The Walking Dead: The Importance of Sacrifice in "Some Guy"

The Walking Dead: 

The Importance of Sacrifice in "Some Guy"

Last season I decided to write a recap of every episode, but I didn't do that this season mostly due to time restraints, but I still remain a diehard fan of the show.  The first three episodes this season have been action-packed and thrilling, but it's the fourth episode - titled "Some Guy" - that so far remains the best episode of the season. 

There was a lot of death this episode, but there's two in particular that stand out, for different reasons.  One death has a bigger impact on real life, and the other will have huge repercussions for the characters moving forward on the show.

**THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FROM THIS EPISODE, 

SO IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET READ NO FARTHER!**

Season eight has been dubbed "All Out War" in connection with the graphic novel event.  After Negan brutally killed Glenn and Abraham and subjugated Rick and his crew to mere followers, it seemed that our favorite survivors would remain under Negan's ruthless thumb forever.  Then Rick finally began to fight back after gaining support from the communities of the Hilltop and the Kingdom, and now they're set to take down Negan and his Saviors once and for all.  However, in order to accomplish that, they need guns - and lots of them. 

Last episode, King Ezekiel and his Kingdom soldiers (along with Carol) infiltrated a Savior outpost to obtain some high-caliber weapons, and after seemingly wiping out the Saviors there, it appeared to be a cake walk.  Then Ezekiel noticed some Saviors in a silo, and his subjects raced to cover their king to protect him from the gunfire.

This episode starts off with a flashback of Ezekiel gathering his people before leaving for battle, telling them that they'll be victorious and boosts morale for his troops and his citizens.  Everyone gathers around him in loving support.

Then the scene shifts to the battlefield.  Now all his soldiers are lying dead on the ground, with a pile on top of Ezekiel.  He manages to crawl his way out, and notices that everyone is dead.  Previously, he felt that he would not loose one of his ranks, and now he's literally alone on a field of bodies.  However, since it's "The Walking Dead," the bodies don't stay bodies for long.  In one of the show's most horrific moments, we see his soldiers - who were once so loyal to him that they would sacrifice themselves for him - reanimate and rise, prepared to devour their once and future king.  Ezekiel is defenseless and injured (he had been shot in the leg), so escape seemed impossible.  Then one of his Kingdom soldiers who survived the gunfight arrives and tries to help him escape.

Then that man is shot by a Savior who takes Ezekiel hostage, saying Negan demands that the King be taken in alive.  They hobble away from the horde, all the while the Savior (who is named Gunther but really, really resembles Jeffrey Dahmer) mocks Ezekiel and degrades him.  He tells him that he was never a real king, but was able to convince the weak-minded followers to follow him - even after death.  Just when it seemed impossible and Gunther was about to kill Ezekiel, Jerry arrives and literally splits Gunther in two with his battle axe.  Together, they face the horde even though it seems impossible.

Then the horde is covered in gunfire, and Carol appears behind them.  She had managed to make it into the Savior compound and took out several of Negan's men, but wasn't able to secure the bigger weapons because she saw Ezekiel and Jerry in danger.  As the remaining Saviors drive away with the guns, Ezekiel is even more forlorn because their mission failed.  Then Carol hears a motorcycle and smiles.

On the road, the Saviors are driving away followed closely by Daryl on his motorcycle and Rick in a jeep, and they manage to kill the Saviors and claim the weapons.

Ezekiel, Jerry, and Carol make their way out of the compound and find themselves among a horde of Walkers in a shallow creek, and Ezekiel can't climb the cliff.  He tells Carol and Jerry to leave him, but they refuse, with Jerry telling him he can't leave the king.  Ezekiel screams at him, "I'm not a king!  I'm just some guy!"

At that moment Shiva arrives in all her glory to protect her master by attacking the horde, giving Carol and Jerry time to help Ezekiel up the cliff.  Knowing full well her master is in trouble, Shiva sacrifices herself so they could escape.

Finally they make it back to the Kingdom, where we see Jerry, Carol, and a crippled Ezekiel shuffle their way through the gates.  The people look on as Ezekiel - who was always very talkative and upbeat - just walk past them in silence.



This episode was a pivotal one for the war, and for Ezekiel especially.  Ezekiel had once been a zookeeper who rescued Shiva when she was injured, but other than that he never really saw war.  He had made a deal with Negan to give him half of his supplies, but managed to convince him to meet somewhere outside the Kingdom walls so he never sat foot in the community.  He was finally convinced to join the war after a Savior killed Benjamin - one of his youngest warriors - and after careful coaxing from Carol.  He maintained a kingly role to keep morale high, sprouting off Shakespearean quotes and basically acting regal, but breaking down to Carol that he's just faking it until he makes it.

Ezekiel's hubris was his downfall, as he truly felt he would suffer no losses in battle.  When he found his entire army dead, it broke him.  His experience with Gunther also broke him more, and the final straw was seeing the demise of his best friend and faithful companion, Shiva.  He went from being a King to "some guy."



As I said earlier, there were two deaths that were of particular importance.  One death reverberates in real life, while the other will have repercussions for the characters going forward.

The death that will leave an impact in real life is the death of Daniel.

Now many people will be wondering, "who is Daniel?"  He's never mentioned in the opening credits, and doesn't seem like a main character.  Daniel was a member of Ezekiel's Kingdom army, and we first meet him at the end of season six when he greets Morgan and Carol and welcomes them to the Kingdom.  Throughout season seven, we see Daniel in several episodes but he doesn't have many lines.  In fact, throughout his tenure on "The Walking Dead" (appearing in a total of ten episodes), he's only given about a handful of lines. 

Daniel was played by Daniel Newman, an actor who's appeared in several television shows including "The Vampire Diaries," "Heroes," and "Homeland," as well as starring as Malachai in the television adaptation of Stephen King's "Children of the Corn."

So why is Daniel's death on the show affecting real life?  In March 2017, Daniel Newman posted a very personal video to YouTube, coming out as bisexual after an encounter with a young girl at a soup kitchen he was volunteering at:

To date, the video has been viewed 2,333,000 times, and Daniel Newman became an advocate for the LGBT community.  He's made appearances to support GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign, and serves as a pillar of strength for a community that's often shunned and rejected. 

Not only this, but he is also a nice, personable guy.  He makes it a habit to retweet posts and even give personal responses (he actually personally responded to something I sent him, and I never expected to get a response).  He even said so on his Twitter:

Despite not being a central character on "The Walking Dead," he boasts a Twitter following of 1,006,000.  In comparison, Danai Gurira (who plays Michonne) has 494,000 followers, Christian Serratos (Rosita) has 322,000 followers, Michael Cudlitz (Abraham) has 692,000 followers, and Lauren Cohan (Maggie) has a little more with 1,490,000.  Fans from all over post positive messages on his Twitter:

There's no doubt Daniel Newman will have more prominent roles in the future, but his departure on "The Walking Dead"will leave a void for many fans who look to him for inspiration.




Now for the death on the show that will affect the characters moving forward.  To me, this is also the hardest death on the show I've ever encountered (much more than even Hershel, Tyreese, Beth, Glenn, Abraham, Sasha, etc.).  Even though I've read the graphic novels and knew it was coming, I still wasn't mentally prepared for it.

That, of course, is the death of...

SHIVA!

 
I was at my friend's house when watching it, and had to maintain my composure, but once I got home...

I knew it had to happen, and I knew it was going to happen, but it was so rough.  Shiva and Ezekiel had been together since before the apocalypse, when Ezekiel was a zookeeper and Shiva lived in the zoo.  One day Shiva fell into a concrete moat and ripped her leg open.  With no vets around, Ezekiel went into the compound and wrapped his shirt around her open wound to stop the bleeding.  Ever since, she's been his faithful companion and protector. 

Even though she's a Bengal tiger, she's still as sweet as a little kitten.

But when the Kingdom finally decides to go to war, they arrive in Alexandria just in time.  Negan is about to kill Carl, when this perfect, beautiful creature leaps in at the nick of time.

So when she sees her master - not just her master, but her only family - in mortal danger, she does what any loving family member would do: sacrifice herself to keep him alive.

People wonder how seven or eight Walkers could take down an entire Bengal tiger, but I got a thought on why that happened.  Sure, Shiva could've plowed through them all with relative ease, but some could've made their way to Ezekiel in the process.  By sacrificing herself, Shiva ensured that the Walkers would come to her and leave Ezekiel alone.  She wasn't out to kill them, but protect her family.  Thus she made the ultimate sacrifice, one that will change Ezekiel's demeanor forever.


This is how I will forever remember Shiva:

Basking in the sun and enjoying the cool breeze.  Content and happy.  Perfect.  Loyal.  Loving.  Protective.

Farewell my sweet lovable feline, heaven just gained a new angel.

So what does all this have to do with the importance of sacrifice? 
In the Bible, John 15:13 reads:
"Greater love has no one than this:  to lay down one's life for one's friends."

This is displayed full force this episode, as the Kingdom soldiers sacrificed themselves for their king.  If they had not covered Ezekiel before the gunfire, Ezekiel would've perished along with them, and Rick would've lost a powerful ally.  Even though he's now a broken man, he will rebound and return stronger than before, strengthened by the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for him. 

Also, Shiva sacrificed herself to protect her family, which was easily the biggest blow to Ezekiel personally, but even her sacrifice will cause him to fight even harder.

The Kingdom soldiers - and Shiva in particular - showed the greatest love in sacrificing themselves for the man they loved most, and due to their sacrifice the war will eventually be won.  Their deaths will not have been in vain.