The Walking Dead Season 5: First 8 Episodes Ranked Worst To Best

3. Coda

When compared to past midseason finales, Coda is far more akin to season two's Pretty Much Dead Already than season three's assault on Woodbury and season four's destruction of the prison. For much of the runtime, the episode bubbles with tension as it inches ever-closer to whether or not the peaceful trade between Dawn's and Rick's groups can actually go off without a hitch only to have a whopper of a downer ending. Just like the search for Sophia, the quest for Beth ends only in devastation for the characters invested in getting her back. Coda features a number of good scenes, including Rick's pursuit of Bob, an ironic twist on Gabriel being locked out of his own church and another glimpse into what Morgan's up to, but what will leave people talking is Beth's sudden death. For the fans that she's earned, it's heartbreaking. For those who aren't even fans of hers, seeing Daryl, Rick and everyone else in shock and tears is enough to leave one's head spinning, though Maggie's reaction is rendered somewhat less powerful than it should be thanks to her perceived lack of interest in finding Beth over the course of the season. Another issue many are already debating is whether or not Beth's death served as nothing more than shock value. While her character has clearly grown to be a survivor, her choice to stab Dawn, even though Dawn had it coming -- and yes, it was satisfying when Daryl ended her -- put her friends at risk of an open gun battle and throwing away her chance at freedom. As actress Emily Kinney suggested on The Talking Dead, Beth became a victim of overconfidence and, whatever your stance on the matter, it was a stark example of how a single second in the world of The Walking Dead can change everything. In the end, Coda served to bring a first half that started explosively to a somber close that will undeniably change a handful of characters going forward and kick the second half off with a bleak tone. Despite ending on a strong note, the episode's general unevenness keeps it from challenging past midseason finales and being the season's cream of the crop.