#rickchonne

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: The Walking Dead (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Enid/Carl Grimes, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes/Michonne, Rick Grimes/Michonne, Daryl Dixon/Michonne, Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes Characters: Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, Carl Grimes, Enid (Walking Dead), Michonne (Walking Dead), Team Family (Walking Dead), Alexandria Residents (Walking Dead) Additional Tags: Alexandria Safe-Zone (Walking Dead), The Walking Dead (TV) Season 6, Getting Together, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Near Death Experiences, Family Feels, Parental Daryl Dixon, Learning to cope with a disability, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Mental Health Issues, Polyamory, Panic Attacks, Rating May Change Summary:

Rebuilding Alexandria after the herd causes the lines between Alexandrians and newcomers to blur. As the dust settles, Rick reflects on the relationships he’d neglected since they arrived and tries to repair the damage. It's never easy but is anything these days?

Getting shot took away part of Carl’s sight–not his intelligence. Yet people keep babying him. He crafts a plan to prove to everyone that he's still as capable of taking care of himself and providing for their family as he was before. However, after Daryl finds out, Carl’s plan falls apart and threatens the lives of those he loves.

I get it. Richonne shippers are going crazy. Your dash has been flooded with it since Sunday night. Twitter has gone mad. And for what? It was just some kissing and an afterglow shot - so what, right? What's the big deal? Well, I can't speak for every fan of this show (and this pairing), but for me... Um...it's like I've literally known these two people for the past five years. I've literally watched their relationship progress from thinly veiled hostility to an intimacy that most people only dream of. Last night was the fulfillment of a dream; one I thought was a pipe dream. A wonderfully gorgeous woman of colour in all her glory and a leading (white) protagonist acting on legit feelings that have been brewing for nearly three seasons.  I felt like I was falling in love in that moment too. I giggled right along with Michonne, and felt my heart fill up like Rick. I'm invested. I care. So I'm going to celebrate this (rare) moment, where a couple are given a truly amazing and romantic start to their relationship, drama-free. She's not a side chick. She's not a rebound. She's not his second choice, and he's not sloppy seconds. Two equals in life and now, in love. They are so much more than just a ship. They're a giant step forward for interracial relationships on TV. They're a giant step forward for displaying strong women of colour on TV. Michonne is a "whole woman", complete with power, strength, intelligence, vulnerability, desirability and sexuality. Her skin is deliciously filled with melanin, her hair is natural. And in light of that, she's never stereo-typically rolled her neck, snapped her fingers or even used ebonics. She's just a woman who happens to be black and was treated as such on this show. And the lead man fell in love with her - just as she is.

Before we start, as of last week, you can also check out this blog over on www.insidepulse.com which is a cool development. It will still be here and first, but of there it will look a bit smoother and have some pictures. I also finally named this nonsense from here until the apocalypse it will be known as “Gut Check.”

Hello and welcome to “Gut Check: The Walking Dead” where I spout off at the mouth about the most recent episode as soon as it is done airing. No thought, no research, just the feeling in the moment. Let’s begin.

Tonight on The Walking Dead: The Dukes of Alexandria

Alternate Title:Got a Mint?

Alternate Title 2: You’ve Got a Friend in… Paul

Spoilers for: The Walking Dead Season 6 Episode 10 2/21/2016 The Next World

Well, this week made last week feel even more like a finale rather than a premiere. There was a two month leap into the future; we didn’t sit through the cleanup phase of last week’s melee. We just got on with it. It made it all feel like the first episode of a new season, not the second. 

This is how you do a slowdown episode. It was paced slowly, but there was a lot of development, the time wasn’t wasted it was paced. The Walking Dead really struggled with this in the past so when they get it really right it is noteworthy. “The Next World” is all about new beginnings. We are starting to feel out the characters’ roles in the world, getting to know Spencer a bit more, seeing relationships develop, and best of all we had a debut comic fans have been waiting to see for a while.

In my book any Eugene is a good thing. I really need a spotlight episode for him. Josh McDermitt brings the character to life in such a fun way and he needs some time and space to really spread his wings and go for it. Enid is becoming domesticated after being nearly feral and she seems to be taking up Sophie’s role from the comics in all respects. 

Chandler Riggs’ acting has really been developing, making Carl a lot less of an annoyance. That is a really nice change. The fact that the character is also being a bit more sage in his wisdom is a very good progression. Michonne is starting to truly accept her role as the person who welcomes others to the family, shedding her Ronin past. Her words to Spencer showed her new side incredibly well. Spencer for his part was his most likable ever. The fact he took on responsibility for his family; he had to be the one to do this horrendous deed is a strong change for him. The fact he went off halfcocked on his own with no real plan showed he was still kind of the same dumbass. 

  Rick and Daryl got to have a buddy road trip and it did wonders for them to be isolated and Rick not needing to be the most manly of men. More so, Rick got to be rational again. It was starting to seem that was a thing of the past. The absolute best part of this episode though: The guys found Jesus and he was ready to take the wheel. I mean, sure he was stealing their truck, but he works in mysterious ways. It was great to finally see a favorite from the comics on the screen and better yet, he looked and felt right.

He did manage to steal the show a few times. The truck stunt was fantastic, and that entire scene just worked on all levels. The slow build to that one flurry of action made it feel special. Jesus has got the moves, he was whoopin’ Daryl and Rick. The second best part was that he interrupted the afterglow of Michonne and Rick getting freaky-sneaky.  By the way, they really telegraphed the “Slick Rick beds the Samurai” moment. When Spencer was talking to Michonne in the woods about what she wanted I spouted out “She wants RICK” and she had him.