The pivotal alliances and sacrifices in The Walking Dead season 7 finale

"The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" is the title of the sixteenth episode of the seventh season of the popular TV show The Walking Dead. This episode, which barely has any "walkers," originally aired on April 2, 2017. Chances are that, even though it has significant developments for the series, most people won't cherish this episode the way Butch from Pulp Fiction cherished his father's watch. Still, how would I summarize the episode?

I would say it's less than magical, yet it still gets the job done. In some ways, it also parallels how delicate and fractured the United States is in the real world. In this episode, the various communities, including Alexandria, the Hilltop, and the Kingdom, come together to fight against Negan and his Saviors, who at this point represent bullying, relative authoritarianism, and a plainly perverse view of "how it's gotta be" (also the title of a season 8 episode). The plan to overthrow Negan's oppressive rule is set in motion, with Rick leading the charge.

However, as so often happens on The Walking Dead (and in real life) things take a dark turn and things just don't work out as planned. This time, it's revealed that Sasha, a member of Rick's group, has been captured by the Saviors. Recall that, recently, by this point in the series, Sasha had plotted to be the lone assassin of Negan, not taking kindly to Negan and his henchman's previous willingness to kill Sasha and Abraham just for "funsies," as well as the eventual actual murder of Abraham. Meanwhile, the communities gather for a meeting with Negan and the Saviors, where tensions run high.

The Walking Dead and Sasha's stand

In a climactic moment, Sasha, who has been captured and is being used as leverage by the Saviors, sacrifices herself in a bid to take out Negan. It's a bit of a twist on Negan's attitude toward Sasha, too. Just previously to her decision, Negan told her: "You didn't think I was gonna let you keep the knife, did ya?," with the implication that she'd kill him with it. However, in this case, she ends her own life and makes her undead state into a weapon against Negan and his loyalists.

She takes poison hidden in a pill given to her by Eugene, choosing to die rather than be used as a pawn. Her actions create chaos and distraction, allowing Rick and the others to launch their attack. It was really something Negan had coming, too. If nothing else, he needed to be taken down a peg or two, or a hundred. He had been way too cocky and confident, smiling too annoyingly in the face of adversity; and remember what Rick once said: [It’s] hard to trust anyone who smiles after being punched in the face..."

Final moments

As one might predict for a season finale of The Walking Dead, the episode culminates in a violent showdown between Rick's group and the Saviors, resulting in a significant battle as part of the "All-Out War" storyline. Jadis is also revealed to be treacherous. The outcome of the fight has significant consequences for the future of the various communities and sets the stage for the events of the subsequent season.

It is a pivotal episode in The Walking Dead series to anyone who sustained their interest into seasons 7 and 8 and marked a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between Rick's group and Negan's Saviors.

Follow Undead Walking on Twitter and sign up for the once-daily Undead Walking newsletter to avoid missing out on everything in The Walking Dead universe.