Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Walking Dead mid-season finale.
It may have taken a psychological beating, a half-season of servitude, deaths of friends and loved ones, but Rick Grimes has finally had enough.
He was already pushed to his limits even before The Walking Dead mid-season finale, but as he and Aaron scavenged for items all hell seemed to break loose on top of Carl’s attempt to murder Negan. (And we don’t even think he knew about Negan discovering Judith.) Spencer tried to usurp Rick from power as the de-facto leader of Alexandria without an ounce of subtlety before having his guts revealed. Aaron was beaten half to death by Negan’s men for something that was easily explainable. Rosita, harboring murderous tendencies all season, finally used the single bullet she made Eugene make her—except it hit Lucille instead. For that, Olivia, a character who existed to take care of Judith and be the subject of fat jokes, ended up dead.
Negan won’t find out that Daryl escaped until next season. We don’t envy whoever is around when that happens.
As fans watched the supersized 90-minute episode, some of them could barely contain themselves through the many twists and turns.
DUDE!!! pic.twitter.com/svkUQ5488S
— Brandon Hunt (@mediavandal) December 12, 2016
#TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/h5R2IDZHUA
— Giulia 🦎 (@crushingheights) December 12, 2016
*loses mind for third time in an hour* <– life of a @WalkingDead_AMC fan. #thewalkingdead #twd
— Wetpaint (@WetpaintTV) December 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/BlondieeWood/status/808145167253381120
https://twitter.com/BAMF_walker/status/808136039978123264
https://twitter.com/JessicaCanTweet/status/808147987776073728
But for once, The Walking Dead ended on a lighter note. After yet another motivational pep talk from Michonne, Rick and most of the major players left finally headed out to Hilltop to reunite with Maggie and Sasha—and a newly escaped Daryl. In a season full of dread, it was a brief moment of hope. Rick even got a gun back.
The Group has fully joined the rest of us in wanting Negan dead—and oh are fans stoked.
Alexandria
— nia is seeing a.c.e! (@blinglikebobby) December 12, 2016
Hilltop
The Kingdom
VS
The Saviors
Y'ALL IT'S GONNA BE LIT 🔥#TheWalkingDead
The Ricktatorship is back! @AMCTalkingDead @WalkingDead_AMC #deadbuzz #TheWalkingDead
— Brian (@CharlestonBrian) December 12, 2016
Me Right Now!!! Everything About This Moment!! #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/jC8fR8W9YU
— Jesus, (@JAYMAN_10) December 12, 2016
The end of #TheWalkingDead midseason finale with Rick and Daryl #StarWars pic.twitter.com/592MAsOgfn
— Sean McKenna (@SP_McKenna) December 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/TWDBuzz/status/808150103173320705
Tonight's episode of the @WalkingDead_AMC has me fired up like…👊🏽 @AMCTalkingDead @TheWalkingDead #LetsDoThis #TWD pic.twitter.com/NC7Zz2tZXb
— 🇺🇸 Lynne Patton (@LynnePatton) December 12, 2016
@WalkingDead_AMC Finally! Rick has woken up! Bring back #Ricktatorship because they are screwing with the wrong people! #thewalkingdead #twd pic.twitter.com/fn530ZyXxa
— Beth Hannel (@bethhannel) December 12, 2016
What’ll happen next? Well, Rick has a certain king and his pet tiger to convince to join the fight.
Too bad they don’t have the Hamilton soundtrack to convince everyone to rise up to revolution in this apocalypse.
The Walking Dead returns February 2017.