If Connie is rescued from Designation 2. This team looks destined to liberate their remaining friends in The Walking Dead's coming episodes.
The Walking Dead season 11, episode 21 is essentially a truncated version of The Walking Dead season 4 and the Terminus arc. Once again, this storyline began with the main cast scattered, on this occasion after running from the destroyed West Georgia Correctional Facility. Also echoing "Outpost 22," each of the separate groups started following railway tracks and, by doing so, ultimately reunited. In another similarity to season 11, episode 21, The Walking Dead season 4 ended with a portion of the main group captured, while a select few on the outside formulated a plot to spring them free. That both liberation parties include Carol is surely no coincidence.
Maggie's Speech Is Another Terminus Connection
The Walking Dead season 11, episode 21 ends with Maggie's group discovering their missing friends have been transported to Outpost 22, which they quickly deduce is actually Alexandria occupied by the Commonwealth. In an inspiring speech, Maggie pledges, "Milton has underestimated us since day one. We are gonna get our kids, take back our home, and make it right. And Pamela's never gonna see it coming." This rousing declaration represents a fairly close facsimile of Rick Grimes' own motivational moment at the end of The Walking Dead season 4. Captured at Terminus, Rick rallied his people by promising, "They're gonna feel pretty stupid when they find out... They're f**king with the wrong people." Maggie's version is very obviously intended as a homage to Rick's pre-match talk during The Walking Dead's Terminus arc.
Why The Walking Dead's Final Season Calls Back To Terminus
The Commonwealth does not contain cannibals (although some of Tomi's cakes looked a little suspicious), so why is The Walking Dead season 11 calling back to the Terminus arc now? As The Walking Dead's very final episode looms, the zombie apocalypse is deliberately throwing up all manner of references and allusions to previous seasons, serving as something of a "greatest hits" before the finale itself. Aside from the similarities to Terminus, Maggie encountering a child walker is a homage to Rick Grimes, the Commonwealth removing their prisoners' names harks back to the Saviors, and story elements such as tracking down missing children and protecting pregnant survivors were both present in The Walking Dead season 1.
Terminus may not be The Walking Dead's most memorable or action-packed arc. Characters seemed to wander down those train tracks forever, and going up against a group of unfussy eaters arguably failed to match the villainous glory of David Morrissey as the Governor. Terminus was, however, undeniably a turning point in The Walking Dead, and cemented the protagonist group into a hardened force that could overcome any obstacle or enemy. As Daryl, Carol, Maggie, and Rosita look to tackle their most dangerous foe yet in The Walking Dead season 11, the resolve they discovered at Terminus will be more important than ever.
The Walking Dead continues Sunday on AMC.