Do Not Send Us Astray
| "Do Not Send Us Astray" | |
|---|---|
| The Walking Dead episode | |
 Gavin as he appears in a hallucination of Morgan. | |
| Episode no. | Season 8 Episode 13 |
| Directed by | Jeffrey F. January |
| Written by | Angela Kang Matthew Negrete |
| Original air date | March 25, 2018 |
| Running time | 43 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Do Not Send Us Astray" is the thirteenth episode of the eighth season and 112th episode overall of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 25, 2018. It was written by Angela Kang and Matthew Negrete, and directed by Jeffrey F. January. It also features the final appearance of Tobin (Jason Douglas).
Plot
Having taken over leadership of the Saviors following Negan's disappearance, Simon (Steven Ogg) leads the Saviors' convoy to the Hilltop community, now intent on wiping out any survivors rather than trying to coerce them into submission as Negan wanted. The convoy's traverse is noticed by the Hilltop scouts, and the community prepares for the attack. When the convoy reaches Hilltop at night, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) contacts Simon over walkie-talkie, warning that she will personally kill all of the Savior prisoners that they still hold should they attack. As they exchange words, Daryl (Norman Reedus) arrives and starts his own attack on the Saviors, forcing them to start their attack on Hilltop. The Hilltop had prepared for this, attacking the Saviors from highly defensible positions and taking out several of their numbers. Simon takes Dwight (Austin Amelio) to work their way behind the attackers, as to personally kill Tara (Alanna Masterson). Dwight, who had secretly sided against the Saviors, shoots Tara in the shoulder with an arrow, saving her from being shot and killed by Simon. Soon, Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and other outside forces arrive at Hilltop and chase out the remaining Saviors.
The next day, the Hilltop community bury their dead, and tend to their wounded, unaware that the Saviors had coated their weapons in walker viscera for the attack. Among those injured includes Tobin (Jason Douglas), Carol's (Melissa McBride) friend from Alexandria. Elsewhere, Rick reveals to Michonne (Danai Gurira) that he had attempted to kill Negan just before the attack but could not, and feels some responsibility for how this attack went. Daryl accuses Tara of trusting Dwight after having seen him as part of Simon's forces and escaping with the other Saviors, but Tara insists Dwight is still loyal to them. Morgan (Lennie James) starts having visions of Gavin (Jayson Warner Smith), a dead Savior lieutenant he was intent on killing but could not make himself do so, who was then killed by young Henry (Macsen Lintz) before Morgan could stop him.
That night, those infected by walker blood, including Tobin, succumb to the infection and turn into walkers, attacking the sleeping residents of Hilltop. The remaining residents react quickly to put down the walkers, with Carol herself stabbing the reanimated Tobin in the head. Meanwhile, Henry accosts the Savior prisoners with a gun, demanding to know which one of them killed his older brother Benjamin. When none of them respond, Henry unlocks the pen and enters to threaten them directly. However, one of the prisoners, who had also been hit by walker-coated weapons, reanimates and starts attacking them. In the confusion, a Savior wrestles the gun from Henry, and leads the other Saviors, as well as Gregory (Xander Berkeley), to escape in the confusion.
When dawn breaks, Maggie oversees more burials of their friends. They discover the missing Savior prisoners, though a few, led by Alden (Callan McAuliffe), offer to stay and help Hilltop even though they know they will still be treated as prisoners. Carol and others also search for Henry, who appears to have disappeared.
Development
This episode features the death of the recurring character Tobin, portrayed by Jason Douglas, who has been on the series since the episode "Forget" from the fifth season. In an interview Douglas said: "Up until the moment I found out, I had no clue that it was imminent, but I've always been expecting it."[1]
Reception
Critical reception
"Do Not Send Us Astray" received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 74% with an average rating of 7.3 out of 10, based on 19 reviews. The site's consensus reads: ""Do Not Send Us Astray" focuses on a fan favorite and features some exciting battle action -- although with a bit of a mid-episode lull."[2]
Ratings
The episode received a total viewership of 6.77 million with a 3.0 rating in adults aged 18-49. This was a slight increase from the previous week, which had 6.66 million viewers.[3]
References
- ^ Davis, Brandon (March 25, 2018). "The Walking Dead Star Discusses Sunday's Scary Death". Comic Book. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
- ^ "Do Not Send Us Astray". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
- ^ Porter, Rick (March 27, 2018). "Sunday cable ratings: 'The Terror' gets decent start behind 'The Walking Dead'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
