The Walking Dead’s finale saw emotional reunions for Maggie
By Dawn Glen
Lauren Cohan makes an emotional return as Maggie on The Walking Dead
In an episode full of heroic moments and emotional reunions within the group, it would be hard to pick the scene causing the biggest audience cheer in The Walking Dead season 10 finale, but Maggie’s reappearance in “A Certain Doom” would be a very strong contender.
The moment Maggie and her masked friend burst into the tower and save Gabriel from imminent death was a stand out thrill in the tense hour. And it’s not just that she saved our beloved man of the cloth at the very last moment, it’s the fact she’s back at all.
Of all the faces we have lost on the show, there is no doubt that the loss of the entire Greene-Rhee family has been one of the biggest blows to The Walking Dead.
Over the years the impact of Beth, Hershel, Maggie and Glenn has been massive on the show, the audience, and the characters within. Having them all gone for the past season left a palpable hole that can only be filled with a character who has the history that Maggie has with our survivors.
That history was shown in force when we saw Maggie reunite with her old friend, but seeing her save and embrace Gabriel was just the first of the moving moments Maggie’s return gave us.
The moment was a wonderful bookend to the first time we meet Gabriel back in season 5. He was a shadow of a man, cowardly and shameful over what he’d done to his congregation; willing to sacrifice everyone for his own safety, and finding himself alone on a rock with no one to turn to for help.
At the same time Maggie was merely a shadow of who we knew she could be. Having lost her father and her sister in quick succession, she was lost and hopeless about what the future held.
Now all these years late,r when Maggie appears in the tower and takes out the Whisperers that are about to take out Gabriel, we see they are two very different people to their past selves.
Maggie is strong and powerful, a true leader, explorer and someone who’s entire purpose is working towards a better future. And Gabriel is a man able to give pep talks to scared kids, give orders to his troops and then stand alone and face his fate, willing to sacrifice himself so that others can reach safety.
In “A Certain Doom” they meet as equals, both heroic leaders who now have so much in common.
The two reunions Maggie had after this one, however, somehow had even more meaning and heart, as we see her first reunited with Aaron’s daughter Gracie, and then with Miss Judith Grimes.
When Maggie left to go work with Georgie, Gracie was just a toddler, but somehow she must have memories of this wonderful woman she spent so much time around. She must have heard her father talk about Maggie – the leader, the woman, the mother – and grown to love her from the memories of those she loves.
However, for Judith, she must have memories of her own. She was that little bit older when Maggie left, and she must remember how much Maggie was part of her life in her early years.
Obviously there is a huge deal of love for Uncle Daryl and Judith’s special relationship, but it can’t be denied Maggie has her own special relationship with Rick’s daughter. After all, it was Maggie who actually brought Judith into the world, and who put her life at risk to find food for her in her first days.
Maggie’s return at this point, when Judith is feeling most lost is timely and meaningful. With Michonne gone Judith has lost her mom, and they have all lost their home. All her stability is gone, and even her beloved Uncle Daryl can’t promise things won’t change further.
For that little girl, with her world in constant turmoil, her father gone and now her mother left and she doesn’t know if she’ll ever see her again – Maggie’s return is a light in the dark, and it’s written all over Judith’s face when she sees her.
Not only does it provide Judith with another aunt that she trusts and loves, but it also gives her hope that people who leave can come back.
Next. MVP from The Walking Dead episode 1016 ‘A Certain Doom’. dark
If Aunt Maggie can be gone for years and return, just as she remembered her, then maybe Judith’s mom will come back too, and maybe she’ll bring “the brave man” with her.