TWD #TBT: Tyreese’s death was The Walking Dead at its poignant finest

There have been some truly phenomenal episodes of The Walking Dead, but “What Happened and What’s Going On” is about as moving and compelling as television drama gets.

The Walking Dead is one of the best television shows in history, certainly one of the most groundbreaking. I remember being at a party in New York once practically screaming at someone who kept referring to it as a zombie show, “It’s not about that! It’s. So. Much. More.”

There’s one episode in particular that demonstrates this concept the most, “What Happened and What’s Going On,” in which Tyreese dies from blood loss after having his zombie-infected arm amputated. The episode takes place in the middle of TWD’s stellar season 5, and was the mid-season premiere.

It’s hard to pin down my favorite episode of this incredible show. There’s the iconic first episodes, with the famous image of Rick Grimes riding his horse into the city full of dead along the abandoned Atlanta highway. There was nothing on television seen like that before.

There was the season 2 episode when Carol’s daughter was discovered among the dead in Hershel’s farm, “Pretty Much Dead Already,” forcing Rick to shoot the zombified Sophia in front of her devastated mother.

Remember when they made it to the CDC, only to find the place rigged with explosives and Dr. Edwin Jenner prepared to let the whole place blow up to smithereens? I’ll never forget the moment when he leaned over and whispered to Rick the great secret of The Walking Dead, that all of humanity carried the disease. That, for me, was a game changer in terms of telling this type of apocalypse story. How do you find hope in a world where there is none?

But there is one episode that transcends the survival decisions, compelling heroic arcs, and brilliant storytelling that make this show so binge-worthy. One harrowing episode stands out above the rest, that can be viewed on its own, independent from the rest of the show, “What Happened and What’s Going On.”

Season 5 episode 9 begins with a funeral, which is revealed later to be Tyreese’s. We flashback to Tyreese following Noah back to his community and family home. Deciding to spare him the pain of seeing his re-animated corpse brother, Tyreese leaves the zombie in the room—a decision that will haunt him later, after Noah’s brother bites Tyreese on the arm while he was distracted looking at family photos.

So much of the storytelling comes down to the gut-wrenching decisions apocalypse survivors are forced to contemplate during the collapse of humanity. Failing to make the right one—with very little time to ponder—often determines if a character survives or perishes. In this case, the moments of sympathy and contemplation prove Tyreese’s undoing.

By letting his guard down, brave, heroic Tyreese becomes a victim and in his dying moments — while Noah goes to get help — he is visited by ghosts from his past including Martin (from Terminus), wonderful Bob, beautiful Beth killed too young, Lizzie and Mika who promise that “it’s better now” (that they’ve crossed over to the great beyond), and of course The Governor, who adeptly confronts Tyreese about his choices and his need for hope, which Tyreese clings to as he clinging to his life:

"I didn’t know who I was talking to. I said I would do what I had to earn my keep, but I didn’t know you. But I know… I know who I am. I know what happened and what’s going on. I know. You didn’t show me shit. You, you’re dead. Everything that you were is dead. And it’s… it’s not over. I forgave [Carol] because… it’s not over. It’s not over… It’s– it’s not over. I didn’t turn away. I kept listening to the news so I could do what I could to help! I’m not giving up. You hear me? I’m not giving up! People like me… people like me, they can live. Ain’t nobody got to die today."

However, his hope is dashed as reality closes in, with the shock of Michonne rushing in (from the point of view of Tyreese), jolting the viewer to the reality of the situation, and Rick holding his arm so they can immediately amputate to keep the infection from spreading.

The editing between the hallucinations that Tyreese is having, and the traumatizing scene of his friends amputating and trying to save him is television visuals at its best.

It also reminds you of the horrors of war in many ways. Tyreese clings to life, but then realizes he’s done fighting the damage of living, and tells them to turn the car news radio program off, making peace with his decision.

Michonne, Rick, and the rest of his friends are devastated by the loss. Tyreese had protected Judith, changed her diapers, and forgiven Carol when she killed his girlfriend to keep a deadly flu from spreading. In one idle moment he became a casualty of this great war against the undead. It was reminiscent of stories from World War I (Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front comes to mind), the futility of life, the unfairness of death, and how a wonderful person could be cut down at any moment.

“What Happened and What’s Going On” is an episode that will stay embedded in your mind forever, culminating in a powerhouse performance from Chad Coleman in what was already an unforgettable role of Tyreese, one of the most humane characters on the show, where every bit of humanity is greatly valued.

The Walking Dead season 9 finale will air on AMC on Sunday, 9 p.m. EST.