Conquer

This episode is a direct followup to last episode which had Daryl and Aaron out looking for supplies and people to bring back, where they noticed more of the brutal nature of the Wolves which will serve as a future villain. Back at Alexandria we got Rick Grimes who lost it in the previous episode and here we get to see the consequences and aftermath of his little outburst, and what follows is some great drama. Rick Grimes have had one of the best character arcs in the show, he's the main character after all and it shows with how he have proved Shane wrong in how he became almost exactly the same as his old friend.

Greg Nicotero directed this season finale, it was one hell of a episode, I remember it clearly when I watched it and it's as good the third or forth time. It has everything you would want from The Walking Dead, well almost everything. There's so many memorable moments and interactions in this episode that you will remember for years to come. The acting are one of the highlights as there's so many good performances, superb ones and Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun absolutely killed it. The cinematography was as always very good, one scene that I loved was how they shot it when Rick and Jessie talked how the camera was looking at her and the glass reflection was on Rick, nicely done.

The episode has the anticipated return of Morgan and I always get a good feeling when I re-watch the show, he's actually better than his comic book counterpart. For the people who haven't seen season 6, he will be a series regular. A great season finale.

Morgan Jones is having a meal at a bonfire when two strangers attack him; however he defeats them. Meanwhile Daryl and Aaron drive fifty miles far from Alexandria seeking for supplies. They arrive at a huge store and discover that someone left a trap using dozens of walkers and they seek protection in an old car. When they are hopeless under siege, Morgan Jones helps to rescue them. Deanna summons the inhabitants of Alexandria to judge Rick and his friends give testimonies about his leadership and good heart. Sasha is deranged burying walkers. Gabriel is also insane and lets the gate opened and Rick has to fight alone against walkers. When Rick arrives to the trial, Pete causes a tragedy in the meeting. Nicholas tries to kill Glenn in the woods.

"Conquer" is among the best episodes of "The Walking Dead". The dangerous group that is carving the "W" on the forehead of walkers is disclosed. Morgan Jones is back, now skilled with the use of a bar for self-defense. Deanna finally understands that Rick is right after a tragedy in the meeting. Glenn should have killed the coward Nicholas, but help him to return to Alexandria. But the greatest surprise is the running time of this episode, the best gift that the producers could have given to any fan. Thank you very much. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Conquer"

Note: On 21 April 2016, I saw this show again.

For me this might be the best episode The Walking Dead has done.

This episode contained some of the darkest scenes in The Walking Dead yet, as well as some very powerful acting, most notably from Andrew Lincoln and Steven Yeun.

Whilst watching this episode, I couldn't help but notice that it felt very much like an episode of Breaking Bad, with it's intense, powerfully acted scenes backed up by a great choice of background music.

Full of twists and turns, this episode was an absolute masterpiece. Not to mention a great cliffhanger.

Next season can't come soon enough.

This is not just a season finale but it is the best episode of the walking dead, in my own opinion at least. Fantastic set pieces from start to finish, not a single plot contrivance and there was a sense of dread as well as closure that I'm sure is going to amaze the viewer while watching this epic finale. For the first time in a while, it truly seems the writers know what they are doing.

There's definitely a lot going on in this episode. The characters had a lot to conquer and not a single character thread is wasted. Nice re- introduction to Morgan. A most welcome ally and where did he learn to fight like that? Lennie James was a delight to watch.

The directing was nicely done. Writing was fantastic and forced dialog which we have come to associate with the walking dead is hopefully a thing of the past if this episode is anything to go by. In a nuanced fashion, a lot of the cast stepped up their acting in this episode. Melissa Mcbride is becoming more menacing by the day as her character Carol is far cry from who we knew in seasons 1 and 2. Andrew Lincoln owned the episode and shone delightfully. Steven Yeun once again was in top form. I'd even like to make special mention to Seth Gilliam, though Father Gabriel is most presumably everyone's least favorite character right now (Wolf in sheep's....)

The Letter W, and what's its significance, stood out in episodes prior. Without giving much away I'd like to state that a new threat lies outside of Alexandria as well as inside. Moment of truth at the end of the episode and in reference to our letter W is while dealing with a threat of Wolves outside as well as Wolves in sheep's clothing inside, you either chose to be just a Lamb or rise and rise again until Lambs become Lions.

This is brilliant rendering of episodic TV. 10/10

'The Walking Dead' was absolutely brilliant at its best and was one of the most addictive shows in its prime, for me that was Seasons 1-5. Probably not a popular opinion. Unfortunately it suffered one of the biggest declines in television (nearly 'House of Cards' bad) with Seasons 7 and 8 to the point of being unrecognisable and with it being so good at its bets that is just frustrating. As has been said frequently by me, perhaps annoyingly so but worth reiterating.

Season 5 was not as consistent as the previous four seasons and had its slow spots, nonetheless it was generally one of 'The Walking Dead's' better seasons thanks to its high points being so brilliant. Contrary to what some fans say, the weakest episodes while patchy were in my respectful opinion still overall decent with a lot done right. In terms of critical response, the season finale "Conquer" was critically acclaimed and it deserves it. To me, it is one of the best 'The Walking Dead' season finales and feels like one, as well as one of Season 5's best. It has a lot going on, is taut, is uncompromisingly tense, emotional and has some of the best scenes of the whole season. Found nothing slow here and any frustrations weren't there, did not mind Father Gabriel here though the other characters are much more interesting.

As to be expected, "Conquer" looks great and to me one of the best-looking episodes of the fifth season and even of the show up to this point. t has gritty and audacious production design, visuals that are well crafted and have soul rather than being overused and abused and photography of almost cinematic quality. The music is haunting and affecting, without being intrusive. The direction is some of the best of the whole of 'The Walking Dead' up to this point, both visually and providing the right amount and kind of drama. The walkers are terrifying here and the best used they've been in a long time, the make-up alone is freaky.

Writing is the tautest it was all season and doesn't ramble. The story is never less than riveting, with the tension increasing to fever pitch and some of it actually being quite frightening. Loose ends are tied up/resolved, remarkable with such a lot to tie up and resolve. A few great scenes here, the scene with Aaron and Daryl, Sasha in the graveyard and especially that breathlessly powerful climax.

Like the best episodes for anything, it excels at providing significant progression for both the characters and storytelling. The characters are all well written and interesting, with a standout being an increasingly scary Carol, and loved the character dynamics which saw a good deal of intensity.

Have nothing to fault the acting for (in a rare case of everybody in some way shining), with Andrew Lincoln, Steven Yeun (in his best performance all season) and Melissa McBride at the top of their game. A re-introduced Lennie James likewise kills it.

Summing up, fantastic episode as a season finale and as an overall 'The Walking Dead' episode. 10/10