The Walking Dead: looking back at “No Way Out”

On February 14, 2016, AMC aired The Walking Dead’s midseason premiere for season six, titled “No Way Out.” This was an intense episode with lots of action, many deaths, and a near-death experience as well. This episode is one of the best in the series, and the action sequence at the end is incredible.

The episode opens with Daryl, Sasha and Abraham stopped on the road by a group on motorcycles. The leader takes their weapons and tells them that their property now belongs to Negan. As he continues to taunt Sasha and Abraham, he orders one of his guys to accompany Daryl to the back of the gas tanker to assess the cargo. Just as he is ready to shoot the pair, the whole biker gang explodes via the RPG that Abraham found earlier, and Daryl chooses to use it to take care of the situation.

Back in Alexandria, a horde of walkers has overrun the community. Rick, Jessie, Sam, Ron, Carl, Michonne and Gabriel are still covered in walker’s guts as they try to maneuver through the horde. Sam gets spooked, and walkers overtake him, Jessie is next, but she has a hold of Carl’s arm. Rick chops off her arm to free Carl; Ron picks up the gun Jessie has dropped aims it at Rick as Michonne’s sword is seen coming through his chest; the weapon fires. Carl looks to Rick and says, “Dad?” as viewers see he has been shot through the eye.

The Walking Dead season 6

One of the wolves, Owen, has Denise as a hostage as he plans his way out of the community. Owen is bitten and Denise tells him she can save him. As they run for the infirmary, Carol shoots him; he yells “Go!” to Denise as he sacrifices himself to protect her.

Rick can get Carl to the infirmary for Denise to tend his wounds. As Rick looks out, he sees all the walkers, runs out into the mass, and starts killing anything in his path. This inspires Heath, Spencer, and Aaron to join in the fight. At the same time, other residents begin to participate as they slaughter the horde. Father Gabriel, who was charged with caring for Judith, leaver her in another care; as he starts to leave the church to join the fight, Tobin questions him. He tells everyone in the church, “We’ve been praying, together, praying that God will save our town, well, our prayers have been answered! God will save Alexandria…because God has given us the courage to save it ourselves.” As he turns to leave, Tobin follows.

Glenn and Enid had been trying to save Maggie, who was in one of the towers surrounded by walkers. As Enid heads towards Maggie, Glenn tries to distract the walkers when suddenly Sasha and Abraham appear with guns raised, and they start taking more walkers. Daryl empties fuel into the pond and launches the RPG into the water creating an explosion. This distracts the walkers and draws them to the fire, burning up many.

The following day viewers see the aftermath as people hold a vigil outside the infirmary. Rick sits by Carl’s unconscious body and tells him, “I want to show you the new world,” then Carl’s finger grips his hand.

It was a wild ride of an episode, a great way to kick off the second half of a season. Carl’s injury and the death of the Anderson family are major moments from the comics.

The Walking Dead returns to AMC on February 20 and is now available on AMC+.

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