#twd 1.03

[multifandomgifss]

The Walking Dead 1.03 — Tell It to the Frogs

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon | Season One Redneck Daryl 

TWD 1x03, “Tell it to the Frogs.”

Friendly Reminder: This is what Rick saw when Shane was trying to convince Rick not to go back for Merle. Although Daryl was a wild card, Rick couldn’t turn away from the fact that he too knew all too well what it was like not to know if your family was dead or alive. 

Daryl holds himself together as best he can after learning the news about Merle, just as Rick tried to do when he went home to an empty house. But Rick knows exactly the pain Daryl is going through right in this moment and it ultimately helps him decide to help Daryl try and rescue his brother. 

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

#25: The Irresistible (1.03)

gif cred: @figmentof

Now this moment features another top-ranked Richonne kiss and the word of the day when talking about this Richonne scene behind a tree is 'CHEMISTRY' ❤️‍🔥...

We get to see Michonne inside a helicopter for the first time which is cool as she flies with Rick, Pearl, and others to the Cascadia base. Pearl, who just seems fully bought into the CRM ways, is trying to make Michonne feel like she should be so honored to be a part of this since she’s only a consignee.

Rick is sitting quietly in the helicopter and I’m sure he feels like he’s just been having some terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days every day that Michonne has been mad at him. Even tho first and foremost she’s mad at the situation they’re both in. But him a little too lol. 

gif cred: @nerd4music

Michonne again being an A with perceptive questions says, “There’s nothing out here. What’s it protecting?” And Pearl answers, “The security of the Civic Republic, expanded resources, intel operations along the West Coast, the future.”

Then when they arrive at their destination, Michonne is slaying in the CRM soldier uniform. 🔥 Like she serves in every outfit. 👏🏽

Pearl passionately goes over the mission with Rick by her side and again I love Michonne’s stance in this - she looks like she’s the one they should be taking orders from. 😋

Rick looks over at Pearl and Michonne looks directly at Rick. I love how she’s not even trying to be super subtle staring at him like 🤨.

gif cred: @perryabbott

Michonne was giving full wife stare-downs and clearly had lots of thoughts going through her head as she expressively blinked and looked away.

As she says later, she saw Rick here standing at attention as a soldier to this army and she knows this isn’t him and that he’s imprisoned here.

I also notice Rick doesn’t really look at Michonne in this scene and it’s probably a smart move. Because if he had looked at her those fellow soldiers would be like - now why is Grimes looking at Consignee Bethune like he wants to consume her more than the delts do?? 🤔

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Pearl is trying her best to seem like an alpha leader but she's dtm and not really selling it. She talks about the importance of what they’re about to do and the stakes saying that if they’re unsuccessful the plan gets set back and then she yells, “Do we allow the plan to get set back!?”

Rick and the soldiers respond, “No ma’am” and Michonne has me cracking up at her response to Rick saying “no ma’am.” 😂 She’s looking directly at Rick like now I know you lying lol.

gif cred: @perryabbott

But honestly, while I know there was some interpreting this as her getting the ick from Rick, I think this look has a lot more to do with her disdain toward the CRM. I feel like she’s thinking something along the lines of 'CRM, you did a real number on my baby and I promise you I’m going to undo it.'

And again similar to Rick in previous scenes, Michonne is not subtle with these stares at him lol. But I love it. She’s looking at him like 'Mr. RJ’s Dad if we don’t get up out of here by tomorrow it’s gonna be an issue because I’ve had it with this place and I’m ready for us to go home yesterday.' #DirectQuoteFromHerMind. 😌

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that Rick looks fine yet again in this scene lol. ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Rick asks, “Who has the ball, ma’am?” and Pearl says with overconfidence, “I do.” And again Michonne’s whole stance and look is serving, honey. Goddess through and through. 👑

Pearl goes on to address Michonne, and Thorne's energy is just giving forced. She wants Michonne to be intimidated so bad but it ain’t happening. And Michonne is ready to match Pearl’s energy right down to their facial expressions.

Pearl tells Michonne to stay in formation and handle cleanup and no-kills off the line. Michonne just nods and Pearl tells Michonne not to panic if she gets lost because she can just hit the PRB and a helicopter will come get her. And even before seeing the upcoming scene, I was like why do I have a feeling Michonne will be the only one not panicking on this excursion lol. 🙂

gif cred: @perryabbott

So then they cut to them in the middle of the walker takedown and Michonne is about to walk forward and help (and it low-key feels like she starts walking forward cuz Rick is ahead and those magnets are always going to be pulling her in his direction. 🧲). But Pearl tells Michonne to stay back for no-kills.

gif cred: @perryabbott

I was like Pearl, this is basically like you’re keeping an all-star on the bench by keeping Michonne back. Like Michonne and Rick could probably handle all of this just the two of them. But Pearl is adamant and about as stubborn as that R-DIM that won’t budge.

Speaking of - Pearl is struggling to get this R-DIM moving, y’all. I honestly could not take much more secondhand embarrassment for the lady. 🫣 Rick tries to offer a solution but Pearl turns it down and says they should’ve given the last spot to a soldier instead of Michonne. Wrong again, Pearl. 

So Michonne watches, looking all determined, and she knows she can handle this so like a true Get Things Done Grimes she gets it done. 👌🏽

gif cred: @taiturner

Michonne starts pushing the R-DIM forward and Pearl tells her to stand down almost strictly because I’m sure she’s going to be embarrassed if Michonne pulls this off. But Michonne is already off to the races as she pushes the R-DIM.

And Michonne seems to feel like she’s back in her element doing this. See, It's not the R-DIM, It's not the Pearl, It's just that Chonne's that girl. 🎶💁🏽‍♀️

Then when it gets a bit harder to push she looks over and sees Rick by her side coming to help and y’all they’re just the best. 🥹

I love that Rick sees her doing this and joins and says, “Let’s go,” helping her rather than reprimanding her. He knows she’s breaking protocol but when it comes to following Pearl’s orders or following Michonne’s lead, well, his wife is his choice every time.

And seeing Richonne back in action taking down walkers was a lovely sight. It was giving TWD 7.09 when they were in cars mowing down that horde of walkers in sync.

All these years later and they are still that well-oiled machine even during a rough spot in the relationship. And if Michonne felt like she was in her element before, they both really feel in their element taking this on together. It’s the way it should be. 😌

So they get the R-DIM to where it needs to be and Rick turns it on. he tells Michonne, “Come on” as Rick reaches for her hand so they can run for safety. I love that he wants to hold her hand as he leads them somewhere safe and that she does take his hand. 🥰

I feel like amid their fight, they both were longing for some indicator that they’re still in this together and this handhold felt like that. Of course, Richonne + hands are always a great moment. 😌

And then next, TOWL gives us my favorite moment in episode 3.

The R-DIM alarm rings and then Rick and Michonne make it to what many have rightfully deemed the boneless tree. 😋 And I love the little detail of Rick making sure Michonne was able to take cover behind the tree before him. And that they hold hands the whole way. Just the cutest. 🥰

gif cred: @nat111love

The R-DIM sets off an explosion and Michonne and Rick immediately take cover in each other's arms and again I’m beyond here for it. I love that they both just instinctually grab each other. No matter how upset they are, they’ll always love and protect each other. 

gif cred: @nat111love

So they have this moment all up close and personal and because it is a scientific fact that these two are magnets & that adrenaline rushes are always particularly arousing for them, there was no way Rick and Michonne were going to be that much in each other's personal space and not do what they do next.

Like you think those magnets within them care that there are CRM soldiers nearby? No.🤭🧲

gif cred: @nat111love

So still holding onto each other, they have this moment of looking intimately into each other's eyes, once again communicating without words, and y’all the best way to describe the way they look at each other is ‘longing’ - like that deep longing for each other in every way was written loud and clear on both their faces. 

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick looks at her, then right at her lips, then back in her eyes and within a second he leans in and they’re right back to making out. I’m too here for it and I love this kiss. ❤️‍🔥 This was definitely their hungriest kiss thus far.

gif cred: @nat111love

I love how Rick sorta lifts up from the ground like he’s floating on air when he first kisses her. He really does kiss her like he’s still living in a dream.

I love how passionate they always are when they kiss. Even with Rick feeling like he needs to send her away, he cannot resist showing how he really feels as they kiss - and what he really feels is that he wants to be with her entirely and in every way. 

I feel like they both needed this moment of reconnection so much after being at odds. This kiss communicated clearly that before they’re mad, they’re madly in love.

gif cred: @nat111love

And then the second half of this kiss is when I was looking at Richonne like...oh y’all would go all the way right now if you could. 👀

Like I think one of the only things that stopped them from having this escalate was just the fact that those CRM uniforms are so layered lol. Because it wasn’t the fact that CRM soldiers were within walking distance. Richonne didn’t give a damn about that. I’m telling you it was just the layers of clothing and gear holding them back. 😂

gif cred: @nat111love

But being for real, these two really are wild because they weren’t even trying to align with the bark of that boneless tree to at least shield themselves a little better during this kiss. But hey, when they’re in their Richonne bubble like this, everything else goes out the window, so it makes sense.

But yeah the second half of that steamy kiss had them hot and bothered the way they were both moaning in sync and grabbing each other as close as they could. When Michonne pulled his hair Rick looked like he was about ready to get on top of her right then and there.

(Side note: What’s cute too is I noticed in their season 6 canon kiss that the first time Michonne ever puts her hands in Rick’s curls she’s almost hesitant to do it at first and then she just goes for it. And now it’s her favorite thing. 😊)

It’s been years and years since either of them has been physically intimate and this kiss right here lets you know they’re both very eager for opening that door up with each other again. Like it needs to happen expeditiously at this point cuz they’re ready. 

gif cred: @fishalthor

I love that something that’s always been true is Rick and Michonne are irresistible to each other. And truly no one does ravenous passion like Richonne. ❤️‍🔥

So I just adore this kiss for being a passionate moment of the two making their desire and love for each other so evident after not really talking much this ep. I almost forgot that in this episode Michonne hadn’t actually uttered a word to Rick until this scene. And her first words to him are perfectly delivered. 🤩

As they manage to pull away from the kiss, still completely unconcerned about being caught, they have this great passionate moment where they just stare right into each other's eyes and it truly feels like Rick is being hypnotized by Michonne as she smiles at him. #Enchanted😍

gif cred: @nat111love

I love the way Michonne smiles right after the kiss and I really love that Rick is always so helplessly mesmerized by her. He knows he’s going to have to push her away soon but at this moment he can’t even peel his eyes away. Because I really think in moments when he gets lost in her that's when he finds himself. 👌🏽

And (jumping a bit ahead) that’s why it’s crazy he'll even attempt to claim that everything they had is broken because anytime they get close enough, it sure does look like everything they have is perfectly intact.

Like these two stayed operating like a madly in love married couple even during the near eight years apart from each other. Even during that time, they were still more loyally married than some married couples who see each other every day.

And Michonne knows from that kiss that her Rick is still in there. The man who kissed her is the Rick who wants with everything in him to break out of this place and go home with her.

gif cred: @figmentof

So she smiles and all encouragingly and seductively whispers, “Come on.” So good and perfectly delivered. 👏🏽😊 And yet again we see the utterly enchanting effect Michonne has on Rick as he looks at her.

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick seems dizzy and breathless from this whole exchange as he faintly says, “They’ll find us. They will.” It’s clear he’s still so overcome with fear and a lot of that is because he knows how hopeful he used to be about breaking free from this place but every time he tried to escape they found him.

Like this isn’t the guy from the TWD series finale who got caught by the CRM and smiled. This is the guy whose been so beaten down by this place that he believes there’s nowhere he can run anymore. 😥

gif cred: @nat111love

Michonne is still hopeful tho as she reassures him, “We’ll make it so they can’t.” It's super sweet to see them holding each other close and swaying in sync while they talk. And I love that Michonne believes in them so much that she’s like even if we don’t have all the answers yet, you and I are capable of figuring it out along the way home.

Plus, if Michonne thinks they can escape and not get caught then that's good enough reason to believe they can because she’s always right. It's just gospel. 💁🏽‍♀️ The way I see it, the only way the CRM would find them is if they keep having these loud moanversations near the public lol, otherwise the two of them can pull off any escape plan they make together. 😋

gif cred: @nat111love

But Rick is not willing to risk it and try to break away right now so he hesitantly says, “Not like this.” I know one of his least favorite things is having to turn down Michonne’s request and as he looks at her you can see it in his whole demeanor that he hates having to essentially tell her no.

Even the way he says it, it’s him trying to say no without having to outright say it, suggesting maybe there’s another way to escape just 'not like this,' even tho deep down he believes there's no way out for him.

gif cred: @nat111love

Michonne is super saddened by this. She knows this fear-based response isn’t like her Rick.

And then I love that they do their signature forehead touch, even tho it’s a sad one. 🥲 This moment further emphasized that even when feeling defeated and disappointed, they still want to be connected. 

And y’all, to me Rick and Michonne doing this forehead touch out in the open was actually more wild than the kiss lol.🤭

Because if they were caught kissing they'd still have some major explaining to do but they could maybe play it off like they just really have the hots for each other after meeting in those woods. But this forehead touch says no these two have history and have a deeply committed relationship rooted in serious love.

gif cred: @nat111love

So if Richonne had been caught like this their jig would have been up cuz they would have had those CRM soldiers looking over like...

I always feel so sad when I see Michonne looking in Rick’s eyes during this moment and searching for her Rick who seems to fade in and out ever since she’s reunited with him. Like the back and forth between Sergeant Major Grimes and the fleeting moments with her Rick has got to be hard on her.

But I love the way she lightly nudges his nose cuz again it’s just giving magnets and idk that intimate movement just always feels like such a soulmates thing to me. 🥹 Like she's trying to reach the Rick that's buried inside cuz she knows he's in there somewhere.

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick looks at Michonne and from his expression, it's clear that while it deeply saddens him, he will put himself through the pain of parting from her if it means getting her back home safely to their daughter.

I think too in this moment as they lean their heads together Michonne is realizing just how much she’s going to have to fight to get them both home on her own since Rick isn’t ready to take the risk and break out yet.

Similar to what Rick had been doing up to this point, Michonne is now gonna have to take matters into her own hands for the sake of her family...and oh, she’ll do exactly that in these final moments of episode 3. 😅

gif cred: @nat111love

But as far as this enthralling scene 'behind' the tree, this was another one of those scenes where they were knocking the epic love story they promised out of the park. 🙌🏽 Their chemistry is truly elite. 😍 And I adore this kiss and this romantic moment that was just brimming with emotion and irresistible passion between Richonne. 

Throughout this episode, Michonne had been trying to keep her crazy at bay but now as the episode concludes and Rick proceeds to pull a crazy card of his own, she's gonna have to unleash that unhinged side of herself. And the final moments of episode 3 remind us exactly why they say Richonne has some 'crazy love.' 😝👌🏽

[reedusmcbridedaily]

Norman Reedus | The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon 1.03 - Paris Sera Toujours Paris

[rcsitastark]

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon (2023) ↳ Season 1, Episode 3: Paris sera toujours Paris

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The Walking Dead 1.03 — Tell It to the Frogs

the walking dead: 1.03 ☢ tell it to the frogs

﹂ rick grimes

[rheefamilysource]

MAGGIE RHEE IN THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY 1.03 “People Are a Resource”

[vvalliu]

[mcbride]

Pigeons always find their way home...

TWD 10.14 "Look at the Flowers" // TWD 11.24 "Rest in Peace" // TWD: DARYL DIXON 1.03 "Paris Sera Toujours Paris"

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The Walking Dead 1.03 — Tell It to the Frogs

[michonnegrimes]

Talking Dead: Wrath

[taiturner]

IRIS BENNETT killing empties ✨

[fightthewalkingdead-blog]

S1 // S7

[multifandomgifss]

The Walking Dead 1.03 — Tell It to the Frogs

Rick in Every Episode > Tell It to the Frogs

[lukaskyle-moved]

4, 7, 8 & 12 for michonne 👉🏻👈🏻

character asks 💫

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in?

keeping it apocalypse-themed: dying light. she'd fit naturally in, of course, and she'd get along well with crane

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

i rarely see anyone question her being judith's mom, and that means so much to me. twd fans have a tendency to be weird about adoptive family, even when it's literally spelled out that these people have claimed one another as family (and even now i STILL see people try to say rick isn't judith's "real" dad, despite the fact she knows nothing about that other guy, and he's been dead for a decade so why do we keep having to hear about him??) but michonne is widely accepted as jude's mom. it's just a thing and people are Normal about it. as someone who was also 'adopted' in a similar scenario it's just nice to see

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

this is a very hyper-specific thing, but since towl 1.03 aired i've seen people doing this compare/contrast thing with michonne and lori/jessie, primarily, "rick thought he was talking to lori or jessie for a minute!" when he tries to (rightfully) push her away to save her life, and people are like. celebrating her defiance/acting as if she's stronger than his past to love interests and it really grates me. to half-ass acknowledge how toxic rick was with jessie especially but only to make a joke about his new wife being "so cool" is pretty distasteful to me. but twd fans have a habit of pitting women against each other (just look at any instance of car*l in relation to another woman around daryl, or the whole thorne/michonne thing people have been doing since towl premiered, too). i really hoped we'd move past it at this point, that towl wouldn't have these 'conversations', but it's not surprising that we're here

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

is "she's bisexual" an acceptable answer? i'm so bad at this question unprovoked dskjnfdskjnfd

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

#24: The Helplessly Devoted  (1.03)

gif cred: @clonecaptains

Even when they have conflict, Rick and Michonne are still so hopelessly devoted to one another. And in the following events, Pearl will be none the wiser that she has just sandwiched herself in the middle of a whole marital fight between a 'helpless' husband and his wife 😋...

So Michonne is back on her consignee shift when Pearl calls her, saying, “Bethune.” The way Michonne had ditched being Dana I’m almost surprised Michonne turned around when Pearl called for Bethune lol. But in the following scenes, Michonne is willing to play along with the CRM a little bit longer as she remains devoted to getting her and Rick back home.

When Michonne does turn around she sees Rick standing by Pearl and Michonne looks right at her husband as she approaches the two at her own pace.

gif cred: @perryabbott

Pearl formally introduces herself and then says, “You know Sergeant Major Grimes, obviously.” And Michonne knows that man in every way possible and better than he knows himself, so yes. 😋

Michonne looks over at the father of her children and says, “I do.” And I’m chuckling during this whole exchange cuz each one of them is giving comedy to me. 🤭

Pearl tries to posture as intimidating when she asks Michonne if she enjoyed orientation and her first trip to the city. Thorne is way out of her depths trying to throw her weight around with Michonne.

gif cred: @perryabbott

Michonne is just like, “Yeah. I saw some…interesting artwork.” as she shoots a not-so-subtle frustrated look at Rick. It's funny how the way she says this here you’d never guess her scene with Benjiro was as heartfelt as it was lol.

But hey, she and Rick are in front of outside company and still in a fight technically so I guess that's why she gives Rick that look and doesn't let on to how touched she actually was by her exchange with the portraitist.

gif cred: @perryabbott

Also, the way Rick looks at her and then looks down. I wonder what he’s thinking learning Michonne met Benjiro, the one person in the Civic Republic that he seemed to willingly talk about his girls with. 

Pearl picks up on Michonne’s energy here and says, “Not so enthusiastic, eh? Is that life not for you?” Nope. And then Michonne shows no traces of Dana when she asks, “Do I have a choice?” I love that she wanted to push back a little bit especially when it comes to 'choice' cuz the CRM stayed thinking everyone has choices when they really don’t here.

Like I feel like Michonne is speaking on behalf of her and her husband cuz she’s like y’all don’t actually give people choices for real which is why Rick is here in a a CRM uniform and not home with our kids. 😒

But I love seeing Rick’s face when he hears Michonne ask this. He shoots a subtle look over at Michonne like ‘hey now that’s a little too A-ish.’ 😂 And he definitely looks like he's thinking, 'there my wife goes showing who she is again.' #DirectQuoteFromHisMind 😋

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

But uh, Rick, doesn’t this all look familiar? Breaking the kill record, giving attitude to high-ranking officials, A-ing it up - Michonne is just like him for real when he was a consignee. And again, Michonne has been an A since day one so really he had to know it was bound to go like this.

Pearl tells Michonne to come with them and as they head to the car. Michonne has a moment of just smiling to herself and I had to think for a sec about what I interpret that smile to be about. She almost just seems unfazed by all this because she knows any person, place, or thing that needs you to be docile for them to be powerful isn’t really about that life and is definitely not like her.

So she’s simply unmoved by all things CRM after assessing them enough to know they're not like Richonne. And she's right once again.

So then Pearl and Rick take Michonne to the rundown arena where Okafor had taken them to reveal his plans. It’s interesting now seeing Michonne in the very place where Rick was first presented with the idea of giving his life toward Okafor’s mission. 

Michonne asks, “What is the place?” similar to what Rick asked when Okafor brought him here. Pearl says, “It’s what the city would have become if it wasn’t for one man.”

Michonne says, “It was bombed?” and Pearl is ready to get to more personal matters as she says, “Yeah. Now I don’t know much about you. You emerged from the woods and saved someone very important” and as she speaks Michonne looks so pretty with the moonlight lighting. 🤗🌙 That really is another TOWL blessing - the much-improved lighting. 🙌🏽

gif cred: @nerd4music

I like hearing Rick referred to as 'someone very important' because little does Pearl know she’s talking to the person who Rick is most important to. Like that’s the funny thing about this arena scene - two separate conversations are going on. A married couple is in the middle of a fight and communicating with their eyes and then secondary is Pearl’s whole deal.

I also love how in this scene, the one who feels most in control is the one without the weapon. Just saying. 💁🏽‍♀️ Chonne’s that girl. Because just standing there she has Pearl seeming a bit intimidated by her and trying to posture to overcompensate, and she has Rick ready to act up if Pearl tries anything. 

As Rick stands behind Pearl and watches with bated breath for how his wife will respond to all this, Michonne stands there smiling at Pearl. Pearl says, “Sergeant Major Grimes saved my life once. I would call him a friend but friendship seems like something that doesn’t exist out here. It’s too light. Too soft.”

It’s interesting seeing Michonne get to hear about Rick from someone else - someone he’s spent the last 7 years around too. And especially interesting when she has to listen to Pearl say, “He’s my family now. My only family.” Pearl, if only you knew who you were talking to. 🙃

Plus, I was like Pearl, girl, your 'family member' has been inhaling Dana recently so plz be calm cuz you don't know your relative like you think you do. 🙂

Michonne blinks and tries to maintain her smile hearing this as she looks over at Rick, and I feel like there are layers to what Michonne may be thinking and feeling right now. One of those feelings seems to be a shade of sadness and hurt because she’s had to go without her husband for years while this other lady gets to talk about him as her family.

gif cred: @perryabbott

I think in her look there’s also an element of 'well ma’am, you’re going to be losing your only family very soon once I pluck him up out of this place.' When she looks at Rick too hearing this I know she’s just like 'oh I didn’t know I was meeting my husband’s family tonight' lol.

Rick looks at Michonne and sways a little bit because he just seems very anxious over this whole moment. I'm positive Michonne doesn’t doubt at all which family member in this arena Rick prioritizes and has the most loyalty to, but Rick’s look at Michonne almost feels like he wants to assure her that 'I know how this all sounds, but I promise I'm still not with them.'

gif cred: @nat111love

Pearl says, “My question is who are you?” And Michonne says, “Just Dana” which I always am like doesn’t saying 'just Dana' sound a little more suspicious than simply saying Dana? lol 🤔 But Michonne is aware of where Pearl is going with this so she’s like let me just nip whatever you're insinuating in the bud now and let you know I really am just Dana.

Pearl says, “This is not the moment for humility, Dana.” So then Michonne answers unfazed saying, “I’m a survivor.” Gospel. She’s one of the best survivors there is. Pearl pushes back saying, “A survivor wouldn’t have run out of the woods to save a man who was about to have his throat cut.” It’s funny hearing Pearl say this when she’s talking to the very person who was about to cut Rick's throat. 

Michonne says, “Well, I did. And I survived” and her tone is again giving unfazed like 'my story is pretty straightforward forward so...

Pearl asks, “Why did you save him?” and Michonne knows the angle she's supposed to take so she says, “I was looking for people. It’s safer with people.” And she’s not lying. She was looking for a person and she found him and it happens to be the person she feels safest with. 👌🏽

gif cred: @nat111love

Plus, I do think on her TWD journey from lone wolf to family woman and community leader, Michonne really has built a real appreciation for the value of being with people.

Pearl wants to know specifically, “Why did you save *him*?” And the list of reasons why is longer than Pearl could ever know. But the true answer that she can't say right now can pretty much be summed up as - she saved him because he is the love of her life. She’d do anything for him, including save him time and time again.

I like hearing this question for how it almost serves as a moment of reflection of not just Michonne’s most recent way of saving Rick but how she saved him in so many ways in TWD. 

Michonne pauses for a brief moment and then looks from Pearl to Rick likely thinking 'how do I say something other than because I’m madly in love with my husband and have been even for the last seven years apart?'

gif cred: @nat111love

And when she looks at Rick, he also looks at her again nervous about how she’ll respond.

Michonne says, “It didn’t seem…” and Pearl cuts her off saying, “It didn’t seem what?” Which…don’t be interrupting Michonne now. Like she was about to finish her sentence girl, dang. Pearl tried it a little bit with that.

But Michonne maintains her composure as she's very good at doing and says, “It didn’t seem right. He was on the ground helpless...”

gif cred: @nat111love

And then this is where Pearl tried it a lot a bit because she starts condescendingly laughing when Michonne says this. Which, Pearl...

Pearl was low-key giving me secondhand embarrassment by unknowingly approaching Rick's wife like this. Like over here snickering while talking to the woman who Rick has the deepest relationship with on the planet. 🥴

And while yes some lies are being told to Pearl right now, Rick being on the ground helpless ain’t one of them. He was about ready to accept his fate and bid this world goodbye when he had that katana to his neck.

But Pearl thinks she knows Rick so well as she says, “Him?” And then turns around to look at Rick with some kiki energy as if she and Rick would both would find this amusing.

Meanwhile, Rick is standing there just trying not to appear as stressed as he really feels by this whole thing lol.

gif cred: @perryabbott

Pearl tells Michonne, “I can’t imagine him ever being helpless” and that right there is another indicator that she doesn’t know Rick like she thinks she does.

Rick is an admirably strong man but he has absolutely had some moments of helplessness. He’s resilient so he always bounces back from the moments of helplessness, but Michonne has seen firsthand Rick be that way several times before, and she’s often been the one to help him.

I’m sure Rick is like 'Pearl, I appreciate you thinking I could never be helpless but I have been and 'Dana' has seen it all so...

I feel like too this goes to show how Rick and Michonne know each other so much more vulnerably than others know them. Like so many perceive Rick and Michonne as just strong and having it together, but the two of them know a far more human side of each other.

Also, it’s funny how Rick does not move a muscle during this particular moment between these two ladies. 🤭 #Skressed

Michonne seems to remember that she and Rick are supposed to be strangers more than Pearl does so she has to remind Pearl, “Well, I don’t know him.”

The way she says it, she’s not feeling Pearl's energy clearly. Plus she’s showing a lot of restraint with Pearl laughing in her face and acting like she and Rick are so close when Michonne is the reason Rick has one hand right now.

gif cred: @nat111love

Michonne’s line saying she doesn’t know him has some real weight to it because one; she knows Rick very well and as intimately as one can know another person, but also two; she is also in a space currently where she’s trying to figure out who the Rick before her is now.

She knows her Rick deeply but this Sergeant Major Grimes is someone she doesn’t know fully as she’s still looking for the Rick she once knew. It feels like it makes her sad to know that there actually is a little truth in that line when she says she doesn’t know him. 

Then Michonne looks right at Rick as she actually starts dropping some truths about the situation, stating, “But he was about to die…if I wasn’t there.” The way her face gets serious when she looks at him and says that - she and Rick both know how Michonne would have packed him up in those woods had he been anyone else.

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick again is doing the mannequin challenge as he stands completely still and stares at her. I’d love to know exactly the thoughts that are supposed to be going through his head right now. I know one of them is ‘Michonne looks super pretty under this moonlight’ but I wonder what his other thoughts are regarding this situation too lol. Probably 'yeah that’s the truth I was about to meet my maker in those woods.'

gif cred: @nat111love

Then Michonne turns back to Pearl and I always love her delivery of this next line because it’s said like such a mom. Almost like this is how she’d talk to Judith and RJ when trying to help them learn a useful life lesson or something. She says, “I don’t want to see anyone get killed. Especially anyone that seems *helpless.*” I love how she’s doubling down on the fact that 'helpless' was very much the right word to use for their circumstances.

And I like how Michonne also likely feels that even beyond that day they reunited in the forest, Rick still seems helpless here with the CRM. I mean he straight-up told her he asked for help and didn’t get it. And so in that sense, it’s also like she wants Rick to hear her saying 'I don’t want you to die here. And you clearly need help to get away from all this which is why I won’t leave you behind.'

gif cred: @nat111love

Pearl decides to let Michonne in on a secret. She tells Michonne that she’s here because of her since people like Michonne are not normally let in. She says, “You’re a leader, what we call an ‘A’” and Michonne even listens to this like an A when they cut to her. 🤭

Pearl says if Michonne were allowed to live in the city she wouldn’t just keep her head down and do everyday things, instead she’d “look for answers.” When Pearl says this she puts her hands on the knife behind her back and again I was like Pearl, that puts you in more danger than it’ll ever put Michonne in.

gif cred: @nerd4music

And why? Because of that man Rick Grimes. 😋

The second Pearl touches that knife, Rick grabs his gun from out of the holster.

gif cred: @nerd4music

Pearl is right in saying that Michonne would “ask what happened here and why and to whom” She’s been a good investigator of places since Woodbury. Pearl continues, “and you’ll seek justice based on a feeling in your gut, a feeling you can’t name” and I love how Michonne’s standing there listening with a baddest-chick-in-the-game stance. 👑

gif cred: @nerd4music

And then Michonne gives Pearl this interesting look, almost like she’s trying to let Pearl know 'honey, whatever you got going on behind your back you’re going to want to think twice about.' Like Pearl is actually the most helpless one in this arena because one wrong move and she's getting taken out. And it won't be by Michonne... it'll be by Pearl's 'family member' behind her.

Michonne knows if Pearl attacks her, Rick’s gonna rightfully take her out so it’s almost like Michonne’s look is saying 'Pearl, chill for your own sake.' She doesn't want to see anyone get killed tonight, and seeing Rick with his gun out she knows that's very much on the table rn for Pearl.

Also I like how part of why Michonne feels so unthreatened here is because of how safe she always feels with Rick. She knows he's not letting anything happen to her.

gif cred: @nerd4music

Pearl asks if Michonne would take the chance to have access to the secrets and answers of this place to get the whole picture. Michonne asks, “You would give me the answers?” Pearl says, “A chance very few get. Very few in the entirety of this force. Very few in the world”

And then they cut to Rick looking extra stressed rn. He raises his gun a bit and puts his finger on the trigger which always stands out to me. Because when Rick had to put a gun on Michonne in ep 2 he didn’t even want to play around with putting his finger on the trigger. But here, despite being a gunslinger who could have probably whipped out his gun in no time had Pearl charged at Michonne, Rick doesn’t want to take any chances. So he has the gun raised and ready to go if need be.

gif cred: @nerd4music

And that’s sweet that he’s so ready to protect Michonne in this moment regardless of their current conflict. Had he taken out a Command Sergeant Major like Thorne right now it would have had him in very hot water and made such a mess of things, but he’s willing to make that mess if it means ensuring Pearl doesn’t so much as scrape Michonne with a weapon.

Michonne plays along as she says, “I would say…yes.” (You know we always love a little 'say yes' moment. 😋) And I know Michonne can see Rick with concern on his face and his gun all the way out and so I personally feel like that’s why she looks at Pearl again with this smile like don’t do anything stupid now Ms. Thorne cuz she knows Rick won’t hesitate.

gif cred: @nerd4music

Pearl puts down the knife behind her back and speaks to Rick to inform him that Michonne will be joining them for “clearing operations at Cascadia Base.” Pearl tells Rick to ensure Michonne is properly equipped with provisional BDU and Rick says his first line of the scene as he asks. “Weapons?”

Then Pearl looks Michonne up and down and says, “Killstick only” before letting Consignee Bethune know she can return to the vehicle. I feel like it’s clear Michonne intimidates Pearl which seems to bother Pearl since she’s the one supposed to be doing the intimidating. 

Then in a moment that contrasts the sweetness of Richonne's passing by moment earlier in the ep, this time Michonne walks by Rick and lets him know this marital fight is still going when she sideyes him before walking away.

gif cred: @perryabbott

The way she’s just strolling out of there at her own pace and then gives that look down before looking right at him - it makes me giggle every time. 😋

She said 'and scene' on 'Just Dana' and let Rick know he's still dealing with Michonne Grimes. 🤭🎭

Michonne really can communicate so much without saying a word. She’s too through with all this CRM stuff and she wants Rick to be too through with it too.

Rick reacts knowing his wife is still mad but before he can sit with that, he’s having to ensure Pearl stays on their side. 

Pearl looks like she’s more shook than Michonne ever was after their encounter and Rick approaches saying, “That was good. You’re good at this.” But the way Michonne felt in control the whole time I feel like he’s lying saying Pearl was good at this lol.

Pearl immediately grasped that Rick’s wife is a force to be reckoned with as she says, “Yeah she’s strong Rick, and I’m not Okafor. We don’t mess with security. For all I know she could be sprinting toward the river.”

Pearl also reveals she noticed how obvious Rick was with his gun when she says, “You drew your sidearm” and Rick stays having to be Quick On His Feet McGee as he tells another lie and says, “You drew your knife, I was ready to back you up.” When really he was ready to pack you up, Thorne.

gif cred: @coolpartytimefan

Then Rick makes a passionate case for Michonne as he says “And she’s not running for the river you can bring her along.” I know Rick is probably thinking 'trust me, I know from first-hand experience that Dana is not running for the river cuz I already tried to get her to do that and she said no.' 😂  

Pearl says she’s not going to be responsible for a vulnerability and she thinks she knows it all now and sees why they're out here doing this. And then she again reminds Rick, “I’m not Okafor” which is true because she is not an A. I’m convinced.

Rick is left standing alone as he realizes the CRM seems to have converted Pearl, and quickly too, so now he has no more inside allies. But he does have Michonne, he just needs to start realizing that.

In a way, Rick and Michonne being so devoted to each other is making them take different approaches to how to save each other. But even when on different pages, we soon see in one of my favorite TOWL scenes behind a boneless tree that Richonne still can’t resist each other. 😏👌🏽

[maziekeen]

HOPE AND IRIS twd: world beyond / 1.03