“JSS” felt more like the first time again than last week’s episode with that title. It gave the Wolves (those with Ws carved on their foreheads) a more proper introduction and saw yet another settlement attacked by outside forces. With most of the best fighters off herding zombies, “JSS” forced Carol to show her true self – in more ways than one – to the Alexandrians and proved just how powerful a foe the Wolves really are. But much of it felt like the same old farmhouse with a different coat of paint on it – though there may have been a hint as to how the Wolves are different than any other Rick and Co. have seen so far.

Smartly “JSS” (which stands for 'Just Survive Somehow', as we learn later) opened with a brief backstory for Enid (thank goodness names like Enid have survived the apocalypse) which served as the initial window into understanding why the Wolves act as they do. Raw turtle supper. There’s nothing wrong with eating turtles, but the clear comparison between Enid and a zombie as she ate the raw turtle cannot be ignored. Enid still isn’t an interesting character (though the backstory made me wonder what each of the heroes backstories would look like in a four-ish minute cold open) but this teenage girl willingly eating whatever she can find without even attempting to cook it – food preparation seems like a basic aspect of civilization – was an interesting introduction to her character. It also doesn’t take much of a leap to get the audience from odd but nice-enough Enid to the Wolves – if Enid is capable of acting this way to survive just think of what others are capable.

And the ravenous gazes of both Carl and Ron for Enid’s affections aside, “JSS” reminded everyone of the difference between Alexandria and the outside world. This oasis in the middle of a desert of uncivilization was attacked for seemingly no reason by the Wolves. It seemed like some of the attackers were trying to steal supplies but there were some others who just wanted to kill. There’s no explanation of their attack or of who they are yet but it is clear that they are a strong fighting force who have more than enough berserk fighters to cause chaos and havoc. The Wolves, at least at this level, is really the first group Rick and Co. have encountered who are the middle link between the living and the walking dead. They indiscriminately kill, enjoy doing it, and have the added bonus of having both mental and physical faculties that the zombies do not.

But you can’t help but draw parallels between the Wolves and Rick and Co. Forget Rick’s new belief in martial justice and hardening through violence. The Wolves are doing what Rick and Co. did to Woodbury in Season 3. Sure, Rick and Co. were trying to save some prisoners. And yes, Rick and Co. were certainly less insane than many of the Wolves attackers. But Rick and Co. infiltrated and attacked the previously safe near-utopian Woodbury, where many innocent people lived (don’t let the gladiator fights fool you). And for all the audience knows the Wolves may have a justifiable reason for attacking Alexandria just like Rick and Co. did for attacking Woodbury.

In fact, there could have been a bit of a hint when Morgan met back up with one of his woodland attackers from last season. The Wolves attacker told him that they had no choice in regards to Alexandria. While this could mean multiple things it felt like there may be a bit of a history between the leader of the Wolves and the Alexandrians, especially since this was clearly the first time Alexandria had been attacked. Perhaps Deanna cast out the Wolves’s leader early on. Whatever the case may be it would be nice to at least see how the Wolves lives to better understand what exactly their goals are. The reveal of the recruiter backpack with photos of Alexandria that Aaron stumbles across was also a nice touch to show how Alexandria’s once-utopian feel may be over with the recent events.

Morgan featured prominently again in the second episodes of Season Six. Here he butted heads with Carol over killing versus defeating someone in a fight. After Morgan had run into the two people who had tried to kill him in the forest you would think he would realize his non-killing ways need to be remedied to help ensure safety. But in the fight he allowed some of the Wolves to leave – even going so far as to add a please – and tried to capture a prisoner before Carol put an end to that. Morgan’s keen eye of observance showed up again as well as he recognized that despite Carol’s excellence on the killing field she doesn’t really like doing it, which seems to be proven right by the end of the episode.

Carol was star the star of “JSS” though. After killing a Wolves member and donning his distinct costume of a hooded sweatshirt and a bandanna covering her face like a bandit she summarily offed Wolves members one-by-one. This had come after a mercy killing to one of her “friends”, much like Rick had to do last week. Being thrust into battle pulled the veil from Carol’s motherly facade. Any Alexandrian who thought Carol to be an innocent homemaker beforehand now knows how deadly she is. Will she be accepted back into Alexandria now that they know this information? Carol’s other hardened facade also began to crack as well as she thought about smoking a cigarette after the fighting, seemingly shaken. Seeing Carol not only be completely competent in defending Alexandria but also showing some signs of emotional/spiritual fatigue was a well executed subtle touch that The Walking Dead usually does not execute properly.

For all of Carol’s badassery and casserole making – excellent way to show the passage of time as the casserole cooks during the entire attack – the more melodramatic aspects of “JSS” felt tacked on. There is no reason to look forward to Carl and Ron butting heads for the affections of Enid (who may have run away anyway). The last thing TWD needs is a crappy love triangle between the only three teens in Alexandria. Ron looks like he could be on the path to fit right in with the Wolves as his teen angst is skyrocketing at the moment with his father’s death (he does NOT want a haircut). Likewise the new doctor Denise’s struggles with anxiety and her competence felt out of place as well. If her inner struggles were resolved, which they very well could be, it seems like a waste in this episode.

“JSS” was a more tense and exciting episode than the bloated “First Time Again,” though it made sense for the latter to come before the former. Carol in action is so much better than Carol pretending to be an unmarried housewife and hopefully now that she’s been outed to the community she won’t be able to play that role any longer. Morgan may or may not have killed someone at the end of the episode – another one of his forest attackers – but it seems clear that much of Morgan’s arc for the first half of Season Six will revolve around him deciding whether he can necessarily kill or not.

Hanging Entrails

  • Deanna’s and Spencer’s (her son) cowardice in not joining the fight should create some interesting fallout in Alexandria. Deanna continues to become a diminished presence as her slide into being a figurehead for Rick continues. Is her presence at the top needed anymore or will the attack on Alexandria force Rick back into the main leadership role?
  • Jessie went ape on her house invader, which Ron got to witness. She was brought down to the instinctual level that is so hard to distinguish from the axe wielding Wolves member who was just chopping limbs for no good reason.
  • Morgan training up Gabriel, who now wants to be trained, could lead to some interesting and possibly hilarious consequences. Gabriel is such a wet blanket at this point his training should be used for levity and comedy, at least for an episode or two.