Season 8, Episode 3
Casualties are taken as the allied forces' auspicious start begins to wane.
- Action Film, Quiet Drama Scene: Aaron gets a moment with the injured Eric while fighting continues nearby and in other locations.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Eric dies and reanimates as a walker. Unfortunately, he wanders off in the direction of a herd, and Aaron is unable to put him down.
- Back for the Dead: Morales is killed after returning from a seven year absence.
- Boom, Headshot!: Daryl executes Todd, the Sole Survivor of Regina's outpost, this way.
- Bus Crash: Morales' family all perished long before they were even close to Birmingham.
- Call-Back: The Saviors that ambush Ezekiel's forces use the same creepy whistling that the Saviors used in "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life" on Rick's forces. This time it doesn't work for them.
- Camera Abuse: Morgan shoots at a walker devouring one of the captured Saviors and much of the blood splatters over the camera lens.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Morales reveals that Negan has ordered that Rick, Maggie, and Ezekiel are to be spared and brought before him, presumably for special punishment.
- Cliffhanger: Saviors start firing on the Kingdommers, and then the episode ends
- Character Death: Eric, Morales, and numerous members of the allied forces. Some Saviors, including Todd, also die.
- Continuity Nod:
- Rick tells Morales of the deaths of Lori (Season 3's "Killer Within"), Shane (Season 2's "Better Angels"), Andrea (Season 3's "Welcome to the Tombs") and Glenn (Season 7's "The Day Will Come When You Won't Be").
- Morgan begins screaming "we're the same" to Jesus, more than a little reminiscent of the crazed prisoner at Terminus in Season 5's "No Sanctuary".
- Morgan also begins ranting to Jesus that they can't expect the Saviors to just change overnight because they spared and captured them. It sounds a lot like Morgan projecting his own disgust with himself for sparing and trying to rehabilitate Owen back in Season 6A.
- Gregory left Hilltop to rat out the rebellion to the Saviors in Season 7's "Something They Need".
- Morales briefly refers to Rick as "Officer Friendly".
- Curb-Stomp Battle: The Kingdom soldiers ambush and wipe out a large group of Saviors without a single casualty on the way to Gavin's outpost.
- Dropped a Bridge on Him: Morales returns after a seven-season long absence, only to be killed without hesitation by Daryl.
- Due to the Dead: After the attack on the Savior outpost, the allies respectfully cover their dead with sheets. The dead Saviors are left to rot.
- Even Evil Has Standards: The one time Morales softens and looks like he may relent is when Rick tells him how Negan killed Glenn in front of his pregnant wife, who is the "Widow" leading Hilltop. It doesn't last long, but Morales clearly loses his bluster and is moved when he learns Glenn was able to find a wife in the apocalypse.
- Flipping the Bird: Kal's reaction to Gregory calling him delusional.
- Forgotten Fallen Friend: Rick mentions the deaths of Lori, Shane, Andrea and Glenn to Morales but doesn't mention the deaths of Jim, Jacqui, Sophia, Dale, or T-Dog, whom Morales also knew.
- Hero Secret Service: When the Kingdom comes under fire, several soldiers immediately rush to throw themselves on Ezekiel to protect him.
- He Who Fights Monsters: Pretty much the theme of the episode. Morgan, Daryl and Tara are particularly ruthless.
- Hope Spot: The Kingdom's raid appears to have gone without a hitch or casualty, and Ezekiel is nearly in tears that they were indeed able to perfectly pull it off. However, Ezekiel notices too late that the Saviors are still alive and open fire on the Kingdom soldiers.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Tara admits that Gregory is right in refusing to allow the Savior prisoners to enter the Hilltop.
- I'm Standing Right Here: When Maggie says that Gregory told Kal his intentions to betray the Hilltop to the Saviors, Gregory dismissively says that Kal is delusional. An indignant Kal reveals himself to be a guard on the wall.
- I Gave My Word: Rick gives Todd his word he'll be spared if he surrenders, and states even now a man's word has to still be worth something. He probably meant it, but Daryl executes him anyway.
- Moment of Weakness: Morales has come a long way since Atlanta, just like Rick, but the second he lets his guard down and doesn't think to ask whether Rick is alone, he is ambushed and killed by Daryl.
- More Dakka: It's revealed that the guns Rick and Daryl are searching for are Browning 50 caliber machine guns. The Saviors open fire with one of them on the Kingdom troops, killing several instantly at the very end of the episode.
- Noodle Incident: Gregory and Kal talk about an incident with sorghum pancakes. Gregory claims that Kal was overly dramatic about it, Kal claims that Gregory ate a little girl's pancakes.
- Not Worth Killing: Aware that forcing Gregory to fend for himself outside would be sentencing him to death, Maggie decides to let him back in the Hilltop as he's not worth killing. Not yet anyway...
- Redemption Rejection: Morales refuses Rick's attempts to talk him down and/or turn on the Saviors.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Unable to reconcile the idea of war with the Saviors with giving mercy to those who surrender, Morgan leaves the allies.
- Shut Up, Hannibal!: Maggie cuts off Gregory's sniveling with a brutal, cold "SHUT YOUR DAMN MOUTH!"
- That Man Is Dead: Morales tells Rick that the man he was died along with his family.
- He also comments that man Rick was in Season 1 is long dead too.
- Tempting Fate: Ezekiel celebrates that not one of the Kingdommers have been killed as they move on their target outpost. Guess what happens afterward? Exactly, Saviors start firing at the Kingdommers and some are killed.
- We Used to Be Friends: Daryl kills Morales for pointing a gun at Rick, and when Rick points out who he is Daryl is apathetic. As far he's concerned, Morales is now the enemy and should be treated as such.
