Sunday’s penultimate episode of “The Ones Who Live” emphasized faith, forgiveness, and redemption. The episode featured the unexpected return of Father Gabriel Stokes (Seth Gilliam), a character who embodies these themes. The revelation that Gabriel and Anne/Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) had another encounter after Anne’s departure with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) on a Civic Republic Military helicopter added a surprising twist to the story.
Anne, now known as CRM Warrant Officer Jadis Stokes, secretly met with her confidante Gabriel once a year in the woods outside Alexandria. The first meeting took place “three years ago,” during the post-Rick timeline between seasons 9B and 10 of The Walking Dead. Gabriel revealed that he had attempted to find Anne using the ham radio that Eugene had repaired at the end of season 9.
The second flashback took place after Michonne’s exit, following the Whisperer War that compromised Alexandria’s walls. Despite efforts to rebuild during season 10C, the community faced a severe food shortage in the season 11 premiere.
The third and final flashback, set “one year ago,” occurred around The Walking Dead season 11C. Gabriel and Rosita’s relationship had ended off-screen during a six-month time skip prior to the flashback. The series finale, “Rest in Peace,” concluded with a one-year time jump after Rosita’s death.
The plan for the secret meetings between Gabriel and Anne in The Walking Dead was not set during previous episodes. Seth Gilliam, who plays Gabriel, revealed that he only found out about the clandestine confessionals during a phone call with Scott M. Gimple, the series co-creator and showrunner.
“I initially thought, ‘You could have told me this years ago, it would have enriched my performance,'” Gilliam joked. “But, there was no way to foresee this trajectory for the characters, so I can’t blame anyone. It’s just a missed opportunity for a subtle nod to myself.”
Despite Gabriel’s promise of confidentiality, Anne withholds the truth about Rick and the CRM. She acknowledges belonging to a distant community and confesses to committing harsh acts for survival and the well-being of others.
Gilliam believes trust is crucial for the position, emphasizing the need to believe people without assuming ulterior motives. He also suggests an intriguing exploration of splicing the two shows together to connect their worlds.
Tune in to AMC and AMC+ on March 31st for the finale of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
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