I feel obliged to warn y’all…..SPOILERS GALORE!
This week’s episode of The Walking Dead was chock full of character development. If you tuned in for action, you were likely disappointed. About the only action we saw was Eugene blowing up latex gloves full of helium and pulling off an enhance version of the Pepsi-Mentos trick.
As viewers, we’re beginning to see a more likable side of Dwight, but I’m still not ready to forgive him for being a huge dick. Seriously, look at all the chaos Dwight has caused for our group. He left Daryl stranded in the woods with nothing after stealing his motorcycle and crossbow. Poor Denise caught an arrow right through the head thanks to Dwight. He shot Daryl, captured him, and fed him dog food sandwiches (at least I hope that was dog food).
So, yeah – excuse me for holding a grudge.
Still, one can appreciate that the world these characters are living in shapes them. Their own experiences dictate who they become, and although Dwight is a giant douche-nozzle, the things that turned him into what he is make sense. Now, we’re starting to see him question whether or not the life he leads is even worth it anymore.
He’s just trying to survive…as is Eugene.
Walking Dead fans aren’t exactly happy with Eugene today. Talk about a quick, total change of heart. By the end of the episode, Eugene was all but literally and physically kissing Negan’s ass. But, be patient, guys. Remember that this is Eugene – and this is how he survives.
He made up an entire back story and sold it well to earn a spot among Abraham’s company. So what if Abraham beat the shit out of him when he found out it was a lie? Look how far that fib carried Eugene.
If you ask me, that’s all Eugene is doing here. He knows he’s incapable of fighting off the Saviors, and he’s not physically gifted enough to pull off some miracle escape. If Eugene is going to survive The Sanctuary, it’s going to be because he’s adapted and camouflaged.
While people are changing their stances on both Dwight and Eugene, I think we got a major clue of where these two are going. And, I don’t think there’s much reason to doubt our boy “Haircut.”
Truth be told, I’m not a big television guy. I find a series or two I like, and I wear them into the ground. If I can’t sit down and binge watch something, I’m thinking all week about all of the different directions the show can go, and find myself down Reddit and YouTube rabbit holes alike. Yeah, I’m a bit obsessive, but man – the wild theories that arise in between episodes are fun as hell.
I like to break down each little encounter and, yeah, maybe put a little tinfoil on and see what happens. Let’s tinfoil now!
I found it odd that so much focus was placed on the “I am Negan” mantra during this episode. I get it – they used it as a tool to show that Eugene had fully immersed himself in his new home. They’ve used it in the past to demonstrate the unity of the Saviors. But, have they really emphasized it as strongly as they did in the last episode? I don’t recall.
Maybe that was just to set us up for the end of the episode when Dwight encountered the new Chief Engineer, Eugene. Eugene says that he’s Eugene, Dwight is Dwight….dramatic pause…..and “we are Negan.”
Now, at first, that might just sound like the final nail in the coffin for Eugene becoming a card-carrying member of The Sanctuary. But, brace yourselves – what if it’s actually some secret code to Dwight?
Eugene is perceptive enough to notice that Dwight’s not really all in on Negan. He’s actually signaling to him that he realizes Dwight has his own intentions of getting out from under Negan’s brutal rule, as does he, but for the time being, things have to simmer.
What Eugene was essentially saying was, “hey, man – I see right through you. I know you want out. I do, too. I’m letting you know this with a wink and a nod because we can help each other, but the time isn’t right just yet. Let’s see what happens.”
Is that a bit much? Yeah, probably – but shit, wouldn’t that be cool if that’s how it panned out? To borrow terms from pro wrestling, it would be the greatest face turn in The Walking Dead history…Dwight facing his dark past, owning it, and helping Rick’s group take down Negan. Oh, I guess I should explain – a “face turn” means you go from being a villain to a hero.
Are these guys about to launch a new fan favorite bromance? I don’t know – don’t forget that Eugene did bite in to Dwight’s dick earlier in the series. That type of thing seems hard to overcome. But, hey – we’ll see what happens.
(UPDATE: I just Googled “dwight eugene walking dead” to find an image for this article – and SHIT MAN this theory (or similar to it) has already been posited numerous times. Just when I think I have a good idea….damn….oh well, I’m still publishing this because I worked for on it for 30 minutes.)
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, Contributor to FanSided’s Bama Hammer, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @PFSpot, @WrestlingNewsCo, @Bama_Hammer
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