AMC’s The Walking Dead
Season 5, Episode 13: “Forget”
Directed by David Boyd
Written by Corey Reed

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Remember” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Spend” – click here
Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) looks around the house she’s living in, seeing all the pictures of happy families, reminding her of what she’s lost. In the morning, she goes to get her gun from storage and heads outside the walls to go do target practice with those family photos. She takes each shot then listens for walkers. She wants them to come, so she put energy into killing rather than thinking. No walkers come out of the trees. “Come and get me,” she says quietly when she’s done, sitting near the shattered pictures.

Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Carol (Melissa McBride), and Daryl (Norman Reedus) are plotting to get their guns back. The new constable thinks the community’s lucky to have them— to a certain degree, the people of Alexandria have gotten complacent behind those walls. Then they all notice a walker with a W carved into its forehead.
Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Rick are suited up for work. They wonder why power’s being handed to outsiders. She thinks it’s a way to get rid of “us and them,” making it only US as one community. He keeps that sceptical mind, not even letting her in on his meeting with the other two.
Deanna (Tova Feldshuh) explains the role of the constables to Rick and Michonne, along with Maggie (Lauren Cohan). She expresses hopes for “a government” one day. She wants to genuinely restart civilised society. They all go out to talk about potential security risks and what needs to be done to in case of threats due to people, not solely walkers. Sasha turns up volunteering to be a lookout on the wall, and Deanna says they don’t have anybody doing that. Big security no-no. Only an empty rifle sitting up there. For now, Deanna wants to put her son Spencer (Austin Nichols) up there instead of Sasha. She also invites everyone to a get-together for a welcome party that night.

In the woods, Daryl comes across Aaron (Ross Marquand), who’s curious about him. He lets the guy tag along while they go hunting together. They come across a horse— “His name is Buttons“— Aaron’s been trying to get hold of for months. Daryl slowly goes to the animal. He almost gets a rope on the horse when it spooks. A horde of zombies emerges. He and Aaron get the walkers put down with ease as a team. They also get to know each other. Eventually, they find Buttons overcome by a group of zombies, eaten alive. They kill the walkers, then Aaron puts Buttons out of his misery.

Carol plays the meek housewife-type, getting applesauce and chocolate from the pantry while making sure a window’s open for later, so they can get their guns out of storage. That evening, the survivors experience a surreal moment being at a nice house party with neighbours. Rick meets Deanna’s architect husband Reg (Steve Coulter), who’s quite impressed by him, though the former sheriff’s likewise impressed by Reg’s wall.

“Fear shrinks the brain”

When Daryl goes to Aaron’s place for a “serious spaghetti” dinner he sees there’s a bike frame and parts in the garage, which he’s offered to use. Aaron wants Daryl to be the community’s “other recruiter.” This would give him time on his own out there, but also a place to return to later. Aaron trusts Daryl’s moral judgement about people. Father Gore loves Daryl so much. He’s a good person, and has this incredible vulnerability beneath the rough exterior that comes out at the most opportune times. Like here. Also great to see Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and others letting their guard down— drinking, laughing, smiling.

At the party, Rick schmoozes with Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) and her dick husband Pete (Corey Brill). He’s starting to feel at home. He’s also getting pretty damn close to a married woman. During this time, Carol slips out of the party to the weapon storage. She grabs extra chocolate while there, too. She’s caught by Jessie’s youngest kid, Sam (Major Dodson). He wants more delicious cookies. So, she makes a deal: don’t tell on her and he’ll get lots of cookies. She threatens him to make sure he’ll cooperate. Holy shit, Carol!

The following day, Daryl’s not so sure about the guns anymore. He wants to go without one. Rick and Carol decide they’ll each take a piece. At home, Michonne installs a homemade rack for her samurai sword, placing it over the mantle for the time being. She has no clue about her friends doing their own security behind her back, despite being partnered as constable with Rick.
Speaking of the former sheriff, now constable of Alexandria, he’s keeping his eye on Pete, and he’s not forgetting what’s out there beyond the walls, nor will he forget what’s inside. [Also, the A stamp given to him at the party is a curious image. It’s come up at various points in the series, and it’s never particularly been good.]

“The monsters will come”

There’s so many interesting threads unravelling here when the group comes to Alexandria. The final few episodes of Season 5 are intense, and bring a well-needed shake up to things just as the survivors are getting comfortable.

“Spend” is next.