AMC's "The Walking Dead" Season 3 Finale Doesn't Disappoint

The third season of The Walking Dead has come to a close, and as expected, there was plenty of drama, action, and heartbreak.

So many people, myself included, were expecting this final episode to be all about the Governor. While he was certainly a major player, the episode didn’t end with his death as most would’ve guessed. Instead, we saw the Governor take the final step off the deep end, slaughtering his own army before driving away into the proverbial sunset. The numerous sneak peeks and previews of the finale led me to believe that we were in for an all-out, room-to-room war in the prison between Rick’s group and the Governor’s. Instead, we saw a minor skirmish that left everyone at the prison safe and alive.

In the week leading up to the finale, AMC encouraged fans to make their own “death predictions.” I saw my Twitter feed blow up with many suggestions; Rick, Carl, baby Judith, Hershel, Glenn, the Governor, and Maggie all cropped up more than once. Noticeably absent from the list were Milton and Andrea, who were ironically the ones that ended up meeting their maker.

The scene of Milton, gutted on the floor, begging Andrea to hurry and release herself (and save him, if she can), was incredibly intense. Despite how hopeless the situation seemed, I found myself convinced they would both make it out. I thought for sure Andrea would get yet another chance to finish off the Governor. I even entertained the idea of Milton being the one to pull the trigger. When Milton’s fingers began to twitch, I still held out hope that Andrea would make it. As Rick and company entered the torture room to find Milton’s mangled body and Andrea leaning against the wall, I felt a sense of relief.

And as The Walking Dead has shown in the past, I was stupid for believing it was that easy.

The big reveal of Andrea’s bite wound was totally unexpected. She had been through so much; I thought for sure she would finally catch a break. It was refreshing to see her old friend, Michonne, show so much emotion and vulnerability, and I found myself with a lump in my throat as the camera panned away from the shut door, and the gunshot rang through the scene. Laurie Holden was an incredible actress through all three seasons, and she, along with her character, will certainly be missed.

So, where does this leave the gang now? The prison has suddenly become a pseudo-Woodbury, thanks to the appearance of a bus-load of citizens escaping the Governor’s town. We’ve seen before how new members of the group can cause trouble (the prisoners from the first few episodes of Season 3 spring to mind). Will the prison become a more permanent residence, perhaps building up into a bastion of survival? When, and how, will the Governor resurface? In the meantime, will a new threat rise up to make the zombie apocalypse even more dangerous? The wait until October and Season 4 will be a long one, but it will be oh so worth it.