The Walking Dead Season 6, Episode 15 Review: East

Three guesses what the major talking point of Episode 15 is? Yes, Daryl's hell-bent revenge mission to hunt down Dwight has seemingly backfired in spectacular fashion, with the fan-favourite appearing to be gunned down in the very last shot - but surely that isn't the end for him? Daryl has been a great character for a long time, and his death would spark hysteria, but that end scene may be the best thing that's ever happened to him. Daryl's eventual death scene will be a grand event, marked with a stunning emotional climax, and that wasn't one. After all, Tyreese had an entire episode dedicated to his elongated 'goodbye' meaning Daryl will surely get more than a last-ditch, open-ended demise. In the unlikely event we really have just seen Daryl Dixon die, it's a mega-brave move by the show but not all fans will buy into that. On the other hand, it's actually rather disappointing if the show has opted for yet another fake-out following the Glenn saga, a storyline which rumbled on too long and ultimately suffocated the first half of Season 6. Thankfully, we'll see what really happened in clear detail once the finale comes around, but it seems like the fans' 'Daryl Dies We Riot' gear will stay on the shelf a little longer. The rest of the episode served as a solid setup for what could be a classic finale, with Morgan and Rick providing some raw scenes throughout. Both men stick to their principles, but their ideologies couldn't be more contrasting, and Episode 15 almost felt like side-by-side comparison of how their approaches work in the real world. There are pros and cons to each way of viewing the world, and the decisions they make pose some great moral questions for the audience but it's entirely possible their bond will draw to a close. Their final scene where Morgan justifies keeping the wolf alive, and the chain of events that set in motion to save Carl, felt like some 'goodbye' closure between the pair, and it surely won't be Rick who bites the dust in the season finale... Carol's story also moved forward, with a string of brutal kills proving she can still pull off some grim deeds when the situations arise, though once she escaped into the woods, her story went dark. The trail led to Morgan and Rick's scenes, but Carol is still out there. She's the wildcard going into the season finale. Will she save the day? Or will the unthinkable happen? There's also the small matter of Glenn, Michonne and probably Rosita being held hostage by the dangerous Dwight, and Maggie's feeling the pains of pregnancy. Surely it's too soon for her to be giving birth? 'East' has set up a sparkling finale, and there were some great scenes shared between certain characters. It was an episode that certainly aimed to set up some major scenes. However, awesome Carol kills, Maggie in turmoil, Rick and Morgan's ongoing war of words, Michonne and Glenn being captured, and Daryl possibly blown away, all provided enough intensity alone. It'll be fascinating to see how Season 6 draws to a close, and FINALLY we're all set to catch a glimpse of the man we've all been waiting for. 'Batter up...' Episode Rating: B

The Walking Dead, Mondays at 9pm on FOX (UK).