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‘The Walking Dead’ Season 7: Ezekiel Is King But Shiva The Tiger Rules And Carol Lands On Her Feet [Spoilers]

By Kim McLendon
Published on: 11:40 PST, Oct 31, 2016

The Walking Dead Season 7 was off to a horrific start with the premiere. Fans knew it was coming but were still completely traumatized by Episode 1. Some fans, including fan club co-founder Bryan Bishop, felt they had quite enough and just swore off watching the show according to The Verge. Many have missed Episode 2, but “The Well” is a relatively pleasant episode thanks to two new characters who offer hope.

Spoilers For Episode 2 Below

King Ezekiel and his tiger friend Shiva may seem a bit like a crazy thing to find in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, but unlike in the comic books, Episode 2, “The Well,” lays out Ezekiel’s plan clearly to Carol. Considering what happened last week, a plan is desperately needed after the dire dashing of hopes the last episode brought.

KingEzekiel is the real game changer for The Walking Dead Season 7, according to Vanity Fair.

“Negan might have been touted as the game-changer coming into this season, but that title really belongs to King Ezekiel.”

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 2, “The Well,” opens up with Carol and Morgan entering the Kingdom. Carol’s injuries are treated in a hospital inside Ezekiel’s Kingdom. From then on, Carol almost symbolically finds herself in all sorts of Wonderland, Oz, Garden of Eden type scenarios with Ezekiel, as explained in the absolutely gorgeous and brilliant video below.

King Ezekiel is determined to win Carol over. After what she’s been through, the Kingdom seems like paradise, but Carol, always wary, is afraid to trust it at all. Is it all too good to be true? It all seems way too fanciful, too contrived, and a bit too much like a comic book for TV viewers as well, but as seen through Carol’s skeptical eye, it works.

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 2, “The Well,” at first portrays Ezekiel as a bit outlandish, just as wild as the comic book character he was designed to bring to life. Within the first episode, though, Khary Payton, who plays the King with the Tiger, quickly establishes Ezekiel as not only sane but a capable and benevolent leader who has created a safer world for his followers, whom he admits he keeps largely in the dark.

King Ezekiel was once a zookeeper before the world fell apart. He saved Shiva’s life and made the big cat’s existence in captivity much better. Shiva is a friend, not a pet. She is capable of making her own choices, and she chooses to stay with Ezekiel. The great parallel is that Carol too has that choice.

Melissa McBride is Carol of Walking Dead [Image by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images]

The Walking Dead viewers are shown that King Ezekiel has a plan for taking care of Negan but at a significant risk. Ezekiel has kept his Kingdom’s citizens completely unaware of bloodthirsty Negan or the dangerous group known as the Saviors. Ezekiel quietly sends Negan supplies including fresh pork.

Few in King Ezekiel’s Kingdom know of his arrangement with Negan. Even fewer know of Ezekiel’s secret plan to kill Negan and the Saviors, but Ezekiel is feeding those pigs, not his pigs, but the ones he’s serving up to Negan zombie flesh.

The Walking Dead fans can recall what happened when, back at the prison, seasons ago, Rick’s group tried to raise pork. They had a barbecue, some fell sick, and many died. This is the fate that awaits Negan, the saviors and anyone who eats that pork. Will Negan figure it out, as Rick finally did? Will he find out in time to save his own life?

Khary Payton is the newly hired actor who portrays King Ezekiel of The Walking Dead [Image by Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images]

The Walking Dead Season 7 Episode 2 “The Well” does offer one serious fright to those fans able to add up Ezekiel’s apparent idea. Though Ezekiel does have a plan that could potentially take down Negan, it could hurt everyone’s favorite survivalist hero as well.

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King Ezekiel’s plan will put Daryl Dixon, portrayed by Norman Reedus, in even more danger than he is already in. Will the Saviors share pork with Daryl? Will Daryl’s keen senses pick up on the tainted meat? The Walking Dead fans will have to wait and see.

The Walking Dead Season 7 promises safety for Carol and revenge for Glenn and Abraham via King Ezekiel.

[Featured Image by Denise Allison Coyle/Shutterstock]

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