The Other Side (The Walking Dead)
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Episode 14
| "The Other Side" | |
|---|---|
| The Walking Dead episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Season 7 Episode 14 |
| Directed by | Michael E. Satrazemis |
| Written by | Angela Kang |
| Cinematography by | Stephen Campbell |
| Editing by |
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| Original air date | March 19, 2017 |
| Running time | 46 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
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"The Other Side" is the fourteenth episode of the seventh season of the post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead, which aired on AMC on March 19, 2017. The episode was written by Angela Kang and directed by Michael E. Satrazemis.
The episode focuses primarily on Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) accompanying Rosita (Christian Serratos) on a secret mission to assassinate Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in order to avenge their late boyfriend, Abraham Ford. Elsewhere, Simon (Steven Ogg) and the Saviors pay an unexpected visit to the Hilltop with plans of taking more than just supplies.
At the Hilltop, Sasha and Maggie have begun training survivors, including Enid, in the use of knives offensively in preparation for the imminent war against the Saviors. Surprising everyone, Simon and a crew of Saviors raid the community, forcing Daryl and Maggie to hide in the cellar. Aware of the Saviors' arrival, Sasha packs her bag and takes Rosita to a secret escape hatch that passes beneath the perimeter wall. After sneaking out of the Hilltop, both rebels begin to carry out their secret mission.
During the raid, a Savior walks toward the cellar doors. Enid desperately tries to distract him away from the basement, but he proceeds to enter the cellar. As Daryl readies his knife to attack the Savior searches the cellar, but soon leaves with some supplies and shuts the door. Once he's gone, Maggie remarks to Daryl that he hasn't spoken a word to her ever since he returned to the Hilltop. Crying, Daryl apologizes to Maggie for Glenn's death. Maggie resolutely maintains Daryl wasn't to blame, saying that Glenn knew Daryl was "good", and that nearly killing a Savior unnecessarily would only have detracted from the bigger goal — winning the war; they embrace. Eventually, the Saviors leave with Dr. Harlan Carson in tow, as their new doctor, so that he can replace his now-deceased brother, Emmett Carson, who was burned alive inside a furnace after being thrown in by Negan for a false confession. The Hilltop residents gather at the gates and watch the Saviors leave with Dr. Carson. Gregory, sensing their disappointment, shifts around uncomfortably as he continues to lose credibility as a leader.
Situating themselves in an empty building near the Sanctuary, Sasha and Rosita set up a sniper's nest. While waiting, they bond over their purpose and past events. At night, Sasha and Rosita attempt to sneak into the Sanctuary, where they encounter Eugene from the other side of a fence. They urge Eugene to come with them and escape, but he refuses. He tells them to go away and heads back inside the compound; Rosita curses at Eugene in disappointment. At Sasha's suggestion, Rosita keeps watch as Sasha slips through the fence, but doesn't notice Sasha using a lock to close the opening behind her so that she can lock Rosita out. Despite Rosita's protest, Sasha explains to her that it isn't her "time" and that Alexandria still needs her. Leaving Rosita behind, Sasha breaks into the Sanctuary, kills another Savior in the process, and runs through an open door, to kill Negan herself. As gunfire breaks out, Rosita flees and sobs in frustration after she hears Saviors approaching, but eventually stops to catch her breath and notices a dark figure, holding a crossbow, watching her from a small distance.
Production
The episode largely focuses on Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Rosita (Christian Serratos). Martin-Green commented on Sasha's sacrifice as symbolic of the themes of the season saying, "I think so many of us have realized that the only fight worth fighting is one for the future. Our value of life has expanded beyond concern for ourselves. We're leaders of this world and we're building a future for us, for our children and hopefully our children's children. Regardless of the sacrifice. It's a prevailing theme of the back half of the season and I think it's an astounding truth." She said, "Rosita is needed elsewhere. There has to be a point to these sacrifices, as I say to her, and there would be no point for her to join me when this is my path alone to take. It was definitely emotional, but there was joy there too, the joy that comes from reconciliation and the joy that comes from stepping into what you believe is your purpose."[1] Serratos mentioned the bonding scene between Rosita and Sasha was the most dialogue she ever had on the show. On Rosita's backstory, she commented, "She knew that what she had to offer was her appearance and that it could benefit her if she chose to utilize it, and that’s what she did to survive. And I thought that was just really cool, and the fact that she was doing it 10 times better than all these dudes is a really cool message."[2]
The episode also features the re-appearance of Maggie (Lauren Cohan), who has been absent for four consecutive episodes and was last seen briefly in "Rock in the Road." This episode also is the first to address the sexual orientation of Jesus. Actor Tom Payne promised “he is the same as he is the comic books in that regard,” and later said, “I was excited to first establish Jesus as a kick-ass ninja, then have the fact that he happens to be gay dropped in later. The way it’s done is subtle. It’s a small moment.”[3]
