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Episode 2 of The Walking Dead: Dead City, titled Who's There?, was utterly chaotic and gave viewers glimpses of the former self of some characters. While Maggie's views about Negan seem to be changing gradually, her husband's murder at the latter's hands continues to haunt her.
Meanwhile, Marshall Perlie Armstrong was seen going through some major character development, as it was revealed that this righteous man has some history with Manhattan.
The Croat displayed his ruthlessness in the episode and Negan's backstory about his exploits was revealed to be nefarious. The unlikely duo, however, finally managed to make a couple of friends when they stumbled across some members of the resistance.
Director Eli Jorné has also revealed that The Croat was a former scientist and he knew how to make fuel from scratch, making him a force to be reckoned with.
Disclaimer: Major spoilers ahead.
The Walking Dead: Dead City Episode 2 Recap: It's raining Walkers and Burazi blood
The mystery of the suspicious-looking woman, who appeared on our screens at the end of episode 1, is cleared up in this episode. It turns out that she is a friend, and her name is Esther. A subsequent cat-and-mouse chase between Negan, Megan, and Esther led the former two to realize that Manhattan was indeed not completely morbid. Human life did exist apart from The Croat and his Burazi army (Brothers in Croatian).
The interaction with Esther revealed that residents of the city used to travel from skyscrapers using cables - a testament to how even the apocalypse cannot stop human innovation.
Our lead characters then come across a human settlement made out of a couple of people, quite reminiscent of Rick Grimes and Co. At first, these new people didn't trust them, but Negan's display of terror made them believe the duo was no foe.
Negan even revealed to Maggie that The Croat was not an ordinary human. He was a ruthless torturer who didn't even spare minors. He further recalled how he had tried to shoot down The Croat, but the latter managed to escape.
Maggie was left annoyed when it dawned on her that The Croat wouldn't be particularly welcoming towards Negan.
The Burazi showed their first display of power when they infiltrated the Manhattan folk's settlement. In the brief battle that followed, Esther was brutally murdered in front of her friends. Negan, however, managed to capture Esther's killer and slaughtered him like a helpless animal in a butcher shop.
First, he roasted the Burazi commander and narrated a knock-knock joke. He then sliced the latter's throat and disemboweled him. It can be speculated that Maggie, who witnessed this horror, understood maybe for the first time ever, what it felt like to be protected by Negan. His leadership was brutal but effective.
Maybe he did become a monster when he always needed to be. Or maybe, Maggie just realized that Negan was nothing but a psychopath. Only time will tell which of the two is the truth.
Following the battle, the duo earned the respect of their new friends, who agreed to help them.
Marshall Perlie Armstrong, who was hell-bent on Negan's arrest, isn't alien to Manhattan. His brother lived in the city, but when Armstong paid him a visit, all he could find at his brother's apartment was his decaying carcass.
Armstrong collected a gun from here and made his exit. However, he then stepped right into a trap orchestrated by The Croat, who made quite the flashy entry wearing a biker's helmet embedded with spikes and blades. After knocking out some walkers, he took Armstrong hostage.
Back at the new Hilltop, Negan's adopted daughter Ginny was seen facing trouble settling into her life. She saw an opportunity and prepared to escape. She knew Negan and Maggie were in Manhattan and most definitely wanted to be with the former.
The Walking Dead: Dead City is off to a brilliant start, not only due to its plot, but also because fans of the original show have always clamored for a Negan-centric spinoff. Adding Maggie to the mix has only heightened its intrigue, because of the emotional implications of this unlikely alliance.
It remains to be seen how the makers of the series carry forward the story while retaining its pace and keeping viewers engaged.
The Walking Dead: Dead City synopsis
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the synopsis of The Walking Dead: Dead City reads:
The Walking Dead: Dead City: Maggie and Negan travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland; the crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty and terror.
The Walking Dead: Dead City was created by Eli Jorné, with Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the lead.
The next episode of The Walking Dead: Dead City is scheduled to air on July 2, 2023. Those with a subscription to AMC+ can watch the new episode early.
