Maggie makes the difficult decision not to join The Walking Dead’s Commonwealth, but why and how does Daryl play a role in her decision?
When Lance Hornsby arrived in Alexandria earlier in The Walking Dead season 11, he offered the resources of the Commonwealth to help rebuild, providing temporary shelter for the homeless and an invitation to move permanently if they wish.
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Meanwhile, Maggie Rhee returned to her old Hilltop community and began rebuilding after Season 10’s devastating Whisperer attack… but no matter how high she builds the Hilltop’s walls, her skepticism of the Commonwealth can be seen for miles. round
In The Walking Dead Season 11 «The Lucky Ones,» Pamela Milton finally joins Lance on a visit to Alexandria.
Aaron is already sold on the idea of an alliance, but Oceanside’s involvement depends solely on whether Maggie’s Hilltop is on board.
First, Pamela gives the speech, visibly impressing Maggie with her political superiority.
Lance then goes for the hard sell, pointing out how many advantages the Commonwealth can offer young Hershel.
Ultimately, Mercer’s effortless militaristic zombie-slaying finally convinces Maggie that uniting the Hilltop with the Commonwealth is the right move.
Dianne implores, «We need this,» and Maggie replies «I know,» seemingly determined to forge a deal. However, at the last second, Maggie surprises everyone by rejecting Pamela Milton.
Maggie’s decision to reject the Commonwealth is cemented moments after she offers those reassuring words to Dianne.
First, Maggie seems perturbed when Mercer calls out his troops, unsettled by the militaristic hierarchy of Commonwealth soldiers compared to the equality Hilltop, Alexandria, etc. have always lived by.
Maggie then watches as Pamela and Lance emerge from the safety of the Hilltop gates. She looks at the armored soldiers and then at Pamela.
The natural geography of the Hilltop creates a vivid moment of symbolism in which Mercer’s troops are at the bottom of the slope obeying orders, while Pamela and Lance are at the top of the hill relying on the protection of those below.
The image perfectly sums up the social inequality of the Commonwealth, and it clearly strikes an ominous chord within Maggie.
However, it is Daryl Dixon who proves decisive in convincing Maggie to break her contract with the Commonwealth.
She watches ruefully as Mercer orders «DIXON!» and Daryl obediently falls into line, uttering a polite «Yes, I’ve got it» before marching past the other unnamed soldiers.
Seeing Daryl Dixon, notorious rebellious and anti-social lone wolf Daryl Dixon, nodding to the Commonwealth’s orders, Maggie is startled and realizes the true price of Pamela Milton’s friendship.
When Maggie explains her decision with the line, «Like you said, everything costs something,» she refers to how joining the Commonwealth cost Daryl his famous free spirit…and she’s not about to suffer a similar loss just for a ticket. for Pam’s house. party.
Some (no doubt Dianne and the people leaving in protest with her) would argue that Maggie’s personal pride gets in the way here.
Pride certainly has a lot to answer for, but Maggie’s instincts can prove cunning in the long run.
We know that «troublesome» residents of the Commonwealth, like Tyler Davis, are disappearing, and an entire social class is being forced to live in poverty while the elite luxuriate freely.
The Walking Dead season 11 «The Lucky Ones» also confirms that Lance is exploiting Alexandria for his own nefarious ends.
Maggie doesn’t know any of this, but her instincts from Pamela and Daryl’s coldness tell her that something is wrong…and she’s not wrong.