The Walking Dead Season 3 Spoilers - Episode 13 Arrow on the Doorpost- Synopsis, Review

The Walking Dead Season 3: Episode 13: Arrow on the Doorpost 

Synopsis, Review, Spoliers

After a vacation away from the Woodbury drama last week, we return back to the realisation that the two separate parties are on the brink of war. Last week we saw Rick slightly edge back over the sanity line with his confrontation with Morgan.  That trip was well needed in order for Rick to finally come face to face with the Governor.

The silent treatment is once again used in the opening sequences as Hershall, Rick and Daryl wander tensely around an abandoned facility, weapons nervously aimed at every corner.  As Rick enters a building alone, he confronts the Governor who walks out of the darkness and states, “We have a lot to talk about”.

Andrea organised this confrontation with her Martinez and Milton arriving shortly after the Prison settlers. Everyone was tense, Hershall had strapped a gun to his leg with the Gov (up to his old tricks again) having a gun pointed at Rick the whole time, strapped underneath the table.

Andrea (surprised about the Gov’s arrival before herself) attempts to knock Rick’s and the Gov’s heads together when she storms in. The two hardly notice her entrance and don’t take an eye of each other. With Andre completely being ignored she leaves the two to have their long awaited talk, but having listened to Ricks comment about Maggie to the Gov, that Andrea was unaware of, could this be the last straw to her loyalty to Woodbury.

With the two leaders in isolation the others are left to enjoy each other’s company. I say enjoy, but Daryl soon makes a comment about Milton being the Governor’s servant.  They soon pair of with Milton and Hershall making the first group and Daryl and Martinez wandering of after hearing a Walker near by. They very much have on their minds that they will soon be at war with each other.

Meanwhile the rest of Rick’s party, currently with Glen giving the orders, are preparing for an attack by sorting through the weapons, thanks to Morgan’s armoury.  But Glen has a lot more to contend with later. Merle is planning a solo attack with his brother’s safety the only thing on his mind. Glen’s authority isn’t that as Rick’s and it can be clearly seen when Merle pulls a knife on Glen and the two wrestle around on the floor. They end their scuffle once Beth, (she seems to disappear into the background a lot this series, at one point I forgot she was still a cast member), fires a warning shot into the air.

With Both Rick and the Gov alone in a small confined space, assassinating one another is clearly something that will be running through their heads. But once they ignore Andrea for a second time they finally get down to business when Rick slams a map onto the table. He attempts to mark out a two territories which neither party shall pass but the Gov is clearly here for only one thing, “I’m here for one thing only - your surrender.”

With Andrea then exiting the room, the Gov cleverly deflects everything Rick fires towards him. Rick wants an answer to his kidnap of Glen and Maggie but the Gov isn’t letting anything slip, all he wants is surrender. The two continue to take digs at each other. “You’re the town drunk who tripped over my fence and ripped my yard. Nothing more”, says Rick. So as of this moment the confrontation does seem to have accomplished too much yet.

As this takes place Hershall politely repels Milton’s advances at looking at his leg (that has a gun still strapped to it) for ‘medical reasons’. Milton’s true scientist comes out as he wants to see how far the bite was away from where his leg was cut off and Hershall does his best to deny the advances. With the Walker separating the ‘Henchmen’ from the rest, it gives them the chance to show off to the other. Martinez whips out his shiny baseball bat with Daryl’s fancy crossbow and accurate knife throwing skills coming into use to take out a Walker. The two who earlier was digging into each other, then share a cigarette. This proves how they both are just obeying orders and the Gov’s and Rick’s views aren't necessarily theirs. Well there not at war yet I suppose. But it’s not really a good idea bonding for a moment when, sooner rather than later, they will be at war on two different sides.

Inside the Governor reveals his first attempt at negotiation, and no it’s not just both getting on with their own lives. He wants revenge and this whole war is merely in his own intentions and not of his people. His revenge is on Michonne, who blinded the Gov in one eye after her brawl with him during the Woodbury attack and took his undead daughter from him.  

Andrea makes it clear outside she is still firmly sitting on the fence, everyone has told her how sick he is on her friend’s side but yet she is still keeping his bed warm on the other. Her position is very frustrating because she seems incapable of jumping to one side or the other and requires a push. Hershall does his best to pull her back to her friends by bluntly telling her about Maggie, which could be the final thing shed needed.

Back at the prison Merle attempts to still go off and help his brother by trying to persuade Michonne, who is unaware that her life is being bargained for, but she clearly is sticking with Rick and tells him, he is on his own.

Maggie and Glen finally get back to being a couple in love. Their relationship has been under a lot of pressure since their kidnap. The two finally talk it out during their watch outside and after a short and brief conversation they begin kissing. Before you know it the two are behind a shutter, away from their watch point, getting up to their private business.

The final stages are coming together back at negotiations table. Rick is smart and he knows that the Gov wants more than revenge against Michonne, after all he kidnapped Glen and Maggie before this took place anyway. The Gov tells him he won’t attack the prison and will be rid of him after he brings Michonne to him. He gives another meeting date at the same location in two days’ time for when to bring her to him.

They both exit the cabin and quickly get into their vehicles. The people outside, surprised a fight hasn’t occurred, jump into their transport also, with Andre still heading back to Woodburn, and return home.

The Gov on return and up to his old tricks orders Martinez to fire on anyone other than Michonne and gives the order to prepare for an attack. Milton, who after speaking to Hershall realises that the people they are fighting arnt in fact the enemy, may now be closer to jumping into Andrea’s boat. He goes on to tell the Gov “But what about the deal? That is a slaughter”. The Gov takes no notice and then gives a bent version of the truth to Andrea about their ‘friendly meeting in two days’ time’, forgetting to mention the fact that the bargaining chip is Michonne.

Rick almost psychically rallies the prison settlers on his return and bluntly says, after seeing straight through the Gov’s intentions, “We’re going to war”.