The Walking Dead Season 8 Implications: What 'Mercy' Really Means
"May my mercy prevail over my wrath."
The Walking Dead is back on our screens, back to basics, and back with a serious bang
After the relentless bleakness of Season 7, which saw the Saviours take charge, Rick Grimes being more than slightly bruised and broken from his head on collision with Negan, and the show's ratings slip to a five-year (almost all time...) low, Season 8 picks things up with war breaking out and the promise of better things to come.
Much like how the All Out War storyline of the comic book begins, Season 8 kicks off with an assault on The Sanctuary. The main attack is led by Rick, Maggie, and Ezekiel, while a subgroup of Carol, Daryl, Tara, and Morgan work on luring a herd of zombies to the location, effectively weaponising the walkers against their enemies.
It makes for a tense, taut, and thrilling opener; one that's packed with action and plenty of optimism as well. That hope goes for the tone of episode itself, but also what's to come in the rest of the season. While there were no major casualties here, there's still a lot to unpack as we ponder what Mercy really means.