# The Walking Dead; 5.16 "Conquer" (open spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2015, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311 "2015-03-29T23:45:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/61 "2015-03-30T15:03:57Z")
The guy in the poncho, was that the same guy Daryl & Aaron were following? Daryl’s motorcycle seems pretty loud for stealthily searching for people. I know they park the vehicles and hike out in the woods a ways, but it’s still pretty loud. I understand Deanna’s reaction. Geez, she just lost her son and then sees her husband killed right in front of her. Plus, Rick mentioned he was wondering how many Alexandrians he’d have to kill for them to get it. That was Deanne showing us she gets it now. Next season she’ll really understand when the Wolves show up. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/62 "2015-03-30T15:05:25Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Huh, what makes you think they were working together? Seemed to me that way. The guy was out in the fields then just disappears. Then they tell him to go reset the traps, or at least that’s what I thought they told him to do. It didn’t look like they had him tied up or anything like that and they seemed to be conversing with him as if they knew him. I will admit that I don’t fully watch everything that goes on so I might have missed something. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/63 "2015-03-30T15:11:13Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Something else: it is very weird that Maggie didn’t tell anyone at all what she over heard. She didn’t tell Rick. She didn’t defend their group to Deanna directly. She didn’t confront Gabriel. She just kept it to her self. It’s complicated. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/64 "2015-03-30T15:22:43Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > …What the hell was up with those guys at the end? Why did they slit the guy’s throat who was in the poncho? They had to have been working together so what was the point of killing him? The best I can think of is the trap didn’t work as intended, but that’s not his fault. Unless the writers wanted us to know these guys are bad, but duh, we knew that already. (post shortened) Group “W” (Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant, anyone?) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0a6iWHSWbA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0a6iWHSWbA) ), besides killing the living, and carving W’s in walker foreheads, seems to collect walkers? Why? I have no idea. The Governor collected walkers, Michonne had her own walkers, and Hershel collected walkers. Maybe, if you collect a whole set, you win free french fries? I don’t believe Red Poncho guy was a member of Group W. He had been wandering alone and, I assume, had been captured, or trapped, by the sociopaths. Both pairs of Group W sociopaths told their intended victims, Morgan and Red Poncho guy, to “stay still” just before they delivered, or attempted to deliver, the death blow. Morgan suspected a trick, RPG didn’t seem to recognize the symbolism (but his hands were tied behind him). ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/65 "2015-03-30T15:30:58Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s complicated. Yeah, they leave so many things unsaid, we have to fill in half the dialogue. When Rick walked past the three guys standing guard and just says “hey guys.” That would have been a great time to stop and chat, since these guys are going to be deciding your fate. “Hey, sorry about last night guys. But you know, he was beating his wife and I’ve under a bit of stress the last couple years you know how it is sometimes.” ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/66 "2015-03-30T15:31:08Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > Seemed to me that way. The guy was out in the fields then just disappears. Then they tell him to go reset the traps, or at least that’s what I thought they told him to do. It didn’t look like they had him tied up or anything like that and they seemed to be conversing with him as if they knew him. Didn’t seem that way to me. They didn’t tell him to reset the trap; we saw them reset the trap themselves during the scene. (Playing the music to corral the walkers back in the trucks.) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/67 "2015-03-30T15:43:32Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I don’t believe Red Poncho guy was a member of Group W. He had been wandering alone and, I assume, had been captured, or trapped, by the sociopaths. Both pairs of Group W sociopaths told their intended victims, Morgan and Red Poncho guy, to “stay still” just before they delivered, or attempted to deliver, the death blow. Morgan suspected a trick, RPG didn’t seem to recognize the symbolism (but his hands were tied behind him). Then I guess it seems just a bit too convenient for me. Guy is being tracked by Daryl and Aaron, he loses them, they end up in the trap set by the “W” gang. Then they capture red poncho and take him back just to kill him right there? Seems like a huge waste, they weren’t going to make Morgan walk anywhere, they were going to kill him right there. I got out of it that red poncho was to lure people in to the trap. The “W” group got pissed that he failed and killed him. It seems strange that a lone guy gets taken after being out there for a couple of years, especially by a couple of guys who just got the hell beat out of them. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/68 "2015-03-30T15:46:31Z")
What makes you think the guy had been around a couple years? he was another wanderer like Morgan. It was just some dude that they found just like Daryl and Aaron found him. It wasn’t terribly complicated. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/69 "2015-03-30T16:01:32Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > Then I guess it seems just a bit too convenient for me. Guy is being tracked by Daryl and Aaron, he loses them, they end up in the trap set by the “W” gang. Then they capture red poncho and take him back just to kill him right there? Seems like a huge waste, they weren’t going to make Morgan walk anywhere, they were going to kill him right there. (post shortened) I’m just guessing but it would be easier for Group W to convince a victim to walk (miles?) to their execution spot, than trying to control a walker, or drag a dead body, to the same spot. In Morgan’s case, the sociopaths didn’t have ammo for their firearm(s). Would that have effected their decision? Maybe. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/70 "2015-03-30T16:05:44Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s amazing how a hundred + Walkers can be silent as mice until the doors of the trucks open. Anyway, I thought this was a very so-so episode, and not what I was hoping for in the season finale. It wasn’t terrible, but it was a let down after the last few eps. I mean, they’re all sitting around that stupid fire pit wondering why Rick didn’t show up, and I want scream at them: _Someone go look for Rick and bring him the goddam meeting. This whole place is tiny, it would take just a few fucking minutes to find him!!!_ That was irritating me, as well. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/71 "2015-03-30T16:11:17Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Yeah, they leave so many things unsaid, we have to fill in half the dialogue. > > When Rick walked past the three guys standing guard and just says “hey guys.” That would have been a great time to stop and chat, since these guys are going to be deciding your fate. “Hey, sorry about last night guys. But you know, he was beating his wife and I’ve under a bit of stress the last couple years you know how it is sometimes.” As I understand SAG rules, actors with lines (a conversation with Rick) are paid more than actors who just nod and grunt (when Rick walks by). 😉 Normally, it would make more sense for Rick to make his case to everyone who would be attending the evenings meeting. OTOH, the writers/director knew the outcome of the meeting, so why waste airtime making Rick’s case over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/72 "2015-03-30T16:12:21Z")
1. I am hoping for some kind of explanation in the next season of the Wolves’ methods. It seems to me that stealth robbery of survivors would be less labor intensive than catching and maintaining traps swarming with snappy Walkers. True, I guess smashing a wall and sending the zombies in can serve as a distraction, but I fail to see the point in monogramming them. 2. I am inclined to forgive the patent idiocy of Alexandria’s leadership. She doesn’t know beans about the savage world outside, but having lost her son and husband in less than a week, perhaps she is seeing the light. Although not enforcing some SERIOUS discipline over the steeple position and the gate implies some major stupid on these people’s parts. 3. Where is Porch Dick getting his bottled beer? Is someone in Alexandria brewing it? And why hasn’t he drunk the surrounding countryside dry? It has been a minimum of two years since there’s been any grocery distribution system left, much less liquors… 4. The idea I got was that Gabriel has come off his hinges, to some extent, and that he didn’t even notice that the gate was open when he walked off. I could be wrong, though. 5. It did not surprise me a bit that Deanna did not go looking for Rick. She plainly meant to toss him out, and his absence at the meeting strengthened her hand… at least until things went off the rails. 6. In the original comic, it is made fairly clear that Porch Dick is beating his wife, and that his neighbors KNOW this, but turn a blind eye because they’re scared to lose their doctor. This is less obvious in the TV show. 7. It’s fun to say “Porch Dick.” 8. Aaron makes a speech at one point about not giving up. I find this interesting, because if they’d just given up on Red Poncho, they wouldn’t have fallen into the trap at the vegetable distribution joint. True, they get out, but with unexpected help. And after all that, Red Poncho still gets killed. 9. If our heroes had communicated with each other better, a lot of crap could have been avoided. Important lesson here. 10. I agree that it’s easier to have your victim walk to where you want him, THEN kill him; I kind of figured that’s what they were going to do with Morgan. Although I wonder why the second guy tried to bash his head in if they’re collecting active zombies… ---
**Author:** ![Leonard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a6a055/32.png) [@Leonard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leonard)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/73 "2015-03-30T16:12:39Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I think Morgan’s stance of “life is precious” is going to be the moral conflict point with Rick next season. It would be easy to dismiss it if it came from someone like Gabriel… but if it comes from another “survivor” like Morgan it has weight. Like Sweater Liberal Husband was saying, we have to live together. I don’t know what Morgan’s solution is going to be, but Morgan arriving at the moment of an execution is important. I agree. Morgan looked horrified at the execution. I guess he’ll be the new Tyrese. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/74 "2015-03-30T16:14:36Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > I got out of it that red poncho was to lure people in to the trap. The “W” group got pissed that he failed and killed him. It seems strange that a lone guy gets taken after being out there for a couple of years, especially by a couple of guys who just got the hell beat out of them. I see where you’re going with that. The only problem is that if red poncho guy’s job was to lure Daryl and Aaron into the trap, he succeeded with flying colors. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/75 "2015-03-30T16:18:00Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > 1. Aaron makes a speech at one point about not giving up. I find this interesting, because if they’d just given up on Red Poncho, they wouldn’t have fallen into the trap at the vegetable distribution joint. He was saying how the entire reason they got caught in that trap is because they gave up looking for red poncho guy. It was Aaron who convinced Daryl to give up, after which they went in to stockpile supplies and got caught. “If we go in there, we’re giving up on finding him.” ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/76 "2015-03-30T16:18:14Z")
…and while I’m thinking about it, how many people live in Alexandria? In the original source material, it was tens of people, multiple families at least. In the TV show, it seems to be Rick’s Group and maybe ten or fifteen other people. They couldn’t hire more extras? In previous episodes, we learn that our Scavenging Crew lost four people last month. Plainly, this is because the leader was a douchebag and his second was a coward, but DANG, people, nobody questions a 66% monthly causalty rate? And they’ve been keeping Porch Dick in liquor this way for TWO YEARS? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/77 "2015-03-30T16:35:15Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > As I understand SAG rules, actors with lines (a conversation with Rick) are paid more than actors who just nod and grunt (when Rick walks by). 😉 > > Normally, it would make more sense for Rick to make his case to everyone who would be attending the evenings meeting. OTOH, the writers/director knew the outcome of the meeting, so why waste airtime making Rick’s case over and over. Yeah maybe it was handled better in the comics, but Cliche Abusive Dad seemed kind of contrived. The writers knew how they wanted it to end, and worked backwards to make it fit. > [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#): > > …and while I’m thinking about it, how many people live in Alexandria? In the original source material, it was tens of people, multiple families at least. In the TV show, it seems to be Rick’s Group and maybe ten or fifteen other people. They couldn’t hire more extras? > > In previous episodes, we learn that our Scavenging Crew lost four people last month. Plainly, this is because the leader was a douchebag and his second was a coward, but DANG, people, nobody questions a 66% monthly causalty rate? And they’ve been keeping Porch Dick in liquor this way for TWO YEARS? Well, they have to pay about a 100 extras for the zombie dance parties. I wonder how much they make? ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/78 "2015-03-30T16:40:53Z")
I wasn’t clear if the two guys that Morgan trapped in the car at the beginning was the same two guys that killed RPG at the end. Did anyone see their faces? ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/79 "2015-03-30T16:43:34Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > As I understand SAG rules, actors with lines (a conversation with Rick) are paid more than actors who just nod and grunt (when Rick walks by). 😉 > > Normally, it would make more sense for Rick to make his case to everyone who would be attending the evenings meeting. OTOH, the writers/director knew the outcome of the meeting, so why waste airtime making Rick’s case over and over. One of the actors outside his house (doing an absolutely lazy and terrible job guarding him…seriously why were they there and armed if not to follow him)later spoke at the meeting. That guy was already getting paid to talk. Regarding Rick why rick didn’t stop to chit chat and make his case–Rick isn’t politicking. He’s either taking it by a speech to all of them or taking it by force. I think they did a fair job of explaining that the “forum” was open but not everyone was going to be there. Did we even see Aaron’s partner there? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311/80 "2015-03-30T16:46:21Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > I wasn’t clear if the two guys that Morgan trapped in the car at the beginning was the same two guys that killed RPG at the end. Did anyone see their faces? Wait, I thought the two guys Morgan trapped in the car where the two dudes that held him up as he was sitting at his little campfire? If so they were the same two that killed RPG. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-walking-dead-5-16-conquer-open-spoilers/716311.md?page=5)