The Walking Dead “I Ain’t No Judas” 

After last week’s bombshell ending with the Governor’s (David Morrissey) attack on the prison, both the prison camp as well as Woodbury is now regrouping, trying to figure out the next move.  This lead’s to tonight’s episode that, while not action and gore-packed like a good deal of the viewers are used to, provides some fantastic character development and sets the stage for the final episodes of the season.

Both groups are pretty much a mess.  Rick’s (Andrew Lincoln) team has very few people, as well as supplies, left, but all of them know how to use a gun and can defend themselves against walkers.  This is in contrast to Woodbury that while it has strength in numbers, only a handful of people are actually capable of serving in this new army that is being formed.  The one person that is caught between these two groups is, of course, Andrea (Laurie Holden).  After the Governor’s blow-out at the prison last week, we knew it was just a matter of time before Andrea would have to face her former friends, and tonight was that night.

When Andrea initially leaves Woodbury and heads for the prison, she is very confident and convinces herself that her intentions are good.  After the Governor successfully manipulates Andrea into believing that she is mighty enough to be the leader of Woodbury, Andrea has the delusion that she can waltz back into Rick’s group, have everyone hug, and all of their problems will be gone.  You’re a very naïve girl, Andrea.  Andrea doesn’t get the warm reception from her former friends that she expected or she felt she deserved, and is quick to point the finger at Merle (Michael Rooker), saying that he is the real traitor and the real threat to the group.  Hershel (Scott Wilson) points out that while Merle is indeed “erratic”, he has military training and that his loyalty to his brother should not be underestimated.  Basically, Hershel is telling Andrea, “We trust Merle because of Daryl.  What reason do we have to trust you?” 

It isn’t until Andrea finally comes face to face with Michonne (Danai Gurira) that she realizes the gravity of her mistakes and that it’s going to be hard, if not impossible, to win back the group’s trust. Michonne saved Andrea’s life in the season two finale and took care of her for nearly 8 months.  In so many ways, Andrea owes Michonne her life.  However, that changed as soon as Andrea saw the Governor.  Andrea claims she chose Woodbury because it was safe, but the reality is that she chose the warmth of a man’s arms over her best friend, Michonne – and, that’s not something that can easily be forgiven.  Andrea did the same thing with Shane (Jon Bernthal), even after she saw that he was becoming more and more unhinged, and so, no one in Rick’s group has any reason to believe that she can make an unbiased decision, one not based upon emotion.

At this point, it appears that Andrea’s character is tainted and is quickly turning into someone that no group wants.  The Governor is about ready to cast her out and is only keeping her around for the occasional booty call.  And, unless she can prove to Rick her loyalty, which would mean killing the Governor, she can’t return to the prison.  As we saw at the end of the episode, Andrea had the perfect opportunity to end the nightmare, but can’t.  Let’s hope by the end of the season she’ll get her head screwed on straight.

Besides Andrea, another character we got to see more of tonight is Milton (Dallas Roberts).  I sometimes believe I’m alone on this thought, but I actually like Milton Mamet.  I had always suspected that Milton really didn’t agree with a good deal of the Governor’s actions, and tonight’s episode made that clear.  We learn that Milton certainly didn’t support the Governor’s attack on the prison, and while he wants to do the right thing (like help Andrea), the guy is scared shitless of the Governor.  And, he has every right to be scared.  He’s seen what the Governor is capable of when someone pisses his off, he doesn’t know how to fight walkers very well, and without the Governor, he definitely would be dead by now.  However, Milton and Andrea are slowly becoming friends, she is teaching him how to fight walkers, and I’m hoping by the end of the season both of them will have the guts to abandon the Governor.

Finally, we have Tyreese (Chad Coleman) and his team.  In the comic series, Tyreese is a strong member of Rick’s team, and after a brilliant (and ballsy) move on the writers’ part, Tyreese and his group join Team Woodbury.  Yes, I know this pissed a lot of viewers off, but hey, can you blame the guy?  We all know that the Governor is a madman, but the only lunatic that Tyreese has seen is Rick, waving his gun and ordering them out of the prison at the end of “The Suicide King”.  Tyreese is a smart guy and we hope that eventually he will see the Governor for what he truly is but for now, to the dismay of most of the viewers, Tyreese and the Governor are on the same team.

All in all, while this episode didn’t have the heart-racing action like the end of the last episode, it still had some fantastic storytelling and character development.  Each character is becoming more transparent and the lines are being drawn, leading up to the big showdown that, no doubt, will be in the season finale.  Ready or not, here comes Team Prison vs. Team Woodbury – choose your side.

Most memorable quotes and random thoughts

• Adolescence, it’s a 20^th century invention – The Governor
• When the Governor returns, he’ll kill me first.  Then, Michonne and my brother.  Then, he’ll kill your girls, the baby, whoever might be left.  He’ll leave Rick for last, because he’ll want Rick to see all of his friends and family die ugly.  That’s what you’re dealing with – Merle to Hershel
• I didn’t realize the Messiah Complex was contagious – Michonne to Andrea
• You need to go back and sleep with him, give him the greatest night of his life.  Then, when his guard is down, while he is lying there sleeping, you end this – Carol to Andrea
• I thought it was ironic that Rick gave Andrea a car to drive back to Woodbury.  The Governor had always gloated that he would provide Andrea and Michonne a vehicle if they decided to leave, but of course, he never followed through.
• I really didn’t care much for Beth’s (Emily Kinney) singing again, but the song was cool.  It was Tom Wait’s “Hold On”, and it kind of reminded me of the music played at the end of the Season 1 finale.

The Walking Dead airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. EST on AMC.