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"Time to f*** s*** up!" These final words from The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22 encapsulate the tone of the last three episodes.
It’s all been building up to this, the home stretch, the final sprint towards the finish line. That said, this episode, aptly named Faith, isn’t without its share of nods to the past.
Perhaps the most notable callback in The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22 is when Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) gives himself up to The Commonwealth, confessing that he's the man behind the uprising in the labor camp.
In doing so, he is placed on his knees, in the same way as our cast of heroes in the final episode of season 6 - a moment that has been immortalized as 'the lineup.' A great moment, only with him as the man in the firing line. Except in this case, mercy prevails over wrath.
Ezekiel (Khary Payton), who reminds Negan that he will never forgive him for what happened to Benjamin (in season 7), steps into the firing range. Many others follow suit. But just before the bullets fly, our heroes come in to save the day.
Yet another callback in The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22 comes from Eugene (Josh McDermitt) who states vehemently, in the face of a death sentence, that one man can make a difference when it matters most.
This is a reminder of when he was allied with Negan, turning his back on his friends, until he came to his senses right before the All Out War.
Eugene's words resonate with Mercer (Michael James Shaw), the general of the Commonwealth Army, who is a witness to the corruption of his leader, Pamela Milton. Hence, he aligns himself with Eugene and the rest of the gang in the final moments of The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22.
For all her spies, Milton doesn’t know that her most trusted aide has now switched sides.
But not every Easter Egg is a nod to The Saviors.
Aaron (Ross Marquand), Jerry (Cooper Andrews), Elijah (Okea-Eme Akwari), and Lydia (Cassady McClincy) align with Luke and Jules from Oceanside and become Whisperers to escape the Commonwealth. Little do they know, one of the variants (maybe more) that can climb and pick objects off the ground, could be among them!
What lies in store after The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22?
Just two episodes remain to wrap up one of the greatest stories ever told! Luckily, The Walking Dead season 11 episode 22 sets all the pieces in motion for the oncoming endgame.
Rosita’s daughter Coco is still missing and she’s determined to find her. How will Mercer and his loyal followers turn the tide against Pamela Milton? And if the rumors are indeed true, a certain Sheriff’s Deputy is expected to make his big return in the final season.
The next episode is titled Family. This title serves to define far more than our family of survivors, not bonded by blood but by faith in one another. It’s a reference to the Walking Dead family, a collective that’s been tuning to catch their favorite show every Sunday for well over a decade. A journey that will continue in the spinoffs, but it remains to be seen whether any of them will catch fire like this iconic show did!
Catch the remaining episodes of The Walking Dead every Sunday on AMC. Welcome to the endgame.
