The Walking Dead season 11B premiere episode was an action-packed thrill ride that was an amazing way to kick off the second part of the season. The action picked up right where the previous episode left off with the Reapers war.
There were many casualties during this mission that started in episode 1 of season 11, with the death toll continued during this episode. Thankfully, the Reapers story seems to be wrapped except for the lone escapee, Leah. We will see her again, no doubt, but when or how is yet to be seen.
We choose someone who has gone above and beyond in each episode and grant them the MVP award. There were a couple who could have very well earned this, but this time:
THE MVP FOR NO OTHER WAY IS – GABRIEL
The Walking Dead Father Gabriel
In this episode, the first we see of Gabriel is him slinking along outside, under cover of darkness, as the Reaper named Austin (Lex Lauletta) aims his gun at him. Luckily Daryl attacks Austin, preventing him from firing on Gabriel.
As Gabriel finds an escape into a building, he climbs a staircase and enters a room occupied by the Reapers holy man, Mancea (Dikran Tulaine).
Mancea tells Gabriel he isn’t scared of him because God has told him he wouldn’t hurt him, just as he did the day before in the cemetery. Gabriel, who is quickly losing his religion, is shocked that Mancea, a man who belongs to a group as terrible as the Reapers, can hear God’s voice, and he can not.
It appears there will be an altercation between these two when Mancea lowers his weapon and extends his hand to help him reclaim his faith. He tells Gabriel that anyone can be forgiven of their sins, that no one is above saving. Gabriels tells him, “I don’t believe that,” after he suddenly stabs his knife into Mancea’s abdomen.
This is a continued look into the dark side that Gabriel has been sinking into. We saw this earlier in the season when he killed another Reaper in the woods and previously in season 10c with Mays.
Next, just when Leah thinks she has Daryl, Maggie, Negan, and Elijah right where she wants them, one of her men is shot by Jensen, her sniper from the roof. But, when she calls over the radio, “Jensen, what the hell?” the voice replies, “Nope. No Jensen here. Call me Gabriel.” As we see a clip of him on the roof, covered in blood splatter with a dead Reaper behind him, his gun pointed at Leah. The smirk on Negan’s face reflects the feelings of the fandom GO GABE!
He saves the day, and if you watched the episode, you know what comes next, earning Maggie an honorable mention in the badass category.
This new dark Gabriel is an outstanding example of character growth in this series. He was a sniveling waste of a man who sacrificed his flock when he was first introduced, and now he is doing everything he can to redeem that, risking life and limb to save his current flock.
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