'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' Episode 10 Review: Finale is patchy but promises a better Season 2
Spoilers for 'The Walking Dead: World Beyond' Episode 10 'In This Life'
'World Beyond' Season 1 has been a starkly different touch to 'The Walking Dead' franchise. The focus isn't on the horror zombie apocalypse the world is reeling in, but on the way forward where a new generation takes over and potentially has the cure that would save mankind and ensure a future. The pretty large claim that considering the focus are on two sisters who still have a long way to go in understanding how the world works.
'In This Life' picks up right after the events in Episode 9 and there's enough screentime on Leopold Bennett (Joe Holt) talking about his daughters, Iris (Aliyah Royale) and Hope (Alexa Mansour) over terribly tasting lentils with Dr Lyla Bellshaw (Natalie Gold). It does appear Leo has moved on after the death of his wife, Kari (Christina Marie Karis), and has found a meaningful relationship with Bellshaw although the latter knows more about his daughters than he does.
Also, we stand corrected. Apparently, Iris and Hope are the assets and it wasn't just one of them. Or so is what Hope deduces. The CRM needs her for her smarts and looks at her as a vital cog for the future. This is pretty sad as it makes the rest mere pawns, especially after a detailed character backstory that was established. Elsewhere, Silas (Hal Cumpston) is the survivor, barbecuing meat, just to be caught up by Elton (Nicolas Cantu) and Percy (Ted Sutherland). Meanwhile, Iris and Felix (Nico Tortorella) put two and two together and figure out Huck (Annet Mahendru) was the traitor.
Huck and Hope now separated from the rest fend off a herd of zombies and all the while bickering about Huck's betrayal, while Percy tells Silas that it was Huck responsible for shooting him and the trio decide to save the girls. In the finale, everything becomes clear as far as the girls' lives are concerned. Leo was never in danger as the SOS note suggested. It was all Huck's plans trying to get Hope out of the campus so she could be reunited with her father.
Part of the episode is all about how Hope is the special one. The teen has always been the smarter, geeky one (Hard to believe) while Iris is the rational one and has had Hope's back all the time. Huck is still the character who's hard to decipher. In her attempt to look at the greater good, she's actually killed someone and has intentionally disbanded the group. In the end, she still doesn't get the credit as Lt Kublek (Julia Ormond) takes it on herself to shut down the rest of the survivors.
At the other end, Silas, Elton, and Percy try hard to evade a CRM unit. Trust Silas to make the decision on behalf of the others and offer himself to be apprehended by the unit giving the other two a window to make a getaway. That's essentially one man down and two kids lost somewhere. Iris and Felix track down Huck and Hope, trade some with the two guardians trading blows only for Hope to play peacemaker and then go their own separate ways.
The ending is part disappointing. There's no cliffhanger, but it makes up for it with a better platform for Season 2. Felix reunites with Bill (Jelani Alladin) and a bunch of survivors, presumably from the campus as the scene fades to a close. So it's pretty much an emotional farewell all around, and for all the hype, there's an average episode that still gives a hint of promise for hopefully a much-improved second installment.