‘The Walking Dead’ Season 9, Episode 13 ‘Chokepoint’ Recap: The Showdown

The Whisperers are unlike any other foe that our survivors have encountered. In what is being dubbed as the highest-rated Walking Dead episode of season 9, the stakes are raised higher as the first showdown shows us what the Whisperers are more than capable of in “Chokepoint.” After learning about Alpha’s (Samantha Morton) twisted way of leadership last week, the spotlight is shined on Beta (Ryan Hurst), who’s a massive force (literally) to be reckoned with.

After Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Connie’s (Lauren Ridloff) daring rescue of Henry (Matt Lintz) and Lydia (Cassady McClincy), the group sets off to find a new home. It’s a complicated matter since they know that if they return to Hilltop, the Whisperers would inevitably follow them back and rain Walker hell on the community. Interestingly, there’s a good dynamic between Daryl and Connie, which I think will lead to an interesting narrative in the last three episodes of The Walking Dead Season 9. Let’s hope that it’s not romantic, though, because I am so done with the  “love in the zombie apocalypse” trope.

Meanwhile, we’ve got The Kingdom prepped up for the community fair, with Alexandria finally joining the minor festivity. After the side-mission of acquiring a movie projector bulb, all systems go as if its the only thing that could ever kickstart the fair. But just as Carol (Melissa McBride) oversees the whole thing, Jerry (Cooper Andrews) reveals a new threat to their safety—the Highwaymen (led by Tucker from Insidious).

It’s a fucking awesome episode, so here’s everything that went down in The Walking Dead: Chokepoint.

It’s Always a Good Idea to Hole Up in an Abandoned Building

I don’t know how I could call this genius, but I think Connie’s plan of hiding in the building (which they used to occupy with her group before) to strike the Whisperers is a little bit premature. They could have gone to any of the communities first—hell, they could have stayed in Alexandria right away since the Whisperers don’t know where it is yet. But it works well for the narrative nonetheless. Meanwhile, over at the Whisperer camp, we get a glimpse of how the group functions as a unit (and sort of like a cult).

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After Daryl’s Walker attack, the Whisperers lost a number of their members. One of them, who I presume as someone close to Beta, dies instantly. Because of this, Beta boils with rage and revenge against Daryl. As the wait continues at the building, Daryl has Connie and the others set up booby traps around the area. Walkers can’t get up to where they are, so that’s how they can strip away the Whisperers’ zombie advantage. The plan looks promising—if only Daryl knew the extent of Beta’s ability to squash him to pieces.

There’s also a slight argument between Connie and Daryl as to which forest path they should take. I lost my shit when everyone automatically followed Connie, even Dog. That’s saying a lot about the character of these two. This is the team-up that we’ve all been waiting for.

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From then on, I knew something terrible was going to happen—and I wasn’t sure if Daryl knew the cost of what he’s doing.

It’s the Wild, Wild, West After All

After Diane (Kerry Cahill) and Jerry tell Carol and Ezekiel about the Highwaymen (who sent them a grammatically correct ransom letter after jumping poor Jerry), the Kingdom’s leadership is left with a tricky choice. The new group wants payment for safe passage of the fair participants in their area (hence the symbol that we saw in “Bounty”). But that’s going to be impossible since the Kingdom is low in supplies. Plus, Jerry needs his sword back.

Carol then suggests the weird idea of playing the diplomacy card—if they can write a nicely-done letter, surely they can be reasoned with. They could have killed Jerry, but they didn’t. But we all know Carol at this point. The Carol who pulled a gun on a demented child point blank. The Carol who mercilessly burned a group of people alive. There has to be an endgame with her.

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So they head into the Highwaymen’s camp and is met by their leader, Tucker from Insidious (kidding, his name’s Ozzy, played by Angus Sampson). Now I wonder if these people ever crossed paths with the Whisperers? Because the way they hid in the abandoned mannequin factory sure has some Whisperer vibes. The only difference is that they still believe in the cowboy lifestyle. Anyway, Ozzy demands Ezekiel and Carol follow the deal. When they wouldn’t budge, Ozzy has them surrounded by his cowboy men.

Of course, Carol is smarter than these assholes. She sets up an ambush and has the Kingdom fighters flank them in all sides. Ezekiel offers them a job to protect anyone participating in the fair as they pass through the Walker-infested roads. Ozzy scoffs. This motherfucker is desperate for a fight.

Here’s the hilarious part. Just as when we all thought that it’s going to be a bloodbath, Carol offers the bargain that’s better than that of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Remember the movie bulb that they just acquired? Carol—in a cheerful puppy-eye demanor—asks Ozzy about the last time they all saw a movie. It turns out, that offer sold the Highwaymen. But knowing Carol, I won’t be surprised if I see the Highwaymen burned alive while watching a movie if they did something off-bargain.

The Highwaymen to the Rescue!

Despite the fairly late introduction of the new group in The Walking Dead Season 9, it doesn’t feel forced. This was a point made halfway through the episode when the contingency from Hilltop was traveling to the Kingdom for the fair. Tara (Alana Masterson), along with Magna (Nadia Hilker), Yumiko (Eleanor Matsuura), Kelly (Angel Theory), Tammy (Brett Butler), and Earl (John Finn), encounter a roadblock, and later a small horde.

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But just as the threat almost eats them all, the Highwaymen gallops majestically into the ordeal and expertly helps Tara’s group fight off the Walkers. “Who the hell are you guys?” Tara asks. “We’re the Highwaymen,” Ozzy replies. “We’re your escorts to the fair, at your service.”

Well goddamn. It’s a little cheesy, but I’m all for it.

The Hilltop group arrives at the Kingdom (thanks to the Highwaymen escorts). Carol and Tara have a tearful reunion while Tammy and Earl decide to keep the Whisperer baby. That’s when Carol and Tara realize something—Henry and Daryl are still missing.

Beta V Daryl: Dawn of Justice

This is the fight scene that had me gasping for breath. As Daryl and the others finish setting up a perimeter, Beta arrives with the Walkers and a few Whisperer fighters. With everything boarded up, the Walkers couldn’t get to Daryl, so Beta and his men proceed to attack by going up a flight of stairs. It’s a stressful scene seeing Connie and Henry fight off a small group (with the boy getting stabbed in the leg). But the biggest highlight of tonight’s episode is the brawl between Beta and Daryl. I never realized how huge Beta was when he tore through the walls and slammed Daryl onto the floor like a ragdoll.

It’s a fight that I’ve never witnessed in The Walking Dead since season four. Beta is a massive chunk of muscle, while Daryl looked like a teenager trying to fight a grown man. I thought Daryl was done for after he did all he can to beat Beta to the ground. Not even a stab wound could keep Beta down! But Daryl eventually gained the upper hand when he pushed Beta into the empty elevator shaft, sending the Whisperer commander’s bones cracking. That was quite a fall.

With the Whisperer group done for, Daryl decides that this is his new family now. Connie, Henry, and Lydia are his responsibility, so they have to move and take shelter at Alexandria. After that, they will have to move again. There’s a whole world out there, after all.

Meanwhile, Beta rises from his fall. The height of the elevator shaft didn’t seem to hurt him one bit. He glares at the opening, ready to come to Daryl for revenge.

Honorable Mention: Daryl the cockblocker

Henry and Lydia also get a bit more intimate in this episode. This is when Henry gets a boner and confesses his feelings for Lydia. The two start kissing until Daryl shouts at them to get to work. Ha! What a classic “conservative uncle” power move.

‘The Walking Dead: Chokepoint’ Overall Verdict

Despite the campiness of some scenes in tonight’s episode, “Chokepoint” makes for an awesome space-filler. It’s a relatively slow-p[aced episode, but one that does not make you lose your interest halfway through. That’s what I like about Angela Kang’s expert handling of the season. Even the slow episodes are interesting, keeping you on the edge the whole time.

I stand by the others when they say that this is by far the best episode of Season 9. But this will likely change in the coming weeks as the show wraps up the ninth season. It’s going to be a war like no other, given the growing rage that Beta has against Daryl and Alpha’s code of hitting back when they are trifled with.

The Whisperer war is coming—and we better get our shittin’ pants on.

The Walking Dead continues next Sunday, March 17th, with “Scars” at 9/8c on AMC.