As the war pauses, the leaders of the Coalition find themselves in very different circumstances.

After the massively tedious lane changes last week you’d be forgiven for thinking an episode that covers literally everyone last week didn’t would be a disaster. It’s anything but.

In the space of an hour, the episode uses the repeated idea of what comes next to highlight how different the Coalition members are. Rick wants the Junkyard on side and is locked up for his troubles. Carol, the de facto Queen of the Kingdom now, gets talked down by Benjamin’s brother and delivers a pep talk Ezekiel isn’t ready for. Ezekiel is consumed with grief and Shane. Maggie walks a razor thin line between pragmatism and compassion. Daryl, Michonne, Tara and Rosita go to war. And Carl makes a new friend.

Each one of these plots is given the exact room last week’s weren’t and the result is a fascinating walk around the most dangerous issue in the series;

What’s next?

Rick and Carl are the idealists here, planning for the future. Maggie wants the same thing but is increasingly convinced she’s going to have to Execute the POWs to get there. Daryl’s war party just want this done and then will think about the future. Ezekiel is trapped in the worst moment of his life.

None of them are right. None of them are wrong. None of them are enough of either to make a definitive choice. So instead this group of guilt ridden individualists are striking out in the direction that seems to work best for now and hoping it’ll stick.

The result is a compassionate, action packed episode that gives cast members we haven’t seen in five weeks lots to do. Carl and Siddiq’s plot in particular is nice and chewy and features some pleasingly gungy action. However, action beat of the episode must surely go to Rosita and her moment of rocket launcher catharsis.

Verdict: Action packed, character heavy and intensely confident this is everything last week tried to be and more. Serialized tv storytelling at its best. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart