Issue 190 (subtitled as Storm the Gates) is the one-hundred and ninetieth issue of Image Comics' The Walking Dead and the fourth part of Volume 32: Rest In Peace. It was released on April 3, 2019.
Plot[]
Mercer tells Rick that Pamela is only nice to him because she sees him as part of the elite and, while he acknowledges that this might be the case, Mercer is certain Rick isn't like her, since he cares about people while she sees them as expendable. Mercer knows that the people don't trust him and his men after recent events, but also believes they don't want to go back to the way things were. He thus invites Rick to take charge, assuring him that he and his men will back him. Shocked by the request, Rick reluctantly refuses, explaining that the people in the Commonwealth don't really know him since all he did was make one speech that was on behalf of the Governor; aside from that and a few stories citizens may have heard about him, Rick believes it to not be enough. He mentions things can change, too, but not like this, and that it's going to take time. Mercer ominously tells him that time is something they don't have.
Eugene and Stephanie observe the smoke from a hill on the outskirts of town. Stephanie concludes that the long-awaited overthrow of the Governor has finally happened, acknowledging that, while she believes in the Commonwealth, she sees the problems with it, too. She realizes that this was the reason Pamela called their guards back. Eugene asks if the coup is a good thing, to which Stephanie suggests they go into town and find out.
Michonne, meanwhile, is running down the street and yelling for Elodie. A guard intercepts her and orders her to return to her home, but Michonne frantically explains that she is looking for her daughter, and promises to return home once she does. The guard tells her he will look the other way, since he appreciates what she did, but tells her to be quick about it. Michonne goes on to knock on the door of an apartment. One of Elodie's friends opens the door and tells her that Elodie is inside. Michonne is shocked to find Elodie and her friends gearing up for war. She furiously snatches the gun out of Elodie's hands and scolds her and her friends, explaining that when they bring a gun to a fight, they can expect to get shot, and she refuses to let that happen. She orders them to stay in the apartment, as Elodie and her friends stare in awe.
Eugene and Stephanie's conversation is interrupted by an approaching herd. Stephanie wonders if the herd followed them, but Eugene doesn't think so, since they were quiet and the herd didn't see them, deducing that this herd must have been attracted by whatever produced the smoke cloud they had been observing.
Meanwhile, Mercer orders his men to take Lance inside and lock him up. Rick offers to send for Pamela so they can negotiate. He assures Mercer that he still hasn't crossed the line since no one has died, so there is still time. They are interrupted by Eugene and Stephanie, who inform them of the approaching herd, numbering a thousand or more. Mercer is shocked to learn about it, and asks where the lookouts are; Stephanie reveals that Pamela pulled all the guards back into town for protection when they imprisoned him.
Michonne runs into Carl, Dante, Siddiq and Juanita. Carl asks what's going on, but Michonne is trying to figure that out herself. Together, they find Mercer and Rick. Rick informs them to the herd and says that they have to get inside. Michonne says that she has to be with Elodie, so Mercer sends some of his men with her, while ordering the rest to retreat inside. Once they to so, Rick orders everyone to stay quiet and keep away from the windows, assuring them that the herd will pass if they do as he says. Rick tells Carl that it's really nice to see him, even though he wishes it was under better circumstances, while Carl wonders what even qualifies as better circumstances for them. After spending the night inside, Rick and the group are woken up by the sound of a horn.
The horn-blower turns out to be Magna, who has combined her forces with Maggie's and traveled to the Commonwealth in strength. After Maggie orders their forces to drive the herd out of the city, Yumiko asks Magna if she is sure she wants to keep her back, but Magna tells her that there are bound to be stragglers after the herd leaves, so they will need to take care of them.
Lance is ecstatic to learn that the herd is leaving, while Rick yells at him to get away from the window. Rick explains that he recognized the sound of the horn, and that his people are driving the herd away. Mercer asks Rick what happens after they clear out the dead, to which Rick replies that they'll invite Pamela to back to talk. Mercer wonders what happens if Pamela doesn't want to talk, but Rick assures him they won't give her a choice.
As the herd thins out, both Rick's and Michonne's group go outside to clear out the stragglers. The two groups, as well as Maggie and Magna's forces meet on the road. Rick wonders what brought Maggie to the the Commonwealth, to which she replies that she had a hunch. Maggie tells him that it looks like he didn't need the help at all, pointing to the approaching army behind him. The army, to Rick and Michonne's shock, is being led by Pamela and Sebastian. Pamela furiously asks them if they think she doesn't know what plots they've been hatching behind her back. Rick is confused as to what she means, but Pamela goes on to say that he lied to her, and believes he was only helping her leave the city so he could march his army in and take over, conspiring with Mercer the entire time. Shocked, Rick denies the accusation, claiming that he has only worked to keep the peace in the Commonwealth, but Pamela doesn't believe him. Rick tells her to calm down and invites her to talk, but Pamela is bewildered that he would suggest negotiations with an army behind his back. She goes on to say that the army of Greenville stands with her, and that they won't stand for his deception. She then yells "ATTACK!!".
Credits[]
- Rick Grimes
- Carl Grimes
- Maggie Greene
- Michonne Hawthorne
- Eugene Porter
- Aaron
- Heath
- Paul Monroe
- Brianna
- Magna
- Yumiko
- Annie
- Siddiq
- Hershel Greene
- Dante
- Vincent
- Juanita Sanchez
- Lance Hornsby
- Stephanie
- Pamela Milton
- Elodie Hawthorne
- Sebastian Milton
- Mercer
- Nancy
Deaths[]
- None
Trivia[]
- Pamela yelling "ATTACK!!" at the end of the issue directly parallels Negan doing the same thing at the end of Issue 119.