#walker analysis

It occurred to me that all the promo posters we've been getting lately have different backgrounds and that seems very important to me so I'm just going to look at each poster one at a time and see if I can parse any meaning out of it. Okay? Okay!

Let's start with the first poster we ever got:

Now, the main trait that connects all these posters is the dark clouds on the horizon (likely symbolism for the dark clouds covering everyone's futures and how bad things are going to get), but those are different for each character. Here, Cordell's clouds cover the majority of the sky with only a few places for sunlight to break through. I think this could mean that things are going to get a lot worse for Cordell before they get better.

I also want to call attention to the ground behind him. It looks like the ranch, grassy and hilly, but there's also a house on the right. I believe that's the farmhouse he lives in with his children. This could mean that he's going to actually put in an effort to be more present for Stella and August and put his work on the backburner (for real this time).

Next, August:

(I had to grab this from my blog bc it is no longer on any Walker social medias so excuse the poor quality

A few things I want to point out. August's stance (something else that varies) is mimicking his father's. His cloud pattern is also similar to Cordell's, but it's lighter. I think this could be a sign that, though he has been led astry by his own instincts (sound familiar), he still has time to course-correct and get on the right path. Perhaps even with Cordell's help.

The ground here is also different. There are a lot of trees and bushes and the hills seem more pronounced. There is also a fence blocking him off from the messy, unorganized area. Could this be a sign that his journey back to August the Noble will be a difficult one? And, perhaps, his family (or others) laying down some boundaries will keep him from straying the path?

Next, Abeline:

Abby's stance is the same as Cordell's and August's so I won't touch much on that except to say Family Resemblance.

Abby's cloud pattern deviates from the previous ones. The clouds are placed differently and she seems to have more light than her son and grandson. This could be a sign of her good recovery or that other areas of her life will improve over the season.

Her ground background is puzzling to me. The left and right sides seem to be two completely different properties. The one on the left is the ranch, I believe, with a simple wooden fence. On her right, she has what looks like a garden protected by a white-picket fence and a small water tower in the background. Does this represent the impact she's had on the Walker ranch with her garden? Or will she have to make a choice about something? Perhaps she will have to limit her physical activity because of her recovery and she has to give up something she enjoys to meet that limit?

Liam:

Okay this is where things get a little crazy.

First of all HIS STANCE!!!! It's totally different than everything we've seen so far! He's facing the left instead of the right and he's looking over his shoulder a bit. Could this indicate that he's going to be breaking away from the family going forward?

His clouds are also drastically different. There's actual blue sky! I think Liam's going to make great strides toward healing and bettering himself.

The ground is also interesting. It's very flat and mostly grassy. Clear fields ahead? There's also a horse, which is most likely a tie in to his horse therapy and sanctuary plot. Perhaps this is a sign that he will succeed?

Trey:

Okay, again, the stance. It's very similar to Cordell's but he's facing the camera a lot more head-on than we've seen previously. Something tells me he's got some challenges ahead that he can't afford to back down from.

Also his clouds! They are DARK! These are storm clouds! Something very bad lies in Trey's future.

Also the ground. This is very odd. He has dry grass behind him and overgrown bushes scattered beyond that. There's no house, no fence, no sign of any life or civilization. It looks sort of like that area Cordell and Dan raced through in 2x12. What could that mean? Is he going to have to make some tough choices that land him in a bad position? Is he lost (physically, emotionally, mentally)? There's so much potential here but I can say that things are going to be very tough for the newest ranger going forward.

Bonham:

Okay, again, STANCE

He's facing left, like Liam, but the way he faces the camera is closer to Cordell, just opposite. Could be reading into this too much but Bonham's gonna be having troubles with both of his sons this season.

His clouds are dark and there is some light but we can't see any patches of blue sky. I think Bonham's going to have a lot of hard choices to make and there's more trouble for him on the horizon. With Abby in the hospital and having to face both of their mortalities so harshly, plus troubles with August and Liam, it's no wonder his future is a little stormy.

His ground background is interesting. He has a barbed-wire fence behind him, some grass in the foreground, and trees on the hills in the background. I'm also fairly certain there's a cow on the right. Perhaps Walker Beef will stand another chance? Regardless, the ranch seems to be a focal point for him. It's his home and his legacy.

James:

Okay this is interesting.

I'd say his stance is similar to Bonham's. He also has some very dark clouds behind him but there are rays of sunshine poking through. We haven't seen much indication for what his plots are going to be this season so it's hard to say what this means but he could be making strides towards betterment in a few areas of his life that are overshadowed by larger issues.

His background is drastically different than everyone else's. He's not on the ranch, he's in the city. He has a flat, grassy field behind him with some trees that looks like it could be a public park. We also see the skyline of Austin in the distance. It's interesting to me that he would have a background off the ranch while Trey doesn't. Is this a sign that he's distancing himself from the Walkers? Or does he just have more going on in the city?

Last on- Stella:

Her stance is interesting. She's facing the same direction as her father and brother but, like her uncle, she's looking over her shoulder instead of facing the camera head on. This could be a sign of her trying to break away from the family.

Her clouds are also interesting. There's sunlight! And blue skies! Still plenty of dark clouds but she's got a much better weather forecast than most of the rest of her family. Maybe she really will figure out what she wants with her life by the end of the season and she's going to take strides towards it?

Her background is also very interesting. Like Abby, she's got two very different things on the right and left. She's also the only Walker without anything resembling the ranch in her background. On the left is her mother's car behind what looks like a meta guardrail/low fence. It still hasn't been de-modded but maybe she likes it better that way? On the right is a building I don't think we've seen yet with a white van parked in front of it. Maybe this is where she finds her purpose? Some kind of volunteer center? Or, maybe she finds a new home? The further background also has some different trees than we've seen before. Not sure what that means but if she really is breaking away from her family..... It's interesting.

-Edit for new poster-

Cassie:

Okay we got some interesting details here.

Cassie's stance mirrors Trey's. She's facing the camera head on and not angling to the side. There's definitely some challenges ahead for her.

Her clouds are also similar to Trey's. Not the same pattern exactly but these are some very stormy clouds. There's no sunlight or even a hint if blue sky. It's all very greyed over.

Her background is interesting too. She has the park and city in the back, like James, but the city is on the right rather than the left. Perhaps this is a sign of their differences in opinion and values? I also keep going back to how she and James have non-ranch backgrounds while Trey is in the thick of it. Is this a sign of distance from the Walkers? Could she be looking at a separation from Cordell? It's very interesting....

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This is a memorable episode, and it’s taken me awhile to get around to writing my thoughts about it (after watching it three times). For me, this is the best episode of the season so far. I loved the undercover aspect of this one. I’m hoping there’s more of this in the future. I am dying to know what happened during those times Walker “went dark”. I hope we get flashbacks of this to explain some things and give us more insight into him.

Now that we have all the promo posters (fingers crossed) and I've given myself a little more time to think on everything and factor in some of the juicy bits we got in the last episode, I'm going to remake my initial analysis post. A lot of it is going to be copied over from the original post but I'll be adding new things so please read through!

Cordell:

Now, the main trait that connects all these posters is the dark clouds on the horizon (likely symbolism for the dark clouds covering everyone's futures and how bad things are going to get), but those are different for each character. Here, Cordell's clouds cover the majority of the sky with only a few places for sunlight to break through. I think this could mean that things are going to get a lot worse for Cordell before they get better.

I also want to call attention to the ground behind him. It looks like the ranch, grassy and hilly, but there's also a house on the right. I believe that's the farmhouse he lives in with his children. This could mean that he's going to actually put in an effort to be more present for Stella and August and put his work on the back burner (for real this time). I also have to wonder if this a direct connection to them getting kicked off the ranch. Are we seeing the backside of the house because he's leaving it behind, or are we going to see him try to fight to stay on the property?

August:

A few things I want to point out. August's stance (something else that varies through the posters) is mimicking his father's. His cloud pattern is also similar to Cordell's, but it's lighter. I think this could be a sign that, though he has been led astray by his own instincts (sound familiar), he still has time to course-correct and get on the right path. Perhaps even with Cordell's help.

The ground here is also different. There are a lot of trees and bushes and the hills seem more pronounced. There is also a fence blocking him off from the messy, unorganized area. Could this be a sign that his journey back to August the Noble will be a difficult one? And, perhaps, his family (or others) laying down some boundaries will keep him from straying the path? Also, given that this looks like the Walker ranch, I wonder if this is tied into how he's going to make things up with his family, especially his grandparents. Maybe he's going to make a commitment to help the family out more (especially his grandmother) as penance for his crimes?

Abeline:

Abby's stance is the same as Cordell's and August's so I won't touch much on that except to say Family Resemblance.

Abby's cloud pattern deviates from the previous ones. The clouds are placed differently and she seems to have more light than her son and grandson. This could be a sign of her good recovery or that other areas of her life will improve over the season.

Her ground background is puzzling to me. The left and right sides seem to be two completely different properties. The one on the left is the ranch, I believe, with a simple wooden fence. On her right, she has what looks like a garden protected by a white-picket fence and a small water tower in the background. Does this represent the impact she's had on the Walker ranch with her garden? Or will she have to make a choice about something? Perhaps she will have to limit her physical activity because of her recovery and she has to give up something she enjoys to meet that limit?

Another possible interpretation of these varied backgrounds is that we're going to get more information on her character background. The recent appearance of his estranged brother William at their mother's old house (which he converted into a b&b) could lend itself to flashbacks or even some healing and closure.

Liam:

Okay this is where things get a little crazy.

First of all HIS STANCE!!!! It's totally different than everything we've seen so far! He's facing the left instead of the right and he's looking over his shoulder a bit. Could this indicate that he's going to be breaking away from the family going forward? Based on the promo pics for 3x09, I think Liam is going to be going into business with the man who Abby had an affair with, which Bonham won't be a fan of. Is this going to lead to another break in the family if Liam goes ahead with it anyway?

His clouds are also drastically different. There's actual blue sky! I think Liam's going to make great strides toward healing and bettering himself.

The ground is also interesting. It's very flat and mostly grassy. Clear fields ahead? There's also a horse, which is most likely a tie in to his horse therapy and sanctuary plot. Perhaps this is a sign that he will succeed?

Trey:

Okay, again, the stance. It's very similar to Cordell's but he's facing the camera a lot more head-on than we've seen previously. Something tells me he's got some challenges ahead that he can't afford to back down from.

Also his clouds! They are DARK! These are storm clouds! Something very bad lies in Trey's future.

Also the ground. This is very odd. He has dry grass behind him and overgrown bushes scattered beyond that. There's no house, no fence, no sign of any life or civilization. It looks sort of like that area Cordell and Dan raced through in 2x12. What could that mean? Is he going to have to make some tough choices that land him in a bad position? Is he lost (physically, emotionally, mentally)? There's so much potential here but I can say that things are going to be very tough for the newest ranger going forward.

Bonham:

Okay, again, STANCE

He's facing left, like Liam, but the way he faces the camera is closer to Cordell, just opposite. Could be reading into this too much but Bonham's gonna be having troubles with both of his sons this season.

His clouds are dark and there is some light but we can't see any patches of blue sky. I think Bonham's going to have a lot of hard choices to make and there's more trouble for him on the horizon. With Abby in the hospital and having to face both of their mortalities so harshly, plus troubles with August and Liam, it's no wonder his future is a little stormy.

His ground background is interesting. He has a barbed-wire fence behind him, some grass in the foreground, and trees on the hills in the background. I'm also fairly certain there's a cow on the right. Perhaps Walker Beef will stand another chance? Regardless, the ranch seems to be a focal point for him. It's his home and his legacy.

James:

Okay this is interesting.

I'd say his stance is similar to Bonham's. He also has some very dark clouds behind him but there are rays of sunshine poking through. We haven't seen much indication for what his plots are going to be this season so it's hard to say what this means but he could be making strides towards betterment in a few areas of his life that are overshadowed by larger issues.

His background is drastically different than everyone else's. He's not on the ranch, he's in the city. He has a flat, grassy field behind him with some trees that looks like it could be a public park. We also see the skyline of Austin in the distance. It's interesting to me that he would have a background off the ranch while Trey doesn't. Is this a sign that he's distancing himself from the Walkers? Or does he just have more going on in the city?

I also have to wonder how this relates to his recent actions. There's something very dark going on behind the scenes to cause him to act the way he does. Maybe his grey clouds indicate some trouble with Grey Flag?

Stella:

Her stance is interesting. She's facing the same direction as her father and brother but, like her uncle, she's looking over her shoulder instead of facing the camera head on. This could be a sign of her trying to break away from the family.

Her clouds are also interesting. There's sunlight! And blue skies! Still plenty of dark clouds but she's got a much better weather forecast than most of the rest of her family. Maybe she really will figure out what she wants with her life by the end of the season and she's going to take strides towards it?

Her background is also very interesting. Like Abby, she's got two very different things on the right and left. She's also the only Walker without anything resembling the ranch in her background. On the left is her mother's car behind what looks like a meta guardrail/low fence. It still hasn't been de-modded but maybe she likes it better that way? On the right is a building that, upon further inspection, bears some resemblance to the Davidson house. Perhaps this is where she breaks off from the family? It's hard to tell with how distant it is. This could also be a place we haven't seen before. Maybe this is where she finds her purpose? Some kind of volunteer center? The further background also has some different trees than we've seen before. Not sure what that means but if she really is breaking away from her family..... It's interesting. All I can say for certain is that I think Stella is going to be making a firm break from the Walkers and try to live her own life. How successful this will be is up in the air.

Cassie:

Okay we got some interesting details here.

Cassie's stance mirrors Trey's. She's facing the camera head on and not angling to the side. There's definitely some challenges ahead for her.

Her clouds are also similar to Trey's. Not the same pattern exactly but these are some very stormy clouds. There's no sunlight or even a hint if blue sky. It's all very greyed over.

Her background is interesting too. She has the park and city in the back, like James, but the city is on the right rather than the left. Perhaps this is a sign of their differences in opinion and values? I also keep going back to how she and James have non-ranch backgrounds while Trey is in the thick of it. Is this a sign of distance from the Walkers? Could she be looking at a separation from Cordell? It's very interesting....

Geri:

Okay there's a lot to unpack here.

Geri is facing the camera directly without even a hint of turning to the side. She's also a lot closer to the camera than anyone else and blots out most of her background. This could relate to her being very focused on whatever her character journey is this time around.

She has some very stormy clouds behind her but, the further back you look, the more light there is. Whatever she's up to, she's got some challenges ahead but it may all be worth it.

She's blocking out most of her background so it's hard to see but she's got some very flat, grassy fields directly behind her and some kind of building with a blue roof all the way in the back. Is this where she went to deal with whatever was in that folder about Hoyt? (Or it could just be the Side Step and I need new glasses- thanks @mygallimaufry) How does this tie in with the rest of the season? Only time will tell, I suppose....

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