The Walking Dead S7x1 Day Will Come When You Won't Be

Photo Credit: The Walking Dead / Gene Page

The Walking Dead's season six ended not with a bang but a few whacks by Lucille. We finally pick up from The Last Day On Earth. There's nothing left to wait or lose. You've been warned : this post contains spoilers.

At the time of the recent finale airing, questions overwhelmed the summer break: how was the show going to conceal the victim's identity? could the cliffhanger be successful?

Thank You Glenn Rhee + Steven Yeun

As the old saying goes, a cat has nine lives. In the zombie apocalypse, former pizza boy turned wise leader Glenn Rhee had a thousand.

The comic books already sealed his fate. It was ultimately a matter of time to see if television would follow suit. After six years on The Walking Dead, we're giving thanks to Glenn Rhee and Steven Yeun, a cinnamon roll too precious for this world who managed to survive against all odds.

It's rare in television for good-hearted characters to not only survive in an apocalypse but also become a fan-favorite. Maybe we're often a pessimistic bunch and it irks us when someone can seem so damn honestly good, especially in a world when it's an eye for an eye, blood out for blood.

Sometimes we want to know what dark and tortured issues makes a person tick, what makes them sane or insane in a dog-eat-dog society.

Often goody characters also come with on-the-nose warning signs of their imminent peril. We never feel like our growing admiration is trusted in the hands of writers who will unpredictably cast aside our heroes to the wolves.

But somehow Glenn defied everything that literally stood in his way, not only from a writer's perspective but in this ridiculous world known as the zombie apocalypse.

I get to be the funny guy with the one-liners, I get to be the romantic male in the group, and I've been able to be a bad-ass on occasion. Actors only dream of an opportunity like this. - Steven Yeun

People survive differently; it can make them be a mayor of crazy town, become an unforgivable monster, or live and lead with others day-to-day. Glenn definitely fell into the latter group, but his way of life was more than simply existing. Level-headed, humble, and good-hearted, Glenn was a beacon of how people can choose to persevere if they actively chose to. He was a genuine light in the darkness.

Community made him mature. Love means sacrifice but it also symbolizes stability; where you love, you have hope. His relationship to Maggie didn't break him, no matter their accumulation of losses. She made him realize that being walker bait wasn't cool; it was time to grow up and consider the future, whichever is however long it lasts and what they forge with the right mindset and their own hands. They were each other's equals; giving strength to one another and being each other's guiding light.

The Walking Dead has proven surviving a zombie apocalypse not just a game of brawn. Being physically fit and wielding weapons certainly ups your odds, but a good portion of using your brains comes into play too. A lot of heart goes into persevering.

When shit hit the fan, Glenn thought about who he wanted to be when the dust settled. The danger that surrounded Glenn didn't stop him from being his own moral compass. Early on he accepted that every friend or foe has something to offer, and holding onto his humanity separated him from the enemies. He remained sane, diplomatic, helpful, and resilient. This is a whole other kind of courage that's very rare not just in The Walking Dead universe but the real world.

And let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap if we do not give up. - message Glenn sees in Father Gabriel's church

Time after time Glenn's composure was tested. He's lost his cool and questioned whether his fairness to not mercilessly kill was worth it. But his obstacles only re-enforced his strength. His focus to rebuild shone through because of his dedication to not harden or hold grudges; to not cause violence for violence's sake; to be living examples of the wisdom and blessings he received by his family. For every person the group lost, he used a piece of them forward. He observed dire situations and saw the thru-line of what kind of person he wanted to be.

Glenn was so lovable and respected primarily because of Steven Yeun who played him. Unlike Rick, Glenn didn't have the freedom to run to the edge of Crazy Town and return back from the brink. Unlike Carol, Glenn wasn't someone who was a quiet yet significant force of nature. Unlike Daryl, he wasn't a gruff bad-ass decked out in leather jackets riding around on sick cycle and acting all mysterious.

Glenn had a good heart, and that's not easy to come across as too melancholy, kooky, or naive. Yeun's humble abilities carried a significant honesty to his character's downfalls and triumphs. Glenn was a steady stream of finding the good within the bad, ugly, and just plain atrocious. He smart, wise, charming, funny, hopeful, and realistic. Yeun did it all with an underrated genuine heart and kindness. His character's transformation is one of the most remarkable arcs of the series second none to Peletier and Grimes.

It's difficult to say goodbye to someone who provided such a reasonable, and calm presence in such a grim, bloody chaotic world. He is one of the most layered and respected members of the original and evolving Atlanta clan, and it will be nearly impossible for the impact of his character to be fulfilled in the future. As fans of the pizza boy, his admirable positivity and ability to think of others before himself will always be with us. To Glenn and Steve, for everything, I give a humble Thank You.

September Geeky Faves

It's finally autumn! Well, about halfway through October. The thing about living in Florida is that the seasons change for the rest of the world. It's still just hot down here. So Happy Fall to all! It's time to take a brief look back at September and some geeky faves that happened last month.

FanFest - The day finally arrived for me to meet some of The Walking Dead cast. It was so moving and fun to be apart of such a well-meaning event, where all of the proceeds went to OneOrlando. Meeting several members of the show is something I'll never forget.

3 Fictional Characters - A meme spread throughout social media to describe yourself in three fictional characters. I chose Belle (initially) from Beauty and the Best but any version of her would fit (probably). Agent Carter - just 'cause I'm trying to be confident with my value. And Dorothy Zbornack. Offline, I think my face is stuck like her deadpan gaze.

Read The Martian - Hallejuah! Bookish dreams can come true. I finally read The Martian. My mission and wait was worth it. In the case of book versus movie, it was a tough call.

Halloween Costume: For the first time in a few years, I'm super excited about Halloween costume. It was such a long time in the making to find as many similar or exact pieces as possible. What a relief to have it all complete before I go to a major Halloween party. Follow me in Instagram, I'm leading a trail of breadcrumbs.,,,

Plans for November: Try NanoWriMo (but with my own daily/weekly word count), finish my TBR, start reading Outlander, watch more Halloween movies, try some Pumpkin-infused treats.

Ranking The Walking Dead Seasons (so far)

The Walking Dead has just been renewed for an eighth season. It seems like only yesterday the fandom was just tuning into the first season and waiting to see where the show would take the zombie apocalypse next. In celebration of the next stage for the series, I thought it would be a fun challenge to rank the seasons so far.

What's your favorite or least-favorite season so far? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

Book Vs Movie: The Martian

When I saw The Martian out of the blue earlier this year, I really didn't expect it to be an instant fave. I hadn't heard of the book at the time, and being all out of energy for people-stranded-in-space movies, director Ridley Scott's film didn't hold a lot of interest. But when I saw the flick in theaters, finding the book became one of my biggest missions of the year. After a desperate search through two lost copies, I was happy to finally see if the book lived up to the movie and vice versa.

As the story goes, a violent storm forces the Ares 4 crew to evacuate their mission on Mars. During their departure, biologist Mark Watney is lost in the chaos and deemed dead. Unknown to his crewmates on their way home to Earth, he's very much alive and must forge survival with scavenged equipment on a desolate planet.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) changes the spin-off game

Photo Credit: 10 Cloverfield Lane / Paramount Pictures

Monsters come in many forms. Michelle (Mary Winstead Elizabeth) encounters a series of her own when she wakes up in an underground shelter after a brutal car accident. She's being held hostage by a paranoiac ex-Navy man Howard (John Goodman), who claims he didn't just save her from the horrific wreckage but a hostile enemy invasion. Faced with mind-games within the absurd refuge and the loom of an apocalypse, she is forced to decide whether the person who claims to rescue her is as dangerous as the unidentifiable threats she's protection against.

Hollywood has attempted the innocent-woman-held-captive trope time and time again. A lot of films in the genre merely torture-porn babes and commits to violence for violence's sake to cheap effect. Another go of this type of flick doesn't seem strictly necessary, but producer J.J. Abrams and his team prove it's worth another try. By transforming those worn-out elements, they create a surprising game-changer.

Claustrophobic and engaging, 10 Cloverfield Lane meshes the action of a budding end-of-the-world scenario with psychological teases. The story's atmosphere and Howard's apparent safe haven is full of misdirection and suspense that calls into question: where is safe? what is the truth?

Michelle's fate is challenged in the all the best and terrifying ways. By making her a confident and resourceful heroine, she uses every weapon - both intelligence and with the tools at hand - to challenge her fate. A lot of the film's thrills walks the fine line between her (and another captive Emmett) letting her guard down to accept the truth and staying suspicious because some facts are not what they seem. Played awesomely by Mary Winstead Elizabeth, she is such a kick-ass character in this genre.

Her feat is challenged by an environment that is emotionally and physically confining. Plenty of evidence supports that deadly forces have invaded humankind, which makes it difficult to maneuver whether or not it's even smart or safe to venture outside. The mood is toyed with how Howard's dwelling is like a dream conspiratorial theorists' tiny home. It's completely decked out in not only food, water, and filtered air but fully furnished kitchen, dining room, living room, games, music, and movies. The familiar, even nostalgic, atmosphere is cozy and trusting. But it's all remnants of what life was before and it merely masks the tension in the air.

On top of which, surviving either means playing house with Howard or making an escape - and neither choice seems to be in her definite favor. John Goodman is brilliant as the unhinged survivalist. He is calm and collected with a touch of creepy one second, and then completely enraged the next. His backstory and Michelle's survival greatly navigates between letting your guard down and unpredictable twists. There's a definite sway between acquiescing to rules in order to keep the peace and trying to understand what lurks behind his conspiratorial beliefs.

Like it's predecessor Cloverfield, the story doesn't center on creatures versus humans. This sequel's quest (which also works as a standalone) is much more than facing scary monsters in an apocalypse, but also conquering monsters in human form who have to be endured or defeated in order to survive. Twists sprinkled throughout the film never lets the story rest on a captured woman or cheap violence. With refreshing characters and effective suspense, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a worthy thriller.

Rating: ★★★ Have you seen 10 Cloverfield Lane? What are your thoughts?

11 Best Moments of Glenn Rhee from The Walking Dead

Glenn Rhee captured fans' hearts from the very beginning of The Walking Dead. Over the past six seasons, he's kept us inspired and making us pray to the Powers That Be he wouldn't get killed off. Whether or not the seventh season will cement his comic book fate into television history, I thought now was as good of a time as any to give thanks to Glenn Rhee and Steven Yeun.

The former pizza boy turned wise leader has been there and done that throughout the apocalypse. These are eleven moments of why I personally love Glenn and believe what makes him a fan-favorite. What moments do you think are missing from my list? Feel free to share in the comments below. Hope you enjoy!