Knots Untie

"Knots Untie" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season and the 78th episode overall of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on February 28, 2016. The episode was written by Matthew Negrete and Channing Powell, and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis.

The Hilltop Colony is introduced in this episode, as well as many characters from the comic books, most notably Gregory, who is played by Xander Berkeley.

Plot

The episode opens with Abraham, chatting amiably with Sasha as they return from a foot patrol, when he reflects on Maggie having a baby in an uncertain world. Sasha responds that maybe she's doing it because of the way things go. Abraham is disappointed to learn that Sasha has been reassigned — partnering them with others they can train, Eugene taking her place on their daily patrol — and they awkwardly part ways. This entire scene is revealed to be a flashback Abraham has had after having sex with Rosita, who gives him a medallion she made from the fuel truck's cracked taillight. Abraham says Rosita is "damned near perfection" though his behavior demonstrates there is something lacking between them.

Maggie is working in the dark, building trellises for a vegetable garden she hopes will supplement their rations. She still hasn't seen a single bud, but Glenn assures her they'll be okay. They notice Denise and Abraham acting anxious about something and run to investigate.

In Rick's home, Jesus takes down a painting of the Queen of Spades and contemplates it and a people who can still appreciate art. He soon finds himself facing the gun-barrels of Carl, Daryl, Glenn, Maggie and Abraham, who all get their first look at Rick and Michonne as a couple. Jesus is calm throughout, and explains that Daryl couldn't guard both the front and back door of the house he was locked in, nor the third floor windows, that "knots untie, locks get picked, entropy comes from order," suggestive of a philosophy that seeks harmony over control. Jesus reveals that while he was loose, he took an accounting of their armory and provisions, assessing their food supplies to be very low for his estimate of their population. Jesus apologizes for getting off to a bad start but says they're on the same side, the living side. He thought Rick and Daryl looked like trouble but he was wrong and sees now that they're good people. Jesus reveals he's from a community much like theirs, and that he searches for other settlements with which to trade, inviting them to visit and see for themselves what is possible.

Rick's group prep the RV for the trip. Denise gives Daryl some oat-cakes as thanks for his previous efforts. Carl tells Rick that he's cool with Rick and Michonne's relationship, and turns down an invitation to go with them, joking that he wouldn't make a good impression with his messed-up face. After heading out, Abraham quietly asks Glenn, "While you were pouring the Bisquick, were you trying to make pancakes?" Glenn explains that he and Maggie are trying to build something, that they all are. Reflecting this, Rick holds hands with Michonne while driving.

They come across a recent wreck, the vehicle's engine still smoking, which seems to have veered off the road after hitting some walkers and rolled into a ditch. Jesus says it's his people, and Rick's group track them to a nearby building and rescue them from walkers. Abraham mistakes pale, gangly, wounded Freddie for a walker and nearly kills him. When Freddie gets over the shock, he is actually overjoyed about it because in the moment he thought he was going to die he clearly saw the face of his wife who died before the outbreak.

They arrive at "The Hilltop," a community built around Barrington House, a plantation taken over by the state as a living history museum locally known through school field trips, already kitted out to run without modern technology. A stockade was built with telephone poles from a nearby supply depot and other survivors brought trailers with them from a FEMA camp. They are raising livestock and growing crops, and growing their population as well.

Kal, a spear-wielding sentry at the gate, wants everyone to give up their guns before entering, and Jesus confides that the Hilltop ran out of ammunition months ago. Vouching for Rick's group, Jesus asks Rick and his group to return the trust they're offering despite the arms gap between them. Rick signals his people to stand down and they are admitted inside.

They are introduced to Gregory, the Boss, a former businessman on the Chamber of Commerce, who lords over them and assumes a position of superiority in anticipation of negotiations. Rick ominously says he shouldn't talk to Gregory and tells Maggie to conduct trade talks. Gregory immediately belittles Maggie while puffing himself up, and suggests that they're in greater need and attempts to use their food shortage as leverage. Later, Rick ominously says that they came all this way for food and they're going to get it, but Jesus calls for patience to work it out, to convince Gregory that it'd be better to show some goodwill to Alexandria and build a relationship that could pay back in the future.

Three Hilltop residents, Ethan, Andy and Crystal, return and angrily confront Gregory. They'd been sent to deliver tribute to Negan, who said that it was "light" and killed Tim and Marsha while keeping Ethan's brother Craig hostage. For Craig's release, Ethan delivers a message from Negan and stabs Gregory in the gut. Rick and his people jump in but Ethan is frantic, screaming that anybody who tries to stop him is killing Craig. However, with a knife against his throat, Rick bloodily kills Ethan. The Hilltop residents are shocked and Kal orders Rick's group to drop their weapons, but Jesus intercedes and calms everything down. Abraham, who became eerily still while being strangled by Andy during the fight, says that he's better than alright and is helped up, seemingly having come to a decision in his personal life as Rosita's broken medallion is shown discarded on the ground.

After Gregory is stabilized, Jesus explains that Negan is the head of a group he calls The Saviors. The Saviors came to The Hilltop once the walls were completed and issued a lot of demands and even more threats, beating to death a 16-year-old boy named Rory so they understood right off the bat. Gregory made a deal: half of their supplies, crops and livestock goes to The Saviors in exchange for not being attacked and killed by them. The Hilltop doesn't have the fighters, equipment or ammunition to resist The Saviors, who they've seen in groups as large as 20. Daryl and Abraham say they were unimpressed by The Saviors they'd killed, and Daryl offers to kill Negan, take out his boys and rescue Craig in exchange for food, medicine and a cow. Maggie closes the deal with Gregory, having heard how quickly he folds when threatened and uses the personal threat against him as leverage, demanding half of everything they have in advance.

Andy agrees to advise and help Rick's group to get Craig back, and Jesus also accompanies them. Obstetrician Harlan Carson, who'd earlier been rescued by the group, examines Maggie and gives her an ultrasound picture of her unborn child, along with pre-natal vitamins. The picture is passed around the RV on the trip back, and seems to resonate with Abraham who exchanges a look with Glenn.

Production

This episode marks the first appearance of comic book character Gregory, who is portrayed by Xander Berkeley. His casting was originally announced in September 2015,^[1] and his role was confirmed to be Gregory in January 2016.^[2]

Reception

Critical reception

The episode received positive reviews from critics. It holds a 96% positive rating with an average score of 7.6 out of 10 on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The critics' consensus reads: "'Knots Untie' is an excellent, albeit unevenly scripted, foundation for the dangerous and degenerative societal clash it foreshadows."^[3]

Ratings

The episode averaged a 6.1 rating in adults 18-49, with 12.794 million viewers overall.^[4]

References

External links

• "Knots Untie" at AMC
• "Knots Untie" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Knots Untie" at TV.com