"The Big Scary U" is the fifth episode of the eighth season of AMC's The Walking Dead. It is the one-hundred and fourth episode of the series overall. It premiered on November 19, 2017.
Plot
A close look at Negan and the lives of the Saviors during the conflict through a familiar set of eyes.
Synopsis
In a flashback, Negan, Dwight, Eugene, Simon, and Negan's other lieutenants listen to Gregory plead his case for the Saviors to spare the Hilltop community, vowing to evict any of those going along with Rick's plan from the community. Simon assures Gregory that he trusts him despite Negan's non-plussed nature. Just then, gunshots ring out, signally the start of Rick's attack.
In the present, Negan and Fr. Gabriel are trapped in a trailer surrounded by walkers within the fences of Sanctuary. Negan doesn't kill Gabriel, but does express concern that without his leadership, the Saviors will start to fall apart. Gabriel believes he ended up trapped with Negan to help him confess, specifically speaking to him about how he treats the workers within Sanctuary as well as his wives. Negan wavers a bit, describing his life pre-epidemic, including having worked with kids and his wife, but then explains that after the epidemic, he came across numerous groups feuding against each other, and gained control of their key leaders as to form the Saviors. Negan lets his guard down as Gabriel explains his own past and the death of his congregation. This allows Gabriel to grab his gun before locking himself in the trailer's second room. Negan opens up about his first wife, prior to the epidemic, and convinces Gabriel they have to work together to get out of this mess.
Within Sanctuary, Simon discusses the situation with the other lieutenants, believing Negan may be dead, and the power void that that creates. Simon raises the possibility that the only way Rick's army could have taken them like they did was if they had inside information, likely from someone in the room. Dwight, who secretly did provide this, diverts their attention to the growing issues of the workers who are becoming restless being holed up in the building. They decide to take no immediate action. As they return to their rooms, Eugene brings Dwight a box of cigarettes as an expression of thanks. Eugene notices a chess set that Dwight has been working on, and inadvertently picks up a piece that still has wet paint on it. Later, Simon makes a decision to turn off Sanctuary's power since they cannot access the fuel reserves. The workers, suffering from the heat, move up onto the second floor, against their normal orders, knowing something is wrong and they demand to see Negan. The lieutenants try to vouch for him when suddenly they hear Negan's whistling, and they all fall onto their knees. Negan and Gabriel, who escaped the trailer by covering themselves in the viscera of the walkers, have made it safely here. Negan reaffirms his power, and the workers quickly agree to return to work. Negan orders Gabriel to be kept in a cell. Later, Negan and the lieutenants find some of the weapon bags left by Rick's group, and realize that the weapons they had were stolen from Sanctuary. Eugene observers the bag and sees a spot of paint on it, the same color as that on his finger from touching Dwight's chess set. Privately, Negan tells Eugene he will reward him handsomely if he can figure out the mole within the Saviors. Eugene later goes to see Gabriel and finds him suffering, and calls for medical attention.
Elsewhere, Rick and Daryl deal with the truck that was transporting weapons back to Sanctuary. Daryl violently interrogates the driver, barely alive, to try to learn more but Rick suggests other ways. The man shortly dies, so they turn their attention to the weapons. They find a supply of dynamite and Daryl thinks they can use it for the fight, but Rick protests thinking there is a better way. The two get into a fight, during which Rick grabs the bag with the dynamite and throws it back at the truck, causing it and the rest of the weapons it carries to explode. They return to their vehicles, but Rick finds his truck does not start, and Daryl refuses to give him a ride. The two men bitterly separately. Rick continues on his own until he sees a helicopter fly overhead and gives chase.
Other Cast
Co-Stars
- Elizabeth Ludlow as Arat
- Traci Dinwiddie as Regina
- Mike Seal as Gary
- Lindsley Register as Laura
- Brooke Jaye Taylor as Brooke
- José Michael Vasquez as José
Deaths
Trivia
- First appearance of Brooke.
- First appearance of Potter
- First appearance of José.
- Last appearance of Yago.
- This episode is 73 minutes long, according to AMC's schedule.
- This is the second extended episode this season and the twentieth extended episode overall.
- The title of this episode comes from Gregory’s quote, talking about how the “U” means the “Unknown”.
- The episode confirms Regina as the leader of the Satellite Outpost. Gavin refers to Simon, Regina and himself as "the three outpost leaders" and Simon's and Gavin's outposts had previously been confirmed as the Insurance Office attacked in "The Damned" and the Chemical Plant had been referred as Gavin's outpost.
- Gabriel and Negan refer to the events of the episode "Not Tomorrow Yet" while discussing Gabriel's role in attacking the Satellite Outpost.
- Gabriel and Negan use the trick of slathering themselves in walker guts previously seen in "Guts", "Start to Finish" and "No Way Out."
- Gabriel and Negan's conversation is partially adapted from Issue 164.
- Rick saying a chokehold is illegal to Daryl is a reference to "Tell It to the Frogs" when Shane Walsh put Daryl in a chokehold and the latter said it was illegal with Shane sarcastically saying to “file a complaint.”
- Rick sees a helicopter on the way to the Junkyard, reminiscent of when he sees a helicopter on the way into Atlanta.
- Content from Here's Negan is featured in this episode and it was confirmed that Negan's first wife was named Lucille.
- This episode marks the first time that Rick has appeared in 5 or more consecutive episodes in one season since Season 4, Episode 5 "Internment".
- Eugene talking about eating dogs to Gabriel references events from the episode "Them".
- This Episode has the longest wait time before the main theme and opening credits of the show are shown, with a grand total of 15 minutes.
- This episode has the least amount of deaths thus far this season with only 2 death; Yago and the unnamed Sanctuary worker.