Rick's Revenge Could Happen Only in Church

“FOUR WALLS AND A ROOF”

The last time we left our merry band of survivalists, Gareth and his fellow Terminians were snacking on Bob. Yes, you read that right, the biggest assholes we’ve met this far in the series like the taste of people. Has anyone else wondered how Bob is still alive after they hacked off his leg? Naturally, the show has thus far failed to address this medical mystery. Gareth goes on and on about which human meat tastes better, rattling off theories like a pretentious Bon Appetit feature regarding varying cuts of meat. Bob laughs. What else can he do? Know what else is funny? The joke’s on Gareth and Co.; Bob was bitten during that particularly wet n’ wild walker attack in the basement. “Tainted meat!” I guess we’ll find out whether or not you can barbecue the zombie bug out of infected human flesh.

Gareth, or is it Garrett? Whichever, he's evil but hot.

Sasha is out looking desperately for Bob in the darkness. She encounters walkers instead, of course. Rick and Tyreese join her. So now Daryl, Carol, his other brother Daryl (a pop culture reference for children of the 80s!), and Bob are missing. Sasha “questions” Father Gabe re the missing members. Rick is suspicious, too; is he working with someone? He asks about the “You’ll burn for this” crude inscription on the side of the church. Gabriel relates how he did not let his many congregants seeking safe shelter into his church. Walkers descended upon the group. Gabe believes Rick and Co. have been sent by God to punish him. So apparently, the doors were locked.

Is Bob back? Yes, he is. Hopefully he will reveal soon that he has been bitten. He shares his ordeal with the group, describing how Gareth et al. ate his leg right in front of him. As you can imagine, he’s in pain. He shows the group the bite he suffered at the food bank. Knowing Bob the stoic alcoholic, he will probably ask to be put out of his misery and to prevent others from being harmed. It seems like Rick wants to go avenge Bob and wait for Carol and Daryl to return, whereas Ginger wants to get Eugene to D.C. Rick and Ginger argue. Tara suggests that if Ginger stays one more day she will join him and help. Eugene, on the other hand, doesn’t want to go. But Ginger is persistent. Rick says that Ginge can’t take the bus. Glenn intervenes to prevent an actual fight. Ginger says he’ll stay a half-day more, 12 hours, but that’s his final offer!

Bob is reclining on Father Gabe’s couch as Sasha mops his sweaty brow. He says he didn’t tell her right away because he wanted to enjoy as much QT with her as possible. Rick continues to plan for the revenge assault ambush on Gareth’s people, who may still be puking their guts up after Bob’s revelation. Sasha gives her brother Tyreese a knife to stab Bob in the head with if he stops breathing. Aww, cute. She wants to join Rick as he prepares to exact his revenge.

A peaceful but infected Bob in repose. Say it ain't so!

Gareth and friends come upon the church. They enter and announce themselves. Carl and Father Gabe are inside the darkened space. Gareth goes on longish monologues about who’s inside. Everyone is holed up in the back with Bob, who just may be their secret weapon. Gareth wants them to surrender. He knows Rick has left with many of the guns—but not all. I’m really hoping something truly nasty happens to Gareth. There’s nothing worse than someone who pretends to be doing something—that is, offering a sanctuary, when he is not. The barricaded group is not stepping down, however. Rick is back, thankfully, and shoots Gareth through the hand. Ginger steps up and closes rank.

Gareth drivels on about how they used to be a sanctuary before…he got hungry? Gareth begs for his life and lies through his teeth. Please, Rick, just kill him.  Yes! Beheading it is, and head bashings, and stabbings. Huzzah! Well deserved. The best part is, Michonne gets her katana back. I hope everyone remembers that Bob is still smouldering away in the back room and needs to be dealt with. Gabe brings up the fact that they’ve just slaughtered people in God’s house. But Maggie points out that it’s still nothing but four walls and a roof. So hey, anything goes, mmkay?

The group is saying goodbye to Bob the Alcoholic one at a time. Bob’s faith in humanity has been restored, thanks to Ranger Rick taking folks in at the prison. Bob spouts some parting wisdom that I couldn’t quite make out. Bob lingers. Now Sasha is by his side again. Hopefully the end is nigh because I’m anxious about Bob turning and biting someone. Looks like Bob died. Time to do it, Sasha, stop whimpering and just do it. Before we all have a collective heart attack, woman! Tyreese provides her with a last minute reprieve and does the deed himself. Bob is buried under the usual crude cross, fashioned with sticks.

Ginger announces his intentions. Rick and Co. pledge their future support, but for the time being looks like Ginger is taking Eugene and his female fellow bad-ass on the school bus towards D.C. Ginge even left an apologetic yet inspiring note on the map to D.C. that he left Rick.

Gabe shares a quiet moment with Michonne as she sits guard on the church steps. She’s not exactly sympathetic to his guilty musings. A rustling, and it’s Daryl. Next week, we find out more about what happened to Beth since her apparent kidnapping.