TWD World Beyond: The Tyger and the Lamb (Episode 1.03)

Similarly to last week's "The Blaze of Gory", this Sunday's episode of The Walking Dead: World Beyond does not provide much in the way of plot furtherance -- however, it does finish setting the stage for the dramatic journey promised in its series debut.

While the first two episodes of this series focus mainly on Hope and Iris Bennett, episode three begins providing background information on the intriguing history of Silas, our resident "gentle giant".

As Silas refuses to kill empties (carrying his friends' bags instead), it starts to become evident that a violent past threatens his present-day ability to survive outside the walls of their community.

Throughout "The Tyger and the Lamb", Silas is greeted by flashbacks, including the audio from his sixth birthday tape, a conversation with Iris in her father's classroom, and the memory of an imaginative poem she once wrote.

While it is unclear precisely what haunts Silas, another flashback seems to depict him attacking one of his peers -- as their budding romance continues, he confesses to Iris that he is unafraid of empties, but rather, afraid of himself.

Meanwhile, Hope continues her desperate mission to lead her friends through "The Blaze" -- despite a dead flashlight and broken crank, she manages to get the siren going (as a distraction) while fighting her way back through a maze of empties.

The most dramatic moment of the episode occurs when she is rescued by Iris, as the sisters manage to kill a pair of empties for the first time in their brief stint outside the walls -- a coming-of-age moment which undoubtedly sets the stage for episodes to come.

In Sunday's episode, Hope comes face-to-face with three distinct plot points that may potentially alter future events.

First, Felix and Huck finally manage to catch up with the four teenagers -- during this sequence, Felix reveals that Hope wanted to be found, as she left evidence for the pair to follow. It's worth noting that the journey to rescue their father was set in motion by Iris, as Hope has been more "practical" throughout the experience.

Second, Hope tells Iris what actually happened to their mother on "The Night the Sky Fell" -- she has never revealed this information to anyone else, even their father. The truth of the matter is that her mother was shot by a pregnant woman who was clearly frightened and not thinking clearly. 

Third, Elton reveals to Hope that he scrambled back into "The Blaze" to save his mom's manuscript, as she never managed to finish the final chapter. As viewers know, Hope killed Elton's mother (the pregnant woman) to avenge her own mother's death. With these two characters furthering their bond, it's only a matter of time before the truth comes to light.

Nonetheless, as Hope, Iris, Elton, and Silas refuse to return home, Felix and Huck have little choice but to accompany the four teenagers to New York in pursuit of Leo Bennett.

Although Felix believes he'll manage to convince the gang to turn around, it certainly heightens intrigue for future weeks with their party expanding to six people, especially considering that Hope and Iris are developing survival skills to rival those of their older companions.

The episode ends with the return of CRM's Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Kublek, who's greeted by a concerned Sergeant Major Barca (they're big on titles in the Civic Republic Military).

Barca insists that wiping out the Campus Colony was wrong -- they weren't neutralizing a threat and they aren't "the light of the world".

Unfortunately, the Lieutenant Colonel doesn't take kindly to criticism of her 200,000 person operation, as Barca is quickly dragged away until he's "ready to serve again".

However, after his departure, viewers catch a glimpse of Elizabeth in tears -- perhaps she isn't as cold as her presentation suggests.

With only seven episodes remaining in Season 1, the pace of this series should start to quicken in the coming weeks. I'm reserving my judgment until the final credits roll.

What are your thoughts on the new Walking Dead series?

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