The Walking Dead's penultimate episode for the season, Something They Need; sets the stage for a hopefully epic showdown with the Saviors. I was not a fan of how one character was treated. But if there's one thing you learn from watching this show, anything can happen. The build-up better be worthwhile. There may be riots in the streets if fans are left hanging as they were last year.

Something They Need begins with a montage voice over from Tara (Alana Masterson); reminding us that the Oceanside settlement has a huge supply of weapons. We then cut to the Hilltop, where Maggie (Lauren Cohan) is giving a lesson on "tarping" plants. Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Jesus (Tom Payne) regret not going with Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Rosita (Christian Serratos) to the Sanctuary.

The next scene is bitterly disappointing. Sasha is imprisoned in the Sanctuary. We do not get to see what happened the night before when she went in guns blazing. A despicable Savior tries to assault her, but is caught in the act by Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Rape is a big no and the Savior gets a knife through his throat. Negan is impressed by the huge "lady balls" on Sasha. He leaves her the knife and choice. Join us or die. The Saviors will give you a good life. After he leaves, Eugene (Josh McDermitt) visits. He begs her to make the right decision.

At the Hilltop, Maggie is outside the fence pulling up a blueberry tree. Gregory (Xander Berkeley) ventures outside and joins her. He briefly thinks of killing her as no one is around. But then a walker approaches. Maggie goes to kill it, but he decides to give it a try. Needless to say, he has to be rescued by Maggie. He's never killed a walker. Colonists walk by and sneer at him in disgust.

The story shifts to the Oceanside settlement. The Alexandrians have laid an elaborate trap. Tara breaks into Natania (Deborah May's) and her granddaughter, Cyndie's (Sidney Park) house. She holds them at gunpoint, and then explains why she has come back. They are going to fight the Saviors. They are taking their guns. Explosions go off outside. The settlers run away into a holding area where Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and crew are waiting. Natania rushes Tara in the confusion. Tara's gun is not loaded. She was never going to hurt anyone.

In Sasha's cell, she has killed the Savior before he could turn. Negan opens the door and takes his knife back. He tells her to join the right side. Then asks her if Rick put her up to this. She dismisses Rick coldly, but Negan is not fooled. He's going to use her against the Alexandrians. At the Hilltop, Gregory takes out the paper with the address of the Sanctuary. He summons his assistant. He's taking a drive to talk to Negan about the upcoming insurrection.

Eugene visits Sasha again. She implores him to help her commit suicide. She will not be used against her friends. Eugene is crushed to hear this and tries to change her mind. She asks him again to do the right thing. He walks away dejected. At Oceanside, the settlers have been rounded up. Natania approaches with Tara held at gunpoint. Rick tells her they will kill her if she hurts Tara, and then take the weapons anyway. Natania says she will die for her cause. Cyndie knocks her out from behind.

Many of the Oceanside settlers want to fight the Saviors. As they talk with Rick, a legion of walkers appear out of the woods. The Alexandrians surround the people and defend them, killing all of the walkers. Rick has gained their respect. The Alexandrians take all of their weapons. Tara remarks to Rick that she doesn't feel guilty as they walk away.

Eugene visits Sasha again. He brings her the pill that he created for Negan's wives. He reasons he owes Sasha for many things. Sasha has a disappointed look. Now it seems she wanted a weapon to take out Negan. Maybe she got captured just to get close to him. She looks at the bag with the capsule in it.

The Alexandrians return home that night. They are surprised to see Rosita open the gate. She has another shock for them. Dwight (Austin Amelio) has left the Saviors to join them. Daryl at first attacks him, but is held back by Rick. The episode ends with Rick debriefing Dwight.

I was very disappointed to not see Sasha attack the Sanctuary. Then to have her holding a suicide pill is a complete copout. Her fate is sealed, as Sonequa Martin-Green is the lead character in the new Star Trek TV series. The Alexandrians are armed to the teeth, but they still have not trained with the Hilltop, Oceanside, Kingdom, or Junkyard settlements. I find it hard to believe that everything will come together in next week's finale. Stay tuned on AMC to find out how season seven concludes.

The Walking Dead Season 7 Photo 2
The Walking Dead Season 7 Photo 1
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