The Walking Dead: Dead City | "People Are A Resource" | Episode 3 Recap & Review

*Spoilers Ahead. Mature readers encouraged*

First off, I’d like to apologize for being a day or so late with this recap/review. When we left episode two, “Who’s There?”, we saw Ginny leave New Hilltop and presumably take off on a dirt bike of sorts. We pick up episode three, “People Are A Resource” with her walking by herself when, bang! A flashback! But like the one in the last episode, it was of minor proportion, to say the least. But we do see Negan try and talk to Ginny with no response, so maybe we will at least get to the bottom of her silence soon? Who knows. But there are more of these scenes throughout the episode.

We fast forward to Maggie, Negan and the two main “tribespeople” trying to trap a deer for food. Now, the main question in this scene is, was this a better special effects deer than the one we saw Michonne and Rick encounter at the carnival in the original series’ episode “Say Yes” way back in season seven. My vote is that this deer was a tad better. Maggie, Negan, Amaia, Tommaso and Luther are discussing how they are going to infiltrate, what I am assuming is Madison Square Garden for all the sports fans, to rescue Hershel. Maggie shares the story that Negan told her about Negan knowing who the Croat is and how we may not want to lay out the red carpet for them. This is where I feel Luther and Negan started to have different ideas as to how far this plan was going to go, as Maggie wanted to use Negan as bait. Luther doesn’t think this is going to work at all and says Hershel is probably already dead- again, another thing that Negan didn’t like, and goes on to have another classic Negan line, “An eye for an eye. Dick for an ear.”

FYI, here is the deer from the original series, in case you forgot.

The second storyline, or “B” storyline is actually this set of multiple flashbacks of Negan and Ginny, and as they really aren’t heading anywhere, we kind of get to see how close they are and more of Ginny not talking. We also learn that Ginny lost her security blanket that was a stuffed dinosaur- or a triceratops to be exact. Turns out that the walker they had just came upon, who was stuck on a jagged tree branch, had stolen the stuffed animal the night before. These are the little nuances that I love what this show is doing.

We also learned what happened to Negan’s wife Annie, and their son Joshua. Negan explains to Maggie that she had ran into some rough trouble so he sent them on a wagon to Missouri. During this conversation, the look on Maggie’s face doesn’t seem to be the normal angst or disappointment or hate that she usually normally reserves for him. Instead, its almost like a sense of understanding

or a “maybe he does care for other people” type of look. But what I’m not sure about, is if we need Maggie to be pissed off or compassionate in order to complete this task. Either way, I’m sure she can turn both emotions on/off at the drop of a hat- something of which Negan was very kind to get Hershel.

The other storyline, which I guess can be considered another “B” or is the second, and we can shift Negan and Ginny’s to the “C”, either way it’s of the Croat and marshal Armstrong. This is the first glance inside of the arena that we get to see. We touched on “The Stalking Dead” that the Croat was/still is a scientist and is somehow creating fuel. We now know how. He explains to Armstrong that when bodies die they give off of methane, which can be condensed down to a liquid state. Pretty smart right? We see bodies in big tubes, and people using gas masks to get high I’m assuming. Maybe not so smart. Armstrong eventually has to prove his worth and fend off some walkers (one while a little high), that one walker is the one that the Croat made swallow the key that unlocks the handcuffs on Armstrong. The marshal winds up taking them all out and impresses the Croat.

While fending off the ”fleshies” a new term for walkers that I really like, the Corat notices Armstrong check his boots before taking one off to kill a walker. We come to find out that there was a note- presumably written by the marshal, but not

explained for whom. Armstrong finally speaks and tells the Croat he is looking for Negan. And the grin/sinister look the Croat gives is just great and really captivating because he already has the wheels turning for what he is planning next.

As we inch closer to the end of the episode, we see Ginny find a way to get to the island and have to get past landmines that are fleshies everywhere. Even while not being able to speak, she does seem witty and very smart in ways she’s able to move around. Although she drops her dinosaur once again, a figure shows up to pick it up. Now, at first glance I really thought this was Negan’s wife Annie- turns out it wasn’t. we don’t find out her name this episode, but the figure shows up with the tribespeople and starts to unload everything she has found. Maggie notices the dinosaur and the figure gives it to her. Maggie brings it outside and appears to about to light it on fire, we also see Ginny look at Maggie on the other side of a car- end of episode.

Again, since we’ve been “grading” or “rating” these episodes a certain way so far, let’s just be consistent. I’ll give this one a 7/10, or close to a solid B. I like that he got to see the relationship of Negan and Ginny through multiple flashbacks. Another little nuance appeared in these flashbacks as well- Negan’s mentioning of Lucille, his actual wife and not his precious bat. I also liked how the already “strained” relationship between Negan and Luther came to a head- which wasn’t mentioned in the episode breakdown, but Negan takes a cheese grater to Luther’s head to which he falls back and punctures the back of his head on a pipe. Yes, spoilers indeed. And again, resorting to old, classic Negan where zero F’s are given. Maggie was a little quiet in this episode besides laying out the plan to rescue Hershel, but she didn’t need to be outspoken as during the moment where Negan gifted her a hat for Hershel, he said “I do know how to shut up.” But Negan needed to be her voice in this episode- whether it was by actual words or physical action.

Did you happen to catch where the name of the episode, “People Are A Resource” was said? It happened during a sort of, rally by the wrestling/training/whatever that ring was in the center of the arena. The Croat is giving a speech about a fallen brother, to which he says, “Because death is no end, it is our fuel. Because people are a resource!” By the way, the name of this episode is another call-back from the original series, from the episode titled "The Big Scary U" in season eight in which Negan says these exact words. Ironic, huh?

Catch The Walking Dead: Dead City Sunday’s @ 9pm EST/7pm MST. Or early on AMC+

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Have a fun and safe Independence Day!