'The Other Side' in The Walking Dead: Sasha and Rosita's revenge and redemption?

The Walking Dead episode, "The Other Side," originally aired on March 19, 2017, and, as with so many other episodes, this one is not so heavy on the zombies (or "walkers"). This time around, it's also pretty easy to summarize the episode briefly, because there aren't that many specific events to address. "The Other Side" primarily focuses on the characters Sasha Williams (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Rosita Espinosa (Christian Serratos).

Sasha first appeared in the Walking Dead episode "Made to Suffer," and she has had moments where she has struggled to cope with the enormity of the catastrophic events around her. Here, Sasha and Rosita decide to embark on a mission to assassinate Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), the primary antagonist of the season, who has been a constant threat to the group of survivors led by Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln). Of course, Rosita wants revenge against Negan for killing her love interest, Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz).

Now, technically, it is true that Rick's group did not attack Negan and The Saviors first — Negan's henchman first staged an ambush against Abe, Sasha, and Daryl (Norman Reedus). However, one could easily argue that Rick's group also went way over the line by wiping out every single person at one of Negan's outposts, which was a plainly homicidal spree. In any case, these two women are animated by the spirit of revenge rather than exploring the option of seeking alternatives (such as getting away from both groups and trying to blaze an independent trail). During their mission, Sasha and Rosita have a heart-to-heart conversation, addressing their individual motivations and struggles, which is largely the crux of the story.

How "The Other Side" fits into The Walking Dead

In the season 6 Walking Dead episode "Always Accountable," Abraham Ford said, "I like the way you call bull****, Sasha...," and those words really show Sasha's determination and the way it impresses people. She may not always make the right decision, but if she believes something to be true and for the best, then that's what will guide her actions. She is definitely not the most wishy-washy character, unlike Eugene (Josh McDermitt), who may have brief moments of courage, but certainly lacks a steely determination much of the time. Sasha also seems to doubt Rosita's ability to actually succeed in her mission.

The episode doesn't adequately explore Sasha's bottled-up grief over the death of her brother, Tyreese (Chad Coleman), but it does show the strained relationships within the group. Meanwhile, back at the Hilltop community, Maggie Rhee (played by Lauren Cohan) faces challenges as she tries to convince the Hilltop residents to join the fight against Negan and the Saviors. This time, in yet another slap to the face, The Saviors take Dr. Harlan Carson (R. Keith Harris) away from The Hilltop community, leaving them with even less medical expertise (something you might want in a zombie apocalypse scenario). Meanwhile, Gregory (Xander Berkeley), the leader of Hilltop, is portrayed as hesitant and self-serving, complicating Maggie's efforts.

Final thoughts

"The Other Side" is a character-driven Walking Dead episode that adds depth to Sasha and Rosita's personalities while shedding light on the tensions and dynamics within the larger group of survivors. I could see some critics dismissing this as sort of a "filler" episode, but I doubt anyone would say it's one of the worst in the timeline.

The title, "The Other Side," likely refers to the emotional and psychological struggles that the characters face as they navigate the harsh post-apocalyptic world and make difficult decisions for the sake of survival. As The Governor (David Morrissey) had said, "In this world now, you kill or you die. Or you die and you kill."

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