Omega

Character over plot, character over action. Those are the things I have been waiting this show to get back to after a few seasons (albeit good seasons) of more plot focused episodes, rather than keeping the focus on developing characters. Daryl got more to do in this episode emotionally than the past 3 or 4 seasons combined, sans his one episode at The Sanctuary right after Glenn died. If we need to have episodes that only give us scenes in one specific community, then they better be like tonight. We got a pretty decent backstory from Alpha & Lydia, shaping why they are the way they are today, and in turn gave us a glimpse into what Daryl's childhood may have been like being a survivor of child abuse himself. All coming to a head when Alpha comes knocking at the door of the Hilltop. Next week could either go the really bloody route, or the extremely intense throughout, only to have no blood shed at all. I would guess the latter.

8.4/10

Trust me, I am TWD's harshest critic. I wasn't even going to watch the second half of Season 9, but it was on my DVR. I really enjoyed the episode. The flashbacks told a very important story. They were a little confusing, but when I finally saw what was going on, I was blown away. These other people giving this episode 1, 2, and 3 stars are idiots. Watch it twice if you have to. Just make sure you get it all in because I have a feeling that this was a an important episode to watch and understand.

In Hilltop, Henry has a long conversation with the Whisperer Lydia about her life, unaware that Daryl, Enid and other leaders of Hilltop are listening to. They learn that Lydia-s mother is a cruel woman and leader of the Whisperers. Meanwhile, the newcomers Yumiko, Magna, Connie and Kelly join Tara in the unsuccessful search party for Alden and Luke. During the night, they disobey Tara and sneak out from Hilltop to search Luke and Aiden. When they return to Hilltop, they are followed by Alpha and her group.

"Omega" is a great sequel of "Adaptation" introducing Alpha, the leader of the dangerous Whisperers. The stupid Henry again jeopardizes his friends exposing not only Hilltop, but also The Kingdom to a dangerous stranger that is a member of a group that killed Jesus. The group of newcomers also does not follow Tara´s direct order and also jeopardize Hilltop. Maggie needs to return to Hilltop and to the show to control these irresponsible people. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Omega"

Lydia finally opens up about her past where she reveals that her mother and father were with a group for over a month and the group was soon overwhelmed and her father was killed in the attempt to fight them. Daryl, however, sees the cracks in her story and finds bruises on her arm which were obviously caused by abuse. After talking to Henry some more, she remembers that her mother killed her good-natured father and forced her to remember things differently. She reveals her mother leads the group which is bigger than they thought. The next day, Alpha shows up at Hilltop to demand Lydia's release.

"Omega" delves into the backstory of Lydia, revealing the dark and twisted world she grew up in as the daughter of Alpha, the leader of the Whisperers. The episode explores themes of trauma and abuse, as Lydia recounts her experiences living among the Whisperers and the lengths she went to survive. One of the most chilling scenes is when Lydia describes how her mother forced her to wear the skin of the dead, highlighting the brutal and inhumane nature of the Whisperers. "Omega" adds depth to the character of Lydia and provides insight into the inner workings of the Whisperers, setting the stage for future conflicts.

The episode also examines the theme of empathy, as Henry attempts to connect with Lydia and understand her perspective. This theme is exemplified in Henry's decision to trust Lydia and offer her compassion, despite her past actions. This theme of empathy underscores the series' exploration of humanity and the capacity for understanding even in the most dire of circumstances.

An amazing episode, they really focused a lot on domestic abuse with lydia suffering from it, Daryl of course and also the mention of carol with ed. I did like how they went from flash back to present day and back and forth. Then that ending was so cool just seeing the whisperers walking up to the gates of hilltop. What made is so cool is even though you know they are people seeing those "walkers" walking up to the gate with purpose and not mindlessly wandering around was so eerie. Damn this season is so good and hell Beta has not even arrived yet!