TellTale Games' The Walking Dead (Michonne): Season 1/ Episode 3 "What We Deserve" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

A long time ago I read an article about THQ, or another game company, which had to release one game in a certain time period in order to keep their license. To me, while the Walking Dead: Michonne had its moments, more so it seemed like TellTale’s way of keeping that license alive and reminding you what their style of entertainment is. That is, as opposed to creating a spin-off, with a well-known character, worth your time, money, and overall investment.

 

Episode Rating:
Maintaining
(1 Hour and 5 Minutes)

 

Trigger Warning(s):
Gun Violence, Zombies, and Jump Scares

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Should I Go or Should I Stay? (Michonne, Sam, and Paige)

With it becoming clear Norma wants her brother back, in one piece and practically unharmed, so comes the question of whether to stick around or not? Michonne and Pete find themselves forced to stay as Norma has their crew, but for Paige, there isn’t much of a reason to stay. After all, she isn’t a Fairbanks child, what reason should she risk her life? Luckily, though, while Sam perhaps isn’t enough reason, nor the man who took her in, children have a way of keeping people in unfavorable positions. Well, as Michonne shows, for the most part.

That thought aside, as Paige ponders what she may do, Sam is burying her father. Something very triggering for Michonne for there is seemingly this growing falsehood in her that perhaps her daughters may be alive. That maybe their father Dominic, wherever he might be, or was, took their daughters to safety. For as much as Michonne may be a bad ass, she seemingly is having a harder time than most trying to cope. If just because she never got to say goodbye and didn’t have the chance to at least attempt to save her girls. She just wasn’t there.

Topic 2: Is That My Brother In There?! (Norma and Michonne)

Being that I kept Randall alive, just to perhaps keep Norma from going nuts, I found myself in negotiation with Norma. Perhaps the best idea I ever had since with us in the last episode burning down Monroe, and causing a few deaths, leverage is something desperately needed. Problem is, though, while Randall is some form of leverage, he is only to Norma. For Norma’s people, such as Zachary’s boyfriend, Randall’s life isn’t enough for Michonne and company’s safety. So, this leads to one of the crew being shot. Mind you, this isn’t Norma’s call, but people with guns, on edge, and very emotional, are going to do rash things.

But through it all, two live. However, once Randall is freed he decides that it is time for revenge and he goes after Michonne, thus leading to a bullet in the head. Which effectively ends any peace with Norma who, between a flare gun and her crew shooting off their guns, have attracted Walkers. Leading to everyone, walkers included, coming into the compound and a shootout happening. One which leaves Norma’s people, and Norma herself, dead, but also Sam’s home on fire.

Topic 3: I Remember Now (Michonne)

At the heart of this journey has always been what Michonne didn’t do, did do, or could have done for her daughters who are assumed dead. Well, after 2 episodes we finally get a clear answer that neither her, former lover Dominic, nor her daughters, are of this world. They are beings capable of haunting Michonne as she constantly is on the verge between life and death. However, there is a moment of opportunity where the gorge which usually separates her daughters from her is suddenly closed. In this moment one daughter can touch her, hold her hand, grip it, even speak to her. Something which reminds you that despite all the boring moments in terms of Sam or Pete, there is a silver lining. One which provides the emotional depth Clementine brought to the main Walking Dead games. Leading you to wonder, without a child at the center of the game, can TellTale make these stories impactful?

Review Summary

Highlights

Say Goodbye To Mommy: Truly the sole highlight of this whole miniseries was the scenes dealing with Michonne and her children. With this, we had some real emotion out of each episode as opposed to the whole Sam and Greg situation in which, honestly, sometimes I was ready to let them both die.

Low Points

Lack of Challenge: While the quick time events are there, honestly there feels like there is way too much time given for them to be true quick time events. In many ways, it often feels like the time given to save Michonne is too much and with this, you lose the sense that making mistakes matter or that her life is truly in danger. You are simply watching an interactive movie which just lets you choose some dialog and who you talk to first. Everything else is just sudden jolts to wake you up which give you more than enough time to brush your teeth, make some breakfast, and mental prep for what you will have to deal with during the day.

Questioning Whether Any Decision Mattered: In a three-part series, you’d think your verbal decisions would matter more. However, even with them noting Sam is going to remember this, Pete is going to remember that, there is this feeling that them remembering what you say doesn’t ultimately matter. Not only because it doesn’t seem this series will tie in with the main one, but because there doesn’t seem any room for your words to affect anything. The Walking Dead: Michonne seems so tight, in terms of its narrative, that there is no wiggle room for mistakes, betrayals, and one decision making the difference. Again, it is just an interactive movie where, ultimately, any moments you participate are negligible in the long run.

Collected Quote(s)

It’s a fine line between the court jester and village idiot.

—           “What We Deserve.” The Walking Dead: Michonne