The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 review: A new kind of zombie changes the game

Perhaps the most haunting scene in The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 (and maybe the entire series), is when Aaron (Ross Marquand), mistaking a variant walker for a Whisperer, tries to unmask it.

When he realizes that there is no human being behind the decaying skin, the tension is palpable. Imagine the weight of his realization if you will. The walkers can now climb, grab, turn doorknobs, and even use objects strewn on the ground as weapons.

As daunting a task as it is to live in a zombie apocalypse, there is a sense of comfort in knowing that the walkers are slow and stupid. However, The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 is a game-changer in this regard. If one of these creatures is such a handful, imagine multiple walkers of this nature.

We did see such walkers in the first episode. Most notably, the little girl who bends down to pick up the teddy bear that Rick Grimes disposes of. But they’ve been gone for so long that we assumed that their kind was behind us. And then Aaron says the ominous words we were all thinking of. Who knows how many other variants there are now!

The only force that could possibly overcome such a massive threat is the unbreakable bond between all our beloved characters.

Even as Eugene (Josh McDermitt) has been thrown to the wolves by Governor Pamela Milton (Laila Robins), his companions band behind him in The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19.

The same strength is also displayed by Aaron, who stands steadfast by an injured Jerry (Cooper Andrews) even as a horde of walkers swarms the gated community he’s taken refuge in.

But through the chaos and the carnage of the variants, The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 will be best remembered for the deep, emotional conversations between our characters.

Princess (Paola Lázaro) comes clean about her abusive past to Mercer (Michael James Shaw). Aaron mentions his husband Eric (remember him?) to Lydia when she’s struggling with her feelings for Elijah. Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Eugene share an emotional goodbye, which is foreboding, to say the least.

Will fans enjoy The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19?

The Walking Dead season 11 episode 19 is the uptick in pace that fans need as the end draws ever nearer. Those that have already caught the subsequent episode on AMC+ are aware of what a critical pitstop it was, to the all-out frenzy of the following episode.

But at the heart of it all, is the amount of heart in the show. The Walking Dead was never a show about zombies, but about courage and friendship in the face of adversity. Showrunner Angela Kang reminds us of the central tenet of the show in the final few episodes.

Making a bold proclamation, the final season of Game of Thrones may have veered off course, but it does seem like The Walking Dead will give fans a satisfying conclusion. We're in the final stretch but there's so much story left to tell.

Perhaps that's this reviewer's only concern. Hopefully, every loose end is tied in the five episodes to follow.