Rewriting S8

The popular opinion I've seen is that S1-5 of TWD were great, S6 was the beginning of the end of the show many loved, and S7 and S8 resulted in many people quitting. S8 especially, with the controversy during it.

In this post I want to start a discussion on how you would've changed S8, and by extension S7 with how they are both two parts of a larger story.

Most of the changes I would make pertain mostly to S8, though there are a few I would make to S7, with the most important being:

*Blended episodes in 7A. This is something many people complained about.

*Establish that Negan has a soft spot for kids. This was [somewhat] done in the show, but I would've upped it up. Make his relationship with Carl genuine. Have him view him like a son he never had. In the show, I felt like Negan only wanted Carl to be a lieutenant of his and nothing more. Furthermore, establish that Negan hates violence towards children.

*Establish more of a relationship between Negan and Simon. Show more scenes with them interacting.

*Make Oceanside smaller and not just women and children. In the canon they were maybe 60-80 strong but in my rewrite they're maybe 30-40 strong.

*I'm split on this one, but I had an idea of Sasha not killing herself and instead attacking Negan on her own volition.

*Instead of Negan being ready to kill Carl, he instead reveals to Rick what he said in 8x16 about the lineup and prepares to kill Rick instead.

And that's about it. The rest of the changes I would make pertain to S8.

Now, regarding 8x01, I'm not sure about what I would change. I didn't like how Negan fell down the stairs, though I can't think of another way to keep him busy for a few episodes, so he can make his attack in 8x08. There's not much I would change with the next few episodes, aside from getting rid of that nerdy looking Savior and letting Alvaro live.

In 8x06, Carl finds Siddiq and does what he did, except he doesn't get bit. I hated the way Carl did on the show.

In 8x08, Dwight helps Eugene, Dr. Carson and Father Gabriel escape where they regroup with the remaining survivors. Enid doesn't kill Natania.

In 8x09, Gavin is spared instead of killed and defects to the survivors' side. Since Carl isn't dying at this point, Rick, Michonne and him go with the remaining survivors to the hilltop. Dwight still goes his own way from the group to throw off the Saviors.

In 8x12, I would remove the whole encounter with Georgie's group and instead have Eugene begin drafting a list of things for them to do after the war. Perhaps he gets a few people to go on a run with him to raid a library of useful books. In my rewrite, Rick doesn't go after Negan's convoy. Instead, Simon makes Negan crash and tries to kill him. Walkers get in the way and Negan's fate is left unknown to Simon. Simon makes it look like a massive tragedy before rallying everyone to expunge the Hilltop.

8x13 is where I make some major changes. A smaller one is that Alvaro dies in this episode to the tainted weapons. The biggest one I have is that Rick goes after Simon engages him in a fist fight. I imagine him defending the Hilltop with Carl before leaving him on his own to go fight Simon, telling him that he's a man now.

Rick is fighting Simon but is having a hard time. Carl notices and goes to aid his father. Simon pushes Rick back and takes on Carl. He stabs him right in the chest and walks away, no fucks given. He walks away with the confidence that Rick will tend to his injured son over attacking him. And he's right.

Carl dies a quick but painful death. No final words. No plea for Rick to be peaceful. Rick is in too much shock to say anything. I just picture him holding Carl as he's bleeding out profusely. Rick drops onto his back next to his deceased son and lies there for the rest of the battle. Daryl finds him afterwards and is in complete shock. Survivors who were with Carl for a long time (Michonne, Carol, Maggie, etc.) are devastated. I don't know who puts Carl down, but I imagine it being Daryl or Michonne. After Carl is put down, Rick gets up to help to pick up his body, where Maggie offers to help him (similarly to 7x01, where Rick helped her carry Glenn's body). Rick, Maggie, Daryl, Carol and

Michonne make a quick trip to Alexandria to bury him. Rick gets a Savior radio and demands to speak to Negan. Instead, he gets Arat, who tells him Negan is absent.

The stuff with the prisoners goes mostly the same.

In the beginning of 8x15, Negan gets to the Sanctuary with Laura (whose presence he keeps a secret). The first thing he does is talk to Rick over the radio, where he learns about Carl's death. Rick tells him who did it, and Negan explains that he doesn't approve of what happened and that he will make things right. Rick tells Negan that nothing will make Carl's death right and slams the radio on the ground before smashing it.

Negan gathers up his loyal members and learns from Dwight that Simon is rallying up people against him.

Daryl, Rosita, Eugene, and others attack the bullet factory place where they begin manufacturing their own.

Negan confronts Simon in front of everyone. Both sides pull guns on each other, but the leaders of both parties order their people to let them settle it on their own.

Negan confronts Simon about the Scavengers. He confronts him about trying to kill him and leaving him to die. He confronts him about the Hilltop. And he confronts him about killing Carl, a kid. The two break out into a fist fight.

Negan overpowers Simon and kills him. He cuts his head off and orders for Simon's followers to be executed. They're hung up as walker guards. Simon's head, on the other hand, is sent to the Hilltop along with a handwritten letter from Negan to Rick.

Michonne gives Rick the letter. He reads it, in which he learns about what Negan did: He killed his own right-hand man, someone he valued so much, because he ultimately believed in justice. He offers Rick to meet up within the next few days to negotiate.

Dwight is caught and is imprisoned like he was in the canon. Negan states that he will execute bring him with him to talk with Rick, after which he will be killed.

Rick is not in the mood for negotiating. An assault is launched on the Sanctuary again. Aaron manages to get Oceanside to fight with them. The four communities proceed to make their way to the Sanctuary, but a guard spots them and informs Negan. The remaining Saviors go out and engage the survivors. People on both sides die. Natania and Regina are both killed in the combat.

Rick gets Negan alone and takes him on. Despite what he did, Rick still wants to kill him. He wounds Negan and gets him on his knees. He's about to kill Negan, but he takes a second to think about what has happened. Negan avenged his own son and killed his right-hand man in the process. Rick has a change of heart and holds his hand out to Negan.

As Negan is wounded, Rick helps him walk back to the survivors. Rick threatens to kill Negan if he tries anything. Negan eventually collapses from exhaustion and Rick orders Siddiq to save him.

Cyndie becomes the new leader of Oceanside. Rick, Maggie and Ezekiel make a visit to the Sanctuary where they endorse Gavin as he steps up as the new leader of the Saviors.

Eugene gathers the five leaders of the communities, along with important people from each of them and proposes a council. Basically, every community does its own thing, but when something happens that affects everyone, the five leaders are to form a council and vote on the matter. There is a unanimous agreement. Eugene and the others begin drafting a list of rules.

Morgan leaves and tells Jadis, or rather Anne, that she can go live at Alexandria. She gladly accepts. Daryl confronts Dwight and tells him that he forgives him, but they're not friends and that he doesn't want Dwight talking to him unless it's something important. Dwight accepts this and tells him "You won't be seeing me for a while."

Dwight goes to Rick and tells him about how Sherry is still out there and that he is unable to rest with her fate unknown. He announces that he'll be leaving. Rick goes out with him to help get him a car and some supplies for his journey. Before they part ways, Dwight thanks Rick for trusting him and giving him the opportunity to make a change, and to take down the man they both despised.

Rick goes to Negan's cell where they have a talk. Negan asks Rick about his decision to let him live. Rick admits that Negan is not the man he taught he was, and that he's thankful that he avenged his son. Negan tries to manipulate Rick by saying something along the lines of "Let me out and I'll prove you even more wrong," to which Rick tells him not to push his luck.

The final scene of my rewrite involves Rick sitting underneath a tree and thinking about everything that has happened. He begins to cry. 8x16 ends on a hopeful note that the communities will finally achieve something similar to how life was before the outbreak.

Submitted October 01, 2018 at 10:18AM by TheNobleOne15 https://ift.tt/2zJ4nbM