With a new episode of The Walking Dead set to air on Sunday night, the herd is looking to thin out a bit as the war rolls on.
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Episode 8×03 is titled, “Monsters.” The official synopsis for Monsters reads, “Conflict with the Saviors leads to unintended consequences for the Hilltop, the Kingdom, and Alexandria; morality proves tricky in wartime.”
Previously, Rick Grimes was last seen being held at gunpoint by his old pal Morales, Father Gabriel was left in a trailer with Negan, and Carol and Ezekiel are on a path toward battle with well-prepared Saviors. Meanwhile, Eric was shot and continues to bleed out with Aaron at his side.
Needless to say, the stakes are high for several characters heading into Episode 8×03. So, who is in danger and who is safe?
Rick- Safe. Rick is currently being held at gunpoint by an old friend but will be forced to find an innovative way out of the situation. Will he reason with Morales and reel his allegiance back in or kill a man who was once an ally?
Negan- Safe. Though Negan is trapped in a trailer with Father Gabriel, the holy man shows no signs of being able to kill him, while Negan gleefully introduced himself when they were last seen together. There is certainly a plan breweing.
Michonne- Safe. Michonne will sit out the early parts of the war as she stays home in Alexandria to recover from her injuries acquired in the Season 7 finale.
Carl- Safe. Along with Michonne, Carl will protect Alexandria. Unless an unexpected ambush arrives at their gate, both characters are safe, for now. When the time comes, however, both Carl and Michonne may be called upon to protect their home in major ways.
Carol- Safe. Carol’s rank in Ezekiel’s army continues to climb and she serves as one of the best equipped soldiers, likely on her way to becoming the group’s true queen.
Daryl- Safe. Daryl’s willingness to kill will be on display. In the apocalypse, such a quality makes characters safer than others.
Maggie- Safe. Maggie is one of the most level-headed and well-equipped survivors headed to battle, despite having lost the most to Negan and the Saviors. The Hilltop now stands with her and she will act accordingly, even when Gregory comes knocking.
Morgan- Danger. Morgan is bent on killing the Saviors and will have serious conflicts with Jesus’ wish to keep them alive. With Jesus being the more level-headed of the two, Morgan is in more danger.
Jesus- Safe. Jesus is a skilled fighter but lost a few allies when he decided to keep the Saviors alive. Still, he is not in danger as he remains in control of the situation.
Enid- Safe. Enid has finally found a reason to become a part of the group: her “family” of sorts with Maggie. She will help her friends survive and do the same herself.
Gabriel- Danger. Trapped in a trailer with the most unpredictable and dangerous villain in The Walking Dead‘s history, Gabriel is in trouble. Most scenarios don’t allow for both characters to make it out of that trailer alive.
Gregory- Danger. Gregory will attempt to head home to the Hilltop only to find he is not very welcome under Maggie’s leadership.
Dwight- Safe. Dwight continues to aid Rick’s efforts and serve as the mole in Negan’s group. Unless someone throws him under the bus, Dwight is in one of the safest positions of all the characters. Both sides have orders not to kill him!
Simon- Danger. The Sanctuary is overrun with walkers and Negan is trapped outside. With Dwight showing little interest in helping any of the Saviors, the group will likely turn to Simon.
Ezekiel- Danger. Ezekiel earns a “danger” ranking this week courtesy of his overconfidence despite truly menacing Savior threats on the horizon.
Jerry- Safe. Jerry, though silly, is quick to think and act when it counts.
Tara- Safe. Though Tara disagrees with Jesus’ decision, she will not make any moves which are wild enough to put herself or those around her in danger.
Rosita- Safe. Having been shot in the Season 7 finale, Rosita will sit out the early battles as Michonne does to stay home and recover. Still, she is a worthy soldier and could be called upon to defend Alexandria on a moment’s notice.
Eugene- Danger. Eugene might be more of an enemy to Rick than the Simon’s, Gavin’s or Arat’s of the bunch. He has thoroughly betrayed the group and helped facilitate Sasha’s death. He is of little value to Negan at the moment, as well, putting him in a dangerous place.
Aaron- Safe. As teased by Ross Marquand, Aaron continues to emerge as a leader in Season 8. He is ready for the battle ahead and has his own guilt over the Wolves to deal with as motivation.
Eric- Danger. Having been shot in Episode 8×02, it appears Eric is on a crash course with his comic book fate.
The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.
