to tell on another of his “wives”, Amber.
She has been “cheating” on Negan with her actual lover. He is offended that any
of his wives are scared of him as he has never ever hurt them. Which is an
excellent depiction of how ignorant and shallow so many people’s understanding
of abuse is. He tells Amber that she can leave him at any time – but we all know
there are consequences, we all can see how utterly terrified of him she is
Frankie puts it into words – when he protests he never
hits them she points out they all know there’s worse than that. Negan is an
abusive rapist – and the fact he never lays a violent hand on a woman doesn’t
change that.
Of course, as punishment for “breaking the rules” her partner
Mat has his face burned with a red hot iron. Which pretty much tells us Frankie
and Dwight’s history. Both of them are clearly torn being lieutenants in Negan’s
regime
“How do you sleep at night?”
“I don’t”.
Throughout all this, Negan switches between scaring and
playing head games with Karl and trying to impress him. Negan has a weird
relationship with Karl – seeming almost impressed by someone who, in his own
words, should be battling teenaged angst but instead is so dangerous. He hears
about Karl having to kill his mother and forces Karl to take off his eye patch
and expose his empty eye socket. Karl alternates between being tough-as-nails
and slightly scary and being scared and vulnerable – even Negan feels bad when
he sees how upset Karl is when he describes how disgusting his empty eye socket
is. Negan forgets he’s a teen but encourages Karl to embraced his badassery
Negan’s relationship with Karl is interesting – because he
almost seems to view Karl as a son or heir – someone to respect. He refers to
Karl as a serial killer in training. But how much of that is not just because
he respects how dangerous and tough Karl is, but also because he does see Karl
as harmless? Let’s face it, he wouldn’t tolerate Rick doing this. He’s
tolerating it from Karl because he both is impressed but not threatened.
Karl also claims Negan wouldn’t dare harm him. But I
think there’s a shard of truth here. I mean, Negan points to Daryl as broken –
but Daryl actually speaks up to save Karl. And while Negan thinks Rick is under
control (and through him his people), how long would that last if he killed
Karl? Karl may not be immune, but Negan’s life is definitely easier with Karl
alive.
Instead Negan decides to take Karl back to Alexandria
where he has a tour after discovering Rick is on a scavenging mission with
Aaron. He decides to hang around, insults Olivia’s weight then decides to make
up for it by offering to sleep with her (she slapped him. Go Olivia) and
ominously discovers Judith.
Meanwhile Michonne happily kidnaps a Saviour to make her
lead her to Negan. The captured Saviour tries to fight free. Nope, ain’t happening
While Rosita wants vengeance on Negan and demands Eugene
makes her a bullet. He, intelligently, tells her this is dangerous, this is
going to have consequences and someone will pay the price. Rosita is willing to
do this for Abraham – but Eugene rightly, again, points out she probably won’t
have to. Negan’s MO is to make other people suffer as punishment.
Rosita shames him into acting – attacking him as useless
as a coward, insulting him until he makes her bullet
Later she feels guilty and tries to take it back but
Eugene rather excellently rejects her apology – she may regret saying it
because she feels bad. But she believes it, she meant it. It’s her truth.
Eugene’s verbosity makes for excellent call outs.
Oh and Spencer is the worst. He’s so often the worst that
even GABRIEL calls his awfulness out. He even calls him a shit which must be
against the priest code
