The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 24 Review: Rest in Peace
Paul Dailly
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For a show that is preparing to launch several more spinoffs, The Walking Dead Season 11 Episode 24 was a surprisingly satisfying hour that brought the flagship series full circle.
There were certainly some doubts going into the finale because we knew several characters would survive because, you know, spinoffs.
Off the bat, Luke's death didn't hit me in the feels as much as it should have because he was off-screen for so long.
Kelly, Connie, Magna, and Yumiko watching their friend bleed out and die was a harrowing development because they were in a hospital -- a fully functioning hospital at that, but good old Pamela Milton moved everyone from the hospital to the Estates.
It's hard to imagine how helpless Luke's friends must have felt as they watched him die. The only solace they can take from it is that they were with him in his final moments.
I wish we got more Luke because he was one of the better new additions on The Walking Dead Season 9, but Dan Fogler had commitments that kept him away from the series.
The chaos in the hospital also featured one of the most nail-biting scenes in the series' history. Judith waking up and closing all the doors, battling walkers, despite being shot, in the name of saving Daryl, found her living up to her "little ass kicker" monicker.
With Judith narrating these final episodes, there were certainly questions about whether she would survive the series.
The Grimes family doesn't exactly have the best of luck, but I'm happy she got to live another day and watch how the world could change with the right people at the wheel.
Daryl probably saved Judith by giving her his blood. The callout to Merle was a nice little callback to his brother's wicked ways.
Merle selling Daryl's blood sounds like a typical Merle move. I appreciated the frantic nature of the opening scenes because they brought back what the show had lacked for so long - the walking dead.
Yes, the series has been introducing variant walkers, but the zombies seemed like a minor threat, which started to change what the show stood for.
It was terrifying that everyone was hunted by endless zombies that included smarter members of the undead, and you could tell that everyone thought there was no way out.
Pamela locking up the Estates highlighted that she was more concerned about keeping herself and the people that mattered to her safe. Pamela has effectively run the Commonwealth into the ground because of the deeply rooted issues in the community.
You have to have transparency with people who look up to you, and Pamela never had that because she was always thinking about the future of the compound and how her family legacy would carry on.
The biggest surprise of the finale is that Pamela got to live another day, and it was all thanks to Daryl's admission that everyone should be afraid of the walkers because they're the biggest enemy they'll ever have.
It was a grueling mission to blow up the Estates after leading all the walkers there from the Commonwealth, but I'm surprised everyone prevailed to get rid of every zombie to allow our heroes to rebuild the community.
I had to rewatch Carol telling Pamela that they no longer need to worry about the former governor's house. Pamela must have been livid, but our heroes have realized that imprisoning people, hoping they will change, is the best foot forward.
Negan, despite his flaws, blossomed into one of the team's most significant assets. I doubt Pamela will genuinely be a functioning member of the Commonwealth society, but stranger things have happened.
It was a significant turning point when Maggie shot zombified Lance to save Pamela. To me, it looked like she was thinking about the fact that Negan had turned a corner.
Pamela would have probably preferred death because no one would trust her again, and they would be wise not to.
Maggie and Negan's conversation showcased some fine acting from Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Forgiving Negan would go against everything she had with Glen.
How can you give someone who murdered someone you loved? It isn't easy, but at least Maggie found herself at a resolution to the situation.
Maggie was open and honest about having days where she wouldn't be able to look at Negan, but she also respected what he's done for the survivors and believes he has earned his place with the group.
Now that they're at that resolve, seeing how that dynamic changes when they travel to New York on The Walking Dead: Dead City will be fun.
I still believe the mission will involve one of the kids going missing, but I guess it could be related to the Rick and Michonne scene. We'll get to THAT scene a bit later on.
Carol and Daryl's final scene was also emotional as hell. They've been through so much, but they're both ready to move on to the next stage of their lives.
Carol has proven to be one of the most resourceful people in the universe, and I couldn't think of anyone better to take over Lance's role than Carol.
She'll approach the job with grace and only make decisions that will help everyone. She's selfless, and I couldn't think of anyone better working alongside Ezekiel and Mercer to keep the Commonwealth thriving.
It was surprising that Ezekiel became Governor because he was so cut up about the demise of the Kingdom that I didn't think he would ever be interested in leading a community again.
These three people running the Commonwealth should keep it thriving, and I hope the happiness inside the compound continues for the years to come. These people deserve a break, you guys.
And, of course, it was expected that Daryl would leave to find more information about Rick. We know he ends up in Paris in his spinoff, but we don't know how he gets there.
Judith knew telling him would lead to his departure. Daryl was forever changed the day Rick blew up the bridge to save everyone.
Now, he gets to embark on a journey to reunite the family.
Rosita's death will go down as the saddest deaths in franchise history. She's one of the most badass characters on TV, and watching her beat the odds to save her daughter's life made for some nail-biting scenes.
I figured she was bitten because there was no way many walkers could get on top of her and allow her to escape unscathed.
Despite knowing she had a ticking clock as the virus took over, she proceeded in the name of saving her child and ensuring she was leaving her loved ones in a safe place.
If that's not selfless, I don't know what is.
Despite knowing she was dying, she also allowed everyone to mourn Luke before letting anyone know she was next.
The look on Judith's face as she understood what happened based on body language alone showed the young girl that, even when people are safe, there's always a cost.
Rosita and Eugene's scenes broke me. They've been around for a long time, and their bond had a lot of depth.
Rosita went out to saving family, and that's precisely how she would want it.
It was very unsatisfying that Rick and Michonne were still separated, but at least we got to see them.
Their paths will inevitably cross in their spinoff, but I don't see it being an easy reunion.
Rick seems to be relentlessly pursued by CRM helicopters, which might be a sign that we'll finally delve into the inner workings of the CRM.
The Walking Dead: World Beyond touched upon the shadowy organization, but now, it looks like we'll get some concrete answers.
"Rest in Peace" brought the main series to a close in a way that would allow people to walk away from the franchise, but it also left the door open for the spinoffs.
I don't think we've seen the last of the Commonwealth. I expect we'll revisit that location at another time.
Other odds and ends:
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Magna and Yumiko getting back together was needed. They didn't get enough screen time this season, but they finally got that kiss.
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The special effects during the Estates blowing up were A+, but everything else looked choppy as hell. You would think AMC would have upped the budget to end this show that has kept them on the map for so long.
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Rick and Michonne looking back on all the dead characters was a bit cheesy, but at least it was a scene featuring Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira.
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Lydia conceding that Elijah wouldn't survive and that she didn't deserve love made for an emotional scene that showcased Cassady McLincy's best work to date.
- Did anyone else get chills when the series cut to one year later and the Commonwealth was thriving?
Over to you, The Walking Dead fans!
What did you think of the series finale?
Do you think it was a worthwhile conclusion?
Which death hurt you the most?
Hit the comments below.
Remember, you can watch The Walking Dead online right here via TV Fanatic.
The Walking Dead may be over, but we have Fear the Walking Dead, The Walking Dead: Dead City, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, and The Walking Dead: Rick and Miconne on tap for 2023.
We'll be covering all of the shows in the universe.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
