The Walking Dead mid-season finale is gearing up for battle from the rise of key game players, to the death that set the flame, and a reunion that had fans cheering. Here are our highlights and thoughts from tonight’s episode, “Hearts Still Beating.”

The Kingdom

Richard comes to Carol and Morgan in a meeting outside the knowledge of The Kingdom’s leader, Ezekiel. Richard pleads with Carol to convince King Ezekiel to fight against Negan and The Saviors. Richard is the best solider in the Kingdom and is looking for the best fighters to take on Negan. Morgan mentions that Carol is the best fighter and has killed before. However, Carol wants nothing to do with Richard’s agenda and shows him the door.

Carol tells Morgan to let no one else know where she lives or tell those that do that she has left. She seeks a life of solitude in her new home to live off pomegranate seeds and books. Surely her mind will change when she finds out Negan killed Glenn and Abraham. Another thing to keep in mind is that Richard’s RV is full of gasoline and bottles. Looks like this soldier is gearing up for war whether he goes in alone or not.

Alexandria 

Back at Alexandria, a clean shaven Negan makes himself at home and has family dinner with Rick Grime’s kids. Negan begins to grow impatient awaiting Rick’s return and entertains a drink with Spencer. Spencer tries to play nice with the ruthless leader and plays a friendly game of pool.

Spencer believes that if he gets in the good graces of Negan, he might be able to get intel from within on how to take Negan down. However, he plays the wrong card when it comes to Negan. Spencer questions Rick’s leadership. He even suggests that Rick can go off the handle, and provides the example of what happened to his mother who had lead Alexandria prior to her death. Negan is amused by Spencer’s pitch to remove Rick as leader. He makes a comment about having guts and than ultimately spills Spencer’s guts in front of people of Alexandria.

Amongst the bystanders that witnessed the murder of Spencer was Rosita. Clearly still grieving the loss of Abraham and now witnessing the death of Spencer, she had reached her breaking point. She points a gun at him, and shoots the bullet Eugene had made for her at Negan. Unfortunately, the bullet misses Negan and hits his most prized possession, Lucille.

Rosita is quickly apprehended and questioned by Negan about the bullet. Rosita’s pride and allegiance to Eugene conceals the maker which leads to the death of the caretaker of Rick Grimes’s children, Olivia. Rick stumbles upon Negan and his men after killing off two of Alexandria’s people with a beaten Aaron in tow. Negan, once again, threatens the people of Alexandria with their lives until Eugene comes clean about making the bullet. The sheepish mullet man is taken back by Negan to work for The Saviors. He will clearly be used to make bullets for them in order to build up their weaponry until Negan deems him useless.

Hilltop

Lastly to close the episode we are taken back to Hilltop with Maggie overlooking the community walls. She has come into her own as leader and has the people of Hilltop on her side. Now she will just need the people to back her in order to overrule the cowardly leader, Gregory.

She spots familiar faces and has the gates opened to reveal, Rick, Michonne, Carl, Tara and Rosita. Rick confirms what fans and Maggie have know all along: “Negan must be stopped.” This is thanks to a little help from Michonne and the visit of Negan to Alexandria. Rick understands that what he has been doing no longer works and won’t work if they don’t fight together.

Just as the reunion came ahead, Daryl and Jesus walk out to the arrival of the group. This leads to another sweet reunion between Daryl and Rick. The newly reunited group walks up into the Hilltop manor to speak with Gregory about going to war against Negan. We get the feeling though that Gregory will not be inclined to do so.

Moments To Keep In Mind 

• Now that Daryl has escaped and Negan is on his way back to the compound, we have the feeling that Negan will be on the manhunt for Daryl after he killed one of his men and escaped.
• With Rick coming to The Kingdom to bring in fighters for the war against Negan, this means Carol will then know what has happened to Glenn and Abraham.
• The stranger that is spying on Alexandria after Rick and Aaron rummaged for supplies.  We are curious to know who exactly fills those boots. We have a hunch and hoping we are right!