Walking Dead: Wrath

"Wrath" is the sixteenth episode of season eight of the survival horror television series The Walking Dead, and the 115th episode of the series overall. It was directed by Greg Nicotero with a script written by Scott M. Gimple, Angela Kang, and Matthew Negrete. It first aired on AMC on Sunday evening, April 15th, 2015 at 9:00 pm.

Synopsis
Having exposed Dwight as a traitor, Negan sets out to trap Rick Grimes and his group in an ambush. He selects several lesser Saviors to serve as sacrificial lambs to go out to the route where Rick's team will ambush them. Meanwhile, the real advance force of the Saviors will be in hiding ready to surround them all. Eugene Porter tells Negan that all of his weapons are ready for him.

Rick and the group go out to the spot where Dwight told them the Saviors were going to be. It is a small group, and Rick realizes that it is a trap. They take the Saviors down, and Morgan Jones begins having hallucinations of dead Jared.

The communities all come together, including the women from Oceanside, and they march across a field for their final epic battle. They suddenly hear Negan's voice over their walkie talkies, and his voice is reverberating through a bullhorn. The Saviors advance on Hilltop and draw their weapons. As they open fire, all of the gun's explode in their hands. Eugene has sabotaged the weapons. The community members attack the Saviors, who quickly surrender. Rick chases after Negan, who makes for a tree which has panes of decorative glass hanging from it. Rick takes a shot, misses Negan, and hits one of the glass panes. He is now out of bullets. As he approaches, Negan jabs him in the stomach with Lucille. The two begin fighting and Negan boasts about how "I am bigger than you. I am badder than you. And I have a bat'. Rick picks up one of the broken glass shards and slashes it across Negan's throat. Negan drops as the other allies converge on the scene. Rather than kill him however, he orders one of the Hilltoppers to save Negan. Maggie shrieks at Rick, screaming about Negan killed Glenn and that he has to die. Michonne holds Maggie back as he collapses into tears. Rick gives the assembly an impassioned speech about how the war is now over, and that everyone now faces a choice. They can either return to their homes with the intent of forming a stronger civilization, or they can continue on this path of destruction - at great cost. The remaining Saviors offer no resistance and stand down.

Later, Morgan goes to The Heap to see Jadis. He tells her that there is a place for her at Hilltop if she wants it. Jadis tells Morgan that her real name is Anne. Morgan however, will not be returning with her. Instead, his destiny lies elsewhere.

Gabriel Stokes returns to the Alexandria Safe-Zone and finds the burned out ruins of his old church. Kneeling down, he stares at the sun through the window and speaks to God, finally understanding his purpose in this chain of events.

Michonne visits Negan, who is chained to a bed. He has a bandage across his throat and can barely speak. She tells him how they are going to rebuild society, and he gets to witness all of it, but he will spend the remainder of his days in a cell.

Daryl Dixon drives Dwight out into the middle of the woods. Dwight understands what is to happen next. He apologizes for killing Denise, as well as the other horrible acts he has committed. He breaks down sobbing until Daryl tells him to "Shut up". He throws him the keys to the truck and tells him to go find "her". If he ever comes back, Daryl warns him, "I will kill you".

Later, back at Barrington House, Maggie Greene consults with Paul Rovia. She tells him about Rick and Michonne were wrong for saving Negan, but that they will soon learn the error of their ways. Daryl steps out from the shadows and stands with them.

Notes & Trivia

 * The Walking Dead was created by writer/executive producer Robert Kirkman and developed for TV by Frank Darabont.


 * "WD: Wrath" and "TWD: Wrath" both redirect to this page.


 * This episode is rated TV-MA. It contains strong language and acts of extreme violence, which may be too intense for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.


 * This episode aired on the same night as the "What's Your Story?" episode of Fear the Walking Dead, which is the season four premiere of that series.


 * Discounting allusions, references, flashbacks and hallucinations, this episode has the highest cast of named characters out of any episode of the series to date. There are forty-two named characters in this episode.


 * This is the final regular episode of the series with Lennie James in the role of Morgan Jones. As had been marketed in the weeks leading up to the finale, Morgan is jumping ship, so to speak, and will become a regular character on Fear the Walking Dead, beginning with the season four premiere, "What's Your Story?", which aired immediately following this episode.


 * Jadis' real name is revealed to be Anne in this episode.

Allusions

 * This episode partially adapts material presented in The Walking Dead #125, which is the fifth chapter in the "All-Out War (Part 2)" storyline. Rick's speech and declaration of the end of the war took place in issue #126. In that same issue, it is Rick who talks to the injured Negan in the aftermath, whereas in the episode, it is Michonne that speaks with him.


 * Numerous references are made to Carl Grimes in this episode. Carl was Rick's son, and his last remaining blood relative. Carl was bitten by a walker while saving Siddiq in "How It's Gotta Be". He took his own life rather than succumb to his wounds in the mid-season premiere, "Honor". Carl appears in flashback in this episode, but is not portrayed by actor Chandler Riggs.


 * Reference is made to Gregory in this episode. Gregory is the former leader of Hilltop Colony, who was ousted due to his collusion with the Saviors. He is apparently imprisoned somewhere inside of Barrington House, but does not make an appearance.


 * Maggie Rhee makes reference to Negan killing Glenn. Glenn Rhee was Maggie's husband, and a longtime member of Rick's group. Negan killed him by bashing his head in with a baseball bat in the season seven premiere, "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be".


 * This episode includes a flashback of Rick Grimes with Carl Grimes. This scene shows them walking down a road together and represents a time prior to Rick's injury in "Days Gone Bye".


 * The man whom Morgan Jones sees as a hallucination is Jared. Jared was one of the Saviors, whom Morgan killed in "Worth".

Quotes

 * Rick Grimes: My mercy prevails over my wrath.

....
 * Rick Grimes: What happened, what we did, what we lost... there's gotta be something after.

....
 * Rick Grimes: We're all gonna go home now. Negan's alive. But his way of doing things is over. Anyone who can't live with that will pay the price. I promise you that. Any person here who would live in peace and fairness, who would find common ground, this world is yours by right

....
 * Ezekiel: To justify everything we've lost, we must risk losing everything.
 * Jerry: We're not losing shit.

....
 * Rick Grimes: Carl pictured something better. All of us, working together, for something bigger than all of us. You'll have a job, too. You get to be a part of it. You'll be an example of what this will be. You're gonna rot in a cell.

....
 * Maggie Greene: I don't regret what I did, but you were right. We have a lot to do. We have to build this place up. Make it better than before. Make it thrive for the people who live here. But Rick and Michonne... Rick was wrong to do what he did. Rick wasn't right about Negan. Michonne, too. So we're gonna bide our time, wait for our moment, and then we're gonna show him.
 * Daryl Dixon: Yeah. We will.