‘The Walking Dead’ 6×12 Review: ‘Not Yet Tomorrow’

You’ll never look at cookies the same way again, thanks to The Walking Dead. You’ll also never underestimate the power of Rick’s beautiful blue eyes to pull a group of people to his side. In this episode, titled ‘Not Yet Tomorrow,’ Alexandria heads out to prove how much of a valuable asset they are. To help ground this new development we get a glimpse of Carol and Abraham taking stock of what they have and what they want from their new home. Only one of these manages to look like a jerk while doing it. Hint: It’s Abraham.

Let’s talk about it!

The Good: Carol is Changing

Carol is a fighter who knows how to get things done. Since the death of her daughter she has transformed herself into a lean, mean, fighting machine that will do anything to increase their chances of survival. In doing so, she had to give up parts of herself. No longer could she feel love, empathy, or guilt as she did before. Those things had to die. In this episode, we see Carol breaking past that and starting on a road to get back what she thought was lost forever.

She’s relaxed in Alexandria. Their new home has allowed everyone, including herself, to do the things they couldn’t afford to do beyond the walls. The opening scene where she gathered supplies, showered, and shared cookies showed all that. What she didn’t expect was how this down time, and return to a semblance of normalcy, shifted the focus back onto herself. No longer could she hide from the kind of woman she has transformed into. Now she has time to reflect and decide whether she wants to continue down a hardened path or reach out for something new.

Carol doesn’t know it yet, but she’s made up her mind. She wants more.

Sharing cookies, kissing that random guy (whose name we don’t remember), and arguing with Maggie to stay and not fight, are the first steps. The only mistake she’s making is shifting the focus away from herself and onto others. She doesn’t have to change/coddle/distract others or prevent them from doing things like she did. Our badass, gun-slinging, baker has to focus on herself. She has to be the change. That’s the only way she’ll be able to unburden herself from all the baggage she carries and start living. Not once again, but for the first time in her life.

The Bad: Abraham Breaking Up with Rosita

Abraham took the coward’s way out. Instead of sitting down and talking with Rosita he tossed her aside like a cheap trinket. He looked at everything that they’d been through together and deemed it not worth his time. And all because he finally understood that he had a chance at more than living day to day? Unacceptable. These two fought tooth and nail to survive. It was insulting that he didn’t even consider her feelings.

Fine you don’t want to be with her, but isn’t she still your friend? Your companion in arms? If this is the kind of ‘living’ that Abraham wants to do then he doesn’t deserve Rosita. She’s too strong, efficient, and keen for him. So go Abraham. Try to find ‘yourself’ in the arms of another. Rosita managed to survive this apocalypse before you and she’ll make it after you.

The Ugly: Murdering the Saviors

I’m conflicted on the choice to kill the people inside the Savior compound.

On one hand, I agree with the attack. Rick & Co. are tired of being on the defensive. They’ve never really struck at an enemy like this. And it wasn’t someone they personally knew. It was just the thought of what would happen if the Saviors came around and the promise of trade. There was a different drive this time around. Why shouldn’t they hit the enemy while they’re down? Tactically it’s right. They live in a different world where you can’t take chances and when you do, you pay for them dearly. They can’t afford to lose anyone if they want to create a stable and long lasting Alexandria.

On another hand, I don’t agree with the attack. Morally their actions were wrong. They have become the enemy they fought so hard to defeat aka The Governor. Without much question they agreed to end the lives of people they didn’t know, just for a chance. No community can survive if it’s built on a bedrock made of murder in the dead of the night. I cheer for Rick & Co. because this group is built on family and hope, something that their enemies never truly understood or had. If they continue carrying out missions like this, bit by bit they’ll lose what makes them better than their enemies.

The only thing that I’m 100% certain of is that they’ll learn from this experience. Hilltop will learn that Alexandria is made of fierce people that are formidable allies. (Especially Gregory, their leader. Don’t trust him at all.) Rick & Co. will learn that they will go to unsavory lengths to make sure they have a future (even if it breaks them.) And Morgan will learn that his methods are useless, and that he needs to try different tactics.

The apocalypse changed them all, but it doesn’t mean that all is lost. They have to find a balance between what makes them human and what makes them survivors. It’s going to be a long and bloody road until they do.

P.S. Hurt Carol or Maggie and WE RIOT!

Other Observations:

Gabriel killed someone?! I didn’t think he had it in him. He’s become a valuable member of their group while still keeping his faith.
Rick & Co. moved on the Savior compound as a well coordinated team. There’s no doubt that Rick, Rosita, and Abraham had something to do with that training.
Making cookies with beets is an actual thing! Check out a beet and almond recipe HERE. Looks yummy!