The Walking Dead: The Kingdom shows how Negan will be defeated

Episode Two of The Walking Dead’s new season gave us the chance to breathe — and showed us how Negan will be defeated

AFTER the tears, the screams, the blood and the involuntary bladder releases from the first episode of The Walking Dead season seven (and that was just from the viewers), episode two was much more peaceful.

Then again, a Full Metal Jacket-style war movie would have probably seemed more relaxing than the brutal first episode.

Episode two was purely focused on Carol, Morgan and The Kingdom, revealing King Ezekiel, his Knights, his tiger Shiva and much else.

Morgan is trying to find a new path in The Walking Dead.

It was fascinating to see how The Kingdom was set up. Heavily-armed and armoured fighters and strong fences on the outside, people living a normal life inside. It smacked of Alexandria before Rick and the gang got there and the Wolves and the Herd ran amok through it.

Ezekiel was playing up the “King” in his title for all it was worth, even taking it further and putting his thoughts and mottos up on every wall, as if it were the word of God.

Was it all an act? Is he crazy? At first sight it appears the crown is on waaaay too tight on his head but his conversation with Carol gave more than a hint that this is just an act, that he is as ruthless a pragmatist as Rick and Carol but has found a different way to achieve his goals.

And he’s also prepared to play a long game to destroy Negan. Ordered to provide pigs as payment for safety from the Saviours, Ezekiel chose to feed them on Walkers so their flesh is tainted. What effect will that have on the Saviours? Has it already driven some mad?

It’s a hugely risky strategy — Negan’s retribution would be terrible. But it proves that he wants to fight, he refuses to submit.

Negan destroyed the way Rick intended to rule, proving that does not work. Ezekiel offers a third way, perhaps.

The Kingdom wants to fight. The Hilltop also hates the Saviours. They just need a leader to unite them. Come on Rick, hurry up and do it!

There was also a chance for Carol and Morgan to bond, and also to hint at how they will develop as the season goes on. It appears Morgan may have found someone to replace the son he lost, while Carol might just enjoy her time with Ezekiel. She even made it through an entire episode without killing anyone.

Carol managed to get through a whole episode without killing anyone.

There was one glaring question that never got answered, however.

Both Carol and Morgan knew all about the Saviours — they thought they had been destroyed by Rick’s attack.

Yet there were obviously enough Saviours to terrify a community as big as The Kingdom. Why didn’t either of them start freaking out and say they had to go back and warn Alexandria?

(OK, by now it’s too late but neither of them knew that).

Carol, in particular. I know she doesn’t want to kill again and doesn’t want to care because she feels too much pain etc etc but surely she would at least try to get a message to Rick and co, rather than setting up a home in some weird house near a graveyard (!?!)

And why didn’t they say anything to Ezekiel about already fighting the Saviours?

Ezekiel had an intrguing introduction.

Sure, they are going to, eventually, but it left this episode feeling as though it was more of a peaceful interlude after the violence of episode one, rather than something that seriously advanced the story.

Still, the previews at the end promise something a bit more tasty for episode three — the trials of Daryl.

Taken prisoner by Negan, he’s about to be put through something of a Shawshank Redemption experience, Walking Dead-style.

And, speaking of that, are we going to see the start of the Redemption of Dwight, as well?

We all know he hates Negan and just wants the chance to get his revenge.

Surely the path has to start next episode.