The Walking Dead Season 8, Episode 5 recap: ‘The Big Scary U’

When the eighth season of The Walking Dead started, the episode followed Rick Grimes and company as they launched an all-out attack on Negan and the Saviors. The fifth episode of the season finally went back in time to show what the Saviors were up to when the attack launched and explained how vital Negan is to the survival of his people. Here is a look at what happened in Season 8, Episode 5 of The Walking Dead, “The Big Scary U.”

Xander Berkeley as Gregory, Steven Ogg as Simon – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Gregory’s Betrayal

The episode took fans back in time to see what happened when Negan and the Saviors tried to plan for their war with Alexandria, the Hilltop and the Kingdom. The way that this episode worked was framing the episode around the present day events, which included Negan hiding out with Father Gabriel and the Saviors trying to battle plan around the idea Negan was possibly dead. However, first, it was time to show what the Saviors were doing when Rick attacked.

The episode shows Gregory locked up by the Saviors. See, Gregory had left the Hilltop and went to the Saviors satellite outpost. He had an offer to make. Since he didn’t like Maggie taking charge of his home, he was going to sell out Maggie, Rick and the rest to save his own life. His contact with the Saviors was Simon, who was sucking up to Gregory to get information.

When Simon brings Gregory to the big table with Negan and his lieutenants, he is asked to explain himself to Negan. When Gregory goes into his spiel about wanting to help the Saviors, Negan rightly calls him out on his cowardliness and spinelessness. As Negan said, Gregory is a “thin-dicked politician.” When Gregory says he doesn’t like to kill any more than the Saviors, Negan said that he loves to kill people – when they deserve it.

Negan did back down slightly when he said he would take Gregory back to the Hilltop and if the people did agree to stand behind him, they had the Hilltop back under their control. If not, he could deliver a show of force to which Negan shot it down saying that “people are resources” and the foundation of what they were building. None of that debate mattered because that is when Rick’s people attacked the outpost.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, Seth Gilliam as Father Gabriel Stokes – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Negan and Father Gabriel

Two present-day situations bookended the entire story with the Saviors. The first involved Negan and Father Gabriel trapped inside a trailer surrounded by walkers. Negan showed he was in charge quickly and Gabriel was subdued but very antagonistic towards Negan. While Gabriel has often made terrible decisions, he almost seemed willing to die to prove his point here to Negan.

Negan starts off the talk, asking Gabriel why he stopped to save Gregory and the priest said he was trying to find his purpose.

Father Gabriel then wanted Negan to confess his sins, which seemed ludicrous to Negan. This allowed Negan to continue to explain that he isn’t the bad guy here. He said he never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it. When it comes to Glenn and Abraham, he admitted he killed them but insisted that Rick is the reason they died – not him. He also said that he keeps people working as slaves, but they would be dead if not for him. He also said his harem of wives all chose him.

When Gabriel unsuccessfully tried to shoot Negan, he locked himself in a room and said he would not come out unless Negan confessed. Finally, Negan broke and admitted to the only thing that he feels he is guilty of – running around on his wife before the outbreak started and felt responsible for her death.

There was also a couple of hints to his past here. First, he didn’t come out and admit that he used to be a high school coach but did say that he worked with kids in his past to help them become men. He also gave a huge hint at something that will come into play later when he said he carried his wife with him for maybe too long.

Fans who read the comics know precisely what that refers to. Finally, Gabriel has had enough, and the two choose to escape. They lure in a walker, take it down and then cover themselves with guts to make their way through the Walkers and into the compound, where Negan said people would die without him there to lead.

Lindsley Register as Laura, Traci Dinwiddie as Regina, Jayson Warner Smith as Gavin, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter, Steven Ogg as Simon, Austin Amelio as Dwight – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

The Saviors Without Negan

Meanwhile, Negan’s lieutenants were struggling with their time without their leader. Simon brings up the fact that only the people in the room knew about the weapon transfer and that means one of them is working with the enemy. Of course, everyone thinks it is Eugene, and he is getting worried and antsy.

Dwight speaks up for Eugene and tells Simon that if he isn’t willing to lead the Saviors out to safety, then he will. Eugene and Dwight share a moment where they offer their support for each other, but it is important to remember that Eugene’s loyalties are still unknown.

Eugene realizes that Dwight is likely the man who betrayed everyone and it looks like Dwight might know that Eugene knows. However, before anything can happen, the workers decide to rebel. When Simon and the other lieutenants try to hold them at bay, things look like they are about to get worse. When Regina pulls a gun and murders one of the workers, things are about to implode when everyone hears Negan’s whistles.

Negan shows up in time, and everyone kneels before him. It turns out that Negan was right – he is needed to keep everyone alive and in line. He admonishes Regina for killing the worker and tells everyone to get back to work, and he will solve things.

Negan has three things to say. One, Father Gabriel needs to get cleaned up and given a room. Two, Eugene needs to find a way to get power back to save people, or he will kill him. And three, the Saviors are going to kill Rick, Maggie and Ezekiel in a very public manner.

The episode ends with Eugene bringing food to Father Gabriel only to find him sick and delirious. That is when Gabriel said that he was sent there by God for a reason. Eugene needs to help Dr. Carson 2.0 escape to get to the Hilltop to help Maggie.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 5 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Rick vs. Daryl

Interestingly, with all the development concerning Negan and the Saviors in this episode, they wanted to take a break and focus on something significant to the good guys. Daryl and Rick were getting the weapons and then started to debate about what to do next.

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Rick wanted to keep their original plans and take out Negan while saving as many people as possible. Daryl wanted to take the explosives to the compound, blow a hole in it and let the walkers deal with the rest. However, as Rick said, there were innocent workers and families in there.

Daryl tried to figure out ways to do it with as little collateral damage as possible, but Rick still refused. When Daryl said it wasn’t Rick’s decision to make, the fight started. Rick and Daryl came to blows and began to beat the hell out of each other.

Rick finally takes the dynamite that Daryl was planning to take back to blow up the Savior’s compound and tosses it – at the jeep with the rest of the weapons – and blows everything up, meaning their goal of getting the weapons was meaningless. Daryl then tells Rick to walk home and takes off on his own.

Next: 25 Most Brutal Deaths on The Walking Dead

It looks like Rick and Daryl are going to go head-to-head when it comes to their ideas of right and wrong as the war with the Saviors continues. Plus, there is no telling what Daryl has planned while it looks like Rick is heading to try to find more help in their ongoing war.

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