The Walking Dead: Who died in The Well?

Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead
Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead /
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The second episode of The Walking Dead season 7 introduced us to The Kingdom.  Did we lose anyone there?

In The Walking Dead‘s episode named “The Well”, we are officially introduced to a whole new world outside of Washington, D.C.

Daniel (Daniel Newman) in S7E2 Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead
Daniel (Daniel Newman) in S7E2 Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead /

A leader named King Ezekiel, a tiger named Shiva, and a militia armed with medieval style gear belong to this community, aptly named The Kingdom.

But let’s cut right to the chase this week. Aside from a pack of walkers, NO ONE died in tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead. Whew! What a relief after the agony of last week’s deaths. Yet there were still some close calls and losses to be examined.

Was Carol losing her mind?

Kingdom members Daniel and Colton come to the aid of Morgan and Carol, who has suffered multiple gunshot wounds at the hands of a Savior.  As their caravan makes their way to The Kingdom, a pack of walkers emerge.

Fortunately, another group of Kingdom soldiers is also on the scene and the two groups fend off the walker threat.  Carol, of course, is in no condition to fight and watches the showdown. She sees many of the walkers as the actual humans that preceded their misfortune.

King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), Benjamin (Logan Miller), Richard (Karl Makinen) and Morgan Jones (Lennie James) in S7E2 Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead
King Ezekiel (Khary Payton), Benjamin (Logan Miller), Richard (Karl Makinen) and Morgan Jones (Lennie James) in S7E2 Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead /

Is Carol “losing it” or suffering side effects from her injuries? I don’t know, but when she awakens safely a couple of days later in The Kingdom, she appears to be clear-headed.

Benjamin’s close call

A young soldier named Benjamin is unable to fend off an attacking walker when the group is herding the pigs.  Other soldiers come to his aid and King Ezekiel finishes the deed.

Again Benjamin is blindsided by a walker and it is Morgan who uses his aikido skills to rescue the young soldier.  This leads King Ezekiel to ask Morgan to teach Benjamin aikido as well.

Richard loses face

When King Ezekiel describes the group as living freely, his lead soldier Richard interjects that they are only half free. This appears to be a reference to the hold that the Saviors have over the Kingdom.

Indeed, a group of Negan’s Saviors arrives to “collect”.  We learn that the pigs that were fed walkers are being given to the Saviors in exchange for The Kingdom’s livelihood. Obviously, this is an act of extortion much like the Saviors arrangement with the Hilltop community.

When Richard talks back to one of the Saviors, the thug throws a punch, first missing when Richard ducks. Richard returns the punch and fights back.

When King Ezekiel demands that they stop, only Richard complies.  Richard endures several “free shots” from the Savior until finally his boss, Gavin, calls him off.

King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) in S7E2 Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead
King Ezekiel (Khary Payton) in S7E2Photo credit: Gene Page/AMC, The Walking Dead /

Ezekiel loses the King act (briefly)

Ezekiel entrusts a fleeing Carol and drops his “king” act long enough to explain to Carol how his persona as King came to be.  We learn he was a zookeeper and how Shiva became endeared to him.

He wants Carol to understand that he and his group are not a joke and how the people need to have someone to make them feel safe. Ezekiel implores Carol to keep his secret.

He tries to persuade Carol to stay in The Kingdom.  She refuses his request, but finally agrees to set up a living space in a house not far from The Kingdom.

Shortly after Carol settles in, Ezekiel comes calling, offering Carol a pomegranate. He is not wearing his king garb or using his regal accent.  Clearly, he will keep up his King Ezekiel persona for the safety of his community.  But Carol will know him as Ezekiel.

Next: The Walking Dead: Review of S2E7 The Well

Final count: 0

Again, I was relieved that we did not lose any humans in “The Well”. I found The Kingdom’s reveal to be very fascinating and cannot wait for their story to unfold further.

Will everyone be safe again in the next episode of The Walking Dead? Until next week . . .