The Walking Dead, Monsters: Things To Note
By Liam O'Leary
![Morgan Jones (Lennie James) and Paul "Jesus" Monroe (Tom Payne) in The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 3Photo by Gene Page/AMC Morgan Jones (Lennie James) and Paul "Jesus" Monroe (Tom Payne) in The Walking Dead Season 8 Episode 3Photo by Gene Page/AMC](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/577bdfd34bf7bd056e6a8fcceed1493ce9056582107475e0639dcaa041a4d628.jpg)
1) Morales’ assessment of Rick, that he’s “a monster” raises an interesting question: What would the other members of The Group (Who hadn’t made it to Virginia) think of what Rick’s done since their deaths?
2) Aaron leaving Eric propped up against a tree as he slowly dies is reminiscent of how The Group left Jim after he was bitten way back in Season One’s “Wildfire”.
3) Assuming the bloody handcuff Daryl found in the cell in the previous episode was intended to be a callback to Merle, Eric’s death would be the third subtle reference in as many episodes to a now-deceased member of the original group. Father Gabriel’s rescue of Gregory being reminiscent of Glenn helping Rick would be the first.
4) Jesus telling Morgan that they don’t execute people sounds a lot like Dale’s arguments against executing Randall back in Season Two’s “Judge, Jury, And Executioner”.
5) With Morales confirming that his wife, Miranda, and his children, Eliza and Louis, didn’t make it, at the time of that statement, the only surviving members of the original group are himself, Rick, Carl, Carol, and Daryl.