It was all guts and glory in The Walking Dead mid-season finale

The Walking Dead mid-season finale gives us action, adventure and a huge new mystery to keep us nervously waiting until its February return.

At last. This was the episode of The Walking Dead Season Seven we had to have.

After all the fluffing around and meandering episodes, it was like an old friend walked back in and sat down on the couch with us.

Fast-paced, plenty of action, heaps of drama and some gratuitous zombie kills. It had everything, including some compelling mystery. Beware the spoilers below …

Now we truly have something to look forward to when it returns to Foxtel’s FX Channel on Monday February 13 from 1.30pm.

Of course, being part of season seven, we couldn’t have an episode completely without boneheaded writing.

Morgan and Carol are still pretending Rick’s plan to kill Negan and the Saviours in Season Six never existed.

We checked in with Carol and Morgan, who promptly had an interesting discussion with The Kingdom knight Richard, who wanted them to persuade Ezekiel to go the Full Carol (total destruction) on the Saviours.

For various reasons Carol and Morgan refused but STILL refused to reference the fact that, when they last saw Rick and co, Alexandria thought it has wiped out the Saviours. Yet neither of them mention that or display the slightest bit of concern for their friends!

Anyway, we can safely assume that the Kingdom will join the fight and Carol will stop living like an Old Cat Lady (minus the cats) and turn into Badass Carol in the second half of the season.

We did get a very intriguing shot of Richard’s secret caravan, where he keeps everything you need to make Molotov cocktails. Very handy.

We also saw sanity strike Michonne’s attempt to take out Negan and she had to content herself with killing one Saviour. But she got a good look at an armed camp of Negan’s, which will also be very handy.

Michonne met a nice new friend. And she killed her.

Most of the action centred on Alexandria and Negan’s second visit.

There was so much to like about this, from Rosita’s anguish to Eugene’s bravery to Spencer’s betrayal and his legendary comic-based death at Negan’s hands. Loved it.

Spencer should not have drunk with Negan on an empty stomach. His guts will not thank him for it later ... oops.

Olivia’s death, not so much. The long scenes with her in recent weeks flagged that she was doomed but I would have preferred to see Carol’s ex-boyfriend Tobin get bumped off. At least that might get Carol angry. And, like The Hulk, baddies don’t want to see Carol get angry.

It showed Rick that there was no way to deal with Negan, that all their lives hung in the balance and that he needed to fight. The emotion of his scenes with Aaron and then again with Michonne were perfect.

If I was being picky — and yes, I am being picky — where were those scenes earlier? We could have used more of a taste of that about four episodes ago, to really show Rick’s dilemma. Then, this episode’s brutality would have showed him the true path of arse-kicking righteousness. It would have had even more impact.

One fascinating little shot while Negan east spaghetti with Carl, Olivia and Judith; someone has moved Rick’s giant Morse code print so it hangs over the dinner table now. Maybe Rick and Daryl were not communicating in Morse code on the last visit but Morse code will have some role to play. Co-ordinating attacks, maybe?

Rick and Aaron went paddling with zombies.

So, Olivia gets shot on Rick’s porch and poor Eugene goes back to the Sanctuary to make more stuff for Negan. Will they bring out that record of Easy Street for him?

Meanwhile Rick and the crew head over to the Hilltop for a long-awaited reunion with Maggie and Sasha and a promise of alliance in war. That was a great ending, although it threw up a couple of questions.

We saw some of Daryl’s escape from the Sanctuary, although I would have liked to see more. I would also like to know who helped him. Sure, he runs into Jesus at the end but who got him out of the cell? Jesus, or Dwight or Sherry? Or all three?

Daryl made sure Fat Joey had a fat chance of a recurring role.

Plus, while it’s great and very sensible that he heads back to the Hilltop rather than Alexandria, what’s happened to Gregory? The man had a conniption about a pregnant Maggie and bereaved Sasha staying there. The sight of an escaped prisoner, wanted by Negan, should just about make his head explode.

Which brings us on to the real issue. Who was the person in the fancy boots that firstly watched Aaron and Rick get through the lake of Walkers to seize a boatload of supplies and secondly popped up in a post-credits scene?

Incidentally, how did Aaron not get bitten by a Walker when he was dragged into the water? Plot armour saves the day again, I guess!

Anyway, fancy boots person. They are watching — why?

Fans on the internet are speculating that it could be a Whisperer scout. The Whisperers are currently the big baddies of the comic series.

These charming lads and lassies like to skin Walkers and then wear the skins as a disguise so they can walk among the Walkers and get them to do their bidding.

I hope they exfoliate afterwards.

Anyway, the problem with that is, in the comics, there is a two-year gap between defeating Negan and the Whisperers showing up. Plus, Rick and co haven’t even met Ezekiel yet, or gone to Oceanside, let alone started a war against Negan. There is no way they can wrap up that storyline in eight episodes, not the way they’ve plotted the first half of the season.

It’s too soon for the Whisperers. I could buy it as a Whisperers scout at the end of this season but not now.

Could it be someone from Oceanside? The boots are decorative enough to be perhaps a woman’s flourish. That could be intriguing, and possible. They knew Tara got away, they knew her group was fighting the Saviours — so are they scouting to see if they have an opportunity for revenge? It’s very possible. They have to get into the fight somehow.

Or was it Dwight or Sherry? Neither was seen in this episode but both want to betray Negan. Were they testing Rick, seeing if he’s as good as he seems? Again, it’s possible but not as likely as someone from Oceanside.

Daryl used Dwight’s room as a place to hide. Was Dwight off spying on Rick in some fancy boots?

Or is it someone else entirely?

It will keep us guessing until the second half of the season, which makes it a far better cliffhanger than what we’ve had recently!