Variant

Any positive reviews of this are either bots or people paid to do so.

It's remarkably slow. All dialogue and zero action. The story takes not even one step forward.

The entire episode can be summed up simply: Eugene is a suspect in Sebastian's dead (and we know this). Lance contributed to that death (and we know this). Darryl hides Eugene. Meanwhile everyone else feels like maybe they should leave. That's it. Zzzzzzzzzz.

Last season, and even the early parts of this season, gave me hope that this endless slog of a show that hooked me with how great it was a decade ago, might end things well. But it's just so boring.

In the aftermath of the riot, Pamela orders Eugene's arrest for the murder of Sebastian, promising to pardon Max if Mercer cooperates. Concerned for his sister, Mercer mercilessly hunts for Eugene, but he is troubled by both Max and Princess' attempts to convince him that he is on the wrong side in the matter. After learning that Max has been arrested, Eugene turns himself in and takes sole responsibility for what happened, claiming that Max had nothing to do with the recording of Sebastian. Sebastian reanimates and a grieving Pamela has Roman executed and orders Lance to feed his corpse to Sebastian as a punishment. At the same time, Aaron, Jerry, Lydia and Elijah make their way towards Oceanside, but are forced to take cover at an old renaissance fair after spotting a herd with Jerry thinking that the fair might make a good location for a new Kingdom. At night, the herd attacks, led by what the group believes to be a surviving Whisperer, as it can climb, open doors and use weapons. However, Aaron discovers that it's actually just a walker. After putting it down, Aaron makes the troubling deduction that there must be other variants of walkers out there that are more dangerous than the usual roamers. Having developed feelings for Elijah, Lydia hesitates due to her love for Henry before taking Aaron's advice and starting a relationship with him.

Episode 19 of the eleventh season of "The Walking Dead," titled "Variant," plunges the audience deeper into the evolving chaos and challenges faced by the survivors. This episode intricately weaves a narrative that not only propels the plot forward but also delves into the psyche of its characters, showcasing their resilience and adaptability in the face of new threats. As the communities grapple with internal conflicts and external dangers, "Variant" introduces a fresh perspective on the undead threat, hinting at an evolution that could redefine the survivors' understanding of the world around them.

The episode is marked by its intense character-driven moments, where personal dilemmas and moral ambiguities take center stage. The survivors, now more than ever, find themselves at a crossroads, having to navigate the complexities of leadership, loyalty, and survival. Notably, "Variant" does an exceptional job of highlighting the emotional toll of the apocalypse on the characters, portraying their struggles with loss, hope, and the constant fight for a semblance of normalcy. These themes are encapsulated in poignant scenes that not only resonate with the viewers but also add depth to the characters, making their journeys more relatable and compelling.

Critically, "Variant" stands out for its innovative approach to the series' traditional narrative structure. By introducing the concept of a new, potentially more dangerous variant of the undead, the episode revitalizes the series' central conflict and raises the stakes for the survivors. This fresh threat reinvigorates the storyline, offering new challenges and dynamics for the characters to confront. However, while the episode excels in its thematic depth and character development, it occasionally suffers from pacing issues, with some scenes feeling either rushed or overly prolonged. Despite these minor flaws, "Variant" successfully balances action with introspection, making it a significant addition to the season and setting the stage for an intriguing buildup to the series' climax.

Eugene and Max separate from each other in the crowd, and Daryl brings Eugene to a house to hide him. Pamela orders Mercer to arrest Eugene and bring his friends for interrogation, and leaves Sebastian's body trapped in the morgue. When he reanimates, she asks a soldier to take care of him. Meanwhile, Aaron, Lydia, Jerry and Elijah head to Oceanside with a wagon full of supplies but they stumble upon a herd of walkers. Aaron asks them to go offroad, instead of waiting, as suggested by Jerry. However, the wagon gets stuck, and Jerry injures his knee trying to push and release the wagon. They see a large real estate and decide to stay there for the night. During the night, they see walkers inside the walls, and Aaron believes there are whisperers in the herd. But then he realizes that they are a new breed capable to climb walls and open doors. Rosita is interrogated by Mercer and then she goes to the church, where Daryl and Eugene are hidden. Pamela goes to the jail, where Hornsby is, and locks Sebastian, restrained by chains, with him. She also brings the corpse of Calhoun, gives a machete to Hornsby, and asks him to feed Sebastian. Eugene decides to turn himself in and say that he worked alone.

"Variant" is an episode of "The Walking Dead", where a new breed of walkers, capable to move faster, climb walls and open doors is introduced. Funny, since having only a few episodes left, this modification in the evolution of the zombies. Are they evolving after at least eleven years? Eugene jeopardized his friends, with his stupid attitude, and the possibility of a new life, including school for the children. The fate of Hornsby is not good, and it will be hard for him to survive. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Variant"

It's not a new variant. It's just one that hasn't been explored since season 1.

In Season 1, walkers ran, they turned doorknobs and in episode 2, they even showed a walker picking up a brick and repeatedly smashing it against glass to break into the store that Rick, Andrea and the others were seeking refuge in.

I always chose to believe that it wasn't a continuity issue when they stopped including these walker characteristics, and that it was simply that walkers devolved as time went on and that's why they stopped.

Only because I find it almost painful to admit that it was likely that they just changed their minds and it didn't fit in with what they wanted at the time, which is fine I suppose.

I like the idea of re-exploring this aspect, as the world naturally evolves so why wouldn't they, but it's a bit daft bringing it up just before the end. As others have said, it's likely to be for one of the many other spin-off series they currently have or will have. But it's unlikely that I will watch any of these. Oh well, good try.

Let's face it, it's been a rotting corpse for a while.

Last season was terrible and it's not getting better is it?

Half of the time it's like some low rent daytime soap from the 80's but with much worse acting.

I'm only still watching so I don't feel like I've completely wasted the last decade and I get to see what will hopefully be the gruesome death of 95% of the cast.

We already know who survives due to the pointless and no doubt increasingly poor quality and ridiculous spin offs.

The whole concept only had a handful of seasons in it really and should have ended about 5 years ago.

Pap.