Omega

An amazing episode, they really focused a lot on domestic abuse with lydia suffering from it, Daryl of course and also the mention of carol with ed. I did like how they went from flash back to present day and back and forth. Then that ending was so cool just seeing the whisperers walking up to the gates of hilltop. What made is so cool is even though you know they are people seeing those "walkers" walking up to the gate with purpose and not mindlessly wandering around was so eerie. Damn this season is so good and hell Beta has not even arrived yet!

This episode was one of the best filler episodes thanks to the wonderful writing and acting, making the jail scenes work perfectly as Norman Reedus and Cassady McClincy had chemistry and just seeing Cassady portray Lydia in such a believable and true form as the character is truly broken, won't spoil anything more than she does an incredible performance. Letting the camera and story focus more with Magna's group is nice to see as more screen time means more development and that's a good thing for new viewers that haven't read the graphic novels. The focus on telling Lydia and Alpha's backstory was a good idea, I can't wait to see what Angela Kang and the film crew bring next to the remaining 6 episodes.

Samantha Morton was the highlight, seeing her act was interesting, strong acting. She doesn't really have the same body type as Alpha in the graphic novel but it looks natural and with her as woman makes Alpha even more terrifying. I'm glad she got the role, only good things can come from her as Alpha.

Lydia finally opens up about her past where she reveals that her mother and father were with a group for over a month and the group was soon overwhelmed and her father was killed in the attempt to fight them. Daryl, however, sees the cracks in her story and finds bruises on her arm which were obviously caused by abuse. After talking to Henry some more, she remembers that her mother killed her good-natured father and forced her to remember things differently. She reveals her mother leads the group which is bigger than they thought. The next day, Alpha shows up at Hilltop to demand Lydia's release.

"Omega" delves into the backstory of Lydia, revealing the dark and twisted world she grew up in as the daughter of Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers. The episode explores themes of trauma and abuse, as Lydia recounts her experiences living among the Whisperers and the lengths she went to survive. One of the most chilling scenes is when Lydia describes how her mother forced her to wear the skin of the dead, highlighting the brutal and inhumane nature of the Whisperers. "Omega" adds depth to the character of Lydia and provides insight into the inner workings of the Whisperers, setting the stage for future conflicts.

The episode also examines the theme of empathy, as Henry attempts to connect with Lydia and understand her perspective. This theme is exemplified in Henry's decision to trust Lydia and offer her compassion, despite her past actions. This theme of empathy underscores the series' exploration of humanity and the capacity for understanding even in the most dire of circumstances.

In Hilltop, Henry has a long conversation with the Whisperer Lydia about her life, unaware that Daryl, Enid and other leaders of Hilltop are listening to. They learn that Lydia-s mother is a cruel woman and leader of the Whisperers. Meanwhile, the newcomers Yumiko, Magna, Connie and Kelly join Tara in the unsuccessful search party for Alden and Luke. During the night, they disobey Tara and sneak out from Hilltop to search Luke and Aiden. When they return to Hilltop, they are followed by Alpha and her group.

"Omega" is a great sequel of "Adaptation" introducing Alpha, the leader of the dangerous Whisperers. The stupid Henry again jeopardizes his friends exposing not only Hilltop, but also The Kingdom to a dangerous stranger that is a member of a group that killed Jesus. The group of newcomers also does not follow Tara´s direct order and also jeopardize Hilltop. Maggie needs to return to Hilltop and to the show to control these irresponsible people. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Omega"

TWD is back to storytelling again. It's what makes a good show great again, backstories in particular. It's where they went wrong with Negan, we never saw anythig about his past. Unlike the Governor's tremendous backstory, it's the reason we care for a character. Now we just need a good twist here and there like they used to be so very good at.