The Walking Dead Acheron Part 2: The Reapers

The Walking Dead will always give us a new threat as if being hunted by the undead isn’t enough. Throughout the 10 seasons of the series, the living has always posed a major threat and the final season is no different. We have heard of the Reapers since season 10, and now in season 11, we have actually gotten to see them in action.

In “Acheron Part 2,” the second episode of the final season, the Reapers showed us they mean business. To quickly recap what we know about the Reapers. They attacked the Warden’s, and only a few escaped, including Maggie, Hershel, Cole, Elijah, and a few others. Their leader Pope marked Maggie, which sent an unnamed man after them, and he killed quite a few of them before blowing himself up.

Now, Maggie has a group on a mission for food to the Meridian, the Reaper’s stronghold, that they took from the Warden’s.

Who are the Reapers in The Walking Dead?

Angela Kang, in an interview with Decider, said that there are no civilians in the Reapers. They are all trained before the apocalypse and are excellent killers.

"The Reapers are a small, tight elite group. And so, that gives them a very, very different sort of challenge to deal with from our heroes’ side."

One thing I noted about the Warden’s is they are an impressive group. It’s unclear if everyone with Maggie is part of the Warden’s or not, but Elijah wears a mask like the Reapers. We learned in “Home Sweet Home” that his sister was killed. Perhaps the Reapers killed her, and that is why he is with Maggie? There is most definitely a story there. Cole seems like a great fighter, but even he has a different demeanor than Agatha, Frost and Duncan.

The three who come on the scene in season 11 are well trained and fearless. To me, they seem to have excellent training. When Duncan pushed Negan against the subway car wall, they said all it would take is a nod from Maggie to take care of him. That isn’t civilian talk.

We also have the Leah is a Reaper theory that is bound to be true. And, we know from the trailer that Daryl is capture by this group.

I believe there is more to the Reapers story than Maggie is telling. She is hell-bent on going back to the Meridian, and I think it is for more than just food for Alexandria. She is in a very different mindset than the Maggie who left Hilltop many years ago.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on September 5 with 1103 “Hunted.” This episode is available to stream on AMC+.